Sydney

Lately, I have been enjoying the beach. Hanging out with friends and enjoying Sydney. The beaches are phenomenal. Below is a picture of a Hotel lighted up at night. On several nights, friends and I have taken walks along the beach after dinner.


I have also spent many days hanging out at cafes and coffee shops near the beach or in town chatting with friends. Here I am at Bronte Beach (one of my favorite beaches).


A trail winds along most of the Sydney southern beaches. I love the walk and have taken it several times. This picture of me is taken along that walk.


One afternoon, Paul and I went up to the northern beaches. Unfortunately, I did not have my camera. The beaches up there are much more laid back. We enjoyed hanging out in a couple little towns (suburbs) and got lost at one point heading back to Sydney.

Sydney from the Harbor.


On February 6, I went to the Davis Cup. Australia played Great Britian at the Olympic Village Tennis Stadium. We had great seats sitting 4 rows from the court. Australia killed GB, but it was pretty cool seeing Lleyton Hewitt and Mark Philippoussis close up. Also very interesting, an Aussie Rules Football Team sat right behind us. Below, Hewitt from my vantage point.



Last night we kicked off Mardi Gras with the launch party in Hyde park. We had a great time. Ending the night skinny dipping at Bondi Beach at 3:00 a.m. On Monday, I went with a friend to one of the northern beaches in Sydney. We came upon this head (cliff-laden points between the beaches) that had this rock formation with a tunnel that had washed out in it. We climbed down (using ropes to the water and then dove in. Below is a picture of it.



We then swam in the tunnel along with the ebbs and flows of the waves. It was really cool. Once we made our way through the tunnel, we were swimming in the ocean. We swam around out there for a while and swam back through the tunnel. After we came back through, we rested on the rocks and climbed back up the cliffs and hiked to the beach. The whole experience was really fun.

On Tuesday, I met up with my friend Keiko and her boyfriend Steve. I lived with Keiko in Minneapolis after I sold my house and headed out here. Steve is originally from Sydney, so they were out here visiting his family.



Keiko was my first visitor from back home. We spent the day up near Manly where Steve grew up. Steve showed me how to surf and I was almost able to stand up on the board after trying for over an hour. I loved it. I will definitely do it again. Steve only had a short board. He thought I would need a long board to learn on. I had a great time trying and will stand up before I leave Australia.

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