Brisbane
Sad to leave Byron Bay
06.04.2007 - 07.04.2007
25 °C
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In the last couple days in Byron Bay I called ahead to Surfers Paradise to see if the hostels there had any room for the Easter weekend. Everyone said they didn't have room, a couple had doubles available but they were charging around $80 a night. So I had to completely skip Surfers Paradise unless I wanted to stick around Byron for a little longer until room comes available, but I didn't want to pay the extra fee for the Easter weekend, plus the 5 day Blues Festival was going on in Byron Bay, and every hostel was overcharging. So I decided to go straight to Brisbane. Even trying to call around Brisbane to see if anyone had room available for the weekend. I called maybe 12 different places, and finally found 1 that was right in the middle of Fortitude Valley which is the part of the city where all the pubs/clubs are. Wasn't sure if this is where I wanted to stay for a long time, so I only booked for 2 nights and will try to move to the downtown area of Brisbane once Easter is over and rooms become available.
I left Byron bay around 3:00pm Friday in the pouring rain. Haven't seen it rain and thunder so hard in a very long time. I arrived in Brisbane around 6:30, and had to find my way to the hostel. Its a very weird feeling when you get dropped off in a city you've never been before, and you need to make your way somewhere and have no idea how. So I got out my Australia book, and found a map of Brisbane and found out how to get to the hostel. I walked downstairs of the bus station where there was a city train that will take me to the train station that I need to get off and walk to the hostel. I bought my ticket and the wicket, and asked the lady what station platform I needed to go she said "at number 9 theres one leaving in 3min. You can make it if you hurry". So I started running to number 9 which happened to be at the very end of the train station. Its hard running with a monster size bag on your back, and a didgeredoo in your arms. I felt like I was in the amazing race for a moment trying to run to this train. I got on the train just in time, and got off 2 stations later. I walked to the hostel, and noticed that theres a lot of police cars in the area. Not a very safe area I've been advised by a couple people. I checked into my room, and its a 8 bed dorm and the 7 others have been here for about 2-3 months working. 2 of them work at McDonald's and Bad Girls which is a strip club. The others work in sales, or install bars in jail cells.
Really interesting group, but not my kind of people. I will be happy to leave on Sunday and go to a less crazy hostel.
Sunday, I checked out of the hostel and walked to Global Gossip, which is a internet shop all around Australia and the only place open on Easter. I sent home my Didgeredoo and CD's. Hopefully they get home in 1 piece and theres no problems. Should be there in a couple months, sent it by sea mail.
Posted by Robotic 06.04.2007 18:46 Archived in Australia Tagged backpacking
Hey there, just started reading your blog. Its too bad you had to skip surfers paradise
But such is travelling on a budget through the holidays I guess.
Anyway, have you tried hostelworld.com for hostels? It gives you the average consumer rating for each hostel, as well as Availability
Oh, right, and cheers from another Calgarian traveller headed to Oz shortly!
08.04.2007 by Del007