Byron Bay and all the beauty that comes with it

As Britt previously mentioned, Byron Bay has definitely found a place in each of our hearts. It's the kind of place that you hear good things about and have these huge expectations, but in the back of your mind you are prepared to be let down a little. Fortunately, that was not the case. If anything, we were more impressed with Byron than we would've ever thought. We loved the laid-back, friendly attitude and made the most of our time there by enjoying the beaches and taking in all the beauty that was surrounding us.
We spent a couple of days surfing, first at Clarks beach, which they recommend for learning surfers, and then made our way over to Talos beach. The waves were pretty tame at Clarks, but Talos was another story. Luckily some nice Spanish boys came along and gave us some surfing lessons to prepare us, but still we were no match for the waves that we faced. After catching a few waves each, we spent just under an hour paddling back out to catch another. There seemed to be no break between the waves, quickly sucking all the energy from us as our arms turned into rubber. After realizing that we made it nowhere at all, we headed in and checked out another beach, the Pass and spent an afternoon sun-tanning and playing in the waves. It's amazing how strong the waves can be...you quickly realize that you are no competition against them!
We took a break from the beach one morning and went for the 8 km walk to the lighthouse which takes you along the many beaches in Byron to the top of a hill to the lighthouse, giving an amazing view of Byron Bay. We were all in awe with the views of the ocean, beaches and rocks along the way. I could've spent a whole afternoon just walking along and taking pictures, trying to capture the magnificence of it all. On the way back down from the lighthouse, I took a little detour and walked down to Watego Beach and the peninsula for another great view. The rest of the way back I walked along the beaches, partially aware that the tide was coming in, but still determined to get past the rocks and stay on the beach. At one point there was less than a meter of beach left for me to get by if I waited and timed it right...luckily I made it, with a couple scrapes from slipping down the rocks. Apparently flip flops are not the best for rock-climbing!
Our nights were usually filled with us walking around town, checking out live music either at The Great Northern or The Beach Hotel, hitting up the amazing bakery, or else staying entertained by the schoolies and their ridiculous antics. The people we met in Byron Bay were so friendly and it seemed that we weren't the only ones the fall in love at first glance. So many people working in Byron were just traveling through, but quickly changed their plans and haven't left since. After being there for only 5 days, it was easy to understand why.
If I were to recommend one thing to do in Byron during your stay, it would be to get up early to watch the sunrise. It is a perfect way to start of your day. Sitting on the beach, listening to the waves and watching the sun slowly creep it's way into the sky. Definitely worth giving up a couple hours of sleep for!
We were all sad to leave, but I have a feeling that we will return at some point in time before heading home. I'm sure that we will fall in love with many more places as our journey around Australia has only just begun. Stay tuned to find out our next destination with our campervan!
Miss you all at home, hope you are surviving the Alberta winter!
Jod