Arrival

I have arrived at the Arts Factory Lodge in Byron Bay. A colorful community with dorms, tents, pools, open air pool tables and a plethora social activities. For $10AUD you can take a didgeridoo lesson, a yoga class, or learn creative massage technique. People sit around in their tie dye and philosophize. Right now I am a bit overwheImed but give me a few days....I plan on unleashing my inner hippy. (hmmm....is there a gucci version of birkenstocks, I wonder?)

On the bus ride here from the Brisbane airport, I met a nice English girl. She is here to take a yoga trainer course. We talked a bit about travel, boys, the 'crow' yoga pose and everything girls do when they first meet each other on an adventure. I think I may have used my famous "international accent" when talking to her ("where are you from again?") but she seemed forgiving enough and wants to meet for dinner tonight. If I can make friends unwashed, sleep deprived, and with a bad accent I should have no problem the rest of the trip....

I already feel a new person, washed clean of the regrets and sadness that weighed me down prior to my departure. During the long plane ride here the haunting echos of the last phone conversation with my ex boyfriend slowly dissipated. We broke up a few days ago...because of my trip..or perhaps not because of my trip....and I seemed to need lots of "last goodbyes." In person, email, phone...sigh...pathetic. We had a strong connection that I will miss deeply..he was very inspirational in my life...but decided that there is no point in holding on to something or someone who has made it very clear that they do not want to be held onto. During our last phone conversation I heard 30 variations of why I wasn't worth it.....deflating.....yet after the initial hurt, strangely cleansing. I certainly don't want my feelings to burden someone else.

Soooooo here I am in a hippy commune feeling raw and naked in a sea of bad clothing and medicinal herbs....oh dear lord. Maybe I'll take a didgeridoo lesson. I guess anything is possible....I am claiming the open road and new possibilities. It's a suprisingly comfortable idea (the road, not the didgeridoo).

And surfing starts tomorrow...bring on the waves.