Byron and beyond

After Ballina showed itself at its best with beautiful surf and dolphins sharing the waves with surfers it sent me off with not only rain but thunder and lightning as well.
It was time to head for Byron Bay.
In the rain with all views of the coast obscured on the way there, I drove into a frantically busy town with my windows fogged up and not knnowing the lay of the town, drove around in circles trying to find somewhere to park.
Byron is quite big and sooo busy. Forget Broome or Margaret River in the busy seasons, this was mayhem.
The place is full of backpackers and most of them seemed to be on the street. waiting for the bus or pulling out in front of you on the road.
I was so glad to finally find Astra and to find that she lived 10 minutes out of Byron in Tygarah. We turned up a pot holed dirt road off the highway and made our way up the hill to a pretty tree lined lane and into the property she lives on. It is about 100acres that is shared by a dozen or so houses and cottages. A few people rent rooms in the main house.
Astra has a little timber cottage surrounded by green. Most of it has been planted so it feels like it is in the middle of beautiful gardens in a park. It has all been designed so that you cant see the other houses.
It was such a haven that I stayed for 5 days.
It rained on every day bar one. We got ourselves going then to the lighthouse and then up into the hills to the Crystal Castle. That is a place where enormous crystals are all over the garden and of course there is a crystal shop. It is on quite a few acres and over 20 years they have planted and developed the property as a place to go for peace and quiet.
We were ther for about 2 hours it was so lovely.
I deaded north finally in more rain thinking I would spend some time at Coolum Beach. It rained the whole way.
So I kept going pat Brisbane over the Gateway Bridge and past Coolum to Noosa.
After my lovely rest I felt like people so I found an apartment in a resort. They said at the visitors centre that the resort was old and tired so it was a bit cheaper. I thought they were going to tell me they had put me in the wrong room! It looked more than ok to me.
So with granite and stainless steel in the kitchen and marble tiles on the floor I am happily insconced there for a couple of days.
Not to break the pattern - its raining again. It hasnt stopped actually. In fact they are expecting floods and gails. But at least I am dry warm and comfortable.