Sun, Sea and Sushi

 The morning announced itself with the ubiquitous yodel/whistle of the Magpie, and Yamba (our current location) beckoned.

We had a leisurely muesli, nonchalantly packed our bags and sauntered into Yamba. With a little coaxing, the car made it up the steep hill to the coast near the lighthouse. 

The sun was out. It was pleasantly warm. We revelled in it, walking first to the lighthouse, then down to the beach. From there, we made our way along a mile-long spit of land (man made) which stuck out into the sea. As we glanced out to sea, we saw a dolphin surfacing a few times as it made its way up the creek.

It won't surprise you to learn that, after our walk, it was time for a coffee. No shortage of choice in Yamba. 

We felt like we could hang around in Yamba. The coast line is so big that it's easy enough to find a quiet spot to enjoy vast and impressive views. Perhaps the weather helped to prompt our wish to stay longer. 

We wandered the shops for a while and Kate found some flip flops that were actually narrow enough for her feet. Rare. And half the price they would have been in the UK. 

One thing which has struck us about Australians, is how nice they are. Not just family, but strangers as well. Time and time again, they go out of their way to help. Young, old, men, women, it doesn't matter. They are so friendly. We are quite bowled over by it. Even staff working in the train stations. We often know them to be cantankerous and obtuse but here they go out of their way to set you on the right track (literally) and explain everything clearly. I think we can learn a thing or two....

Our next stop was Ballina, pretty close to our eventual stop of Byron Bay. I actually wanted Sushi for lunch. Kate did not coerce me. I feel Sushi is getting a grip...

Before reaching our eventual destination, we stopped at a lookout called Lennox Head. On our way to the top of the headland, we again glanced out to sea. This 'glancing out to sea' thing has paid dividends today. First dolphins and this time at least two whales. Unmistakable. Especially when they spewed jets of water out above the sea. The only other wildlife we spotted of note was a Turkey. On the hill. Straight out of the Beatles. 

And so to Byron Bay. 

We are on Scott Lane. Other roads include Shelley, Johnson, Keats, Browning and Ruskin. There's two ways of thinking about this. Either that we are being embraced by the great literary characters of a bygone age, or we are entering the bohemian world that was so much a part of these writer's lives.

Five minutes spent in the town show clearly which way the population leans. When asking one person about Byron Bay a few weeks ago, they said that it was a great place to buy 'special' mushrooms and there were great places to dive into the sea naked. Having wandered the streets of Byron Bay this afternoon, we are inclined to believe these claims. Perhhaps it should be pointed, however, that we didn't actually partake of either activity. I think we are 'in a different zone'.

We did walk along the beach for a while. Then Kate paddled in the sea. Feeling like I might be missing out, I joined her. Then my phone obviously felt like it was missing out too, because it also went 'for a paddle' in the sea... It is quite a miracle that I'm able to write this blog. 

There is a definite 'boho' feel about this place and we notice that most people are about forty years younger. Not that we care. We're happy to forget the age difference. Having said that, I've no doubt that the night life will now be hotting up, whereas this is the time when we retire to our new accommodation in the hope that Vera is on the tv. 

Alas, it isn't, but we are staying in a room off a house which feels very much like a room off the garden, complete with smells of incense. We look out on to Cannas, bougainvillea and 40' bamboo. That'll do instead of Vera tonight.

On the coast at Yamba
At the end of the spit. We were going to take a selfie, but, unprompted, a young man offered to take this. It's what they do here!
Returning to the mainland 
This is the beer making facilities. (In the coffee shop...)
The coffee part of the coffee shop 
Lennox Head 
Standing in the sea, moments before my phone decided to join us....


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