I promise you now this is anything but clickbait, we truly did get stuck in Crazy Town.
Crazy Town being Nimbin, Australia.
A bit of back story for you who haven't been or even heard of Nimbin. Nimbin is a very hippie, weed-loving town about an hours drive from Byron Bay. Times Byron bay quirkiness by about 100% and add the constant smell of weed in the air. Tie-dye and hippie shops make up 75% of the high street, which pretty much is the whole of the town itself. Don't get me wrong the surrounding areas are beautiful but this adventure has definitely impacted my view on Nimbin.
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| Molly driving through the Aussie hills. |
So it all started with a planned adventure to check out Nimbin as neither I or Molly had ever been before. She picked me up in her stunning van and off we went to see what this adventure had in store for us.
The drive itself was beautiful and the surrounding areas of Bryon really made me feel like I was back at home. It truly took my breath away.
We arrived in Nimbin around mid-afternoon so we didn't really have very long to explore the area which honestly as time went on was okay with me. I really just wasn't getting a good vibe from the place but I wasn't sure why. We had a look around a few of the shops as well as the farmers market before sitting outside a cafe. It was a nice place where we cuddled some dogs whilst drinking our coffee and just talked.
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| Coffee, coffee, coffee |
That is when Alex came over, honestly, his name wasn't Alex but I really can't remember it for the life of me. He asked to sit with us and of course, I didn't mind, I just thought he was just another backpacker wanting to make friends in this small town. We got chatting, he asked us about our travels and where we were from, all your normal traveller talk but honestly I just didn't feel like talking, which is weird for me because I love to talk! By this time it was around 6 as I keep checking my phone, hoping to hint to move on for another walk or just to get away. The bad vibe was still there.
Molly must have got the message when I took the tray of finished tea and coffee back to the counter inside as the convo changed to exploring the area. We got up and left Alex. We started to walk back along the street when he just rocks up next to us and asked to join.
This is when it got a bit weird (and I didn't realise until later on when we got back in the van) Alex said he had never really been around Nimbin even though he lives here (weird right? Who hasn't explored the town they work in and live just outside off) so we start walking down another street when he mentions a creek not far from here that he knows about. (remember this) At this point I was walking behind Alex and Molly so didn't really hear much of the conversation
The weird thing is he kept contradicting himself. First, he had never explored the area and didn't know what was around but then knew there was a creek, with a broken bridge called breakneck bridge. Like nothing was making sense from this guy. And I really just wasn't getting a good vibe.
The creek, however, was beautiful, the way the sun danced on the water through the trees, it just made me feel at peace. Other than the creepy part, adventures like this are why I travel. To step away from tourism and just explore the locally hidden beauties that the world has to offer.
On the walk back to the van, Alex started to get weird again and just kept trying to show of us to all the other locals, walking behind us you could hear the mumbles and giggles of their conversations, "Oh so I guess we are going to Byron tonight then" I have never wanted to leave so quickly. I think Molly had the same idea by the nervous laughs that came from both of us. Even when we got to the van he waited on the street next to us.
And if you think that was it, oh no that was only the start! After driving for about 10 minutes, just trying to make sense of what had just happened. Molly told me that he was even talking to himself...
The convo went something like this,
M - "Did you not hear him talk to himself?"
S- "Omg no! what was he saying?"
M- "We have run out of fuel!"
S-"What! That's a weird thing to say"
M- "No no, we have run out of fuel!"
Oh yes, you read that right. We had run out of fuel. so we kept on driving in a panic trying to work out what to do. I was useless, I hadn't recharged my phone which meant I had no signal or mobile data to try and help. The signal in this area is also really bad and it was starting to get dark. I know the bad vibe was for a reason!
So we thought the best thing to do was the head back to Nimbin because there had to be a service station close to the town. As as we headed back to town with my fingers crossed between my lap hoping we didn't run out of fuel in the middle of nowhere. we were trying to think of what to do.
The drive back to town seemed like forever and I honestly didn't know at this point what would have been safer, stay on the side of the road till the morning or drive straight back to crazy town.
We made it back to the town and parked up on the side of the road. This is always when we realized the service station had closed so we really only had the locals for help, which we didn't know if that was a good or bad thing.
After Molly pretty much asked all the locals we only had one option left and that was to go back to the cafe where we saw Alex to see if he could help. When we went to the cafe the guy behind the counter couldn't help with fuel but said this instead "if you do have to stay, make sure you lock the doors really well because the crazies come out at night" WHAT! how could people get any crazier than this!
This is also when we saw Alex walking up the road and with a creepy smirk on this face asked what we were doing back here, did he honestly think we were back here for him? He said he had got some fuel and the guy at the shop said he could make us a funnel. This is when Alex got out his guitar, which he previously told us he didn't know how to play and just starting singing to us. LIKE WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS! LIKE HELLO! WE ARE STUCK HERE, IT´S NOT TIME FOR A SING SONG!
So once the song is over he parks his car up next to the van and starts trying to suck the fuel out of his car into an empty milk carton, which even though he said he had done this before, he couldn't and gave up after 3 tries. This is also the time when his friend pipes up and says he's got fuel back at his place. really, isn't that something that should have been mentioned at the start to avoid all this?? Off they went and after about 10 minutes Alex comes back with a can of fuel. Molly and Alex put it in the van and we were back on the road within 10 minutes, after Alex insisted he gave me his number in case we needed him. We were so happy to be back on the road but we weren't out of the woods just yet. The fuel line had not gone up at all and Molly was certain it wasn't petrol that he put in the car because it didn't smell like it. Looking back at the photos, I can confirm that it really wasn't car petrol and was fuel for garden equipment, because of course, they are the same thing!
