Four single girls pack up the car and hit the road for a two-day roadtrip to New South Wales' Byron Bay - what more could a weekend getaway ask for!

With two of my closest friends and the close friend of one of the girls, we were destined for a fun weekend away.  Not having visited Byron Bay for a few years, I was interested to see how I would react to a place I had never really 'taken to'.

Driving leisurely down the highway, we made a few stops - the longest being at Tropical Fruit World, where we went on the full guided tour.  Where else could you taste well-known and unusual tropical fruits, ride in a bus led by a tractor, go for a boat ride, as well as a funny little train ride, and feed native Australian animals - all in the one place?  It was truly a unique experience, and while being targeted more for the overseas tourist, I still enjoyed the sometimes corny commentary immensely.

Arriving in Byron, we went in search of a place to eat lunch that included vegetarian cuisine (me being the difficult vego).  In this hippie town we thought it would have been easy to find, but after making one full lap of nearby eateries, we came up empty.  How could this be?  At last we found a Hare Krishna takeaway in a small arcade and ate a delicious lunch by the beach. 

Byron Bay really has become a contradiction.  Attempting desperately to cling to its hippie roots, commercialism has well and truly found this little town.  Chain retailers are commonplace and there were two Subway takeaways within walking distance of each other.  No golden archs were visible however, so maybe there is still hope...

On the Saturday night we visited the mandatory location of the Beach Hotel and braved the cold to sit outside, away from the blasting music.  When sitting in this establishment there is no sense of this town being anything other than an ordinary place by the beach.  Young surfies stand out with their unkempt, dirty blond hair, and yuppies gather to gear up for a big night out.

Just as we're about to leave, the unmistakable scent of a joint wafts over to our table - that's a smell I definitely would have associated with the stereotypical Byron of old - there must be some of it left in there somewhere.

If ever you happen to venture to Byron, try and coincide your visit with the Sunday markets, which occur on the first Sunday of the month.  They are worth the visit.  Local handicrafts abound and hippies man stalls with handmade clothing, jewellery, interesting artefacts and wholesome edible goodies.  Not to mention a wonderful choice in vegetarian cuisine!  Live music also adds to the laid back atmosphere.  This was definitely the highlight of the weekend.

Another must-see is the Lighthouse.  This would have to be my favourite place in Byron, and it also happens to be the eastern-most point of Australia.  The Lighthouse itself is picture perfect and the walks along the cliffs edge are breathtaking.  Parking is limited, but in such gorgeous surrounds, break out the walking shoes and enjoy nature to its fullest!

Overall, however, I must confess that Byron still doesn't really take my fancy.  It's an intriguing place full of contradictions, but it's lost what would have been the major attraction for me - old world charm and atmosphere.