For a mini break we went to Byron bay for 2 nights. We hung out on the beach and enjoyed the small town feeling of the area. (Think Canmore with ocean and sun instead of mountains and snow) After a day on the beach, in the pool, in the sun, and eating at amazing little cafes and restaurants, it was time for an adventure. 3 out of 7 of us hiked up to the lighthouse. Running shoes, beach and an amazingly strong sun started this wonderful hike! Yep, I love sand in my runners. Anyway we found the trailhead and I was happy to be out of the sand and onto the stairs...wait, what? What is this, stairs? Yes its true lighthouses are located on TOP of BIG hills.
So sweating our faces off and sand in our shoes we hiked the million steps to one lookout. The most eastern tip of Australia. Whew! That was worth it. THEN, we hiked higher and into the area with no trees or shade of any kind, and it is now noon so even if there could have been shade it wouldn’t be there at noon with the sun right on top of us. I swear, I thought I was going to pass out. So this beautiful lighthouse, which looked like all other lighthouses I've ever seen, was finally in our sights. I got to the top and found some shade and plopped down.
The 3 of us sat there for about 20 minutes just enjoying the temperature difference. So when we decided to head down to town again, low and behold we found an ice-cream vender! Ice cream to the rescue again! This ice cream is special too, it was voted in the top ten in Australia...well no wonder why, everyone who finds this guy is dying of heat and thinks that an angel has come to deliver them cold, wonderful, sweet ice-cream. I would have voted it the best in the world when I got there.
Okay so back to the hike, we took the easy route down, yes I said easy. We hiked down the coastal rainforest path, which was all downhill, Remember that all lighthouses are located on top of BIG hills, so now we had to go down. Through the woods, I was loving the shade of the trees, but the other two girls freaked themselves out about spiders and snakes and they started to run. Then Julia, my roomie, actually saw a snake and all hell broke loose. Running downhill, tired, laughing at ourselves and Julia actually thinking she could die in this forest. Anyway I kept them in reality check, you know me I had the situation under control (read as too tired to run) Anyway we hit the sand and I was more than happy to leave that hill behind me. We went straight to our rooms for our bathers and jumped into the freezing cold pool...beauty.
So my legs are sore and I can hardly walk and I need to study for my exam, ON SUNDAY! Boo. School starts on Monday so the adventures will be on hold for a bit while I figure out this education gig.
Till the next amusing bit of life...