At this point, I just wanted to get back to my hostel bed. The convo between me and Molly had died long ago, which is understood as we both were super tired and stressed. We made it to Lismore on whatever was in the car but ended up running out of fuel on the side of the main room. Now the fun began again of trying to find some. There was a service station that closed at 10pm just up the road so that was the first place we headed. Fingers crossed the van was safe. The last thing we wanted was it to be broken into or taken away. But of course it was closed and it was only half 9! I really needed to pee at this stage as well so off I went into the hedge and did my business. That was the first time I had done that in my teen/adult years. Travelling really does change you, I HAVE GONE WILD!
Also at this point, I had just lost all hope of getting back to the hostel but not Molly, she had used an app to find a 24/7 station only 15 minutes walk, so off we went for the third time
. IT WAS OPEN! I have never been so happy before in my life to see an open sign.
We manage to get some fuel and I carry it back as I had felt so useless this whole time. We manage to full up as cars race by, my hands covered in fuel but the biggest smile on our faces. We have done it!
WE HAD MADE IT OUT OF CRAZY TOWN!
We got back to Byron for around 11:30 and I can tell you know, I have never been so excited to get into the overheated 12-bed dorm.
I hope this enjoyed this super long post, I have gone back to being true to myself and posting my adventures and stories, that I hope to make you smile or want to travel yourself.
Comments and feedback are always welcome, shares are appreciated too. Until next time adventurers.
The weird thing is he kept contradicting himself. First, he had never explored the area and didn't know what was around but then knew there was a creek, with a broken bridge called breakneck bridge. Like nothing was making sense from this guy. And I really just wasn't getting a good vibe.
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| Alex at the creek |
On the walk back to the van, Alex started to get weird again and just kept trying to show of us to all the other locals, walking behind us you could hear the mumbles and giggles of their conversations, "Oh so I guess we are going to Byron tonight then" I have never wanted to leave so quickly. I think Molly had the same idea by the nervous laughs that came from both of us. Even when we got to the van he waited on the street next to us.
And if you think that was it, oh no that was only the start! After driving for about 10 minutes, just trying to make sense of what had just happened. Molly told me that he was even talking to himself...
The convo went something like this,
M - "Did you not hear him talk to himself?"
S- "Omg no! what was he saying?"
M- "We have run out of fuel!"
S-"What! That's a weird thing to say"
M- "No no, we have run out of fuel!"
Oh yes, you read that right. We had run out of fuel. so we kept on driving in a panic trying to work out what to do. I was useless, I hadn't recharged my phone which meant I had no signal or mobile data to try and help. The signal in this area is also really bad and it was starting to get dark. I know the bad vibe was for a reason!
So we thought the best thing to do was the head back to Nimbin because there had to be a service station close to the town. As as we headed back to town with my fingers crossed between my lap hoping we didn't run out of fuel in the middle of nowhere. we were trying to think of what to do.
The drive back to town seemed like forever and I honestly didn't know at this point what would have been safer, stay on the side of the road till the morning or drive straight back to crazy town.
We made it back to the town and parked up on the side of the road. This is always when we realized the service station had closed so we really only had the locals for help, which we didn't know if that was a good or bad thing.
After Molly pretty much asked all the locals we only had one option left and that was to go back to the cafe where we saw Alex to see if he could help. When we went to the cafe the guy behind the counter couldn't help with fuel but said this instead "if you do have to stay, make sure you lock the doors really well because the crazies come out at night" WHAT! how could people get any crazier than this!
This is also when we saw Alex walking up the road and with a creepy smirk on this face asked what we were doing back here, did he honestly think we were back here for him? He said he had got some fuel and the guy at the shop said he could make us a funnel. This is when Alex got out his guitar, which he previously told us he didn't know how to play and just starting singing to us. LIKE WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS! LIKE HELLO! WE ARE STUCK HERE, IT´S NOT TIME FOR A SING SONG!
 |
| The milk carton used to collect the fuel + the garden equipment fuel. |
So once the song is over he parks his car up next to the van and starts trying to suck the fuel out of his car into an empty milk carton, which even though he said he had done this before, he couldn't and gave up after 3 tries. This is also the time when his friend pipes up and says he's got fuel back at his place. really, isn't that something that should have been mentioned at the start to avoid all this?? Off they went and after about 10 minutes Alex comes back with a can of fuel. Molly and Alex put it in the van and we were back on the road within 10 minutes, after Alex insisted he gave me his number in case we needed him. We were so happy to be back on the road but we weren't out of the woods just yet. The fuel line had not gone up at all and Molly was certain it wasn't petrol that he put in the car because it didn't smell like it. Looking back at the photos, I can confirm that it really wasn't car petrol and was fuel for garden equipment, because of course, they are the same thing!
 |
| Alex and Molly putting the fuel into the car - Clearly see on the side of the can that is not made for a car. |
Also at this point, I had just lost all hope of getting back to the hostel but not Molly, she had used an app to find a 24/7 station only 15 minutes walk, so off we went for the third time
. IT WAS OPEN! I have never been so happy before in my life to see an open sign.
We manage to get some fuel and I carry it back as I had felt so useless this whole time. We manage to full up as cars race by, my hands covered in fuel but the biggest smile on our faces. We have done it!
WE HAD MADE IT OUT OF CRAZY TOWN!
We got back to Byron for around 11:30 and I can tell you know, I have never been so excited to get into the overheated 12-bed dorm.
I hope this enjoyed this super long post, I have gone back to being true to myself and posting my adventures and stories, that I hope to make you smile or want to travel yourself.
Comments and feedback are always welcome, shares are appreciated too. Until next time adventurers.
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