#bondi to manly walk map

[thenextrush]

1. American Express Open Air Cinema

American Express Openair Cinemas takes place from February 6 to March 15.  Card Members purchasing a ticket to the American Express Lounge receive their own bean bag, cushion and blanket as well as some tasty treats (fresh popcorn, ice cream, wine).

This year’s program will kick off with a screening of the hotly anticipated Little Women (6.2).  In addition, an exciting mix of new releases such as Jojo Rabbit (7.2), The Gentlemen (10.02), Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (09.02), Bombshell (26.02 and 08.03. Hustlers (19.2) Joker (24.2) and Knives Out (15.2, 9.3).  Family flicks will include Jumanji: The Next Level (9.2, 20.2), Dolittle (22.2, 5.3), Spies in Disguise (15.02).  Cult classic,  Magic Mike heats up Valentine’s Day.

2. Totti’s by Merivale

The Royal has been an iconic watering hole in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs since 1907. Merivale reopened the hotel’s much-loved front bar in September, preserving the classic local as a place to grab a quick drink and game of pool,  and just opened Totti’s last month.

It’s a casual Italian eatery of woodfired meats, hand-crafted pastas and classic Italian cocktails in a relaxed, 185-seater restaurant and courtyard – an evolution of Eggert’s Dirty Italian Disco pop-up that won over the hearts and taste buds of Sydneysiders at the Tennyson Hotel last year.

3. Bondi to Manly Walk

It’s the new walking track that links all coastal and harbourside walking tracks and paths between Bondi Beach and Manly Beach.   It’s an 80km urban walks that’s a joint initiative between  the City of Sydney, Mosman Council, North Sydney Council, Northern Beaches Council, Waverley Council, Woollahra Council, Property New South Wales, the New South Wales Office of Environment and Heritage, the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust, and Bondi to Manly Walk Supporters.

4. Sydney Mardi Gras in Bondi

Many forget that Sydney Mardi Gras parade is the last event of a15 day program of over 100 events – from live performance, sport, social activities, workshops and more.   From February 24 to March 10, Bondi Pavilion Gallery will be the home of Rhys Jones’ newest exhibition, Male Man.  A free event, it’s an exploration drawings, photography and installation, the artist captures a flawed push for perfection at a time in which masculinity itself appears to be crumbling.

In the words of the artist: “Masculinity is in flux. The effects of traditional masculinity on the male psyche have revealed the extent to which men are both the jailors and prisoners of their own emotional wellbeing. Gender stereotypes are being questioned

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Photography: Daisy Ridley / Silvia Elizabeth Pangaro Knives Out / Kathy Hutchins

  4 things to do in Bondi #sydneymardigras #bondi #bondibeach #manlybeach #bonditomanly #magicmike #starwars #americanexpress #merivale #tottis #malemen #rhysjones #bondipavilion #art #cityofsydney 1. American Express Open Air Cinema American Express Openair Cinemas takes place from February 6 to March 15. 

[things-to-do-sydney-australia]

Sydney Australia

Sydney, Australia, is well-known for the brilliant and super famous beaches you can find. It’s perfect for swimming and surfing. Then the weather in Sydney is just amazing. I usually head to the scenic Bondi Beach and have a nice walk. Sometimes, I stop by the Clovelly Beach for a scuba diving or catch a ferry to go to the Manly Beach to have a leisure stroll around the beachside cafes. Sydney is also multicultural, so you’ll find a multicultural eatery, cultural events, and annual festivals such as Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Middle Eastern, Malaysian, European, and so many more. Sydney is just a vibrant and relaxing place to live in.

Peak Life Plumbing

If you have no water at all, no hot water, or having a water heater that’s sweating or weeping, you have low water pressure, drains don’t drain, faucets don’t stop dripping, toilet keeps overflowing, and you’re house smells sewage, you need to contact an expert plumber. Peak Life Plumbing is the topmost plumbing service industry provider in Sydney. You can count on the plumbers from this company to fix your plumbing problem. You can have a fast and the same day service. Peak Life Plumbing has proven its worth in solving the plumbing problems of the neighbourhood. Your problem is of no difference. Call Peak Life Plumbing now at 0431 182 609.

Teenage boy stabbed in back and arm at school in Sydney's west

The student at Arthur Phillip high school in Parramatta was taken to Westmead children’s hospital and is in a stable condition A 13-year-old boy has been stabbed in the back and arm at a western Sydney school. The boy was stabbed at Arthur Phillip high school in Parramatta just before 8.30am on Monday. He has been taken to Westmead children’s hospital in a stable condition, a NSW Ambulance spokesman said. Four ambulance crews were sent to the school and a strong police presence remains there. No arrests have yet been made.  Read more here.

