The day ended with Chic and Nile Rodgers, they played the Daft Punk ‘Get Lucky’ and Bowie’s, Let’s Dance, both of which Rodger’s co-wrote and played guitar on the recordings. These are fantastic concert songs – and then from side stage 20 or 30 people came on to dance with the band.
I got back a bit late and missed seeing two or three acts that sounded interesting and only managed to see Chic and Lionel Richie, both incredible, especially Nile Rodgers – everyone loves disco.
Lionel also brings the party and he ends with All Night Long.
I did a little too much yesterday, went for a surf in Byron Bay and tried a 9′ 4″ surfboard for a change, and actually stood up twice, sort of, momentarily. I’d forgotten how much bloody paddling you need to do. Got sunburnt in the process and thinking next time I’ll just go for a swim.
Bought a few bottles of the famous Byron Bay hot sauces and passed by a hole-in-the-wall cafe in the earthy Byron style, the woman wearing a tie-dye shirt selling Famous Byron Bay Brownies, $5 –who could resist?
My camping neighbours, the Brazilians from Sydney, offered me their tents as they left but I have no room, so in the bin they go. Since then I have been offered more tents and there’s one empty and abandoned just beside me here. The Sustainability Team guy said they fill up dozens of skip bins every year with chairs, tents and gum boots, and everything else.
I’ve been trying to pick my moment to pack down but showers keep coming through.
I gave this flute busker some coins and asked if I could take her photo. She agreed and I love this shot because it’s shows a nice sample of the street life you come across in Byron Bay, well, at least one side of it, of course, there’s other sides, boozy sunburnt guys as well, and there’s incredible wealth here too, looking at some of the houses hidden in the trees. The Industrial Park has sensibly been placed just out of town in it’s own estate, not mixed in with the retail or residential like we sometimes do in New Zealand – Tauranga being a classic example of poor urban planning, in my option.
Byron Bay has the great combination of that glorious golden beach attached to a properous low-rise town with a predominance of owner-operated retail shops, the vegetation is lush, and the weather is warm.
