Delta Family Reunion & Arrive in Byron Bay- November 20, 2019
It was another early wake up for me. This time a 7:00 AM flight from Sydney. As planned I ordered the uber from the apartment I was staying at and was going to pick Elle up at 5:00 AM to then share the rest of the uber to the airport. The clock hit 5:04, still no Elle. I sent her a text. No answer. I called her via Facebook. No answer. I was getting worried. I really couldn’t afford to miss another flight. The only other thing I could do was try to buzz into the apartment she was staying in, in hopes she would hear it and wake up. So I left my stuff in the uber and pushed number 4 on the keypad. It rang. And it rang. And it rang again. No answer. Crap what do I do? I can’t afford to miss another flight. Do I just leave her? Finally she called me back. I could tell in her voice she was half sleeping and frazzled. “Oh my god I’m so sorry! My alarm never went off!” She exclaimed. Luckily I had the nicest uber driver ever and he was happy to wait for her to quickly get ready and come downstairs. While I was sitting in that uber waiting, I couldn’t help but think of how great last night was.
It started with a casual walking through of the shops with Elle, coupled with a trip to a pub called Tea Gardens to have some drinks and relax while we waited for the rest of the Delta Backpackers crew to finish work. Ruby and Michael came to meet us. We chatted about what’s been going on in our lives over the last year since we all finished farm work. It was so different to see them dressed in professional attire. I had really only ever seen them in hi-vis farm crap or going out clothes with the occasional fancy dress/costume. After Tea Gardens I went back to the “Bronte house”, as they call it. It was there that I got to catch up with Hannah, Evie, Elle(the other one), Lynsey, Camille, and again Michael and Elle. We sat drinking wine, chatting, and eating the free sandwiches Ruby had given us from her job. It felt like old times at the hostel when everyone would bring the “reject” fruit and vege back from a hard day’s work at the farm and we’d all eat it because it was free and we were all poor backpackers.
I didn’t want to leave these gorgeous people but it was time to see my other loves. Emily picked me up at the Bronte house and we took an uber together back to her apartment where I was spending the night. As we walked through the door I said “Hunnies, I’m home!” and was greeted with open arms from Aileen, Ruby and Andy. Getting to catch up with them all like old times and reminisce about the farm and our trip to Bali over a year ago was so special and just what I needed. It’s was also nice to be around people who understood the feeling of soon being forced to leave a place we now all consider home. I wished I could stay a few more days and have some more time with my Delta family, but I was still thankful to have the time I had.
Elle finally came out, just about 25 minutes later than planned. We get to the airport in what I thought was just enough time. I quickly learned that when Elle told me our flight was at 7:00, she rounded it. Our flight was actually at 7:25. Who rounds 25 down to 0??? Up to 30 fine. Great. Normal. But down to zero? That’s some serial killer shit right there. I was judging her hardcore. Her insane rounding meant we had time for some free breakfast in the Rex Lounge thanks to my Priority Pass membership through American Express! The best travel card in the world! I never leave home without it.
We both slept the whole flight to Ballina. It was only about an hour but that nap was so necessary. When stepping out of the airport, we were immediately smacked in the face by a burning scent. The air was grey and hazy as well. You could tell we were close to the insane bush fires that were tearing through the east coast of Australia for the last 2 weeks.
Our shuttle to the Arts Factory Hostel in Byron Bay was quick and uneventful. Immediately upon entering the hostel, Elle recognized it. She said, “this was in that movie ‘The Inbetweeners’”. We quickly learned she was spot on, and part of that movie was filmed there. Our room wasn’t quite ready when we got there so we dropped our bags in the luggage room and decided to do one of hostels workshops.
During this class we learned how to make bracelets out of a plant. I can’t remember the exact name of the plant but It was super cool being able to take this green giant plant growing from the ground, open its stem and create a wearable work of art. The guy who taught us, was super unique. He had a cockatoo named Mr. Pickles and had lived in the woods for a year, like that movie “into the wild” that Tom and I had watched only a few nights ago. I was in awe of this mans knowledge about plants and survival.
By the time our workshop was over, our room was finally ready. It was great timing because I was in major need of a nap. I had been sleeping for about an hour when I was awoken by Elle. She and a girl named Keanna who we met at the bracelet making class who happened to also be in our room were going to take a walk in town. They wanted to know if I wanted to go with them. Even though I was tired, I wanted to go and thought a nice easy coastal walk would be a nice way to see the town. This “walk” ended up being an hour hike from Wategos Beach up to the Cape Byron’s Lighthouse. It would have been tough on a normal day, but was damn near unbearable in the state of exhaustion I was in. Had I known what it was like, I never would have agreed to going but I’m glad I did. Not only did I get to see some beautiful views, it also meant I was standing on the most Easterly part of Australia, which is pretty cool. Oh and it was a great workout too! Stairs and hills for days.
When I finally made it up to the lighthouse.
Drenched in sweat, we went to Woolies to get food for the next few days. Then back to the hostel we went as we were all dying for a shower.
Once we were all clean, We headed down to the weekly hostel quiz night. We didn’t play but we sat there answering the questions anyway and having a drink. By nine o’clock we were nackered and headed to bed. Call me a granny but I was so happy with that decision
Catch me if you can…
Jo Mo