Saturday 3 November 2007

Kyogle, Nimbin and ending in Byron Bay

Yesterday I arrived in Byron Bay, after having spent the last 4 days at Isaacs dad's farm in Kyogle. It was a beautiful place, surrounded by rainforest, fields and hills. Truly a place to relax and enjoy nothing but the sounds of wildlife and the occasional BBQ.

A not so happy fish in Byron Bay. This morning I took a long walk, in order to regroup and start planning my upcoming New Zeeland adventure. My stay in Australia is coming to an end. It has been an amazing experience from start to end, and I owe it all to Isaac, and his great efforts to show me the country down under. I will also always have an open door and a bbq waiting for his family, John and Moira who let a perfect stranger stay in their house and have made me feel right at home, to Seb, the cool little brother who had to drive a tipsy Swede around Brisbane and listen to her jibberish, and to Gavin, for letting me stay in 1770 and Kyogle and enjoy his amazing houses there. I have been able to see so many things that would have remained unknown for me if it weren't for this A-team and their hospitality.


Gavin and Isaac, discussing farm-related matters.

The farm in Kyogle. A barn turned into a house.

Kitchen/living room

Cows resting on the road. They had to move for peak hour traffic (our car).

Moving cattle. Nothing to do but wait and watch the dog and the farmer doing their job.

We took a trip to Border Rangers National Park, straight into the rainforest, having passed the border between New South Wales and Queensland.

The gum tree, where the kookaburra sits and laughs in the song...

Relaxing farm view.

I took a morning walk through the amazing landscape, listening to music and watching kangaroos, cows, cockatoos and hills. A pretty good way to start a day I would say.


Morning walk view.


On the way to the farm

Kangaroo on the run, on the farm property.


I also got to see Nimbin, a hippie town that makes you wonder if the calendar says 1969. For a non-smoking Swede it was an exotic and mindbottling* experience... After about 30 seconds of walking on the main street, the first of at least 20 offers to buy cookies** and other stuff was made (and no, I didn't!)


This kind of captures the feeling of the town. I'd like to add that these things are illegal in Australia and there is a police station on the main street. How this adds up I don't know..

A very messed up man.

If this isn't a hippie car I don't know what is.

Nimbin kind of lives by it's own rules, above the Street Code.

Main street in Nimbin.


Beautiful view on the way from Nimbin

On the way to the National Park we stopped for a swim in a creek (flod) with fresh water. Swedish temperatures in the water made me feel right at home.

Drinking water in the National Park, still happily unaware of the 20 something leaches (blodiglar...usch) that were in my shoes and on my feet...

THe pinnacles view point, an old volcano crater.


Pinnacles


Same same


And now I'm in Byron Bay, where I enjoyed a 7am morning walk onthe beach, above.
From here I will go to Sydney, probably starting the day after tomorrow and in 8 days I'm flying to New Zeeland.

Main beach, Byron Bay.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Katerina, thanks for the kind words but we are missing you here! My email is mcinerney.moira@gmail.com drop me a line and let me know where you are and what you are up to. We are having a BBQ tonight - no Haloumi though. Bye Moira

Anonymous said...

hey bub

thinking of you, thanks for the nice comments, your such a suck up. hehe

there are alot more things i need to show you though. i cant wait to get you back by my side.

xo