Seven Things to Love about Byron Bay

If you said that I would do five mornings in a row of 6am Yoga class - even a few weeks ago - I would have laughed and said really?  But there I was, up with the birds, quietly pacing the streets of Byron Bay and submitting to a ninety minute yoga class. 

Hazel bought this anklet and both girls got a single hair braid
with $20 Isla found blowing along the path like a tumbleweed. 
The sand crystals are very fine and almost like dust.

I've spent weeks in Byron Bay in 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 2002, and 2014.  So you can appreciate how things have changed a little since I was last up this way.  I feel like some sort of local visitor - if that is a word?  And that lovable ratbag element is still there, and the quiet confidence of the alternative lifestyle has not diminished.  Even though property prices and holiday rentals have increased in value.

Byron is the most Easterly point on the Australian mainland - so in theory when I was getting out of bed at 5.45am for my 6am yoga class I was actually getting up at 5.44.57 or something like that...

This was my first time in Byron Bay as a family man and entirely sober, so it was refreshing to appreciate the place without the hindrance of whatever and be able to fully participate in all that the place has to offer.

Seven Things to Love about Byron Bay

It is remarkable how quickly children pick things up - after just a few demonstrations Phoebe was finding her center with the Warrior Pose II - you can see how she was opening her hips and keeping her core balance.

1. No flies.  That's right.  No flies at all.  Anywhere.

"Over the shoulder"

2. No McDonalds.  A lot has been made of the move away from commercialism and keeping it real with sustainable and local products.  And you can actually feel it in the place.  So it works.  Even though there is an Aldi. And a Subway.  And a bloody Hog's Breath.

This guy sells pecans at the markets.  Easy to talk to, honest
and would probably invite us round for lunch or something...

3. Femininity.  Not sure how to say this but the place has a definite feminine feel - not so much tough stickers (tattoos?) and top-heavy-chesty-gym-boys doddering around like they might over-balance and fall face-first any moment.  But it's just true - there are groups of young women and hipster guys without bulging biceps or meaningless "fashion"tattoos.  You gotta love that.

They call them dragon fruit - and they have amazing white dalmation flesh inside.

4.  Village hustle and bustle.  The place has three main streets and they are always filled with cars moving through - and new people from all corners of the globe.  Other surf towns up the coast suffer from a kind of provincial ignorance that comes from too many bowling clubs and not enough foreigners making "requests" for non-local products.  This is a good thing - we have had enough chicken schnitzel and "mild" curry.  Yay for plenty of sushi and yoghurt!

Here's the Nimbin Bus - I went to Nimbin a few times and it was actually a bit numbing to see how wrinkly and sad the alternative dream gets as you mix poverty and desperation with chronic addiction and getting old...

5. No Bowling Clubs or RSL clubs in sight. 
For some reason - Byron is not dominated by poker machine subsidised schnitzels or bland Australianised "mild" Asian fare - and that's a refreshing change from the other stops up the coast.  It is amazing that something other than that has been able to flourish and thrive. 

When we talked about about "the tripod"
and beach modelling, Isla is simply a natural.

We love sushi and hot Mexican and vegie bakes with little seeds and stuff in it.  And we aren't big fans of lining up for top price meals from frowning staff at clubs. 
Fresh frozen?  not likely...

Hazel and Phoebe waiting for dinner at Asia Joes.

When it rained one afternoon the girls took out the rainbow umbrella
and we walked the streets barefoot.  Loving the dresses...

6. Walking everywhere.  The parking is a nightmare and parking officers walk around handing out fines everyday.  This deters a few more people from coming.  Byron might be a little bit too much work for a, like, holiday.
But if you can handle stepping away from your vehicle (we love how it's nice and shiny and all that..) - hey - you might even enjoy that feeling of fresh air in your lung-bits.

Gorgeous - both held it together like true travellers.

7. The People.  Byron people actually smile and walk slower - a girl behind us on the way to the bay one morning we overhead was talking about how much slower everyone walked - compared to New York.  And it's true, you just have to walk a bit slower in Byron.

Red Ginger is a foodie shop with plenty to keep you interested - I bought a cast iron tea cup for $9.

Byron Bay lighthouse- each night we could see the light wink past our bedroom window.
We were all asleep by around nine.

Just popped this one in for the vista looking south
- you can see our the clouds pointing that way.

Oh, and THANK YOU I really appreciate your dropping by, we have 4786 visitors in Jan 2014.

Trouble with Neighbours

This morning we were paid a visit by the Newcastle Local Council - Ray Brylynsky -and one of the members of his team.  Apparently my neighbour has called the General Manager of the Newcastle Council about a little wood platform I have at the rear of my backyard for my daughters.  After seven years all of a sudden it now has to go.  And this was a response within hours of the vexatious complaint being raised in the first place.

That's funny - things like this usually take weeks if not months to process - I wonder why this little matter was suddenly so important to be dealt with in hours and then by the two head honchos?

For sure we have built a little 8 x 4 foot platform in the reserve - it is a delightful little stage for the children to dance upon - but for Newcastle Council to send out two big head honchos within hours of receiving a complaint is quite unnerving.  I wonder who knows who - or who has a connection somewhere along the line.

It will be interesting to see how this progresses.  I have planted dozens of native plants and grasses throughout the reserve as a firebreak and animal shelters too.  I wonder if they have to go?