Almost a decade ago, my good friend and I decided to back-pack down the east coast of Australia. I had never 'roughed' it in my life and it was pure comedy to see me turn up at Heathrow Airport with my back-pack in tow - it really should have been a pink suitcase on wheels :) My friend almost died when she looked down at my ankle socks and trainers - I was so not cool and she had all the labels going on :)
The trip was a gruelling one in that she is a very structured person - likes to adhere to a timetable and I myself do not. By the time we got to Brisbane, I was truly over it and couldn't take another minute of her banging on at me about what time we had to wake up, sleep, eat, drink,. watch tv etc etc. In my obstinance and desire not to be controlled, I booked the Greyhound ticket to get to Sydney with the sole intention of finding work and staying in Aus. And I DID NOT want her to come with me. It was a very brave step for me - and of course she booked her ticket TOO.
Next stop was Byron Bay - so we got on the bus and made our way down there.
It was the usual routine of checking-in at reception and legging it to the room and hoping all that way that the room was clean and that the bed sheets had been washed.
The room was all of those things and more - the only thing that freaked me out a little was how close to the ceiling the top bunk was. I can't recall every moment that led to us getting to the seaside - there was a ramp that you walked down to get to the beach - a beautiful beach - and a very holistic place - there was no 20 storey buildings in site - no McDonalds and no Burger King.
I think the evening before we had ventured and realized that there was a lighthouse off in the distance - it looked to be not too far away and although my friend was not as keen as I to go see it, I simply nagged and pleaded until she agreed to come with me.
So we started the trek - on foot of course and a little concerned that the sun was going to set shortly and that we would need to return before it got dark. Back in those days I was a skinny malinky :) Dressed in my gun metal silver skirt ( which matched my bikini ) and cutesy little blue top that I had bought from a shop that day. Walking walking walking, I was just so intent on getting my own way and 'winning' this small battle with my friend that I was charging, feet on sand.
It was one of those 'Mills and Boon' moments - sun setting to my left and the sound of the waves, my best friend to my right and me fulfilling my desire to get to see the lighthouse - so much so that I didn't see him coming the other way :)
He was like one of those guys that you see in the soaps as you're growing up - the one you imagine that you will marry one day - your very own Prince Charming who lives this charmed life in some exotic location - he was wearing blue just as I had pictured as a little girl and he had a body to die for :) I kid you not girls, Gabriel Aubry was not a patch on him.
I had my shades on - so I was able to check him out without him knowing :) As he got closer I simply could not contain the butterflies in my stomach and I rib digged my friend in a 'OM f'ing Gosh' kinda way :) He was looking ahead too - but really I know that he was checking me out as well :)
My legs nearly buckled and in my head I painted a picture of him being this hot shot American who was here with his family, kids in tow - having just stepped of his yacht to check out the beach and someone loaded to the max - not that money made any difference - it was just my picture.
Having passed him - I rib digged my friend again and stood at the foot of the other ramp, turned around and went 'Oh my God - Oh my God - did you see him!!!!!!!!!!'. He was then and still is to this day the most beautiful man I have ever seen in the flesh - I'm not talking Cosmo mag or Bradley Cooper in The Hangover - but in the flesh - real flesh.
YUMMY!!!!!!! :)
I remember that the walk to the lighthouse was considerably longer that I thought it would be - lots and lots of steps - and I also remember how each picture that my friend took of the sunset and the lighthouse together was as bright as bright could be - as if they had been taken first thing in the morning.
When I got back to the hostel, I was hand washing some clothes in the sink - I prayed like I have never prayed before in my life - 'Please God, let me see him again, please please please let me see him again'.
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