So with flying around the bay, seeking out the native wildlife and getting to know the local peeps, i move swiftly onto my next challenge....Ab sailing. This was a little bit scary, especially the leap of faith ...yet again...over the cliff edge. More gear to be strapped on and as i pointed out to Al (the instructor) another opportunity to see every squidgy bit of my battered body squeezing its way through every gap in the harness...nice one. Shouldn't really be concerning myself with that guff though, when Ive got a 30 foot drop to contemplate. Obviously this exercise did raise the heart rate just a tad. Its was all fun though and Al thought "for your first time you've got good technique". If only he could have heard the many expletives muttering out of my mouth, especially when i took an unofficial bash into the rock face, just as I was clambering into the awaiting boat. Nice sharp, jagged rock broke my fall...and proceeded to rip up my arm...great. The list of war wounds continues but never mind, quite proud of my new body art.

Al was cool and he brought his 10 year old son Jay to help too. even invited me to a family bbq but i had another excursion booked so maybe next time. And there may well be a next time, as Al was having a camera crew round to film as reality TV programme. He asked me to look him up and see how they are doing, when I'm back in oz.....mmm...interesting, very interesting indeed.

whilst donning the various hard hats, harness', overalls and other flatering safety equipment I have managed to pick up a slightly annoying back and neck injury. Overdosing on Neurofen hadn't worked and I was getting sick of walking round like bloody c3po, so I booked myself a massage with the local chiropractor/acupuncturist guru. Now i must say here that this was after my first choice of remedy was a complete waist of time. You see after id finished bashing into cliff's, i decided that whilst on my trip to Nimbin ( hippy heaven, population of 300, big hospital, cop shop in centre of town and 'Richo's' description..."its got issues".....need i say more). I was hoping for some much needed medical intervention via the large inhalation of 'mull'. Well, it didn't happen....big disappointment. The waif's and strays of the old mental hospital have inhabited and bred in that small town, with no real purpose and sustainable means of living they rely heavily on tourism. The people of Nimbin appeared undernourished, under payed and understandably under par. Stoned or pissed i personally found them to be a bland if not colourful mix of predictable individuals. So..not a sniff of the medicinal herb was acquired and I began to wish id accepted Al's invitation. So feeling pretty frustrated at pissing about there while the bus arrived and then realising my head phones had packed in, as soon as I got back to Byron...i decided to make myself feel better and walked straight into the tattoo parlour and got my nose pierced. was gonna get a tattoo as well but they were about to close.

Got back, more German girls have arrived (bloody loads here). Joann and Annabell. Really cool couple of lass' and best of all they had been to Mildura just before Xmas. So the 'contract conversation' was had. an even longer conversation followed regarding the amount we were all paying for a room with little privacy, little space, little quiet and little air! Bloody humid as hell and only a very noisy wall fan to keep us from unconsciousness. It was a pretty inadequate situation but i don't know... maybe being British, i just put up with it. There's not really much you can do, however the German girls were having none of it and were all for complaining to reception.( I think the total rip off they endured in Mildura had hardened them to any future nonsense) You go girls...knock yourselves out....me...i ain't got the energy, booked myself into so many activities that its now crying out for some much needed TLC.

Lat day in Byron Bay...Yes another activity.... I can almost hear my aching soul now. Barley able to get out of bed unaided and stiff as a stale french stick I get kitted out once more for the adventure of the day....Kayaking. Don't have a partner so had to share with one of the instructors...great he can do all the work..ill sit back, enjoy the ride and contemplate my immediate future with regards to my immediate back problem. No such luck...once he'd sorted everyone else he got me to set a pretty quick pace through the waves. Within 2 minutes of being in the bloody thing...i was air born! The break water on the beach had some pretty big swells. In all fairness though it was a really exhilarating experience. Even though my back was in half, my bruise was aching, my nose was throbbing and my legs were crippled the moment we spotted dolphins that all faded into insignificance. Chocolate cookies and pic n mix kind of helped too. Only one unauthorised maneuver from me.....a total wipe out just as I came into the beach, riding the crest of a wave in my now single manned kayak (2 girls bailed half way through cause of sea sickness and so i was volunteered by nick to take one back on my own)! I almost made it too, but lost it big style..like.

"Right...that's it" I thought gotta sort myself out once and for all (see i can be sensible). Saw my guru guy and he sorted me out. Now under strong instruction too take it easy and slow down for a bit. "just warming up mate". "No, Kelly i want you to relax". "look I'm not old and I got alot of stuff to be doing, so it ain't happening". On this note guru...after understanding my accent, sense of humour and stubborn constitution, thoughtfully and politely requested i give my body a rest "as its fucked".