Everyone told me to stay in Byron Bay. But with the city filled to the point of no vacancy, we had no choice but to scuttle down to the quiet town of Lennox Head. We drove into dark quiet streets. The only lights were those over a remarkably quiet campground filled to the brim. We were headed to the Lennox Head Beach House YHA, one of the few accommodations available because of an impeding music festival in Byron.
We parked out front of a series of brick buildings and grabbed our backpacks out of the trunk. Tired and covered in sand and salt we wandered in to meet the “innkeeper”. If there were a postcard for traditional Australians- he would be on it. Salt dusted long hair and tanned leather skin. He told us he had owned the hostel for decades. I marvelled that he had spent his life 100m from the beach.
We walked to find some dinner in downtown Lennox Head, which was a small cluster of shops just feet from the roaring surf.
Eating out in Lennox is NOT a budget traveller’s paradise. But I did have some of the best Thai food I’ve had in Australia.
Now why would I thrown myself into the storm struck choppy ocean to go boogie boarding? That’s a question I think I’ll always ask.
Was it worth it? Of course.
We asked Innkeeper for some boogie boards and the avid ocean goer replied with, “now?” Chuckling I replied, “yes, is that ok?” He smiled, a spot of mischief in his eyes, a gleam as he handed us the boards.
We were blown around as we walked towards the water. The eerie clouds fluttered around the crashing white water waves.
The white sand flattened down as far as the eye could see. Calmly blending into the crashing waves.
Then I went for it. Straight in. I ran into the ocean and took the plunge.
