People who know me, know I tend to be organized and like everything to be planned out. Especially what I am going to be doing that particular day. 90% of my days in Australia have started with no plan, but rather an openness to whatever adventure the day has in store for me. On certain days I have NO clue where I’m staying, leaving it open for adventure and trusting that it will all work out. Here is how my day started today: I woke up at 7 a.m. after sleeping in my car next to an amazing beach in the Angourie National Park. I went for a surf at Pippi Beach in Yamba then jumped in the car to continue my drive south towards Sydney. I made the turn off the highway towards Bellingen because someone I spoke with in Yamba earlier that day said the town was a great place to stop. So I thought, why not? After driving through I thought it was a charming little town, but didn’t even get out of the car and headed back to the highway. As soon as I got on the highway I noticed a flyer I grabbed in Yamba for the Bellingen YHA (Youth Hostel Australia). I pulled over and gave them a call. After having a good chat with Jasmine at the hostel, I decided to turn the car around. All I really wanted was to do some laundry since I had nothing clean. Jasmine assured me they had a laundry facility. When I arrived I found a fantastic treehouse hostel with a friendly staff. I put my laundry in and went for a walk by the river. Writing from a hammock in the garden I enjoyed a nice nap. After my nap I showered and went to dinner at the local pub with a few people that were staying at the hostel. Meeting people from all over the world is one of my favorite things about traveling. This particular night at the hostel we collectively made a UN round table, representing Germany, Mexico, Canada, Australia, Belgium, Scotland, and the US. Once again being open to the unknown has introduced me to another beautiful town and gave me the opportunity to meet some really cool people. This concludes my Monday.
I might go for a hike tomorrow and see a waterfall, but I don’t have a plan and I’ll just be open to what the day has in store.
If you’re traveling in Australia between Sydney and Byron Bay do yourself a favor and stop in Bellingen.
