What do a bunch of boys do after partying for ten days at Sydney Mardi Gras? Well sensible ones would relax, of course.

We headed over to Byron Bay for some r&r and to chill by the pool for a week... well... that was the idea anyway. I'm not sure putting ten party people together in one guest house was quite the right formula for relaxation though!

During our stay at the lovely Amber Gardens Guesthouse we managed to pack in quite a bit. Some of the important touristy things like standing at the Most Easterly Point of Australia up at the lighthouse (which, incidentally, offers stunning views of Byron), stopping for lunch at the Byron Beach Café where you can sit and admire the surf/surfers while sipping on a drink or three. We dined at the fabulous The Balcony where the friendly, chatty waiter really made our evening a special one... we also ate great pies at The Beach Hotel and I had possibly the tastiest falafel I've ever had in my life at somewhere that I can't remember the name of!

Whilst we were a bit concerned for the welfare of the goldfish in the fish-blowing contest at Cheeky Monkeys, we did enjoy dancing on the tables for the rest of the night. And it was also good to see them doing their bit for the environment by supporting Coolplanet and offsetting their carbon emissions each year - making them completely carbon neutral. Hoorah.

We joined the post Sydney Mardi Gras cocktail party at Cocomangas on Thursday night - as did around fifty other locals and holidaymakers... I'm not sure I'd be able to recommend the house special cocktail - a Jam Jar - which made me want to go and brush my teeth to stop them falling out after I'd had it, and also not quite sure what the music was doing - but the evening was a good one whilst we were all allowed to chat on the balcony area!

Relaxing? Perhaps not entirely... but there is plenty of fun to be had at Byron Bay!

www.www.ambergardens.net
www.byronbeachcafe.com
www.balcony.com.au
www.beachhotel.com.au
www.cheekymonkeys.com.au
www.cocomangas.com.au