Byron Bay: Australia’s Cool Table

Byron Bay is a hip little town. My mother chose it over giong to the the Gold Coast because, in her skimming of the Lonely Planet guide, it struck her as a quieter, less-crowded place. Wrong again, Mum (the previous instance of Wrong being when she turned into oncoming traffic).

It’s like spring break here. Backpacker’s hostels abound; trendy shops line the street (that’s singular, “street” — it’s popular, but small); and things here actually stay open up to — and sometimes beyond — 10 pm. We spend our first evening walking the beach in the dark, though pretty far from the main beach area because that’s where all the young people have congregated, with their loud music and their drinking.

The next day, armed with towels and swimsuits, we head down to take our first actual swim in the ocean (actually, it’s just the bay, but it’s salty enough to pass). We swim in shifts, naturally fearing for our possessions in this thick crowd of young people. It’s a good time, battling those dastardly waves, and I know my mother enjoys it too, though I don’t really see her enjoying it, distracted as I was by the line of topless sunbathers situated between myself and the water. I didn’t even choose this place to set down, my mum did.

That’s all you need to know about Byron Bay. Topless sunbathers.