[atlaseer: similar to a mountaineer except involves one who hikes the globe, not mountains]

Roaming as a Backpacking Battler, South American Struggler and Suitcasing Scallywag, there seems to be a lessened desire to continue to eliminate any form of social life to save coins for massive, expensive, adventures around the world when instead, some of the most incredible parts of the world are only a few hours away.

The decision to head north was a product of multiple reasons – Falls Festival at Byron Bay being the most prominent. Like a cat being pegged from a stupid height, the Aussie Atlaseer landed on his feet, securing a fourteen year old borrowed van to contribute 2800kms to the already 300,000 that was shown on the odometer. More luck struck the Aussie Atlaseer as his chippy mate, Josh ‘The Big Boonana’ Boon, did a solid by constructing a bed base for the van to ensure ultimate space and comfort.

Leaving on the second busiest day of the year (day after Boxing Day) to do anything motor vehicle related, is a massive dumbass manoeuvre. The Atlaseer came down with tourettes for the few hours of bumper to bumper just shy of Port Macquarie. Having rarely traveled further north of Forster, the Atlaseer was left and right staring at the surroundings of what reflected country New South Wales. More antique buses saleing than yachts in the Sydney to Hobart on the side of the freeway. It wasn’t until the roads turned white along with the sky north of Byron that the traffic dulled.

The heavens opened for the first couple of days before the scorchers arrived fashionably late. As does any adventure, new people were introduced and then farewelled as the Atlaseer went against the grain, road-tripping even further north into the devil’s lair; Queensland. It took the Aussie Atlaseer the majority of the fifty hours he was in the ‘Sunshine State’ to remember that they don’t believe in daylight savings. Eyelids were opening simultaneously with the birds’ beaks at 450am instead of 550am.

Collecting rays up in Noosa and sprinting along its main beach three times within the first ten minutes of arrival. The light breeze began Mary Poppins’ing the overpriced, $15 beach umbrella, alas the involuntary interval training. The worst part was that everyone else could laugh at the fact it wasn’t happening to them and the Atlaseer could only chuckle to himself.

Burleigh Heads, Rainbow Bay and down to Angourie to stay in another residential street to avoid the $1000 camping fine from the ranger for sleeping in the carpark. A local Angourie kid, who was half the Atlaseer’s age, briefing him of the history of the quarry and how he couldn’t remember if it was 90ft deep or 90m deep. “It’s basically the same”, as he backflips from a tree for the ninetieth time that day.

Laying in the back of the van backed up to the edge of Wategos Beach in Byron, reading a book, people watching and swimming to stay cool from the mid-30’s days. Heaven.

A drive inland to Nightcap National Park and a three hour hike to Minyon Waterfall – why do they call it a park when there aren’t any rides? Felt like Isaac Newtown as the water fell.

Bellingen and Gleniffer in search for the Promised Land and a swim in the freshwater river with the best rope swing the Atlaseer has ever swung off. It was incredible to think that all this was happening in New South Wales’ backyard. Driving past a sign reading ‘FREE PUPPIES’ was difficult to ignore in the middle of thick forest with nobody to hear you cooee. The sign was the grown-ups version of being given free lollies as a kid.

A last pit stop in Hat Head before a cruisy drive back to The Beaches, thinking about the most recent memories and laughing about the dumb stuff that happened. One particular example was when the Atlaseer didn’t close his boot properly on the way up to Queensland. This mistake wasn’t realised until a lady hung out the window of her car shouting and pointing toward the back of the van. Nothing fell out to the Atlaseer’s knowledge.

A tonne of fun and a lot more to come from the Aussie Atlaseer. Getting through one short adventure at a time with the intention of continuing to explore the backyard of the Great Southern Land.