Well we spent Easter weekend in Byron Bay and Tweed Heads, Byron being a backpacker mecca! This was however a big mistake. We drove into Byron expecting crowds as it is such a sought after destination. However we were unprepared for the 30,000 people that were to arrive in Byron for the East Coast Blues and Roots festival. Finding no accommodation, we set up our 12 pound tent in the only campsite that had room, and sat back and waited. On the first night we were still unprepared for what was to come, thinking that the festival was just a small thing. However upon our return from the beach next day (the surf was small, but a hell of a lot of fun) we saw the dozen or so tents had swelled to a hundred odd. However if we were expecting Reading style camping we were disappointed, the festival is much more of a hippy fest including acoustic guitars and lots of strange smelling cigarettes. As we were there over Easter Weekend we were expecting a blowout of huge proportions in the pub. Once again we were sorely disappointed. The Australians do not know how to party properly, as all the bars on Good Friday, turned away hundreds of people, and hundreds of dollars of business to shut up at 10pm! That’s right 10 in the evening on a popular night during the height of their season. At no other point in Byron’s season will 30,000 people descend on the town. It just doesn’t make any sense to us, it really doesn’t.
As the weather was pretty poor in Byron we decided to catch a film, 300 to be exact. While waiting for it to come on, guess who walked in? Yep that’s right, ‘Stalker’ Tom. Of all the showings (4 that day) he came to this one, which only had 40 or so people in it. Simply incredible. Anyway Byron is a must for anybody’s Australian itinerary, with epic beaches, a nightlife that is kicking (according to most people, and outside of Easter) and a really laid-back vibe that isn’t manufactured. Go there!
After spending two disastrous nights in Byron in our tent, (it leaked and two poles broke so it ended up looking like the Somme) we decided it was time to buy a new one. However being Easter Weekend we thought we would have to make do we a makeweight tent, not much better then the one previously. However upon arrival in Tweed Heads we went into the first camping shop and almost bought a decent 40 pound 4 man tent. However upon adventuring round the chaotic inside of the camping warehouse we discovered a more expensive, but infinitely better tent. So now we are camping in a double layered (our first had one layer), giant, 10 man tent. We can stand up in it, and spread our crap everywhere so from now on we will be mainly camping in our mansion. Tweed Heads itself suffered from the same curse as Byron, namely a chronic work shy attitude over Easter so every night saw us back in the tent drinking our own beers at 9pm. At Tweeds they have decent surf and decent snorkeling, so it’s definitely worth checking out for a day or two.
Now we are in Brisbane where we are meeting up with Ed, Sam and Adam for some laughs, so expect some interesting posts coming along the pipeline. For those of you knowledgeable about Australian geography, no we haven’t bypassed Surfers, after Brisbane we will be heading back south, to fill in the gaps down along the Gold Coast.
All my love
Jack xxx
