After breakfast, I blogged for a while, after which Helen took me and Liesel back to Manly where we enjoyed a walk along the seafront, bumping into Bambi and Gypsy. What are the chances? Well, of course it was a planned meeting.
We continued along to Shelly beach, seeing a few more water dragons on the way – or were they the same ones again? I guess we’ll never know.
We had a drink in the Boathouse, where we were joined inside by pigeons, and by brush turkeys. I had an iced coffee. A proper iced coffee as I’ve always understood it: coffee with ice cream, a thick milk shake. As opposed to American style iced coffee which seems to be a teaspoon of actual coffee in a cup of ice cubes.
Helen and Bambi had other commitments, so Liesel and I walked towards Queenscliff: it’s a target but we also wanted to investigate the swimming pool there.
Much of the beach was taken up by the many Surf Life Saving Clubs from New South Wales. Lots of competitions in the sea featuring mostly young, fit people.
My ears perked up at one announcement, however. This was the last chance for the 65-69 and the 70+ competitors to come to the starting point. Well, sadly, I hadn’t registered and I didn’t have my budgie smugglers with me but mainly, I’m not a good swimmer and certainly not a surf life saver. So I thought I should give the others a chance.
The whole scene was very festive, so we sat and watched for a while.
We never did get to see the pool at this end of the beach but instead, walked back to Manly.
It took a while for me to stir my stumps in the morning, but Liesel was working anyway. We had planned to go for a walk around Narrabeen Lagoon, but we didn’t quite manage. While Liesel was at home working, I went off to the Mall for a couple of things. The battery icon on my pedometer was flashing, so I replaced the battery. It’s very important that my step count each day is accurate. Liesel and Helen just don’t understand that future historians won’t be able to study my step count spreadsheet properly if there are gaps due to ‘a dead battery’.
More importantly though, I needed a SIM card for my phone. I was hoping to get by without one, but after a few days, I realised that the phone’s gobbling up data way faster than anticipated, and I don’t really know why. So I now have an Aussie SIM card and I am back on the Optus network, just as I was five years ago. If you call or text my UK number, I won’t be able to respond for a while.
I took the 193 bus home. This is the one that goes up and above Helen’s apartment, so I can walk down the 70-odd steps to her place rather than up the intimidating hill.
Helen was off work today and despite the heat, she was outside weeding. Did I offer to help? I was about to, when she came in. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
Later on, I was sitting outside writing, when I was attacked by a beastie. It was small, white and dangerous to know.
My extensive research leads me to the conclusion that this is a baby praying mantis. No matter how often I blew it away, it returned to my left arm. What’s wrong with my right arm, I wanted to know. At least it didn’t bite, but it was very difficult to focus the phone camera on it.
Another sunny day greeted us. Helen was working in Curl Curl and she kindly gave us a lift there. We applied sunblock while sitting in the shade of a bus shelter.
We came across some good news: 1000 native trees for Curl Curl!
As part of the NSW Government’s ‘Greening our City grant’ program, 1000 native trees will be planted in this area.
Once the weeds are under control the first trees will be planted in 2024. Planting will continue into 2025 until all 1000 trees have been planted.
By the end of the project, over 30 different species of native trees, shrubs and groundcovers will be planted, with more than 3000 plants planted in all.
The public is invited to get involved and participate in the planting phase of the project
Together can make Curl Curl a cooler, greener, and more connected place for our community and wildlife.
So the sign said, at least. And I thought, I could help out here. Then I remembered, I didn’t even help Helen in her own backyard, I’m not going to be much help planting trees.
We followed a very pleasant path along the coast, all the way back to Manly. We encountered loads of dogs, none of which showed any interest in us. And, where they were supposed to be on leads, they were on leads. How about that, English dog walkers?
The hike was mostly flat, but we took fequent breaks anyway, mainly to keep my SoB under control. And yes, I do see the irony in coming all the way here for some sunshine, and then taking every opportunity to sit in the shade.
Again, we didn’t have our swimwear with us, so we couldn’t swim in this open air pool. One day, though, it does look very inviting. And away from the relatively violent sea: you can see the waves crashing at the back.
In Freshwater, there is a Public Art Installation in McKillop Park, as part of the Coast Walk public art program.
Here is a sneak peek at the sculpture: it’s currently hidden behind a fence.
Also in Freshwater, we sat and watched a learner surfer. The waves here are much smaller than we’ve seen elsewhere, but he seemed to be making progress.
The beach is picturesque, yes, but just look at those clouds! Liesel described them as ominous, but it didn’t feel like rain was coming.
We thought we were being followed, and when we turned round, guess who we saw?
Not enough birds? In a park in Manly, we encountered a swarm, a flock, of cockatoos.
Liesel went for a massage while I wandered around. Again, I am in admiration of all the young, fit life savers. Three Beans called my name again and I later found myself in the Manly Art Gallery and Museum. It wasn’t very busy, but some of the artwork was interesting.
The artist says: “My artwork comments on the diversity of Sydney, as seen within Taronga Zoo. The inspiration to use photography as the medium stemmed from my deep admiration for the stillness and reality that is captured. Patience is also a very enjoyable part of the photographic proccess, as taking the time for that perfect photo makes the outcome extremely satisfying.
The focus on animals is not only because of my diversity concept but also because I have always had a strong and deep connection with animals – often I find them easier to communicate with than humans.”
Walking by the wharf, I enjoyed the antics of this chap.
Despite the many signs telling us of their presence, I never saw any little penguins. I met Liesel in the library: she’d had a really good massage and felt much better for it.
After my best night’s sleep so far on this trip, we returned to Curl Curl. Liesel swam in the pool at South Curl Curl, but I really wasn’t in the mood for a dip. The water was cold, but still, Liesel got a few lengths in.
I sat inside to drink my coffee milkshake, and then I watched a surfer for a while. He waited for a suitable wave, stood up, and began to ride the wave back towards the beach. I could do that, I thought. Then he fell off. I could definitely do that, I thought.
Back to Manly by bus, lunch at Three Beans, then, for the first time this trip, we took the ferry to Sydney’s Circular Quay
Because our book said you had to catch the ferry to Cockatoo Island from Barangaroo Wharf, we traipsed across the city. On arrival, we discovered that we could have caught our ferry from Circular Quay after all. A long, hot, sweaty walk through the city, all for nothing!
The ferry ride to Cockatoo Island was short, and smooth.
We were here for a nice walk, it’s more of a historical site than we’d anticipated. The island has been used as a convict penal establishment and more recently for shipbuilding. Not a lot of vegetation remains, so it feels a bit stark, compared with other places we’ve seen recently. But I thought this was quite pretty:
Sunset Sessions is a series of musical shows taking place here on this small island until April. I don’t know who was performing tonight, but way over there, at the Accor Stadium in the old Olympic Park, Helen and her friend Helen were amongst 75,000 fans watching P!nk in concert.
It started to rain while we were on the second of two ferries taking us back to Manly. It should have been quite refreshing after a hot day, and it was, a bit. From the wharf, we walked over the road and dined at Vietnam Why Not. Why not? No, that’s the name of the restaurant. My tofu satay was delicious but boy, was it hot, spicy hot I mean.
The bus took us to Brookvale Oval from where we walked back to Helen’s. Yes, we walked up the hill, and again, I managed it in one go. Even if I did have to lie down indoors afterwards!
Mick and Liesel's Antics 