Byron Bay

A little escape

By Thomas Feng

September 1^st, 2016

Our heads were above the clouds as we soared towards Byron Bay. It was my first holiday since starting full-time work and I had been wanting to go to Byron Bay after hearing countless stories about its magic.

Whilst they say that Melbourne is one of the food capitals of the world, I have to admit that the food we ate in Byron Bay was some of the most delicious, nourishing food ever. For something raw and crunchy, the rainbow wraps from Naked Treaties were decadent, especially when consumed with their golden latte. If you’re into yum-cha like I am, Red Chillies has some amazing dumplings, buns and other dim sum.

To satisfy our sweet tooths, we had freshly squeezed sugar cane juice with passionfruit pulp and ginger, fruit straps and tropical fruit from the weekly fruit market. I remember seeing blood oranges on sale and getting very excited and buying one; only to realise later when consuming it that I had bought a normal orange. If you’re into chocolate and baked treats: Fundies Wholefoods Shop & Cafe was our go-to; their Funky Fudge Brownie was the best ever brownie I have ever had. I definitely consumed at least four of those.

The day we spent walking up to the lighthouse was picturesque. The sea was glowing a hazel-aqua blue and a strong wind came from the East contrasting the humidity and heat. My body was a sponge soaking up all of the sunshine for some much needed Vitamin D. We walked along the beach sipping our kombucha and apple cider vinegars, listening to the ocean: the soft rising sigh of each wave; the howling sea breeze; the cries of seagulls; the shuffling of feet as the sand sifted through the toes; and the roaring thump as the wave crashed upon itself and the cycle began again.

After walking along the main beach, we crossed over some shallow rocks to the Pass, a lookout on a stack of large rock just off the beach. The winds howled stronger and we held onto the handrails tight. When we looked out to shore there was only the white glare of the sun’s harsh rays; sitting among us at the lookout were a group of hippies looking incredibly zen, unphased by the ferocious gales. Looking out across the bay you could see the town and the groups of surfers lining up to have their crack at riding these swells.

The climb up to the lighthouse was challenging but worth every ounce of energy spent. As we passed the most Eastern point of the Australian mainland, a couple of whales could be seen from afar with their calves splashing around in the calmer warm waters; the magnitude of their size and their mannerisms are breathtakingly graceful and can be felt even if we were a hundred metres away looking down from the cliffs.

When we reached the lighthouse after a couple of hours of walking we took silly photos of each other as the wind was unrelenting and the lighthouse provided a beautiful little fortress. We spread our arms like Rose in Titanic and let the breeze flow through our entire bodies like we were daisies blossoming in a field at the beginning of a new spring.

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Byron Bay reminded me about life outside the confines of the workplace; that nothing can replace the joy when I hear the sounds of the ocean; of the rustle of tree leaves in the forest; of the snorting laughs of the one you love; or the feeling of the sun gently kissing your skin for the first time in weeks; of the satisfaction after a pleasant, long walk in nature; of the wonder at the sight of a whole town from its highest point and realising how small everything is; of the magic, the healing, the infectiousness of love throughout an entire place and between two people.