August 9: Elated At Easternmost Point
From a burst shower head in my hotel room to blasts of turquoise colored ocean waves crashing on the rocks below the Cape Byron Lighthouse, the day began and ended with powerful explosions of water. Elated to have reached the easternmost point of mainland Australia, I took in the breathtaking scenery from on top of the headland adjacent to Byron Bay.
Stepping out of my shower earlier in the day, I discovered a half inch of standing water covering the bathroom. I had been enjoying the warm water so much I hadn’t noticed that an errant spray was also coating the floors and walls of the small room, drenching my toiletry bag and other supplies. After drying things as best as I could, I hopped on Adventure Baby, excited to be continuing towards Melbourne.
Riding south I focused on maintaining distance between me and other vehicles in thick traffic, navigating carefully through road construction, and keeping my goggles and visor clear in heavy rain. Grateful that the air was less humid than up north and that periodic breaks in the rain allowed my navigation to function at key junctions, I made good headway past Brisbane and entered New South Wales. Chuckling to myself I realized that I really had left Queensland - “The Sunshine State.”
Arriving in Byron Bay, I was immediately captivated by its picturesque crescent shaped, pink and tan colored sandy beach, beautifully framed by tall, elegant eucalyptus trees in the foreground and brush covered rolling hills behind. Light blue and green waves gently rolled onto the surf with white frothy water at the edge.
Continuing through town I turned east onto Lighthouse Road, passing signs warning motorists of Koalas in the area and following the curvy path up the headland to the parking lot next to the Lighthouse. The striking concrete block cement structure painted in white and adorned with a metal roof was built in 1901 and sits prominently on a jagged bluff. Apparently, its beacon is the most powerful in Australia at 2,200,000 candelas.
Walking along the pathway at the base of the lighthouse, I made my way past glorious views of impossibly blue ocean waters and roaring white waves crashing on the deep brown rocks below. Reaching the sign proclaiming that I was at the easternmost point of Australia, I felt a sense of euphoria to in such a magnificent setting at such a momentous moment in my trip around the continent.
Heading to Bang Bang, an Asian fusion restaurant just a few blocks from my hotel, I could smell how delicious the food was the minute I walked into the warm, comforting dining area filled with guests happily eating and chatting away. My braised beef massaman with wagyu brisket and coconut curry was rich and flavorful and felt like butter in my mouth. The Asian greens stir fried with garlic and oyster sauce almost brought tears of joy to my eyes as they were delightfully crisp and fresh and perfectly seasoned. This is definitely a town I would love to come back to.