I’ve read from The Guardian that a teenage boy was stabbed in the back and arm while in school in Sydney West. This boy is a 13-year-old boy, a student at Arthur Phillip High School in Parramatta. Four ambulance crews arrived at the school which now have a strong police presence. He was brought to the Westmead Children’s Hospital and currently in stable condition. I can't help but feel so worried. The school should be deemed safe for children. I don’t understand why he was stabbed. It seems that the police are still currently in the investigation process, and there is no news yet as to who is responsible for the stabbing.

Port Jackson Bay in Sydney Australia

The Port Jackson Bay in Sydney, Australia, consists of waters of the Sydney Harbour, North Harbour, Middle Harbour, Lane Cove and the Parramatta Rivers. Many recreational activities are surrounding the bay. It’s also where you can find the location of the Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. Many times, there are so many cruises around Port Jackson because people enjoy the prominent views and the prominent features of the Sydney Skyline. Port Jackson Bay is one of the busiest places and destinations in Sydney. Since it’s where you can see the locations of other famous tourists attractions, you’ll see many people in this area, especially that the lockdown and restrictions due to covid-19 are now eased.

Link to Map

Driving Direction

Port Jackson Bay

New South Wales, Australia

Follow Bradleys Head Rd to Military Rd/A8

8 min (2.9 km)

Continue on A8. Take Warringah Fwy and Bradfield Hwy to York St in Millers Point. Take the Grosvenor St/York St exit from Western Distributor

10 min (6.7 km)

Continue on York St. Drive to King St in Sydney

4 min (900 m)

Peak Life Plumbing

Sydney, NSW

Australia

[marquetteglobal]

First Month in Australia - Aryana Barudin

What I told myself, going into this adventure called “Study Abroad,” was to not have any expectations for what this experience would entail. I pushed hard against any assumption but one thought lingered; That it would not be very different from America. Which is true, in a way, the language is the same, I can still get dominos… well honestly as I am writing this, that is about it. I was naïve to think that it would be pretty similar, which has made this experience all the more exciting.

           When I first came to Australia I landed in Sydney. A perfect cross bread of beach vibes and city atmosphere. The Taranga Zoo, Manly and Bondi Beach, every single restaurant is beautiful and fun. Not having my trusty Apple Maps was easily overcome by the kindness of the locals. Navigating by the train or tram has no negative social stigmas and is really encouraged everywhere. I was able to easily venture everywhere and figure out the network systems in the super fun, fast moving Sydney.

           Then I landed in my new home, Melbourne, coined to me by many locals “the hipster capital of the world.” No, not everyone here is walking around in overalls and curly mustaches; although I would be wrong to say there is not a much higher density of overalls and curly mustaches present here. I have not gone to a single restaurant that does not have at least three vegan and vegetarian options. There are three grocery stores within a 15 minute walk that are non-waste, fair trade, and local farmer supporters. Very well kept Parks litter and everyone in the community uses them as they are never empty. The streets are always filled with people that I can hear are from all over the world. The restaurants reflect this, which is a major plus for any big foodie like myself.

           I was worried I would not be able to make friends, but I should not have wasted energy worrying. ACU orientation was simple and so helpful at preparing me for my classes and introducing me to other abroad students. We all introduced ourselves to each other as a group then we were able to have a rooftop lunch together. The next day people met for an Amazing Race which took you around the city and forced you to become great mates with your team. Just like freshmen orientation, no one knows anyone, so everyone is eager to meet you. I met the coolest chic from Chicago, Demetria, and just got back from a spontaneous road trip together. The Great Ocean Road trip to the 12 Apostles is stunning and I highly recommend it!

The absolute most difficult obstacle, that I still need to figure out how to overcome, is walking down the streets. So far in each city and town I have gone to, I have not been able to distinguish which side of the sidewalk I should be walking on. Which results in a lot of bumping into people, or double side stepping, to remain in the persons way. I know this seems so absurdly small, and a very strange struggle. But a struggle it is. I usually am weaving all over place just always needing to stay alert. America, I really appreciate how people walk on the same side they drive on.

[cyaontheroad]

Unofficial but simply the best guide to “Bondi to Manly Walk”

The Bondi to Manly Walk is an 80-kilometre walking track connecting Sydney’s two most famous beaches, Bondi Beach and Manly Beach.

There is an official website and app for the 80km walk. There are also several blogs and websites having guides on the web. However, if you tried Chris’ version in the Cya On The Road app (screen captures above), you’d agree hers is simply the best!

Chris’ guide to the Bondi to Manly Walk has an interactive map with all the must-sees pinned. It has a directions button guiding you to get from A to B. With the audio guide feature, the app tells the story of each place on the itinerary. With the Itinerary view, you become your own master and decide when to begin and where to start. There are so many other cool features in the app awaiting to help you conquer the walk.

