Day 44 - Sydney, Australia

Today we head to Coogee Beach to meet up with my boss David and his family who are also out here at the moment. Before we get there we have a bit of admin to sort out though. Sending a number of Hard Rock glasses home. We manage to sort it but it cost about $60 and they will arrive in 90 days!! This is turning out to be a damn expensive and slightly annoying collection!!

We meet David, his lovely wife Georgie and their four kids at a place called Barzura overlooking Coogee Beach. David also very kindly treats us to lunch. We have a lovely time and it's great to catch up. 

Coogee Beach is a lovely place. Fantastic surf too. It makes me realise this is ye first proper surf place I have seen where the waves are made for surfing. The break goes on for miles!

After we leave the Macmurchy clan we decide to take the long coastal walk to Bondi Beach which is an absolutely idyllic walk along the coast for about 2.5 hours. Fantastic scenery. 

There are 3-4 different coves / beaches along the way. First stop is Clovelly beach which is probably the smallest beach I have seen in terms of width yet deepest. 

Next stop was Bronte beach. 

Camera zoom working fine. 

Next stop was Tamarama beach. 

A huge cemetery with a hell of a view. Worse places to be buried. 

Crazy guys swimming on top of huge waves dangerously close to massive rocks. Looks great fun but high risk. 

Finally we reach Bondi Beach. Fantastic walk and great place. Wish I had my swimmers with me. I'd be straight in that sea enjoying the waves. Looking forward to spending New Years day here. 

Wind swept hair. 

Such a great atmosphere on Bondi. It is a bit like Ski Après with everyone in the bars next to the beach (strictly no boozing on the beach), particularly as they have woodens stands for people to stand their surf boards in like they do with skis. 

We have a couple of beers here then try to find some wireless again. After spending about an hour in McDonalds I still can't upload the blog as the broadband here is so crap and slow. 

What is also rubbish is their public transport. It takes us nearly two hours to get back from Bondi to Kings Cross which is a mere 6km away. With expensive taxis and limited / no train options we have to get the bus which is so infrequent it is painful. Then when one does finally arrive they are rammed and you can't get on or they just drive past full. So frustrating. 

We eventually get to Kings Cross and Potts Point for a few beers. Kings Cross is the old red light district that has been cleaned up and is now a cool place to go out. We have a beer on top of the very cool five floor Kings Cross hotel (which is not even a hotel but a five floor bar / club / restaurant / Theatre / Dive bar complex). 

Finally we have a couple for the road at another roof top bar called Sweethearts at a brilliant bar called Kit and Kaboodle. Had two new beers tonight the Coopers Brewery Pale Ale (average) and Little Creatures (excellent). 

A great day in a lovely city. Can't wait until NYE tomorrow.