The Big Smoke

For some reason I have been craving some big city action lately – things like traffic, smog, the sound of sirens, crazy people muttering on park benches, having to walk down streets and watch where you are going to avoid bumping into people, that kinda thing. I guess it’s that buzz and that edge which is missing in Canberra, the richness and diversity of humankind living on top of one another. And so conveniently I was off to Australia’s largest city for the weekend.

Saturday was a fine day and I got my fill of several crazy people muttering as I walked through Hyde Park, tried to avoid bumping into people at the Pitt Street Mall, eventually crossing the traffic lined siren filled streets and reaching the mecca of diversity, Circular Quay. I had a nice coffee watching the world and two people dressed up as potatoes go by, then suitably milled around myself, taking a stroll along the western side of the quay, passing a wedding ceremony and standing under the thunderous rumbling of the Harbour Bridge.

Whilst I have been down under for a while now and have been to Sydney several times, there is still something rather exciting about visiting Circular Quay and taking in two of Australia’s most famous sights.

As the day progressed I met up with Georgina who was in town for a christening. Seeing as it was such a nice day there is still nothing finer to do in Sydney than to hit the water, yet again on that splendid Manly Ferry. Sit on the port side on the lower deck, feet dangling over the railings and look back at the city as the ferry turns past Bradleys Head, the sun warming the glow already in your face.

Manly was winding down as the sun lowered but it was still really pleasant for a stroll along the beach. I seem to be having a few nautical mini-disasters lately though, this time leaving my shoes seemingly safe as I went for a wade, only for the incoming tide to soak them through and make the next few hours uncomfortable walking!

After an ice cream and a beer (as you do), we headed back to the sparkling city lights for piles of pasta at a restaurant on the Rocks, complete with cheesey Italians singing in the courtyard…it was just like being in Florence! Things then went culturally downhill I guess, checking out the considerable diversity of a few bars in and around Oxford Street before finally calling it a night.

Sunday morning arrived bleary eyed, sunnies and powerade equipped as I took the train to Bondi Junction. Here I met up with Caroline and we had some brunch down in Bondi Beach. I thought I would take the photo of myself at Bondi Beach…surely an Englishman has truly made it in life when he has reached this spot! (Please note Mum, I am wearing a T-shirt you gave me for Xmas, aren’t I a good boy?!)

We then walked the semi-famous Bondi to Coogee coastal walk which is in truth really darn nice, taking in more bays and cliffs and neatly trimmed parks. I thought in parts the sand and the water and the greenery was just like St Ives in Cornwall. The English Bondi, St Ives, yeah, I like it!

At Coogee I managed to force down some more ice cream before catching a bus back to the city where I checked out some markets and generally just killed some time before the bus back to Canberra was due to leave. Feeling drained I was ready to leave the hustle and bustle and enjoyed snoozing my way along the Hume Highway and back in sight of the beacon that is the Telstra Tower, objectives fulfilled.