So, are you thinking of having a healthy holiday? Give the Bondi to Manly Walk a try! We are sure that you’ll have heaps of fun while doing it, either with mates or family or alone (and meet new friends along the way)!

[jameskauri-blog]

4 Top attractive places to visit in Sydney

Sydney is definitely one of the most beautiful cities in the world. The turquoise bay breaks between the buildings of the modern metropolis, and behind each corner are a charming cove or lush park. But question is what to see in Sydney, how to get off the beaten track? Where do residents like to spend time?

The top ten attractions in Sydney Australia are, of course: the famous Opera House, the mighty Harbour Bridge and the nearby botanical garden - the Royal Botanical Gardens. You must see the popular Bondi Beach and go along the coast to Coogee. Take the ferry to the Manly district, and go on a trip to the Blue Mountains.

1. Milk Beach - a picnic with a view

A picnic with friends or family milk beach is one of the beautiful Sydney beaches to spend time in the city. Milk Beach is the beach hidden behind Strickland House in the very prestigious area of Sydney, Vaucluse. With Milk Beach you can enjoy the most spectacular sunsets! The place also attracts for diving and fishing. The beach is located at Hermitage Foreshore Track, a little-known walking route. This is one of those places where he returns with joy. This is one of the best places in top 10 Sydney tourist attractions.

2. Wendy’s Secret Garden - a garden in the city

The spreading awning of Bengal fig trees blocks the rays of the sun in the summer. It passes only a few, and these are dispersed and glittering like a kaleidoscope. Small goblets of common vipers climb high, greedily craving for rays breaking from under the crowns of trees. The variety of plants pleases the soul and the lavender smells effectively lazy even the most busy. The generously placed benches attract guests with magnetic strength, providing them a moment of peace and relaxation. Only screeching cockatoo parrots break the soothing silence.

3. Shell beach - a walk from Kurnell to Cronulla

Have you ever been to the beach, which instead of sand is filled with shells? The beach is small and empty, and under the surface of the crystal water, you can see shimmering, colorful shells. Somewhere in the distance dolphins sometimes splash. And although the word "beautifully" can have a different dimension, you will look with delight at this piece of the Sydney coast.  You should go the entire route from Kurnell (a very important place on the historical map of the city).

4. Cremorne Point - a park on the other side of the bay

Cremorne Reserve is one of the places that show a completely different face of Sydney. The reserve is located on a peninsula with a view of the Opera House. Travelling by ferry from Circular Quay takes only a few minutes. Going to the marina, you get the impression that you went to a completely different world. At first, the intense green of the vegetation and the azure colour of the water captivate. At the end of the cliff is a small lighthouse (Robertson’s Point Lighthouse), from which there is a view of the Taranga Zoo and the rest of the bay. 

[captainsandipandutta]

Sydney Hop On Hop Off Bus Map

Sydney the oldest, biggest, and most beautiful of all Australian cities, lies amid a seductive intermingling of land and sea. Glide along the glittering harbour on a ferry, see the white sails of the Opera House gleaming in the sunshine, admire the graceful arch of the Harbour Bridge, and it's hard to imagine this vibrant state capital of New South Wales was once a convict colony. In 1788, it was at Sydney Cove where Captain Arthur Phillip, commander of the First Fleet, established the first British colony in Australia.

Here is a list of 20 best things to do in Sydney -

Ride the iconic Manly Ferry

Visit the Sydney Opera House

Swim at the Instagrammable Bondi Icebergs Pool

Take a coastal trek from Manly to Spit

Eat brekky at Carriageworks Farmers Markets

Float above Camden Valley in a hot air balloon

Swim with sharks at Sea Life Sydney Aquarium

Take an Indigenous walking tour of Dharawal National Park

Marvel at contemporary Chinese art at White Rabbit

Seek out the hidden oasis that's Wendy's Secret Garden

Paddle under the Coathanger with Sydney by Kayak

See Sydney from the skies with Sydney HeliTours

Party at Twin Peaks-themed bar Jacoby's

Go whale watching or hiking in the Royal National Park

Hang ten at Bondi Beach with Let's Go Surfing

Encounter the wildest locals at Taronga Zoo

Drink with a bird's eye view at Old Mate's Place

Sleep under the stars with Bubbletent Australia

Take a day trip to TV famous Palm Beach

Take a snorkel tour of Fairlight Beach

To explore these enchanting places Hop-on-hop-off bus tours are the best option.

