We were awake early enough this Wednesday morning to make a couple of telephone calls to yesterday at home. We’ve figured out that breakfast time here is dinner time there. After breakfast we went to Bondi Beach for a look and the surf.
The two metre waves looked pretty intense to us but one local chap categorized them as little waves. It turned out that the chap was actually an immigrant from Victoria, BC with family in Guelph Ontario. Once again we learn how small the world can be. It was easy to get to Bondi by train and bus. It was a very warm, humid Wednesday and we continued by bus from Bondi to Watson’s Bay, a community on a peninsula that forms the southern boundary to the entrance to Sydney Harbour. It is about 18 kilometres east of the Harbour Bridge and Circular Quay.
The peninsula that is Watson’s Bay has high stone cliffs on the eastern side facing the open ocean and sandy beaches on the western shore less than a kilometre away. Much of the residential community has a magnificent view of the harbour and central Sydney. We walked the cliffs for a while then descended to the ferry port on the west side. It was about a one hour ferry ride back to Circular Quay and a spot for a quick lunch. We have walked so much I think we may be a couple of inches shorter than when we began the trip. Having seen so many on the ships with mobility impairments we are just glad to be able to do what we are doing.
Watsons Bay – Cliffs and Beach
After another day, Thursday, of walking I decided to check the pedometer on my phone. I don’t normally pay it any attention but I do keep it enabled. I found the average for the current week is 12,832 steps per day, average and over 10,000 a day for the current month. When at home, my typical day is between 5,000 & 10,000. Today was warm and humid, our legs said, ENOUGH! That was after we had walked from the hotel to Wooloomooloo and a high rent area known as The Finger Wharf. To the east of the wharf is the Guardian Island Naval Base.
The Finger Wharf
Guardian Island Naval Base
There is also a marine maintenance facility whose dry dock is currently occupied by the P&O Pacific Dawn. After lunch at a small cafe we grabbed a bus to downtown and a ferry to Milsons Point on the north side of the harbour.
From Milsons Point, the Harbour Bridge with the City as a Background
We gradually worked our way back to the hotel to rest the feet that have done so well for several weeks.
Friday, Mar 16, was our last full day in Sydney so we made it less strenuous. We returned to Manly again and visited a couple of the small beaches near the ferry terminal on the west side of the peninsula. The Manly beach famous for its surf is on the eastern side, exposed to the open ocean. There are two ferries servicing Manly. One takes about 30 minutes and costs $7.35 each way, the FastFerry service is quicker but costs $9.00 each way. The less costly service is part of the Sydney Harbour Ferry service so the fare counts toward the $15.50 daily maximum while the fast ferry does not. After lunch at Manly we returned to the hotel to pack for Saturday’s flight to Coolingatta and our accommodation in Burleigh Head.
My writing was just interrupted bu the sound of fireworks. Indeed, from our hotel room window we got a great view of an impressive display somewhere to the north of us and near the harbour, I believe. This was the second time during our stay that we have seen fireworks from the window.
There is a pharmacy nearby our hotel that deserves a real compliment on their service. Gail has been searching, unsuccessfully, for a place to purchase certain diabetic supplies. The other day we visited Blakes Pharmacy and we had success. We had several other items on our list and they had everything. Their prices were fantastic and service even better. Just wanted to say thanks.
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