☽ PARADISE LOST ☾

Images via Lenni, the amazing pinterest boards of Amanda Smith, Melacine Moon, Eileen Lofgren and Sugarhigh + Lovestoned, journal pages, and Gemma Booth.

This evening, Scotty and I are going to head east out of the city, drive until we hit the coast, and then follow the line of ocean-meets-land until we head north, north, north. 

We'll be stopping in at least four of our favourite 'God's countries' that are dotted along Australia's eastern seaboard -- starting with Eden (which I've talked about fanatically here and here). It really is a god's-own playground for wild adults who are also kinda pure at heart -- there's amazing, pristine beaches and oceans, waterfalls, farmland, a big history connected to the sea, and few enough people that residents still treat each other like humans. Anyway, it's the closest we come to home in the southern parts of Australia. 

We're also stopping in at Gerringong, a bit further north, which is a similarly small and undeveloped coastal town where Scotty lived for a lot of his life. Its a bit less remote, and with fewer wildmen making a hard living off the sea, it loses a bit of that frontier kinda feel. 

Next, we'll head to my homeland, the mid north coast of NSW, to visit my parents' farm in, again, a place that I believe is the most beautiful place on earth. The mid north coast is cut in on one side by the ocean, and a whole lot of undeveloped coastal bushland and banana farms, and on the other side by the Great Dividing Range, which squeezes up close to the coast at that point. The foothills of the range are coated in rainforests and waterfalls, it's incredible. 

And finally, we'll head to Ballina, where Scotty grew up and my eldest sister lives. It's just a little bit south of Byron Bay and is full of lots of friends, family and secret cool places to hang out. 

And we're taking Humble with us too. 

Anyway, it's safe to say I'm looking foward to this like crazy... And I'll take lots of photos (I'll be updating on instagram @raychponygold) and I'll see you all in a week...

☽ ...::: paradise lost // paradise found :::... ☾