It was an interesting drive to Sydney from Canberra, stopping en route to walk across the Sea Cliff bridge, and take a closer look at the hundred of padlocks people had locked to the railings, each one inscribed with sentiments such as 'Dan and Julie forever 2009' unlike many of the padlocks, the bridge should not rust in the weather as it has an electro cathodic system which keeps the rust off. I apprehensively touched one of the railings to see if it was 'live' but to my mild disappointment did not feel so much as a static charge.
I stayed in the suburb of Stanmore, and by accident one day walked past the pub featured in Pricilla Queen of the Desert.
The best place to be in Sydney is round the harbour, and I took the ferry to Manly Beach which was 20 minutes of pure joy travelling out from Circular Quay with a view of the harbour bridge on the left and the opera house on the right, only becoming a little choppy as it passed the Heads and the wind came in from the open sea. I really didn't realise just how big Sydney harbour was until this point. I then enjoyed a 10km walk round the coast, taking 5 hours since it was a very hot day, and several long rest stops to cool down and re-apply sun cream were very necessary. At one point considerable effort was required to climb up some steps, but the views across different aspects of the harbour were really worth the climb. The walk also passes several picturesque beaches, including one designated doggy hang out occupied by at least 25 dogs and their owners frolicking in the water.
The following day I went up the 309 metre Sydney Tower for spectacular 360 degree view across the city and the harbour. I then took the ferry round to Darling Harbour, just for the sake of sitting on another ferry for a visit to Wildlife World, which has a comprehensive, if slightly unsettling collection of Australian wildlife from the 6 and 8 legged varieties up to an enormous crocodile (he had a name I think, something like Colin, no that doesn't sound Aussie enough, perhaps it was Ken) I was fascinated by the cassowaries and saw the obligatory koala, which seemed to have been trained (or encouraged) to fall asleep on a branch right in the perfect view point for visitors.
New Year's eve was a mixed day, I was mainly annoyed that everything of interest shut at lunchtime as the city prepared the barriers, and gates for controlling the promised hoards of people who would be arriving for the evening's pyrotechnic entertainment. I met a fellow-traveller for dinner later in the day and although the streets in the Rocks were crammed with people we easily managed to find a spot opposite the Opera House on Circular Quay by about 10pm. We sat down on the warm paving stones next to a family playing cards and watched the brightly lit boats and yachts circling the harbour. A breeze picked up and it was quite cool which was a welcome relief after the heat of the day. We didn't hear a countdown, but the fireworks signalled midnight, and they went off in impressive bursts from the Opera House, the Harbour bridge, also from Darling Harbour and behind us from the city buildings.
Overall I was impressed with how well-behaved the crowd was and how well the police and city authorities were able to cope with the 4 million people all try to get trains and buses home afterwards.
Another day I walked from Bondi to Coogee beach along the coast. Bondi beach was nothing special, just a fairly ordinary beach, jam packed with people, even on an overcast day. I then walked along the coast past Tamarama bay, which is apparently nick-named Glamarama, but I couldn't really see why. Bronte beach was quite cute, but again packed with people, and the smell of sun cream was mixed with salt, sand, sweat and at times the heady scent of over-used public toilets. The most interesting part of the walk was passing by Waverly cemetery, whose residents enjoy an eternal sea view. Round the next headland was concrete lined Clovelly bay with people swimming and snorkelling. The walk ended at Coogee beach, which had a more spacious, relaxed feel than Bondi, although like all the bays along the way, the hillsides are crammed with imposing high rise apartment blocks and hotels, crowding down on the bay and fighting for their sea view.
A better expedition was catching the ferry to Watson's bay, on the southern peninsula of the harbour. I was able to walk round to South Head, envying the palatial waterfront houses with their spectacular views across to the harbour bridge and the CBD. I walked to Camp Cove, which was where Governor Philip first landed in Port Jackson in 1788, and ended with the delicious modern tradition of fish and chips at the quay side.
