isn’t it amazing?
week 5
Hellooo all. The roomies and I decided to spice things up and hit the GC (that's Gold Coast for those not in the loop). Our destination of choice? The surf haven of Byron Bay – where, yes, Chris Hemsworth supposedly resides (no, I didn't bump into him, tragic).
So, I kickstarted my weekend adventure at the crack of dawn, flying out of Bondi on Friday and landing in the tiniest airport ever in Ballina. From there, it was a scenic bus ride into Byron, where I reunited with my girls. First order of business: a gorgeous trek to the lighthouse – your typical touristy move, but trust me, the views were amazing.
We followed it up with dinner at a seafood joint, and then the real fun began – hitting the town. Our top picks? The legendary Beach Road Hotel and the oh-so-awesome Railway Bar. Seriously, Railway is like the local shindig spot – live music, great drinks, and enough sweaty dancing that I think it might actually be a secret ingredient in their signature cocktails, and if you leave without a few dance-induced laughs, you're doing it wrong. If you're not sweating out your body weight on the dance floor at Railway, are you even doing Byron Bay right?
Saturday rolled around with plans for an adventure. We hopped on a guided tour with Behind the Bay, a small business run by the friendliest guy named Harry. It felt less like a tour and more like a bunch of mates wandering, chatting, and swimming around town – zero cheese factor.
We went on a waterfall quest, strolled along a 7-mile-long beach (yes, you read that right), and explored a tea tree lake, dyed red from the tea tree oil oozing from the roots. Word on the street is, that it works wonders for your skin, hair, wrinkles, and inflammation. Fingers crossed, this means I've unlocked the secret to eternal life, although I haven’t noticed any effects — yet.
That evening, we headed to The Northern Hotel Piano Bar – a place you absolutely can't miss. Pro tip: get there early for free entry and a wristband, then sneak out for dinner somewhere else. Two grand pianos, dueling it out in a sing-along performance where you can request tunes, chat with the singers, and belt your heart out. Trust me, it's a bucket list must!
After a night of pure joy, we hit the hay because, you guessed it, another early morning. (Why do we torture ourselves like this?! Just kidding, we're total morning girls.)
Sunday kicked off with breakfast at a spot that's basically heaven on earth – Three Blue Ducks Farm. Farm-to-table dining on an actual farm, surrounded by veggies, fruits, Macadamia nut trees, chickens, roosters, cows, and, drumroll, PIGS! It was a blast and a definite MUST if you ever find yourself in Byron. Post-farm eats, we hit the Sunday Farmers Market – probably the grandest market I've ever seen. Food trucks, produce, clothing, jewelry, pottery, candles – you name it, they had it. We wrapped up the day with some shopping, a chill Poke Bowl dinner on the beach, and a solid two-hour love fest for Byron Bay. What a life, people. What. A. Life.