So much to see and do....so little time!

December 27
We hit the ground running this morning.... we walked to the bus station to catch #333 bus to Bondi Beach. Bondi beach by 8:30 am, this beats my vacation motto of “beach by 9”.

Bondi Beach is about 1 kilometre long, Surf Life Saving Australia has given different hazard ratings to Bondi Beach. The northern end has been rated a gentle 4 (with 10 as the most hazardous), the southern side is rated as a 7 due to a famous rip current known as the "Backpackers' Rip" because of its proximity to the bus stop, the fact that many backpackers and tourists do not realise that the flat, smooth water is a rip, and quite dangerous. The south end of the beach is generally reserved for surfboard riding. There is an underwater shark net however it does not stretch the entire beach, it is made up of overlapping sections. