Back to Brisbane, Lennox and Byron Bay

Location: Sydney
Weather: Warm

Leaving Port Douglas I headed back to Cairns, where I ran into my friend Gregor at the Parkview again. Went out for a few beers with him at the Woolshed pub, famous for being known as a 'meat-market' (wasn't impressed with the meat at this market to be honest) and spent a day wandering around Cairns - there isn't much to do in Cairns itself, everything decent is outside the town, although I did go for a run along the boardwalk and went for a swim in the new man-made lagoon which wasn't bad. I also jumped on a bus and went to Kuranda - a small village 30mins away where I saw an excellent butterly sanctuary - that was quite amazing, hundreds of very colourful butterflys in a large greenhouse. Then took the scenic railway back to Cairns which was quite spectacular and most enjoyable.

Flew bargin airline Jetstar to Brisbane and got the bus to Byron Bay. At the bus stop I saw this hostel bus to the "All Bad Backpackers" in Lennox head and Gregor had told me I should stay at this place. So I stayed a night. Most excellent, more like a hippy commune than a hostel (no man, the rooms have no keys and you can pay me after you leave). Went back to Byron for 2 more nights and took a trip to Nimbin on Jim's Alternative Tour. Old women selling "lovely, fresh" green cookies. Almost every adult (and child) in town trying to sell marijuana. The weirdest museum (Nimbin Museum) I've ever seen. Shops ONLY selling materials made from hemp. More weirdos and hippies than at Woodstock. Jim's friend's house in the country where he grows hundreds of different kinds of exotic fruits and has koala's in the trees! totally spaced out music on the bus and all back by 6pm. It was pretty good!

Finally caught an overnight train and I slept most of the way. Waking up in Sydney at 7am feeling great.

By JamesReed on 03.11.04 @ 12:38 AM GMT