[medofocus-blog]

Tips to Explore Sydney on your Visit for Medical Conferences - Medofocus

Whether it’s the food, wildlife or the sheer size of the place, Australia is full of surprises for first-time visitors from overseas

Things to know the day you land

1.An Opal card reader. Everyone needs an Opal

No, not the gemstone (although you can find plenty of stores selling those around the Rocks) – our public transport system’s integrated payment method is called an Opal card, and you can use it on the ferries, the trains, the buses, and the trams. You can even use an Opal to travel to places like Bowral and the Blue Mountains. Once you’ve bought an Opal Card, remember to tap on and off on our buses – otherwise, you’ll be charged the highest possible amount of money for your trip. Opal cards have maximum daily and weekly charges. Just keep putting money on the card, which you can do at train stations and convenience stores, and it’ll do the thinking for you. If you’re worried about losing your card, you can even register it, here.

2. Ferries really are a thing here

There are people who catch a ferry across Sydney Harbour to work every day. It’s a legitimate form of public transport and can be the fastest way to get from one part of Sydney to another. It’s also scenic like a postcard.

3. Sydney is a city of early risers

Almost every cafe in Sydney is open by 7 am, and many open at 6 am.

But you can also get breakfast all day

Ever tried a flat white? How about avocado on toast? We invented those. Here, breakfast really is the most important meal of the day – so it doesn’t matter what time of day you order it. Want eggs benny at 2.30pm? Most cafes will oblige you. Even the ones that switch over to a lunch menu at midday still sneak a few breakfast-style items in for good measure.

4. Everything shuts early

It’s not uncommon for restaurants to close their kitchens at 9.30pm. If you’ve left it too late to grab dinner, the chances are you may need to travel for it – because you’re not going to find somewhere open just by walking around.

Yes, even the shops

In the CBD shops are open till 7 pm at the latest, and everywhere else they close at around 5 or 6 pm. Late night shopping, where things stay open till 9 pm or so, is on a Thursday. If you’re planning to hit the boutiques in Bondi or Paddington make sure you give yourself enough time. Individual hours vary from store to store, so check ahead to avoid closed doors.

And go inside it

5. best experience of the Sydney Opera House is on the inside

Don’t just snap a selfie in front of the Sydney Opera House – the best experience of the venue is on the inside. The Opera House is the heart of theatre, classical music and major rock shows in Sydney, and with over 2,000 events a year, there’s probably going to be something on to your taste while you’re in town. And if not, you can always take a behind the scenes tour. If you’re more interested in fine food than fine art, hit up Bennelong. It’s one of the most beautiful restaurants in Sydney.

6. You can still see art at night

Major art institutions in Sydney stay open later (around 9 pm) on Wednesday evenings, and some have free public programming to go along with their extended hours. If you plan on checking out art at night, hump day is your best bet.

7. Transportation

Sydney has an extensive public transport system providing easy travel throughout the city including rail, light rail, buses, water ferries, and taxis. Within the CBD there is also the Metro Monorail, which is great for getting around some of the major attractions such as Darling Harbour, Star City Casino, and the Sydney Fish Markets.

Public buses are easy to use, with well-signposted stopping points including route maps. With the city being positioned on the beautiful harbor, passenger ferries are a popular means of transport for traveling to the city’s north including Manly Beach and Taronga Zoo in Mosman.

Traveling from Sydney’s Kingsford Smith International Airport (SYD) is painless, with rail connections, express bus services and metered taxis available. Frequent train services travel to the CBD, making the trip in around 40 minutes. Taxis are the easiest option albeit also the most expensive.

8. Money

The Australian dollar (AU$) is the local currency used in Sydney. Money changers are plentiful in the city, especially in the tourist areas, and coupled with hotels and banks offering foreign exchange services, visitors will have no problem accessing local currency.

Cash is needed for public transport and small store purchases. Foreign ATM cards are widely accepted at almost all machines located throughout the city. Credit cards can be used in most restaurants, shops and department stores.

9. A centre for shopping

Birkenhead Point is the best outlet shopping centre in the city, by miles. Here you will find the outlets for most David Jones brands, Australian staples such as Alannah Hill, Saba, Country Road, Witchery, Billabong and my favorite store at the centre – Mimco. There are also electronics, swimsuits, most of the fitness brands, lingerie shops and clothes brands I’ve never heard of, but always manage to find a gem in. Set on the Parramatta River, the shopping centre has luscious views across the water and a surprisingly good selection of post-shop eating options. The Queen Victoria building, my nana’s favorite place in Sydney, is also worth visiting for shopping, although be prepared to lay out a bit more cash.

[charlesandmartine]

An Epilogue

It sounds a cliché to say Australia is a diverse country/ continent but that is exactly what it is. It is diverse, very very big and absolutely fabulous. It encompasses tropical rainforest, temperate rainforest, dry arid desert, lush farmlands rich in fertile soil, and maritime climates similar to the UK. Its agricultural outputs are surprising; everything for making a beverage – tea, coffee, sugar. Everything you need for puddings; mangos, bananas, grapes, apples and much more fruit. And of course above the city of Adelaide, in the rich flat lands that used to be covered by sea, vines as far as the eye can see with so many household names in wine; wine that is second to none in the wine world.

