Nimbin

So we had the first sorta negative experience on the trip 2 nights ago in a place called Nimbin. Nimbin is a little mountain town inland of Byron Bay that is known for its drugs and hipystyle commune type living. It is everything cracked up to be, however I think that the Romantic View of peace loving hippies that has passed down to my generation is not the truth that all you actually lived. These people are crazy and aggressively peaceful if such a thing can truly be. They probably, having spent less than a couple years of their lives sober, are the most bunch of insane people in the world. We hadn't even got out of the car without 4 people sticking their heads in the windows basically throwing drugs at us. Theres only one street so you walk down it a couple times and each time you pass the same dealer (who range from 60 year old men to 12 year old girls) they ask you again and again like they didn't remember that 5 minutes ago you said no. Also for being an idealistic commune style (sporting Che and Bob Marley posters everywhere) they practice some of the fiercest and cutthroat capitalism as I've ever seen in their trade. It seems that even hippy potsmokers can't escape the grip of the market system and as you might imagine the prices of the stuff is ridiculously low, like 10 percent of what you'd pay in the states. I just thought that was a bit ironic them putting eachother out of business depending on their ability to draw suppliers and the such and they are living in this commune. Anyway that is not the craziest part of this little town which, unfortunatly, like the rest of Australia is incredibly racially divided. The "locals" or aboriginals except few whites as "locals" and its hard to talk to any of them because they only see your responses as either anti-aboriginals or patronizing so it makes it a bit dodgey. Show some interest in their magic cookies though and they'll friendly up real quick. That night we were sleeping in a empty school parking lot and this half mad whole doped up local came up to our van and wagon and started banging on the doors and kicking them, telling us we had 5 seconds to get out of the car or he'd stab us in the head. When Andy talked him down enough to back off a bit he tried to close the door of the van which enraged the guy and he started trying to yank open the doors and threatened to light the cars on fire and kill us dead. Funilly enough (and to add a bit of humor to the story) he asked to borrow our lighter to do so . Anyways we got the cars started and drove down the road a couple miles and in the morning reported it to the police who were incredibly greatful because apparently the guy is a real problem and dangerous to himself and to others but the locals don't care and wont report him. It happens late enough (3:30 A.m.) that it doesn't effect their businesses and they know that more tourists will come the next day. All in all it was pretty freakin scary. And no I didnt do any drugs .