I'm ashamed to confess that it had been 12 long years since we had ventured to one of my favourite places in the world so far. I know, if it's a favourite then why so long between visits? Sorry, but I simply do not have one single excuse worthy enough to justify it. All I can say is that I am ever so grateful that we threw caution to the wind, ignored the gloomy weather forecasts and made our way to stunning Byron Bay.
Upon arriving I was instantly planning our next trip there, which I assure you will be for more than one day. An impromptu picnic overlooking the pristine beach, accompanied by some delicious and very generous sized brownies that we had purchased in Lawson St, sorry I can't remember the name! An Olivia-Newton John encounter and finally the incredibly beautiful whales frolicking just off-shore, all had me wondering why we hadn't spent every weekend for the past 12 years there?
After hours on the beach, a lost thong and happy hearts we decided to end the day at the iconic Lighthouse and were spoilt with whales everywhere we looked. The kids insisted on taking the long walk to the most easterly point in Australia, which is well worth the effort and heart palpitations. As the sun set and we made our way back up to the top, we stopped at a lookout to watch a glorious full moon rise over the ocean. It's as if the stars had aligned and gifted us the perfect day, skinned knees from little miss 5 aside. Hearts full of inspiration and wonder we just couldn't let the day end there. So back to the bustling streets in town we went.
We chose a little restaurant down a fairy light covered lane called The Lazy Italian; there was Spaghetti Bolognese on the menu for the kids so it was a winner for us. After our delicious fare we treated the kids to some chocolate gelato from Bella Rosa Gelateria, don't let the cue discourage you it is worth the wait. Gobbling up their gelato we walked back to the car to make the drive back home, with not one of us wanting to leave. As we drove out of town the kids chanted "Goodbye Byron, we loved you!"
Regret aside for our obvious waste of the past 12 yrs, I am so delighted that I could share the beauty of Byron Bay with our kidlets and that they loved it every bit as much as we did. Oh and that lighthouse, I could just stand there and gaze at that view for days. Byron, you are one magical place and I promise we will be back very soon....
