Byron Bay: Wine, Chaos & Wild Nights in Byron (Aus part 11)

On By saar.decosterIn Sunday with Saar

Introduction

I didn’t arrive in Byron Bay with a plan. No job, no clear direction, just the feeling that I needed to figure things out as I went.

So I started with something simple: housekeeping.

Through Care.com, I found a place owned by two tattoo artists, she’s from England, he’s Australian. They were genuinely kind, but their house… was chaos. Especially the bathroom. It was one of those moments where you step in and immediately question your life choices.

Still, I cleaned everything. In the heat. Sweating, scrubbing, trying not to think too much about what I was actually touching.

And weirdly enough, it felt like a proper beginning.

Because right after that… everything spiraled.

Main adventure

Day 1 – Small Wins, Scampi Mistakes & A First Night That Escalated Fast

Backpacker friends relaxing together at Arts Factory Hostel in Byron Bay, Australia.

After cleaning, Mara and I met up with Eva and headed into town. Byron Bay immediately felt like a mix of calm and chaos, tiny boutiques, food spots, people drifting in and out.

We started with coffee, then went thrift shopping.

That’s where I found it: a super cute dress and matching shorts for $17.
At least… that’s what he meant.

I heard $78.

The confusion, the panic, the realization, Mara and I laughed about it for way too long. Australian accents really keep you humble.

Then I bought a t-shirt and a book… and somehow got the book for free because I only had $5 cash. One of those random little travel wins that feels way bigger than it should.

We wandered through more shops but didn’t find much, so we headed back and decided to cook dinner together.

Noodles. Safe choice. Easy. Vegetarian.

Or so we thought.

The sauce had scampi in it.

Mara (who has been vegetarian for who knows how many years) had literally checked the ingredients beforehand. Still wrong. Her reaction was somewhere between confusion and betrayal, and I was laughing way too hard. Byron Bay: 1 – us: 0.

That night, we opened wine and went downstairs for the weekly talent show.

And honestly? It was chaotic in the best way.

People singing, dancing, being completely unfiltered, it felt like everyone had just agreed to not take life seriously for a night.

Afterwards, things blurred into typical hostel chaos.

We started talking to a group of English guys. One of them kept subtly flirting, his hand on my leg, his foot brushing against mine like it was accidental but definitely wasn’t.

At some point, we ended up going for a walk around 2am.

He tried to kiss me.

I stopped it.

It wasn’t a dramatic moment, just one of those quiet decisions where you know it’s not it. Still, the walk itself was nice. Calm in the middle of everything.

Meanwhile, earlier that night, I had also met Billy, a guy from Wales.

And something about that felt like unfinished business already.

Day 2 – Valentine’s Day, Too Much Wine & Chaos That Turned Soft

The next day started slow.

We handed out CVs, tried to be productive, sat by the pool, pretending we had some sort of plan. But underneath it, I already felt that slight pressure, what am I doing here?

By 6pm, that feeling disappeared completely.

Because we started drinking.

It was Valentine’s Day, and suddenly everything felt louder, faster, messier. Me, Mara, Eva, and Billy were drinking together, and somewhere in between, we met Diede and Frankie.

And they were chaos in the best possible way.

Especially Frankie.

He had this energy that just made everything funnier. No effort needed.

That night, there was a speed dating event at the hostel. I joined mostly for fun, not expecting anything.

Later, I found out I had gotten six compliments.

All from Billy.

At that point, I was very drunk.

I tried to grab him playfully, lost my balance, and almost smashed my head on the stairs behind me. Very graceful.

Somewhere between laughing, flirting, and bad decisions… we ended up in his room.

And then, just as quickly, I found myself back downstairs again.

With Diede and Frankie.

We were sitting there, talking about everything and nothing, their heads resting on my lap like it was the most normal thing in the world.

It felt weirdly calm.

Like a soft moment in the middle of complete chaos.

And then, of course, Frankie picked me up, put me on his shoulders, and walked me through the entire hostel like some kind of parade.

I don’t think I’ve laughed that much in a long time.

Day 3 – Plans That Didn’t Work & The Kind of Day That Still Matters

We planned to go to the beach with Diede and his roommate Julio.

It rained.

Of course it did.

So instead, we went back to the hostel. Played cards. Talked. Laughed. Played volleyball later.

Nothing big happened.

But somehow those days matter just as much.

I spent time with Julio and Billy, just talking, hanging out, existing without any pressure.

And for once, Byron Bay felt… slow.

Day 4 – A Little Hope & A Complicated Goodbye

Back to reality: handing out CVs again.

And finally, something.

Mara got a message from a French bakery. She could come in for a trial shift. Only two days a week, but still… progress.

We celebrated by going to the beach. Billy joined us, and the water was perfect, one of those moments where everything feels simple and right.

That night, we ate burritos, drank wine, and went out.

It was Billy’s last night.

At the piano bar, guys kept coming up to us. Talking, flirting, trying their luck.

And I could feel Billy watching it happen.

Until suddenly, he grabbed my hand and pulled me outside.

And told me he liked me.

And I just… didn’t know what to do with that.

Because maybe I liked him too.

But he was leaving. And he lives in Wales.

Some things are just not meant to become anything more than a moment.

Day 5 – Hangover & Doubt Creeping In

The next day was heavy.

Hangover, yes, but also mentally.

I started thinking about leaving Byron Bay. Going to Tweed Heads. Starting over somewhere else. Because the job search wasn’t going great, and suddenly everything felt uncertain again.

One of those days where your thoughts are louder than everything else.

Day 6 – Almost Leaving, Choosing to Stay & Another Night Out

I even went to Aquarius Backpackers to cancel my booking.

But I would’ve lost my money.

So I stayed.

And honestly? That decision changed everything.

That night, I went out with Diede, Ida, and Jill.

We started on the beach, drinking, talking, watching the waves.

Then we went to Lovers Lane.

I kissed a guy there, but afterward, he kept bothering me, and it ruined the vibe a bit.

But then… somehow, I ran into a guy who looked exactly like Shawn Mendes.

And not just that, I had already flirted with him before in Ivy Club.

Out of all places.

Byron Bay really doesn’t believe in coincidences.

Day 7 – Small Wins & Staying Put

Ida and Jill checked out.

I went back to clean at Claire’s. She told me I did a really good job and even said she would recommend me to her friends.

Finally… something started moving.

And tomorrow, I’m moving to Aquarius.

Not leaving.

Staying.

Reflection

This week felt like chaos layered on top of chaos.

Cleaning strangers’ houses.
Getting free books.
Cooking accidental seafood.
Talent shows.
Flirting.
Laughing until it hurts.
Almost leaving.
Choosing to stay.

Nothing was planned.
Nothing was stable.

And somehow… everything made sense anyway.

Because somewhere between the mess, the people, and the moments that didn’t go the way I expected…

I started to feel like I was exactly where I needed to be.

Wherever I am next, I’m learning that even chaos can feel like a beginning.

Next story

Liked this story? Read chapter 12. Because trust me… it didn’t end there.

OR start from the beginning: Australia Travel Diary part 1.

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