I have said many times in this tome how BIG this country is, and Australia never ceases to amaze me. Do you know it took 5 hours of flying to cross it. You can almost get to the USA in that time from the UK. Half way, diagonally across the continent, we reached Alice and looking down on the dry landscape, we could make out lines that intersected others that were simple long ruler straight dirt tracks leading to somewhere, but even from 35,000 feet impossible to tell where. I had no concept of this amount of nothingness until we travelled this country.

Your Aussie has a bit of a reputation of, and is stereo typed as being  a bit brash, loud, assured and certainly not shy and retiring.  They can be a little loud, but they are big hearted, generous, very comfortable in their own skin and they are immensely passionate about their own very young country. When we left our ship’s first Australian port of call, Darwin, and the Voyager set a course for Port Douglas, the very loud female entertainer who heads the activities team on board, lead a misty eyed rendition of ‘I still call Australia Home’ The lyrics, designed to pull at the Aussie sense of home:

I've been to cities that never close down from New York to Rio and old London town, but no matter how far or how wide I roam I still call Australia home.

This they truly believe in a way that we, in the UK, do not seem to understand or view our own homeland. They are proud of their journey as a country and recognising it as being not much more than 200 years old, they have come a very long way from a tiny penal colony to an important independent state.

We loved this country and will undoubtedly try to return and travel to the west coast starting at Perth. We have visited five of the seven states; Northern Territory, Queensland, NSW, Southern Australia and Tasmania. We didn’t do Western Australia or Victoria and we feel beholden to the good people in those states to do this sometime in the future. Perhaps our favourite state has to be Queensland. The beautiful rainforests, the deserted areas with tiny townships with huge distances between them, the strategic history of Cooktown, the Great Barrier Reef, crocodiles, deserted beaches (because of the crocodiles most likely), the wildlife, especially the dawn bird song, and OF COURSE the fabulous sunshine and warmth of said sunshine on your skin. And not forgetting the beautiful city of Brisbane.

We loved behaving as Australians; believing we lived in Sydney as of course we did for what seemed quite a time. As we strolled around the city so often we felt a part of it, a member and so familiar with it as a city. As time progressed we no longer needed a map to guide us around the simple grid system of streets. The Rocks became our favourite area of Sydney, so pertinent to the development of the new settlement back in the 1780s and full of stories both of the suffering of the early colonials/ convicts and also the successes of some. And of course we never tired of taking photos of the Bridge and also the Opera House. The first time we saw the Opera House in all its glory was at breakfast on Voyager just before we disembarked for the last time. We went up to the top restaurant, sat down at a port-side table and there in front of our eyes, eye poppingly, just a couple of hundred metres away, was the Opera House; so iconic and representative of Sydney and for that matter of the entire continent of Australia.

On the subject of the Opera House, the locals were aghast when the city planners first suggested building an opera house. Do you know, they said, for a moment I thought you just said you were going to build an opera house! We are, they said. Why? They said. And when we heard that, we realised that opinion regarding the arts hasn’t really changed much. Maybe I am being a bit harsh, but there is no West End as such in Sydney and culturally speaking they seem a bit backward. They do like ‘I’m a celebrity, get me out of here’ though. ‘Nuf said I guess. Celebrity?? Didn’t recognise a single one of them.          

We like the way the Australians live. It is a more relaxed way of life; often a walk along the beach before work, or exercise along the grassy areas, or even time in the surf. Manly is very much split between an area Sydney dwellers use for relaxation (they come over on the ferry) and a dormitory town for Sydney Business workers, who I am told do get stressed but it doesn’t seem to show much to me. The myth of the Aussie bloke as an outdoor type, barbequing at every spare moment doesn’t seem to hold up. We did not see much evidence of this going on. Someone said there are too many flies to spend too much time eating outdoors. We had to hand our allocated fly over on departure. The advertising urging us to participate in a Foster’s Lager is another part of the Australian lie. There is no Fosters available. The beer in general is not good and more of a lager anyway. Hungry Jack’s is a very popular alternative to the Golden Arches and the Whopper is far superior let me tell you. People sadly don’t seem to say ‘g’day’ as often as you might believe, and I was only once called cobber, which was in Tasmania. I never met anyone called Sheila and the only Bruce was the hound where we lived. Bondi beach is often heralded as one of the best beaches in the world. The Northern Beaches from Manly upwards are better. People come for miles for the surfing and the jelly fish. It is fascinating to see schools giving surf lessons as part of the curriculum. What a way of life. Oh, did I mention the sunshine. You can actually make plans for outdoor activities, BBQs without the fear it will chuck it down. Mind you, when it does chuck it down, it really chucks it down.

