Canberra to Byron.

After spending some time in Sydney, I hitched a ride to Canberra. It was a great ride, and easy, but I'm not going to write about my time there. I spent a really lovely week or so with a good friend of mine and her family. After so long in asia, it was lvoely to stay in a house, eat home cooked food, drink good coffee and just hang out, but It's not so interesting to read.
The morning I left Canberra, my friend was driving with her Mum to Sydney to look at apartments. I decided to hitch hike to Byron Bay, which was 11 hours away by car. Luckily they where leaving early. We got out the door at 6.30 am, and by 8.30 I was dropped at a service station just before sydney. With my Hitch Hiking experience from other countries, I thought I'd be on the road for a couple of days to make Byron, but how wrong I was. I waited about 45 minutes at the service station for a ride, and finally was picked up by a guy in his forties. He was friendly enough, but quiet. He said he could take me about 4 hours down the road. In the end i'd have 4 rides, and make it to Byron just after dark. Other than the first ride, I never waited more than 30 minutes. What I realised about Australia, is that because everything so far apart, people are generally driving further than in Europe. As I'm writing this I've been hitching in Australia for a year, and a three hour ride is fairly standard.
It was a wonderful, mad day, some amazing people, really fast driving, and barely any waiting. Still one of my best days of hitch hiking :)
When I arrived in Byron, My ride dropped me right by the freeway. I had to walk across the road. I walked up the freeway and found a roundabout with a sign to Byron Bay. I stuck my thumb out, and the very first car stopped for me. I immediately had a good feeling about this place, only a few times in my life I've been picked up so quickly.
I was planning to find a free place to camp, but I was tired, and i'd heard they were really strict in Byron, so when my ride offered to take me to a paid campsite I agreed. When I got there it was only 15 for a night, so I paid and set up my tent.
I was happy to have a cheap and secure place to sleep. I left my things and walked into the town.
It was a great day of hitching. It gave me really good hope for Australia in the future. I'll talk of my time in Byron in another detailed post.
Safe travels