Byron Bay

Overnight bus trips are much easier to handle when you are 21. They're cheap accommodation for a night, and you wake up in a new city, ready to explore, instead of wasting your daytime hours traveling. It's easier to get some sleep, and even if you don't, it is easier to bounce back the next morning.

Overnight bus trips when you are 27 are not quite the same. I know I'm not actually old, but I can't help comparing myself to younger, fitter, healthier me from six years ago. This time, I got quite a bit of sleep between Sydney and Byron Bay, but even so, we got here and I was exhausted, my feet hurt, and all I wanted was a shower.

Fortunately, I had a few days of relaxation to look forward to. After the whirlwind of Sydney, we arrived in Byron Bay with no plans. We've spent the last few days recovering from the city and our bus ride at the Byron Beach Resort, a hostel right across the street from the beach. We have a shuttle to take us into town whenever we need it, so we've done a little exploring and grocery shopping. We also have a grill, plenty of picnic tables, and hammocks to hang out in. It's almost all we need.

For one delicious dinner, we grilled kangaroo and pineapple.

We did decide to get some entertainment in. TJ signed up for his first surfing lesson, where he actually stood up and rode a few waves. He was in a small group with an instructor, and they took him to a small beach nearby where they would be out of the way of the experienced surfers. Now he's ready to grab a board at our next stop and catch a wave.

While TJ was off playing, I took a yoga class at our resort. It was held in a tent on the very back of the property, far away from the construction going on next door, so we could only hear the surf and the birds. It was peaceful and exactly the recovery I needed.

Other than that, we have been enjoying making new friends, late night walks on the beach, delicious pizza (I'm convinced it is the food I will miss the most in Asia...we'll see) and reading books on the beach.

Lena from Germay

Less enjoyable, but definitely practical, we did get to catch up on laundry. We didn't bring many clothes, but every sink that we have had in Australia has been tiny, so we can only wash a shirt or two at a time. At this place, we have a sink in our room, so I did not feel bad about taking it over to get a lot of our clothes washed at once.

And always, we are greatly enjoying being able to spend time together, and being able to spend it apart. It is so very different from spending every day at separate jobs!