Byron Bay… I love You!

2/22/10
Arriving in Byron at around noon I was very disappointed to be greeted by rain. Discouraged I headed to the internet café and took care of some things in the hopes that the rain would pass. Emerging from the dark café about an hour later I was delighted to see the clouds had lifted and there was nothing but blue skies and sun. I decided to store my bags and take a walk around town before heading down to the beach to relax and maybe do some bodysurfing if there were any waves. Walking the town I immediately loved the energy, and as I reached the beach I was shocked at what I saw. Not only was the sky blue, the water crystal clear, the winds off shore, but the waves were head high and even bigger on some sets. After watching a couple surfers catch some amazing waves I literally back into town, found a place to rent a board, and was in the water within fifteen minutes. This was amazing. To the right was a green hillside forming a headland with a litehouse out in front, eventually wrapping around to the beach behind me, and to the left more beach stretching off into the distance where I could barely make out the next headland. I surfed for two and a half hours, right up until I had to go get my bags out of the storage lockers. After retrieving my bags I headed to the Beach Hotel, just across from where I was just surfing, to have a beer and watch the wonderful waves continue to break. After a beer and some lengthy conversation with a very talkative local, I headed to the park to eat a little something, relax and wait for my 13 hour bus to Sydney. The bus was completely full, but I managed to score a window seat, perfect for sleeping because I could rest my head against the glass. Unfortunately all the petit people kept passing me by, and then it happened. Here is where you think I’m going to say this amazingly beautiful girl came an sat next to me. I wish! Instead I saw pass throught he bus door a guy standing about six foot seven. I swear his arms were as long as my legs. Naturally he approached me and asked if the seat next to me was available. I said it was and he squeezed himself into the seat. His legs were so long that he had to stick them out in the isle, but only for the first few hours till he turned them in my direction. To top it off, apparently the girl behind me must have been enormous as well because her knees were in back the entire ride, except for every two minutes when she would sit up to cough. To say it was a long bus ride is an understatement. I did manage to sleep for about seven or eight hours though once the Tylenol pm kicked in…