Cheer Up, Slow Down, Chill Out

Friday 18th January 

Sountrack: Sun - Two Door Cinema Club

The road sign upon entering Byron Bay was the first of a hundred things I love about this place.  The 2nd thing I liked was the sign on the doorway of our hostel 'This Is Not A Public Walkway To The Beach'. 

3rd- The first glimpse of a pool, picnic benches, hammocks and volley ball pitch

4th- The wonderful lady on reception when my Visa card didn't work; 'No Drama's Darl! :)

5th- The fact our 9 person dorm had enough floor space to rehearse a dance routine

6th- Everyone that passed us smiled and said Hello

7th- The retired and overgrown railway track on route down to the beach. 

...Don't worry I'm not going to list 100, although I could. 

Day one 

We claimed our beds within the room, and instantly made friends. Coincidentally it housed a girl from Wiltshire who also shared our room in our 14 bed dorm in Surfers Paradise. We spent the day at the beach and turned into children, we made 4 sand castles and a moat! We finished off the day by the pool before playing drinking games with our 5 litre box of wine, and partied the night away at Cheeky Monkeys. 

Day 2 

What better way to get rid of a hangover than spending the day on the beach Body Boarding. Ah the thrill when you catch a wave! The first time I tried it I winded myself, it bloody hurt. Later we turned into prunes in the pool, Clare carried me around like a baby. 

Today there were many instances where I looked around and thought, wow, life couldn't actually be any better. 

Laura becomes an Auntie

16th January

Soundtrack: Go Shoppin' (feat. Eek- A- Mouse)- Bran Van 3000

...a fabulous driving song, as introduced by my Dad!

The day Laura finally got the phone call! Welcome to the world Anneke Jane Miller!

Congratulations Clare and Greg!

We rented a car, and made our long trip up to Coffs Harbour and Surfers Paradise, whilst Hannah remains in Sydney with her new bar job. I like it here at Surfers Paradise, a lovely Majorcan style beach front, but framed by skyscrapers and a crazy night life! Today we spent the day by the pool, it's nice to have some sun again. The last week or 2 I haven't had a spot of sunshine due to laziness, being ill/ extremely dehydrated, and the pure hideous heat wave! 43 degrees makes breathing hard, never mind sunbathing.

In the evening we went down to the waters edge for a beverage or 3, and turned my Pub Quiz App into a drinking game. Then a few metres from us on the lake front some men turned up for band practise with a trumpet, guitars and bongos... I love moments like that. Coincidentally they were they live entertainment at the club we went to that evening!

I NEED SOME BONGOS!

On the drive up the coast we belted out music, had a sing along, and stopped off for a picnic. Tomorrow we drive to Byron Bay, a place I have only heard people rave about. Lets hope it doesn't disappoint!

Gleeeebe

Soundtrack: Ho hey- Lumineers

6th Jan

YES this place suits me. A street, tailored to fit me like a nice little dress. Glebe point road hosts a perfect combination of Parisian-style flats with balconies, book shops with wine courtyards at the back, markets and restaurants with front gardens. 

 We spent a good amount of time at Glebe Market on the Saturday morning, although the sun was too intense to be walking around in for too long...especially since loosing my hat on New Years Eve! Fried Brain! The rest of the day was spent walking through the botanical gardens, all 6 of us, and exploring the Sydney Opera house and Harbour Bridge. What a ' feel good' afternoon it was. The sky was deep blue without a cloud, there were live bands lining the streets, and the whole river embankment was bustling! Outdoor bars serving up ice buckets of champagne and Corona, a cruise ship ready to set sail, 
people in mexican hats; it was like London's South Bank on a Bank Holiday weekend and the hottest day of the year all at once. I love it when days just let off electric vibes.

It's been a lovely 4 days, despite being poorly for some off it ( most of it). MUST DRINK MORE WATER!

Next stop: Maze Hostel, Sydney Centre

Pie Face, Pie Face, Pie Face

Soundtrack: Florence and the Machine- Spectrum ( Calvin Harris Remix)

Sountrack: Joshua Radin- Paperweight

Boxing Day we checked into 'Wake Up' hostel, a very clean, trendy, city hostel with its own bouncers. A really nice hostel, but a hostel where condoms are given out along side our room key just puts me off a little. We dragged our post christmas sleepy selves down to the bar for a glass of their promoted 'free champagne' with a live band. It turns out it was unlimited free champagne.  7 champagnes later and the bar turned into a club and Hannah joined the live band as vocalist! Brilliant night, it's always the spontaneous ones that end up the best.

The next morning was far from brilliant, 5 hung over girls, 5 backpacks and another 7 bags,  and a couple of completely full buses... if the light at the end of the tunnel hadn't been Bondi Beach I would have sacked it all off! They say it's all about location, and I say the are completely right. Our week on Bondi beach has been fabulous, Me, Laura, Clare, Ray, Hannah and Becky Smart! Of course with 6 peoples luggage, not much of the interior of the house could be seen at any one point. I love Bondi, a busy town full of bars, shops and markets cradling a beach that improves your day simply by standing and looking at it. What a little treasure. 

Quote of the week- Becky  went to the shop and was also grabbing some biscuits and snacks for Hannah so rang her when she got there. Becky calls Hannah and simply says 'I'm infront of the biscuits!' Only to realise it was instead another Hannah she barely knows. God knows what she though, but she hung up probably thinking it was some dodgy dealings. 

New Years was a memorable day. 14 hours in a park reserving our view of the harbour bridge was spent trying to avoid the I tense sun, playing cards, drinking goon. The fireworks were amazing. I wish the were more events like New Year in Sydney that bring 5000 people and 1000 blankets together in one park for a day of carefree silliness. This blog seems to have involved a lot of pointless statistics. 8 in fact. 

The change in year doesn't mean anything much to me, as long as it stays as happy, healthy and carefree as the rest of them. 

Cheeeers to you all! Xxx