We in the UK often seem to think everything is always better overseas and they have all the answers. Well, the Australian MPs are being investigated for fraudulent expenses at the moment. Sound familiar? Each State has its own assembly and then there is the all Australian Parliament made up of the Senate, the House of Representatives and then The Queen. (our one but normally represented by the Governor General) There is just as much bickering as in our own parliament. The state pension appears to be means tested and they are looking at including the value of your main residence to assess how much, if any, state pension you will receive. Nobody seem to give us a straight answer on health issues, but it would seem that you will get some amount of free health care, but you need to pay monthly into a Medicare system for the bits the government scheme does not cover. As in UK, there are petitions against closures of wards/ hospitals. There are at least three types of schooling; State, Private and semi-private where you pay some. They are arguing that standards are falling both locally and internationally. Martine has said that innovations are being proposed that were introduced to UK schools five to ten years ago! Then there are big issues with child protection. There is a Catholic order that apparently had possibly up to 75% of its number involved in child abuse! Then there are issues with immigration and refugees. Especially the people Trump has said he will not take from Australia. That is not to even mention the indigenous population problems. So there you go, on all levels the grass is always greener. It is always too tempting to compare one country with another and think they have bigger mountains, deeper lakes, better canyons than we have in the UK. We can’t change any of those things, but we can appreciate our own country for what it has. But it all seems much better when you have wall to wall sunshine.      

We feel extremely privileged to have been able to spend this amount of time away in another continent and very grateful to our children for allowing us to spend their inheritance. We will take a vote on that one later. It has been the gap year that we never had in our youth. We have enjoyed this time immensely and it was worth every dollar of it. We have gained a real taste for railway travel from our time spent on the Ghan. Every single bit of the trip was fantastic we have fantastic memories. Our regrets were that we didn’t have another month to do the bits missed. It was good we made it to NZ. Unlike everyone else we know, we preferred Australia. We liked NZ but we loved Australia. It might well have been different if we had visited the south island instead of or as well. It has been so interesting to be in the land that we have heard so much about over the years; to see the place where the ten pound poms went from our class at school in the 1960s. In some ways Australia is a little bit of Britain but with sunshine: we share a Queen and a language, we both drive on the left, we have a common history prior to 1770, and we have a similar structure of parliament with the same royal standard above the buildings.

When we stepped out of Terminal 4 at Heathrow, sensed the cold, we almost turned around and got on the next plane back again. Australia is a very desirable place to be but it is so far away from anywhere and even the Aussies feel this I think. Those who have had links to the UK, if the truth be told, have a yearning for the homeland, but most say it is too cold and wet in the UK. We will strive to go back; we miss it already. It is good to be home and we will be meeting our new grand-son for the first time tomorrow and that we are most looking forward to and there is much to do ahead of us. The B&B diary is filling already and 2017 promises to be a busy year. So if you have, thank you for reading this. If you haven’t, well what can I say? What I can say is, if you haven’t been yet and get the opportunity, go see for yourself. 

                                                  THE END

[not-in-mn-anymore]

Sydney

Holy moly was that a neat trip. First of all I’m going to start by saying yes I am writing this instead of my essay that I have not yet started that’s due tomorrow at 5 pm because I simply do not want to write it and also I was going to upload pictures first but then I realised that I took over 1,000 pictures so it’s going to take a while to go through and edit. Second of all because I’m supposed to be writing that other essay I’m going to split this into two parts. Also it was a big trip and there’s a lot to say.

I started my trip off in Sydney. I had an essay due the day I left and I submitted it 3 minutes before my Uber came to pick me up for the airport. But I got it done and that’s all that matters, AND Lindsay and I still got to do our wine and cheese night before I left. (Priorities amiright?)

The first day in Sydney I basically just walked around. I ended up stumbling upon all of the places I wanted to go to because thye were in the same area so they were easier to get to when I actually went to them. I was in the Royal Botanic Gardens the majority of the day taking pictures and it was beautiful. I’m pretty sure I have more pictures of plants than I do of any landmarks from this trip, but hey they’re tropical and we don’t have them in Minnesota so I’m not mad at it. This was pretty much the only day with good weather so I’m glad I got to be out and about instead of going to a museum like I was originally planning on doing.

