the holiday

So, I’m back and the holiday was great!

Looking down on to Seven Mile Beach, Lennox Head, NSW

We went to Lennox Head, 15 minutes drive south of Byron Bay, on the far North Coast of NSW for 5 days – see map here. Actually, as it took us a whole and I mean whole day to drive there and another whole day – not as whole as the first but whole nevertheless – to drive back, we were really only there for three days. But we had a lot of fun in those three days.

The first thing my little boys wanted to do when we got there – after sleep since we got in at 12:30 am – was go to the beach. So, off we went. We stayed in units across the road from the beach so all we had to do was cross the road, walk down a little path and there we were. The beach was beautiful. Rough and a little bit deadly to swim in – you’d get in and a massive undertow would drag you 20 metres down the beach before you’d even caught your first wave – but beautiful in all its treachery- you can view the beach through a webcam here, follow the link and choose your vision format. The water was so warm and the salt was refreshing. The sand was beautifully soft and fine after being pummelled for so many years by the merciless sea. Broken shells, jellyfish and a few smooth pebbles decoratively littered the shoreline.

As we arrived on the beach the fresh sea breeze kissed our faces like an old friend we hadn’t seen for too long and the waves rushed up to meet us. Exhilarated, we ran to the sea discarding towels as we went and plunged into the gorgeous glistening ocean.

The first swim at a beach is special. It’s bonding. We fell in love with this beach instantly. The fact that it was so close to our accommodation made it ours alone – despite the presence of others on the beach.

We arose for early swims each morning and usually left the beach at about 9:30 am just as the wind was picking up and the lifeguards were deciding to close the beach after witnessing the sea tear a board away from yet another small child being swept down the beach faster than they deemed safe. It was good to get up and swim before the sea got too rough. We’d usually go back and eat another breakfast – because you have to eat something before you swim but nothing too heavy, just a snack – as we were starved by the paddling, ducking, diving and walking.

I liked this routine as it left us a lot of time to do other things later in the day, like: exploring the gourmet shops for tasty morsels to whip into a delectable dinner or lunch, or visit nearby Byron Bay with it’s beautiful beaches, forests, lighthouses and town life.

Byron is really so incredibly gorgeous. Cape Byron is the Eastern most point of Australia. You are almost guaranteed of seeing dolphins there and after being at the Lighthouse for no more than five minutes we spotted two pods of dolphins swimming off the coast below. There were over ten dolphins in all. And of course we felt like they were swimming there just for us because dolphins do that, you know. They were beautiful!

Cape Byron Lighthouse, Byron Bay, April 2007

We went away with two great friends who were complete gentlemen the whole time and showed great kindness and care towards me and my boys. They played endless games – like ‘chase me with your water pistol while I run away on the scooter’- which they enjoyed as much as my little men did – and dino-opoly, actually the adults played that from 10:05 to 2:30 am – yes, we’re nuts! – after the chiluns had gone to sleep; chatted about all sorts of things; understood the needs of my children; swam with the boys; played beach cricket; carried the littlest when his little legs could carry him no further; told them stories and gave them their first campfire complete with feats of fire twirling and marshmallow toasting!

They drove us the very, very long way there and back and after all of that gave us the incredible gift of paying for our accommodation! A gift I am still completely blown away by and in all its generosity struggle to accept. I am not good at accepting gifts – I wish I were. I think God is teaching me to be humble and say “thank you”. I am thankful that I have such beautiful friends who always act as they believe God would want them to and in doing so encourage me to do the same. I am a very blessed woman.