Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
After chatting to Amelia and playing with Tux the cat, we finally made it to the bus stop.
Not sure why we were so slow today.
But the bus takes ages to arrive, so we walk down to Coogee beach for coffee. Then, catch a bus into Circular Quay... Today we're going to Manly. It's 30 minutes ferry ride, and takes us really quite far away from Sydney CBD. 7 miles apparently!
On the Manly Ferry, we dislike the number of tourists (like us... Ha) who are are clicking their cameras, and generally scrambling about. This is probably because for the majority of our time in Australia, we've been doing things at our own pace, in our own private box (the car). When put us on a mass transportation solution with other sightseers, it instantly become interminable.
"SIT DOWN UP FRONT!"
...is what we don't shout. Still British here. Yup.
The ferry though is lovely. We enjoyed spotting the large race sail boats, that were listing profusely in front of us. And it was pleasing to pass the mouth of Watsons Bay, a sight many a convict would have seen!
Arriving in Manly at lunchtime, we pop into the Visitor Centre, where the friendly old man tells us what we simply must do with our single day in Manly. This is ostensibly... Visit Shelly Beach!
Hungry though, we pass through an Aldi (the only other supermarket to the near duopoly of Coles & Woolworths), to procure some foods for a cheap picnic meal. We pick a random spot on Manly beach, but it turns out to be the best 'You've Been Framed' place I've ever been to! Directly in front of us was a water fountain. This water fountain literally shot out a 5m projectile of water, to whomsoever was unfortunate enough to operate it. We enjoyed watching 4 people drench themselves (and I may have videoed a couple of these moments.....) It was the best free entertainment I can remember!
Seeing signs for a market in town just of the Corso (the main drag), we head towards it. We miss it, again. How do we keep missing all these markets?? We're cursed I tell thee! So instead, we spend a few moments in a secondhand bookshop (our favourite place) with a nearly procured coffee - naturally.
As for Manly itself, there are lots of lovely places to eat. Lots of nice smells to also tempt you. But overall, it was a very holiday town. A Cairns without the backpackers. A Byron Bay without the surfers. A Surfers Paradise without the needless ways to spend money. A Lorne, but with lovely beaches. You follow me?
Deciding to soak up the holiday atmosphere we have a quick drink overlooking the beach end of the Corso. We muse that it's slightly in favour of international tourists here, but less so than Coogee, and way fewer than Bondi.
Walking over to Shelly beach, we pass an empty kiosk that has a little story to it. It was built in the 30s to house John Suchomlin's sand sculptures. This chap had been creating high quality sand sculpture on Manly beach, and the council offered a permanent space for him to exhibit them. Unfortunately, the finances didn't make sense, and it was closed soon after. But the postcards he made for sale are a testament to the high skill John possessed, and were shown on the walls of the kiosk.
As we walked along the promenade, Alice pointed out a sign that notified us not to swim in Shelly Beach after 24hours of continuous rain. This is because there is a Water Treatment plant just round the corner. Ew.
We finally arrived at Shelly Beach. It was lovely. Protected by a sweeping cove, the water breaks here were much less severe than Manly Beach (where there were scores of Surfers). We sunned ourselves, read our books / slept, and went for a quick, chilly dip.
Our experience however, was ever so slightly ruined by the annoying 30 something American man trying to chat up a couple of German back packers. He also played his music on the beach. We absolutely despise these human beings. I'm reading Nineteen Eighteen-Four at the moment, and I would have reported him to the Thought Police in a heartbeat. To the Ministry of Love with you!
Walking back as the sun retired, we procured a Ben & Jerry's / Frogurt to tide is over till din dins. The Manly ferry was fabulous back. Australia in picturesque sunset shocker.
Woolworths for soup din dins. Awkward chat with Amelia, then bed!
AF
- comments