Vacation Diaries - As seen through the eyes of Kaushika Jayalath; a Sri Lankan wanderer in Aussie
Tamborine to Byron Bay - Queensland
Any student in Melbourne on a tight budget knows the solution for the winter chills during the mid year university break. A road trip in Queensland! I could write a book and still not get through all of Queensland, so for this piece; I will stick to South East Queensland alone. The state of Queensland has a lot to offer, but is often just limited by most to its theme parks (which are amazing, I must agree). True, visit any amusement park like Movie World or Dream World for the thrills and the adrenaline rush, but don’t end your trip there!
Make your way to Byron Bay. Quit literally one of the most breathtaking sunsets you would ever see in your life. Add in to the mix the contemporary group of random hipsters and artists who set themselves down on the beach next to a fireplace and start humming mellow tunes, the smell of roasted marshmallows and sausages, and the endless stretch of coast in front of you. Could you define “tranquillity” in a better way?
When the need to be a bit more adventurous arises, take a hike towards the centre of the state, with its lush highlands and mountain ranges in Tamborine. Quite often, you would find yourself at peaks you didn’t see on the map you were following, and caves in places that you didn’t know to exist. The more adventurous you feel, the better this trip would be for you. This is an example of such an exploit, where we delved into a cave after not knowing what would be inside. Imagine our surprise when we found that a few minutes in, that it had an opening on its cave ceiling, from which a waterfall had moulded. It had rained the previous night, so a log had got washed up in the waterway, and the photographer in me was singing “Hallelujah!” the whole time.
If you feel less adventurous, why not make your way to the still waters in the highlands? You would be surprised at how friendly the locals might be if you walk up to them and introduce yourself. They might even invite you over to their pier, and teach you how to properly catch yourself a fish or two. Just make sure that you don’t forget to thank them when they do! They’re very conscious of manners!
In a place where the simple life is a way of life, and not a tourist attraction, you often find that the authenticity of the experience is not something that can be copied or imitated. This is what makes the Queensland experience all the more exciting.
Remember:
· Best time to be at Byron Bay?
During sunset. There's nothing quite like it.
· Most unusual sight you will see?
A hipster with a pipe on a skateboard playing a ukulele!
· Most touristy thing to do?
Try the barramundi at the local fish n chippery.
· After Byron Bay, your next location would be?
Bennet's Lane. If you're up for listening to some live jazz in an alleyway.
By Eshani Seneviratne
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