The Bounty Drink.

So, I was stuck in a very random small mountain town in New South Wales for three days.

Nothing to do but climb a "mountain" (ahem...hill) which of course is not appealing to me since I come from Colorado.  So, I had to find something to make me happy while I was in this tiny mountain town called Murwillumbah. 

Enter Luffley Cafe and the "Liquid Bounty."

It is a hot chocolate frothed with coconut monin flavoring.  

It tastes like a Bounty candy bar (if you don't have bounty, it's like an almond joy minus the almond).

Sooooooo amazing.

I had one every day that I was there, and I spread the word to everyone I talked to... in the coffee shop, on the street, in the hostel.  I said the only reason I would ever come back to Murwillumbah would be to drink one of these. It just so happened that after I left to go to the next town, some friends and I rented a car and drove down from Queensland to New South Wales just for this yummy drink!

Surf & Stay...

I stopped for 3 weeks to work at a place called Spot X Surf Camp.  It was such an amazing experience, and I will never forget the awesome people I met here.  This place is a party everyday, and I could surf any time I liked.  After 3 weeks of surfing and theme parties, it was hard to say goodbye. 

I saw the sunset every morning for 3 weeks because I worked brekkie.  Just 3 hours in the morning and I had the rest of the day to do whatever I wanted. Surf/Chill/Party... an amazing life, eh?

Wicked theme parties!!! Above: Gender Bender (guys dress like girls, girls dress like guys). I'm the creepy one with the mustache and the black hat. 

Geek or Freak Night! I'm such a geek anyways, this one was easy to pull off! 

Yamba.

(above) My future house with this (below) as its front yard:

I found this amazing town called Yamba along the coast here in OZ! This is where I definately can see myself spending the rest of my year working and surfing.  It has everything from the most amazing waves I have seen to nightlife to a cruisey/relaxed vibe to party cruises, and of course AMAZING food. The YHA here is the best hostel I have stayed at yet for the same cheap prices I have been paying, and the owners are incredible.  They give you such a personalized visit that you feel like you live there already.  Shane is one of the owners and he takes you out on waves and helps you surf no matter what level.  His brother was a world champion surfer, so he knows his stuff.  I have been surfing green waves, and it is the most amazing feeling in the world standing up and flying across the ocean like that.  Living at a surf camp for 3 weeks was the best way to learn how to surf (free boards and surf every day).  

(I asked for an iced coffee and this is what i got... YUMMO!)

KitKat Heaven.

Best. invention. ever.

It's like my two favorite candy bars put into one: KitKat Cookies & Cream.

If you can get your hands on one of these...do it.  It will change your life.

Off to go surfing :)

Every day is like a breath...Be thankful for TODAY!

Au Naturale.

Being a hippie/surfer for the past few weeks, I have actually started to miss being clean and dressing up.  Surprise, surprise.  Not that I don't love having ocean washed hair and sand literally everywhere (my bed, my clothes, my towel)...

Living at a surf camp, in a tiny house with 18 people and an outdoor shower, it makes it hard to care much. I sleep with my suitcase on my bed because thats literally all the room I have, but my life here is so perfect I honestly don't care.  There are a few extras in my life that I have given up that I miss though which becomes predominately more evident when I scope my favorite bloggies [yes, i made that up, but im going to just slide with it].

Clean clothes & perfectly styled hair.

{The Daybook}

The entire process of baking: Line up, Measure, Time, Devour, Gift.

{Cupcakes and Cashmere}

Wearing heels that catch both guys' and girls' attention.

{The Daybook}

Pretty, girly accessories like pearl earrings and flowers.

{La Vie en Bleue}

The girls all went out to the nearest pub the other night, mind you we are literally in the middle of nowhere so it was about an hour away.  It was a dodgy little place with a band in their late 40's, but we were dressed up as much as we could and it felt so nice to just get girly a bit.

Although, I do miss getting all dressed up, there is still something so natural and freeing about just letting go and not caring anymore.  I love my life here.  Bonfires, dancing, beach parties, chilling out on a hammock, surfing every day, getting a nice aussie tan, goon (cheap wine) and cordial (flavored sugar water), making bracelets,  beach volleyball etc... It is a constant party here all day every day, but I can also go on a quiet walk on the beach anytime I want to get away from it all.  Honestly, I don't mind the dirt, sand, cockroaches, tiny bed, walking around barefoot, and wearing a swimsuit every day. I love my life here where I belong at the moment, living on Arrawarra Beach in Australia.

{My pictures from Spot X Surf Camp on Arrawarra Beach, Australia}

Rainstorms & Waves.

I made a tent out of my bed with sheets and towels.   I am sitting here listening to the rain pour outside and the thunderstorm brew while I'm safe covered in blankets in my tent.  It always makes me feel little again whenever there's a thunderstorm.  It's been amazing watching the seasons change here.  The water is as warm as bath-water here, but the nights get a little chilly.  There are thunderstorms and rainbows almost everyday, but then there is also sunshine and sunbathing weather everyday as well.

I've learned here that even in a place of pure perfection, there is no such thing as a continuous joy. If there was we would never appreciate the good things.  If I never got sad or didn't like something I would never appreciate the happiness I get and the things that I love.  I have learned that instead of searching for this impossible (and less fun) continuous joy, I need to search for little things everyday that I love and gain my joy from those little things.  I know it may seem impossible that in a place this amazing, I would still need to search for joy but I do!  Today, I had amazing pancakes, had a wonderful time surfing and stood up on almost all of the waves I caught, finally got to do my washing (it was so exciting because its been so long), wrote in my journal alone on the beach as I watched the sunset, and now sitting here in my bunk-bed-tent listening to the rainstorm.

{above photo taken by another grom here at Surf Camp a few days ago}