The trip

On the way to the Airport I had One of those taxi drivers who reeks of cigarettes and only know accelerate or brake - nothing in between. Can make one feel quite sick when trying to Blog on ones phone.

What did I forget?  So far shampoo and conditioner.

I've never made it through security without being tested for explosives. Wait. What?

First celebrity sighting: Andrew Denton!  Looking very relaxed and happy and catching up with Frank Moorhouse at the Baggage Carousel.

Driving from Ballina to Byron Bay I couldn't get the smile off my face. I believe it was brought on by a combination of the sensation of Freedom and the sheer green space around me. Cows grazing, orchards growing, and a Macadamia Castle.

I checked into my Hotel and walked across the road with my camera and sat on the rocks watching and photographing the sunset. I can report that an amazing warm day has now become quite blustery and 'fresh''

Day 0 drinks: 1 Cascade Premium Light, but the day is not over yet.

FOMO:  apparently there is an Opening Night Party that either didn't make it onto my radar, or more I was simply not invited to [sigh]

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Heading Off!

I have wanted to go to this Festival for many years.

 Byron Bay Writers Festival

I have been to my local Sydney Writers Festival many times, but get frustrated as it always clashes with school and family events in the last weeks of May and I can never just relax and spend a good block of time there.  Not so with THIS Festival.

Flying out at 2pm for Ballina, picking up a Hire car and heading to Byron where I am staying in the thick of things in town.  I have kindly been invited along to a dinner this evening, with some women that I am not that familiar with, then a good friend is arriving the next morning and we are planning to have a blast and attend as many sessions as possible.


We have tickets to see Fr Bob and Jon Safran at Lennox Head and reservations for a great restaurant one other night and I also have plans to do morning Yoga and take plenty of photos, both on my Iphone and on my Canon 5D MKIII.


I will be posting on Instagram where my name is Simpiet and also tweeting using the hashtag #BBWF2014