The second day I spent doing the Bondi to Coogee walk. If you don’t know what that is, it’s a path that follows the ocean for 1.5 miles and connects a ton of beaches along the way. I got a lot of cool pictures of cliffs and beaches and rock formations along the way. There’s also this huge really old cemetery on the path and I think it has some of the first graves in Sydney because Sydney was established in 1788 and I saw a bunch of graves from the 1800s. Honestly some of the graves should be in museums because the statues were very large and intense. The statues were probably taller than the people were in the graves. Also funny story I was facetiming Allison and my mom and while I was on the phone with them (in the graveyard, I was trying to show them the gravestones and the sheer amount of them as well as the view,) some guy started hitting on me. IN A GRAVEYARD? Who does that it was so funny. I don’t think he  realised I was on the phone and so when he’d ask me a question Allison would tell me to say something and we felt like we were doing the skit on Ellen when she talks in the ear piece. I then immediately ran away because I’m ya know. Me.

The third day I went to the Art Gallery of New South Wales. If you aren’t caught up on Australian geography New South Wales is the state that Sydney is in. There are 6 states in Australia, Queensland (that’s where I am,) NSW, Victoria (that’s where Melbourne is,) South Australia, Tasmania, and Western Australia. Any way I had a really good time and I was excited they had an Australian artist section. I don’t know why I didn’t think about the fact that they would have that. I mean we have American art sections, why shouldn’t they have Australian? I guess I just didn’t associate Australia with art besides Aboriginal art. After that I went to the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia. It was very interesting and I’m pretty sure that it had an exhibit that used 3d effects? As you’ll find out I spent the majority of these trips in art museums and coffee shops. How hip.

The next day was probably my favourite. As if I wasn’t being touristy enough, what did I do? I did one of those hop on hop off double decker bus tours. It was fun to hear more about the history of the city. I also got a lot of cool pictures because I was higher up. And you know what? It was dang nice that I didn’t have to walk everywhere. I got 30,000 steps every day and my feet were so sore. I literally broke both pairs of shoes I brought with. Anyway. I went to this delicious French bakery in the rocks and I’ve been dreaming of going back ever since. I actually did like 2 hours later because I decided I wanted a snack and I’m pretty sure it was the same lady working and she gave me a look like “weren’t you just here and got the same thing?” After that I did a tour of the Sydney Opera House. That place is insane and now I can spew a bunch of random facts about it if you ask me. For example did you know they have one of the-if not the- largest pipe organs in the world? It has like 120 something pipes showing and another 10,000-yes 10,000- pipes behind it you can’t see. I mean that’s impressive but also why do you need 10,000 pipes? After the tour I had dinner at Portside, which is one of the restaurants at the Opera House, and had dinner overlooking the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Oh my god was it amazing. I had a souffle, salmon, and banana pudding with a glass of wine (because I’m classy, but also because it was part of the meal anyway, but mostly because I wanted to pretend to be classy. I was surrounded by retired rich white people and I’m pretty sure I was the youngest one there.)  After the delicious dinner I saw a show there called The Misanthrope. It was an updated version of Moliere’s play. He was basically the French Shakespeare. It was SO good and very funny because it’s a production only being done in Australia so it made fun of Australia a lot.

The last day it rained, like it did every day except the first day. Only this was a problem because this was the day I was going to spend at Manly beach. I went anyway just to say I was there and to check it out. I really wish it was better weather because it was really cool and I think it would have been a lot of fun to spend more time there. It was cold and when it was raining I hid in a coffee shop and read my book for my English class. Then I went back near my hostel and went to a different coffee shop and hid there. Then I went to the State Library because I found out they had history galleries and some of the first maps of Australia which I thought would be cool to see but the galleries ended up being closed by the time I got there. So I just hid there and did more English homework. Honestly not completely mad about it because I did need to get stuff done and not walk 10 bajillion miles like I had every other day this trip. It was nice to relax and also I was sick the whole trip so I needed to chill. It was a cool library though. It had floor to ceiling books with ladders and huge skylights, and that was just in the one room I was in.

There’s a little update on my trip to Sydney. I spent basically every meal in a café or if I needed a break from walking and I think my body is now 87% tea. I also want to know why it’s so easy to write over 1,000 words about stupid things like cafes and tea and not Onychotillomania.

[backpack-jack-blog1]

Sydney (Part 1)

So I’ve just completed my first week in Sydney, and it’s been a busy one!

After an all too long and uncomfortable flight from Hong Kong, we wasted no time getting into the true Aussie spirit by making our way to Bondi Beach. And whilst I knew Australian beaches lent themselves more to surfing than swimming, it wasn’t till the 6th impressive wipeout by some hefty waves that I learnt my lesson and gave up. (Although it might also have had something to do with the no swimming signs I managed to ignore and the lifeguards ushering me out of the water, but hey)

The next morning, we opted for a lunch with a view, heading to the top of Sydney Tower to dine in a revolving restaurant looking over the whole city, before heading down and seeing the view close up with a walk through the Botanical Gardens where we got to experience our first glimpse of the wildlife.

