Coogee amd a Cathedral

The Bondi beach to Coogee beach walk is probably the most well known hike in Sydney. The track follows the shoreline, going up the cliffs and then back down to the beaches. I took this hike on my first trip to Sydney several years ago. The hike on that day is mostly remembered for its consequences.

It was a really blistering hot Sydney day, I talked to Tim before I went and he reminded me to stay hydrated. I kept that in mind the whole way on the hike. As I passed each beach park, I made sure to drink plenty of water at every fountain. I drank a LOT of water. I told Tim that evening how well I had followed doctor's orders lol.

The next morning I was up early and on a train to the Blue Mountains. Soon, I started feeling a little nauseous  then a lot  nauseous. Then I wasn't sure which would happen first, would I throw up everywhere or would I crap my pants before I could get off the train? Fortunately I managed to get off the train before any that happened. I spent most of the rest of the day visiting all the local bathrooms while feeling like I was going to pass out...but still trying to bushwalk through the National Park. Well meaning strangers kept asking me if I was ok...I kept telling them I was fine! I was clearly lying.

Anyway,  I learned a lesson. Even if you are visiting a nice and tidy foreign locale with clean, safe water, it has different bacteria, and if you drink gallons of it...you will pay.

Back to the present... I decided to go to Coogee beach and walk the hike in reverse to Bondi beach. It was pretty warm out but the hike seemed much easier this time. I think I'm in better hiking shape these days. They've also made alot of improvements to the track.

After I made it to Bondi beach  I took a bus to Watson's Bay where I went to the beach and ate my picnic lunch. Later I took the bus and train back to Town Hall station and stopped in at St. Andrews Cathedral for a look...another nice day in Sydney.

Coogee beach

St. Andrew's Church

Town Hall

Gordon's Bay

Up and down...

Clovelly beach

Clovelly pool

Clovelly Point

Shark Point

Waverly Cemetery

One of the notorious water fountains!

Bronte beach

Bronte beach

Tamarama beach

Mackenzie's Point

Bondi beach

Sandstone cliff

Icebergs Pool

Bondi beach

Camp Cove  beach

Lady Bay beach

Middle Head "Torture School"

I've gone to Middle Head every time I've been to Sydney. One of my favorite little beaches, Obelisk,  is there.  What I hadn't done was to continue past the beach to the tip of Middle Head, where an old military installation is lying in ruins.

The battery on Middle Head was built in 1871. The fort was built on a strategic location and received many additions until 1911. It formed part of a network of 'outer harbour' defenses. They were designed to fire at enemy ships as they attempted entry through the Sydney Heads. The whole area is linked by an extensive network of underground tunnels, ancillary rooms, gunpowder magazine and a disappearing gun emplacement. The site has its own underground power room that is supported by iron columns. Rooms located below ground were used to train some of Australia's first troops who were sent to Vietnam in 'Code of Conduct' courses, which were lessons in how to withstand torture and interrogation, by simulating prisoner of war conditions.

Most of the underground labyrinth of tunnels were carved into the sandstone by prisoners. The complex is huge, though not much is above ground. There is even a moat surrounding the complex, which wasn't actually in use for very long as modern machines and warfare rather quickly made it obsolete.

On my way back to the beach, where of couse I was going, I came across a Kookaburra, definitely one of the cutest Aussie birds.

Middle Head view

The defense fortifications

Tunnels

Graffiti I liked!

Obelisk Bay

Wandering the tunnels

The sandstone walls

The Moat

The Kookaburra!

Better Late than Never in Sydney

I was set to fly out to Sydney on Tuesday morning, but found out early evening Monday that my flight had been cancelled. Apparently I've been extremely lucky in my travels, this was the first time I ever had it happen. I then discovered, that when you live in Hawaii,  getting a new flight is difficult on short notice.  First I had one for Friday, then I managed to scoop up a Thursday flight...so was only down 2 days of my trip. Then the hotel...I managed to convince them to "let" me pay for the first two nights while I wasn't there in order not to lose the whole reservation.  Lucky me. Then, just  to be sure that  it was the perfect travel shi*storm....the hotel sent me an email that they had overbooked and had cancelled my entire reservation not half an an hour later. Between the flight and hotel problems, I can safely say that I spent at least 12 hours on the phone,  mostly on hold and waiting for someone's  supervisor.  It all worked out eventually and I arrived in Sydney on Friday night. The weather was uncooperative for my first day. I awoke in my 40th floor apartment to the floor to ceiling view of rain, and until it slowed down a  bit, I couldn't even see the city. The rest of the day was much the same, though there were brief respites to make it easier to dash from one place to the next. I've been to Sydney many times, but there are still several  "must-do" things that remain undone. A rainy day was the perfect time to take care of one them, a tour of the inside of the Sydney Opera house. I tried to book online, but that didn't work out, so I headed to the harbour. I dodged the rain as much as I could and caught the train to Circular Quay and walked along the harbour to get the ticket at the box office. It costs more for the ticket at the box office, yes they are aware that you can't actually buy the ticket online and no, you can't have that price. We just work here. The same everywhere. I had only a short wait for my tour, and soon was being led through the rain to the front terrace of the Opera house,  where the tour really started. The guide was good and even moderately funny...and who doesn't like the accent? The first thing you really notice is the massive purple carpet in the huge foyer. The building is definitely from the 1970's and they seem to have determined that they are going to keep the look. It does have a certain appeal to people my age. The story of the architecture was interesting and it was cool to see the various halls in the facility. The largest hall has a very interesting,  and completely unexpectedly kitschy, ceiling. I kind of liked it, but it wasn't what I expected...somehow I thought it would be all somber and stuffy inside...Instead it's a little bit Vegas and a little bit elegant.

Finally leaving!

Our guide

Small concert hall

Terrace

Harbour Bridge

Foyer

Entrance

Huge aboriginal painting

Ceiling in main hall

Smaller hall

Stage

 Boxes

Customs House

Random parrot

Celery I did NOT buy

View of Darling Harbour from my room