Driving south I presumed to avoid speedways and keep close to the ocean. Theoretically it is possible, but in real life it will probably take twice as much time. The thing is that most of the coast is populated and traffic is very lively there. Cities have crossroads and traffic lights like everywhere. With the speed like that I would make it to Sidney by July!
The first longer stop I made in Byron Bay. It is nice little town with many handy craft stores. They sell everything between aquarelle paintings to leather suitcases. There were also stores, where they made their goods themselves. The prices were quite high, but usually handmade goods are. I stayed in Byron Bay over night.
Next day my destination was set to Nimbin. Nimbin is Australia’s biggest hippie commune. You need to turn off the speedway and drive ca 50km in the mountains. Nature is fantastic here. The road got narrower and the trees got higher.
When I got to Nimbin, I was not disappointed. It is more like a village, not town. Most of the activities were taking place on the main street. Old, hairy and pierced men were having good time. Probably they smoked pot too. It was a bit disturbing that every 100m somebody was there to sell it. If I wanted, I could get it anyway and anywhere. They sell industrial hemp (pot) fibre clothing in the village, which cost 50% more than cloths made in China.
There were lots of tourists in the village. I had a feeling Nimbin is destination for pilgrimage. Every kind of hairy human beings you could find here. I met a man (60 years), who had arrived to Nimbin in 1988 from Slovakkia. I could not understand how he could leave Slovakia legally in 1988. He spoke very bad English – worse than me! He lived 20km from Nimbin and goes once per month here to party.
When the tribes of tourists were left by the evening, only local hippies stayed. Atmosphere was more relaxed then. I sat to the far corner of the bar and just enjoyed it. Then I met Ricky who had moved here for a while. He asked me over to see his place.
From Nimbin the journey continued back to the coast and to south. I tried to avoid speedways, but it is quite impossible. If you want to go to the coast, you must turn off the highway and back the same way again when returning. Suddenly I discovered myself in Italy! In 19th century Italians landed here and live here till nowadays.
Something about local “Letterbox world”!
West side where the distances are really long, there are 200 litre tin cans on top of the pole. They use these cans as mailboxes. In the cities everything is correct and „comme il faut“. When I turned up to the mountains and to the rainforests, I was expected by far peculiar picture.
Woolgoolga,
5th February