Before heading over to Mrs MacQuaries point to get a panoramic view of Sydney Harbour

However, we weren’t welcomed with the Australian weather we’d been promised and were instead met with a pretty intense thunderstorm as we reached Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Not quite the weather we’d been promised, but tomorrow was another day. We started with a trip to Featherdale Wildlife Park, where we got a feed wallabies and kangaroos as well as get a glimpse of all the other amazing wildlife Australia has to offer. And whilst i’m not usually a fan of zoos or sanctuaries, this one was definitely worth a visit.

Next was Blue Mountains National Park, a stunning rainforest a few hours west of Sydney, and I know many people talk of the amazing National Parks America has to offer, but this was definitely up there with the best I’ve seen. And whilst the weather and mist did unfortunately prevent us from being able to see the infamous three sisters, it also added to the mysterious rainforest atmosphere. A huge recommendation for anyone who likes their National Parks, or just things that are cool.

The next day we continued on the walking theme with a lovely coastal walk from Bondi to Coogie Beach, before rounding things off in traditional Aussie style with a beachside BBQ and a paddle in the sea. The walk itself provided some beautiful scenery and some bad ass photo opportunities and we were finally getting to experience some of the Australian sunshine we’d been promised.

The next day I took some time by myself to explore Centennial Park. I had heard no recommendations, or even heard it mentioned. I simply just looked at the map and saw a big old park so thought I’d give it a look, and I must say I made one hell of a shout. The park was vast and peaceful and a perfect place to sit by myself and watch the world go by.

My final day in Sydney saw the first day of some proper Aussie weather, scorching heat and blue skies meant a beach trip was in order, so we got the ferry over to Manly which provided probably my favourite beach trip so far, and the ferry ride was a spectacle itself, providing views of the opera house, bridge and all the various peninsulas and coast on the way, it was worth it enough on that alone.

Whilst the expense of Sydney is enough alone to put me off wanting to stay here too long, I’ve had an awesome week and done a lot of things. I think i’m planning to return for one more week, before heading up north along the east coast. So it’s only a temporary goodbye - Next stop Surf Camp!

[sunnysideupeggy-blog1]

Humble Manly

I had a stubborn relationship with Manly as we arrived. Truth be told, I had been enthralled by Bondi during our first 5 night stay in Australia. Yes, there was a definite pretentious edge about it. But, amongst many other things, we had loved the outdoorsy health and fitness lifestyle. Alex and I had settled in as if we were permanent residents. It was all very glorious in my eyes - somewhere between the early morning runs along the white sand, the therapeutic sound of the huge crashing waves and the laid back scene, brought out a lot of happiness in me. After an incredibly busy last 6-12 months, it had been exactly what I'd been yearning for.

So, although I was excited to compare one side of Sydney to another, I was quietly tentative. As the ferry pulled into the dock, I snubbed it immediately; 'Is this it?'. Surely that can't be Manly beach to the left of the harbour? It's tiny! Infact, nothing in my immediate eyesight range looked as glimmering or as captivating as Bondi.

Of course, I have been proven wrong. Completely wrong.

No, that isn't Manly beach by the harbour - Manly beach is a gorgeous long beach around the corner (out of immediate eye range of the harbour), lining a buzzing and cosmopolitan town. The urge for immediate gratification has always been a downfall for me. Ahem. So on this occasion, I slapped it on the proverbial bum and allowed the beauty of Manly to unfold in front of my eyes, in its own unique time. Versus my blinkered obsession with the sexiness of Bondi, Manly has a softer and more comfortable feel to it. Groups of children playing, families walking their dogs after school/work, yummy mummy's supping their morning coffees over a gossip. It feels familiar.

We hired bikes to explore the local area and beyond, and got completely lost (of course). Even though the young boy working at the bike hire politely heeded us to please remain on the 4 assigned routes on the map. After finding ourselves circling around a big (and remarkably plush) residential estate, we stumbled across intermittent amazing views of god knows which coastline. And it occurred to me, this is what it's all about - right here, right now. I desperately wanted to remove myself from the formal routine of life for a brief intermission where I could indeed, get lost and stumble across beauties like this. Inadvertently heading off the beaten track, served as a metaphor for exactly that. In our tracks, we came across a little infant school where young kids were hopping around the playground and jumping in big hoops, clearly in the throes of their PE lesson, and I felt a warm glow towards them. Such fun and laughter emanating from their little school grounds in the middle of this suburban Manly estate in Australia, thousands of miles away from my own home. The worlds a damn big place, and I'm grateful for giving myself time to explore it.

We found our way back to the Manly coast and cycled the length of it. Taking in the surfers plunging into the sea as waved crashed over their heads, the odd one managing to skilfully stay planted on their board. Normal folk (tourists and locals) wandering along the beachfront. As I took in a deep breath of the salty sea air and smiled, I promised myself to always remember this moment.