Byron Bay to Sydney

Brisbane is the last place in Australia where we took pictures.  We left early in the morning for a 4 hour bus ride to Byron Bay where we were just spending the day until heading to Sydney.  About halfway there we realized that we didn't have our camera.  Then spent another hour agonizing over where the hell did we leave our camera and how are we going to get it back.

At one of the bus stops we called the Brisbane hostel to let them know that we left our camera there and could they please please look for it.  We'll call back in another hour or so to see if you found it.  Then got back on the bus and headed to Byron Bay.

Random statue at one of the bus stops

We got to Byron bay at around 11am and immediately found payphones to call the Brisbane hostel again.  They found it!  Apparently we left it in the kitchen (or more likely the camera wanted to stay an extra day in Brisbane and catch an express flight to Sydney, so it snuck up to the kitchen during the night while we slept).  They took down our credit card information and would be overnighting it to the hostel in Sydney where we were going to stay.  Phew.

In Byron Bay we did the only real point of interest, the lighthouse walk.  It was drizzling a little bit but it was a pleasant walk with views of the ocean and a short fat lighthouse.  Luckily Andy brought his iphone so we have a couple pictures.  We decided to buy lunch and make dinner.  So lunch was from a local deli, Andy got a chicken salad baguette and I got the chicken curry.  For dinner we made pb&j, and bought some snacks at the grocery store; potato chips, crackers, red pepper cream cheese dip.  We got on the bus at 8PM and didn't arrive in Sydney until 9AM the next morning.

We took the ferry to Manly Beach and hung out there for an hour or so.  The weather was cold and it was late in the day so it wasn't really a beach day.  But neat to see Sydney from the water.  And that rounds up our trip in Australia.

Andy's note: it's hard to express on this blog the amount of kindness we experienced from YHA staff during this whole camera losing debacle. Matilda in Brisbane was a great help and I believe personally overnight posted (mailed) the camera herself. The two guys at the front desk at Sydney Railway Square helped us get in touch with Matilda the following day to see if she successfully posted the camera and how much it cost. We even were assisted by the staff at a random truck stop somewhere between Brisbane and Byron Bay. The stop had no pay phone but they graciously allowed us to use their phone to ring the Brisbane YHA. People rock.