Classic Sydney

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Sunday March 4th:

Contrary to the weather forecasts for today, we woke up this morning to clear blue skies

and very hot sunshine. Which meant this became our beach day and if you're a visitor in

Sydney, where else do you go if not to Bondi Beach. It was everything we could have

imagined it to be. The most gorgeous clean, soft, cool, pale sand. Crystal clear

water. Lovely gentle rollers giving some nice surfing to those that can. Lots of

lovely lifeguards in a jaunty red and yellow combo - although the little hats they wear

are a serious fashion faux pas! And then a couple of poms padding in the shallow bits.

It was excellent. They are so well geared up for visitors with loos, changing rooms,

lockers, showers, and loads of cafes and grassy areas with great rain/sun shelters. We

shared one with a drunk who was stretched out on one of the benches and sound asleep!

But of course, every Australian or previous visitor always tells you there are nicer

places than Bondi. So we jumped on and off ferries searching them out. First was Rose

Bay which is so much quieter than Bondi but minus the nice beach. But it did have a

great little restaurant overlooking the water where we ate Turkish for lunch. Then it

was back on the ferry one more stop to Watson Bay - again lovely with a great looking

park next to the water but a very small beach. There was a lovely wooded headland but

too vigorous a walk required in sweltering heat so we headed back into the city. After

a brew and a snooze we finally made it to the 4th floor of our apartment block and the

pool. It's very unusual - at least to us - as it's lined in black granite so is very

dramatic looking. We were the only people in the pool so actually did some proper

swimming rather than just wallowing. And then we went in the jacuzzi which is big

enough to swim in! And wonderfully warm. And fun to dangle off the side of and watch

all the ferries and people on Circular Quay.

Tonight we went out for dinner to a lovely chinese restaurant which served enough that

we now know what we're eating for dinner tomorrow night!

We've also made arrangements to meet one of my sister's friends later in the week. She

lives a little way outside Sydney so is coming in for a coffee and the view from up here

on the 9th floor.

Who knows what we'll do tomorrow? We have wet and dry weather options so it all depends

on what we find when we draw back the curtains in the morning.

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