Hello from Byron Bay

Pete and I are now in Byron Bay , New South Wales, Australia! We were sick of the cold, rainy weather in New Zealand so we cut that part of the journey short and took off for the sun.

It is beautiful here in Australia. Byron Bay is along Australias Gold Coast on the East side of the country. We rented a car and drove from Surfers Paradise (which is not very much like it's name because the beach is surrounded by a fairly large city)to Byron Bay and are staying at a small hostel called Middle Reef Hostel.

Big news! I took Surfing lessons yesterday and I stood up on a board for the first time!!! It was so much fun. It was a 4 hour group lesson that started by jogging down the beach and doing a bit a stretching. Next they lined us up ont he shore and had us lay down on our boards to learn the surf technique! 'Keep your head up' was the mantra of the instructors. After a few dry land rehearsals, we headed into the water to try to catch a wave. The teachers stood out where the waves were breaking and gave us a bit of a push and then yelled out the stand up steps, 'Head up, right knee, left foot, up up up up!! My first attempt found me underwater very quickly, but the second time I was pushed into a wave I was soaring on the water with two feet on top of the board!! Problem was I reversed the steps. I put my left knee down then stepped with my right foot! Looks like I might be goofy foot (mom, that means I surf with the right foot in front instead of behind. Most right handed people seem to surf with the right foot in back.) By the end of the day I was able to get up everytime. Next step is to paddle myself into a wave then catch it, which really is the whole trick so I don't feel I can call myself a surfer yet, but look out world I am on my way!!

Today we went to Lennox Head which is about 20k south of Byron to see if we could find a few more waves. Pete had a board and took a turn in the water, but there was a lack of lefts (mom, those are waves that break from left to right when you are looking at them from the beach) so he was out of the water within about an hour. We are both still a bit weak from the strepthroat but we are getting better in the warm weather. We are off now to grab a toasted sandwich (our new favorite lunch food)and then go and relax on the sand.

Love you all and will continue to report the adventures of the Carley's. JC