Sydney to Byron Bay

I arrived in Sydney tuesday evening and shared a room at base backpackers. It’s warm and sunny on this wednesday morning and after talking to Elias from go! logistics the bike should be released from customs tomorrow. I visit the museum of contemporary art and am taken by some of the modern paintings. then a boat trip to the zoo to get some quiet time in nature. very nice zoo.  a huge crock swam a foot or so under water for quite a distance and the surface remained calm without even a tiny wake. scary. I see parrots hopping on coffe tables and cleaning the plates just like sparrows do back home. the next day i assemble my bike and leave Sydney after lunch. Will make my way up north via Putty’s way, a famous bike road for a good reason: corners, corners and more corners. I made the mistake everybody warns about on day one of my trip: I drove in dusk and darkness and had a couple of wallabies, half sized kangaroos, hopping across the road. I don’t want them under my front wheel. and they don’t want to be there either i assume but still they jump out of the safety of the long grass of one side of the road across it to the safety of the long grass on the other side of the road. hm. I camp that night about 15 km away from the main road in a beautiful national park. rainforest and parrots welcome me.

It was a cold night, the thin summer down sleeping bag was just warm enough. made breakfast and coffe and then packed up. took me about an hour to pack everything. looks like another nice day for riding, a little overcast and no rain.

some of the best bike roads between Sydney and Byron Bay run from east to west while I want to go north so I zig zag my way up there and its worth it. there’s quite a few bikes on the road but I still haven’t seen a radar cop. thank you god of speed.

I arrive in Byron Bay and rent a room as a flatmate in an old house. a couple of young guys rent there as well and they are recording an album there. ‘Tables’ might bring out their first album soon and I have to say as much as I disagree with their working hours they do have a cool and different sound going for them. worth checking out in a few weeks/months.

glad I’ve got the room so I can chill while the weather gods play their water fights.  thank you roof.

I find Byron very touristy with a beautiful beach. lots of cafes and souvenir shops, the great thing there is their hinter land. hilly and rain foresty and small and winding roads and some dirt roads through national parks. great for day trips. the beast roars on those dirt roads and really shows its strength on high speed there. very stable and maneuverable at the same time. We’re slowly growing together and I still respect her a lot so I’m sorry to say I dropped her. at night. in the garden of the place where I stay. wet ground, side stand sunk in and there she was on the ground and I only just could pick her up again. she’s heavy when she’s on the ground but doesn’t feel heavy when riding. kinda strange.

just a tad late on the brakes here and a good aim for the pole.

had enough of Byron and picked up Chrissie at Brisbane airport on the

5th of july.

… the next day we made our way up to Noosa to stay with a friend of her. Jane. she’s a sweety and so is her sister Ruth and both made us feel so at home and comfortable. I liked Noosa, more touristy even than Byron but a bit better planned out town and warmer and no rain. thanks weather gods.

we went to the famous markets of Eumundi. very nice. I didn’t buy anything and who knows me a little knows this is quite an achievement.  thank you limited space on motor bike.

Ah, lies! the photo evidence: shiny new shades.

next time, I promise, no shopping!

so much for now,

Ciao, Helly

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