Ever since we left Mollymook we’ve been ‘heading to Byron’, first it was to Bluesfest, and then it was so we could experience the Byron that everyone has told us since we’ve been on this trip. Well, here we are. Here’s what we think.
Peace and quiet please
“You will love Byron”, “OMG you’ll have so much fun in Byron”, “There’s always something happening”. I’ll start by saying I already know that we don’t enjoy the same things as perhaps most 25 and 28 year olds enjoy. I’m starting to realise that when someone tells me ‘there’s always something happening’. I need to not get excited but maybe disappointed? I am not a city person, neither is Ben. It’s the noise, the crowds, the traffic. It’s just no. No thank you.
Take me to a field with some cows so I can drink a cup of tea while watching them graze. Take me to a walking track beside a stream with a waterfall. At the end I can swim at the base of the tumbling water. Take me to a beach where we can walk with nobody else around. Are you getting my drift?
So if there’s something ‘always going on’ unless it’s local live music, yoga classes or crochet circles, idk if it’s gonna be my jam. So we’ve been into the centre of Byron a couple of times, and it’s not all that big, definitely not a city. Which means we keep walking the same streets every time we go, and there’s not much else other than very very (very) expensive clothing stores. Some restaurants and some coffee shops.
Our Byron expectations
I expected crystal shops round every corner, or palm readers, or weaving workshops, ‘make your own dreamcatcher’s with everyone dressed in floaty clothing, flowy hair with a breezy vibe that made you feel like you could sink into those fat textured cushions on the floor with a ceremonial cocoa.
Yeah that’s what I was expecting, and that’s what I’m disappointed at there’s a lack of. That is novelty, that’s a new experience, eye-opening, enthralling. But it’s not like that. It’s just the same as any over-rated ‘hippy’ town. Not very hippy at all.
The Nimbin Experience
Okay let me get into why I’m actually being a massive hypocrite here. We went to Nimbin, now if you’ve heard of it, great you know, if not…. Let me try and explain it to you. What I just described? My expectation of Byron? Well, that is more or less, kinda what Nimbin is… ish. Just take away the flowy clothes and replace them with tight like crazy coloured leggings. Replace the weaving classes with a massive hemp shop and replace the breezy vibe with a…. Weedy vibe (open to interpretation).
You walk through Nimbin and one breath you’re smelling the funky stuff, one breath your smelling incense and then another, vastly more unpleasant breath, your smelling someone’s body odour. Maybe I’m just a snob. But I kinda got the feeling I used to get while walking through Camden town on the main street, where you’re not sure if people are looking at you or through you. Plus it only took 30 seconds from closing our van doors to be offered street wacky-backy. Bye bye Nimbin, you were… strange.
The surrounding villages in the Byron Hinterland are more my (potentially snobby) vibe . Particularly a place called Mullumbimby. We ended up here because I was trying to find a dentist to get some tooth pain fixed. We ended up staying around this area because Ben found a chiropractor he all but fell in love with.
Surrounding villages
Mullumbimby is quieter than Byron bay, but has a lovely community vibe where people come together and connect with each other. Its organic shops and barefoot locals give me the dose of Byron that I had anticipated. As well as its crystal shop and endless posters about reiki healers, yoga classes and meditation courses. We also stumbled on a community garden and a concept garden. Hi Mullumbimby, I like you.
We’ve been to other villages and towns scattered around Byron and the hinterland, and even made it up to the gold coast to pick up a lens for Ben. The gold coast is far too busy, loud and city-like, despite the coast being a true eye catcher. The towns between Byron and Gold coast are a nice sweet spot of chill, vibrant and interesting without the constant traffic noise. Unfortunately we’re destined to return to the gold-coast once more as I sent my prescription there anticipating it would be a spot we’d linger (little did I know).
Bye Bye Byron
In the meantime we’re sticking around Byron Hinterland for an inland stay for my birthday (there’s going to be a bathtub!!!!), and for Ben’s chiropractic course to finish. Then we’ll be nipping into the gold coast for those pesky bags of mine, and up and up. With the waitressing and bartending money slowly drying up, we’re on the lookout for a nice spot where we can grab some casual jobs, so keep your fingers crossed for us!
