The last few weeks in Noosa were probably some of the best. We were lucky to be blessed with waves each and every day and I even managed to get a number of completely empty surfs – something that hadn’t happened until that point. The crowds definitely thinned after the festival and I made the decision to keep away from Tea Tree and surf at Nationals where I always found a friendly crowd. After a lot of upset in the water during the trip which included me ending up in tears as a woman went on at me asking why us ‘Internationals’are allowed into her country, I made the decision to always find a friendly person to surf with and stick with them. This positivity paid off and I met some amazing, friendly people and have left Noosa feeling content.
We made sure that we made the most of our final stretch in Noosa and ensured that we filled our days with adventures and experiences. We headed up to the Mt Tinbeerwah viewing platform which gives you a 360 degree view of the surrounding area from Sunshine Beach, through to Noosa then up to Double Island and back inland. It was absolutely incredible. I spent any of the time when I wasn’t surfing enjoying the beaches and national park, going on explorations and swimming in the gorgeous water. I did managed to average 7 hours a day in the water though but with early mornings there always time to fill in the gaps!
I am now in Sydney staying with my lovely family and making the most of what this beautiful city has to offer. As I am writing this I am sat in the sunshine looking across the harbour from the garden with views of the Opera House and the bridge. It’s fantastic! I explored the coast around Bondi a few days ago and managed to get a few waves there and tick it off my list. I’ve also spent a day exploring the city, doing a bit of retail therapy and investigating the older areas of the city and it’s museums. I think my highlight so far however was my trip to Manly yesterday. I decided not to take my boards as the surf shops advertised that they had a huge range for all levels and I decided to go for the easy option of hiring one rather than lugging them across on the ferries. After a worrying start and only being able to find plastic boards in terrible condition for a HUGE amount I lucked in at ‘The Shop Next Door’ and the lovely girl Emily sorted myself and Josh out with a Bing Dharma and an extremely fun twin fin fish. The day was saved! We spent much of the day enjoying the waves and lounging on the beach, feasted on Mexican tacos and explored the town. It was a brilliant day and we went home knackered, sandy and full of smiles and contentment. We’ve hired a car for tomorrow so that we can drive up the coast a little bit and explore the beaches, bays and scenery. Hopefully we will find some fun waves and beautiful spots for a picnic!
Charlotte Bayliss 