Sick in Byron Bay

After 41 hours of travel, door-to-door, I arrived yesterday (Wednesday) late afternoon in Byron Bay. I looked for the "Our Pick" hostel in Lonely Planet, checked in for 2 nights, showered, and crashed out for about 14 hours. The sun begins to shine around 4:30am here, so I didn't feel bad about missing the day when I finally arose at 6. However, much to my dismay, I awoke feeling AWFUL. Exhaustion, swollen legs, a stomach bug, and a headache greeted me to my first full day in Oz. I rallied to find some food as I hadn't eaten in close to 24 hours.

I sat in a lovely open-air cafe called One One One that provides free wireless to customers. Over toast with a bit of jam, an orange juice, and a "short black" (espresso), I frantically searched hostelworld.com to find a room for Friday and Saturday nights. The weekends fill up with locals here, so backpackers living "spontaneously" end up gathered a the bus station with forlorn looks and the unfortunate knowledge that they will have to part with some serious bucks for a hotel room. Either that or risk sleeping under a bench somewhere - a risk I'm not willing to take, particularly while feeling ill.

After forking out a whopping 16 Australian dollars (about $15 USD) for toast, OJ, and coffee, I decided I'd check with the YHA a block from the guest house in which I'm currently set up, thinking I'd only have to move my stuff a short way. One bed in a 5-bed, female dorm room with a locker (provide your own lock, of course), shared bathrooms, and lots of other noisy backpackers. I figured two nights wouldn't kill me, and maybe my pale, ill-looking face would keep my roommates out and about as much as possible. I booked the two nights and returned to the lovely guest house to rest for one more night before moving out.

I met my two roommates, Leticia and Joelle. Leticia is from Paris, and Joelle is from Montreal. They both speak French and English, and if I had any energy I would attempt to practice my French with them. They are about my age, and have both been in Australia for quite some time. Leticia had a good job in the financial sector. After the economic meltdown, she and her boyfriend decided to pick up and travel through Australia for a year. Joelle went scuba diving in Cairns, and since has been suffering from an earache. Because it's taking so long to equalize, she can't fly to her original intended destination, New Zealand. She feels lucky to have found Byron Bay to hang in while her ear recovers.

They invited me along on a beach walk to the lighthouse, and I happily accepted their offer, on the condition that my stomach bug had wained by then. Thinking things were looking up, and after hearing from Joelle how bad the conditions can be in other hostels, I figured it couldn't hurt to ask if there were any cancellations for this guest house over the weekend. Brenda, the woman who runs this fine establishment, discovered that yes, in fact, I can stay in the same room for the weekend! I slumped over to the YHA and asked if I could cancel my reservation (they had already run my card for it). The guy took one look at me, and put the money back on my card. Now, that is an uncommon favor for most hostels everywhere. I must have been spot on about my pale, ill-looking demeanor. Looks like the Good Witch of the East is on my side, afterall.

So, I'm booked at the Atlantic Guest House in Byron Bay for at least 4 nights. Thankfully, as I'm now running a fever, sitting under two blankets and shivering despite the heat and humidity outside. It's a quiet guest house that draws an "older" crowd of people about my age. The rooms are clean, I feel very safe, and the bathrooms are shared, but private. There is a fully-equipped kitchen where you are free to store food and cook if you like. Brenda, the keeper, is quite lovely. Very friendly, salt-of-the-earth type woman who took pity on me and gave me free wireless for my stay. They provide a fresh towel, clean bed linens, and a little bar of soap. The doors to each room have working locks and there is a wardrobe, a coat hanger, and a nightstand in the shared dorms. I feel much better knowing I can lay low here and get well for a few days.

I'm hoping to feel better in the morning and begin to venture out and about in Byron. For now, lots of rest, Gatorade, and bananas, which I'm currently attempting to muster energy to go and get from the local grocery, Woolworths.

I'll sign off with a few observations and musings from my trip to Byron:
1) V Australia is a COOL airline. Use it if you have the opportunity. Great service, funny employees with a big smile, more leg room, increased reclining, clean pillows and blankets, eyeshades, earplugs, and earphones, a snack bar for those mid-flight munchies, and a water fountain to continuously refill your water bottle. OH, and they RECYCLE! They have ambient lighting that isn't harsh to your eyes, hip music in the bathroom (it played "Get Up, Stand Up" and "Shake Your Booty" while I was in there - a subliminal message to hurry up?), and a fabulous personal entertainment system, including a USB port, on the screen in front of you.
2) Make sure you take some sort of sleep aid when you fly across the pond. I didn't. Bad move.
3) Best tip from the nurse who administered all my shots - wipe down every hard surface with an alcohol wipe when you sit down in the plane. Germs can last a LONG time. Though, since I'm sick, who knows if I didn't wipe hard enough or what.
4) 500 Days of Summer - good movie
5) Don't bring a lavender-filled eye mask with you to another country. The Customs dog thinks it's food, and you get called out.
6) Australia is very much like "The States", as they call it. In fact, the east coast that I've seen thus far is much like Florida. I definitely did not come half way across the world to visit Florida. Thankfully, Byron Bay is more laid back, with an artistic and natural wellness vibe. It reminds me of Boulder, but with a beach instead of mountains. I am likely going to skip Cairns now, as I've heard it's one giant tourist trap.
7) Apparently I am considered a tourist attraction. At least, I was in Brisbane. I had about an hour before my bus ride down to Byron, during which I walked through downtown a bit. Some male Japanese tourists apparently thought I was a good photo opp. One of them casually walked up and stood right next to me as he was on the phone, and another a few feet away took a photo. There was no friendly greeting or inquiry as to whether they could take my picture. Of course, it's the first 24 hours after my arrival, so I'm immediately on guard, thinking this group is trying to pickpocket me via distraction. But no, they just took a picture, smiled, and I crossed the street. Mmmkay. My image will appear on some famiily's TV screen in Japan in the near future. Finally, I'm famous.
8) Don't take Greyhound bus in Oz. They charge you more for the same trip, same quality bus ride as Premiere Motor (or whatever it's called).
9) People here are kind. I've overheard a few raunchy Aussie men, but overall everyone has been quite friendly and helpful.
10) They have bugs here that I've never seen before. Not big or nasty, just foreign to me. And there is a very large iguana living on the property. He blends in quite well, and in my exhausted daze, I almost stepped on him. Poor guy.
11) Waking up to the noise of wildlife here is a very different experience than in Colorado. First, there are no mountain lions or other large animals attacking anyone or anything out your back window. Second, the "birds" that you hear chirping could quite possibly be geckos. I'm in Australia, but it looks like The States and sounds like a jungle.
12) I totally overpacked. My pack is already annoying me. I will be leaving some things behind in Sydney.
13) Most useful items on this trip, thus far: this netbook and a tiny external hard drive, a cable lock for my pack, shower flip flops, a Lonely Planet guide, and my travel cocoon sheet. The linens and beds here are clean, but it's just cozy to know the travel sheet is around me, just in case.

Okay, that turned out to be more than a few observations.

Now, the one thing I miss most right now: Mommy. I'm sick, and a mommy to go to the store to get Gatorade for you and tuck you in and say soothing words in your ear is priceless. I'm blessed to have two Mommies in The States that both happen to be VERY good at doing these things. But whoa is me, I do not have ruby slippers.