Byron Bay

26th November

I'm becoming a bit of a bad omen for people when it comes to rain. It always seems to rain whenever I reach a new destination (randomly)... how rude! I can't believe that I have flown thousands of miles to the beautiful Eastern coast of Australia to experience rain.

Waking up in a room full of men, an experience which I won't dwell on but my first night in a hostel was interesting. Hopefully I didn't snore!! I'm not sure what I was expecting of hostels but I'm sure I'll get used to them - and trying to get onto a top bunk in the pitch black!!!

Took myself off round the shops (getting soaked in the process)! The Volksmagic crowd would be pleased to see the excess of VW matter on sale and to see strutting round Byron - home of hippies and laidback culture.

I finally got a really good salad to eat! Boy was it delicious - so fresh and lovely! I could have cried!!!! Sat on the terrace (thankfully shading me from the rain) with my salad, a flat white and a paper. How very civilised!

I had my tarot read this afternoon - a most unusual experience which felt more like spiritual healing than looking at my future. Whatever the experience, I came out feeling a million dollars better than I did going in and felt like it was money well spent.

I returned to the hostel later that afternoon, my head held high, the confidence starting to rise and I felt like it was time to make some friends. In my room at the hostel was Kev and Lena (Kev is from Glasgow and Lena is his German girlfriend who was heading home the next day). Kai, the giant German (he was 6ft 10!!!) and then Brendan arrived - from Killaloe in County Clare... up the road from home in Corofin. How funny is that?! Marco, the 19 year old German is a little more difficult to suss out. I must be getting old!!

Had a good time chatting away and giggling with them all and I'm starting to feel tonnes better already.