Byron Bay Adventure!

The Girls!

I know my posting has been slacking but I promise I will catch up soon!! After my crazy week in Perth I need to sleep, study, and DETOX! The week after was a long week but some how I managed to study and sleep...We are approaching midterm week so I need to start getting all my studying caught up because I don't want to fall behind. The week after Perth was pretty laid back, nothing too special besides the fact that we had a monsoon; literally 50mph winds and pelting rain for 4 days straight, I felt like I was on Noah's Arc and I forgot to get on the ship! I started attending most of the free exercise classes that are offered to all students. On Wednesday Kiley, Allie and I went to boxing first and then pilates to calm down; both classes were great!! Boxing kicked my butt but I loved it! On Thursday we thought we would try spinning and we thought that it can't be too hard just riding a bike and all....We were VERY wrong!! One of the hardest workouts I have ever done!! Thursday night we went to Don's, the same thing we do every Thursday night..but this time is was a blast because we knew so many more people because of all the new friends we met in Perth!!

Us and the European Guy

On Friday we decided that we should take a trip to Byron Bay which is about 70 miles south of the Gold Coast. Student Flight on campus was organizing the whole trip for any students that wanted to go. In the package for the trip it included transportation, lodging, 2 hour surf lesson, VIP at Cheeky Monkeys (a nightclub), BBQ on the beach, and SKYDIVING!!!! We left at 5am on Saturday morning and we arrived at the surf hut at about 7:30 because it as day light saving time in New South Wales. Allie, Kiley, Marisa, Adam, Jeff, and I were in the group to surf first and then skydive. We all got our wet suits on and grabbed a board and we were off to the beach; however, the weather was not great and we were surfing in choppy waves with a really strong current working against us!After about 30 minutes in freezing cold water and rain pelting us all the girls decided it was time to go in and get warm! Although we cut the lesson short I did manage to stand up on the board 4 times so I was happy about this!! After surfing we received information that because of the weather conditions we would not be skydiving; despite this minor set back they would give us free transportation to Byron Bay and a free skydive anytime we would want to come back! So then we headed to our hostel where Kiley, Allie, Marisa, and I were sharing a dorm style room and connected to our room there were four boys, one from Switzerland, one from Finland, one creepy Jewish guy, and a guy from Minnesota. We didn't see the guys much but they were all from Bond so it was nice to meet other people. After we settled in the leaders of our group came around and told us in an hour there would be buses to take us on a Brewery tour, of course we couldn't turn this down! Once we got to the Brewery we found out we would drink for free and just play games and hang out for awhile (keep in mind this is 2pm). Well at one point some of us wanted to play 'flip cup' so the leaders had us American's teach everyone else how to play.

Flip Cup!

In no time at all we had a giant 25 person team flip cup game going! After the Brewery we went back to the hostel had a BBQ and then got ready to go out to Byron Bay's best night club called 'Cheeky Monkeys'. We had a great time at Cheeky Monkeys and it was hard to wake up the next morning to pack our stuff and return back to campus. On the bus ride back they ran our of seats and Marisa, Allie, and I had to sit on the group for the whole hour and half ride back; we were miserable!
Although we didn't have the greatest weather Byron Bay was amazing! Definitely a place that I would visit again; we have already decided that a weekend in November we are all going to go back and stay in the hostel and go skydiving then!! Byron Bay reminded me a lot of Seaside Florida with all these cute little shops and marketplaces, definitely a surfers town!! I was also glad to add a pin to our map!--Marisa and I have posted a large map of Australia up in our room and we have decided to put a pin for every place we visit, we are hoping to visit every territory in Australia; as of right now we need two more!

Hope the fall weather is treating you all better than the monsoon we are having here!!!
SEEyaa-
libby
OYEAAA 1 month till I turn 21!!!!