Our first day in Sydney dawned sunny and as I have already mentioned, Wendy and Sarah’s house is really sunny. We all had breakfast with almost haloes around our heads!

We then gathered for a walk around the Manly headland.  It was one of the most beautiful walks I have ever done – and I have walked one or two! We parked the car at the bridge and then set off. The harnbour area to our right was full of very expensive looking and exotically shaped boats.  They bobbed on the water with their metal bits sparkling in the sunshine.

We then gained the walk proper.  The route took us variously along tree lined tunnels and over gnarled tree routes, over laval rock and passed interestingly carved out boulders and then out on to promontories giving us superb views over the rich blue water beneath us that marked the entrance to Sydney harbour. The harbour itself was out of view around the bay.  It was glorious!

!

Now again very healthy looking, bronzed ‘Yummy Mummy’s’ jogged past or rather impatiently stood back to let us get by. All were pristine in their white shorts and multi coloured tops, hair tied back, sunglasses looking skyward and talking excitedly about the issues of the day. Australia seems to breed a master race of long limbed lovelies who ooze vitality and fresh air.

Our route took us up and down – some of the path had been given concrete steps in other areas it was back to the rock   The spring flowers were beginning to be on show – most were new to us.  Some had wonderful perfumes.

Some of the trees looked very old and had bark that looked like elephants skin.

As we neared the town of Manly (named by a Governor who thought the aboriginal men looked manly can you believe) we could see the old ferry below us.  There is another one that looks like a dart and takes half the time but the older one got my vote,

The final few kilometres took us down on the sandy coves of Manly.   Designer houses reared up behind the beaches which we were told were full of people on sunny weekends.   There was an interesting incident when Keith used a rather exotic loo which played music to him and apparently gave him a time limit before it hosed him down in the interests of cleaning the whole loo – but I will draw a delicate veil over it  all I could hear from the outside was Keith chuckling!!!

the next thing to make us chuckle was the stencilled sign along the pavement telling us to beware of penguins……

There were of course no sightings!!

When we had completed the route we had walked about 10 kilometres and felt we had earned lunch on the waterside – we ate lobster and rolls with gusto!

lunch over we headed off to inspect the famous Manly beach which was quite beautiful with very few people on it and then headed off to the ferry.  Our journey took us across the bay we had walked around and then – incredibly – we were heading into Sydney harbour!  Ahead of us were the opera house and Sydney harbour bridge.  It was a bit difficult to take in.   It was awesome to be there – in the true sense of the word.

We landed just down from the bridge. As we came out onto the jetty a young man was playing a didgeridoo- hard earned busking if you ask me!

We wandered up through Sydney to the bus stop to catch the bus to where we had left the car.  With perfect timing the bus was just leaving and before long we were back I. The car and heading back to Curl Curl and home.

The evening saw us heading out again this time to Bangkok Betty’s for supper. It was excellent!  Another wonderful day on this amazing journey.