AU - Noosa

so after one last morning visit to the magical beach at Byron Bay, we catch the shuttle to the Gold Coast Airport and our car rental location........we will drive up the Gold Coast to Noosa Head and overnight there.......it will be our last little adventure followed by the long journey back to Canada....we all try to ignore the fact that soon it will be time to part company with Jess but that is easier said than done.....Gold Coast gets its name from the endless beaches, many of which provide some of the best surfing in the world.....the sun is intense and the surfers and beach lovers can be found everywhere....one section called Surfer's Paradise is more like a small city of high rises built up to but not on the beaches....we clear Gold Coast and head up the highway to Noosa Head, passing Brisbane.....this area is very different than NZ - much flatter - but equally tropical.....we arrive in Noosa and check into the house....it is beautiful.....after we settle in, we head down to the town to explore......Noosa is a beautiful town and is a recreational area for Brisbane folks.....the beach is incredible and Fraser Isand can be seen in the distance.......we don't have time for a swim but the water looks great....after some window shopping in town, we head up for dinner and rest up for a hike in Noosa National Park which we will do the next day.....we head out for our last hike of this incredible trip.....the area does not disappoint.....we wander through tea trees and are once again treated by dolphins....they are the last we will see for a long time....the lookout at Alexandria Bay will be the last lookout for a while......a picture of the three of us will have to last for a while....that afternoon we drive back to Gold Coast and go out for one last fabulous dinner - bug tails, scallops, chocolate tequila and some great desert......to celebrate a perfect adventure with amazing travel companions.......our first flight tomorrow leaves Gold Coast at 8:25 AM and we will arrive in Toronto 25 hours after that if all goes well........

one last early morning look at the magnificent beach of Byron Bay.....

this is a plaque declaring the Gold Coast Point Breaks a National Surfing Reserve.....I know!...

so if you don't surf, jump into the rock pool and float around......those Aussies!!!

I think we just head straight up that hill??....

you can barely make out the city of Surfer's Paradise on the horizon - beach everywhere that you look....

Surfer's Paradise.......those are mostly resort high rises!!

we spotted these birds feeding just outside the house at Noosa......

3 little maids standing under this incredible tree......

sun sets on Noosa Beach......

3 little maids standing under the firefly tree in downtown Noosa......

this bird has the most incredible song......and is very shy....(I got lucky)....

Aussies don't eat turkey at Christmas so there are plenty of these guys wandering around....

heading for a remote surf spot.....

Jess walking through a grove of tea trees......

beast meets beauty.......

bottlenose dolphins near Alexandria Bay......

last climb to the last lookout (for a while).......

rock surfer (very popular in eastern Australia).......

3 Lees pose for the last time for a while.......

Fraser Island in the distance - worlds largest sand dune island.......

Noosa Beach in the distance north of Noosa National Park......

AU - BYRON BAY

well we arrive in the evening and by the time we shuttle to Byron Bay the sun is down….we spend the first night in a great room with corner windows and are treated to various songbirds in the morning and temperatures in the high 20s…….after an amazing breakfast at a neighbouring bistro, we stroll down to the beach….we are definitely in sun block country and again, endless miles of beach…..about a mile south lies the town of Byron Bay and the beach there is packed…..up our way and further north  is spacious…..golden sand and beautiful water……some yoga and swimming and sun bathing wipe away the travel cob webs and we wander into town to shop and gawk…..this place is really bumping……this is a destination for many Aussies offering great recreational, shopping and, yes, party options…..we head back and move to our cottage which will be home for the next 4 days…..the place is fantastic, lots of space, barbecue, air conditioning, etc……we spend the next day hiking to the Byron Bay Lightouse…..it is really hot but the hike is beautiful and there are lots of sights along the way…..the next day we split up so the ladies can shop in town and that night we head into the Bhuda bar and Jess and I play a couple of tunes at the open mike….very cool to be able to share this with my lovely daughter……after enjoying some of Byron Bay’s hidden talent, we head home…..more beach and yoga the next day and we plan for tomorrow’s trip to Noosa…..I can see what Jess loves about Byron Bay….our trip is nearing it’s end…..a couple of days in Noosa then we fly back to Canada with a lot of great memories but without Jess……..that will be the toughest part of this trip.......

Byron Bay Lighthouse in the distance from Byron Bay Resort Beach.......

and yes, the water is very warm.......and fun!!

to the north nothing but spacious beach.....you can barely make out the Sleeping Giant Mountains on the horizon....

a visitor to our picnic area........

ahhh, so this is the reason.....this great orange berry.....yuuuummmmm!!

but something scares this guy away......

a wild turkey chick......they are vicious you know!!

the berries fall from this tree which is in the yard of our cottage.........

so this jelly fish is pretty big but about 20 yards up the beach there was a bigger one which had been picked at.......not very photogenic.......

a shot of the lighthouse as we head up the beach towards it.....

from the path to Watego Bay, we can see the resort beach in the distance, kayaks and surfers.......

we also spot this little guy looking pretty vigilant about something.......

he spreads his wings to leave but.......

something keeps him there.......you spotted it.....he's having fish for lunch.....

the path out of Watego Bay to the lighthouse is tropical and narrow.......

 Watego Bay to the north now......

3 little maids looking determined at the first lookout.....(did I mention that it was stinking hot??)

a Byron Bay peace sign.....the lighthouse lies just beyond that point which is the eastern most point of mainland Australia....

we can do this.....follow Jess!!

Cathy gazes out at Julian Rock and a paddle boarder busy with something......

ahh, I see....he's located a couple of bottle nose dolphins.........

the first lookout from the eastern tip.....

3 little maids - almost there - they are smiling but we better be "almost there".......

Byron Bay Lighthouse......

a beautiful day now that we have no more climbing.........

to the south, more endless beach.....what a place!!

on the return hike, we spot this little beauty fluffing up their tail feathers......

I guess that was enough......

our big pink cottage......in the jungle.....

if I had a hammock, I'd hammock in the morning......la la la la........

just one more picture.......please!!.....OK, go to town........