Byron ✅ Nimbin ✅

So the road trip's first stop was Port Maquarie but we arrived late Monday night and checkout was at 10am so we didn't really see anything other than the inside of the hostel which was decent to be fair all we did in the morning was play pool, table football, table tennis and air hockey!

We drove solidly to Byron and arrived Tuesday evening and went straight out - to Woodies and Cheeky Monkey. Had a great night and managed to tick a few things off the bucket list involving after dark beach/sea activities 🙈🙉

Wednesday we bought surfboards and went surfing on main beach then there was beer pong at the hostel and we went out again to La La Land which does sound like a shithole but actually was decent it just has a terrible name.

Thursday we went to The Pass which is the right hand edge of Byron bay where the waves are really good and Paddy and Aaron both got burnt because we have two surfboards between three of us so I sat the first sesh out and my suncream soaked in whereas theirs washed straight off hahaha! Had a night off the booze and watched Troy, also I began a carb free diet (minus beer) so made shepherds pie but without the mash and just with loads of carrots for tea.

Third day I got up early (6am), had 4 bacon and 4 eggs #NoCarbs and took the Pajero to The Pass again to catch some early surf. I came back and we went to check out the lighthouse, I had a carb free lunch and we located a really nice beach (see below) then hit the gym. 

Sadly, the nights in, no carbs and gyming  couldn't last and some hippie Christians were throwing a free BBQ so I had no choice but to have a free burger and from there it all went downhill - I had lots of beers, we went out to Cocomanga, I got a PB on the blood alcohol machine in the club (0.1) and the night ended with a dutty kebab. Tragic.

Fourth day we went to the really nice beach we found and surfed and chilled all day which was so good - such an empty beach as well.

The final night we predrank with some Swedes and went to the Great Northern hotel (spoons) which was a good laugh and not too outrageous beer prices which is always nice!

Left Byron today (Sunday) and went to Nimbin a tiny village an hour and a half from Byron but it's basically famous as the marijuana capital of New South Wales even though it's illegal it's soo easy to source and everyone is high haha. Crazy place though. Picked up a few necessary herbal remedies and continued on to Surfers Paradise which is where we're about to get to!

Keep it real xo

THE PAJERO and saying bye to Sydney

So much has happened in a week!!

WE GOT A MITSUBISHI PAJERO on Thursday. $3000 (£1500)

What. a. beast.

4WD, 1991 with 300,000+ kms on the old clock but it looks so cool.

Came with all the camping gear, compressor and snatch straps for driving on sand too :)

Friday night was the leaving party at the flat which was great - nice to see everyone properly for a last time and especially to see the work lot outside of work. We had pres at ours then went to a place in Surry Hills called The Clock which is a nice pub/bar.

Saturday we recovered, packed then started a bar crawl for Aaron's birthday at about 4:30 so it's amazing (and costly) that we made it as far as we did. At one point I think we were passing a goon bag around sat on a park bench which really made me ponder my life choices.

Sunday was a last trip to Bondi for some bevs on the beach, beach dangerball, testing out Josh's boombox and a BBQ in the dark purely because we were too unorganised to do it earlier!

Monday (today) has been a fantastic day. We went to see the opera house with Paddy, Aaron's mate who is visiting from the UK for the road trip!

So the bucket in the photos. Basically the first time the original road trip crew all met each other we were at a rooftop bar overlooking the opera house and stole a lil bucket for fries and our aim is to take this bucket all over Oz and get photos with it everywhere!

Went to Shelly beach in Manly for a chilled afternoon and on the way we pulled in to get food and I did the best parallel park ever in a tiny space:

Paddy and I ended up inflating a mini boat at the beach and taking it out to sea to catch some waves but it was more of a struggle than it should've been to get very far in it when it's not really designed for two grown chaps. Oops. Although we did get a decent distance out to sea before returning!

On the way home the power of the Pajero got to me and at the barrier to our friends underground car park I decided to try and race in after the car infront but the barrier did hit the roof of the car on the way in. However I still got in and the Pajero obviously took it like a man so PAJERO 1 - CAR PARK 0.

Josh (our mate who's a mechanic) helped us sort the car out and showed us a load of stuff under the hood so we feel confident looking after it - dunno where we'd have been without him tbh, great lad.

Said our goodbyes and hit the road a bit late at 9pm - myself, Aaron, Paddy and Anina. We're about to get to the hostel at Port Macquarie now at 2:30am!

Love from Oli and THE PAJERO.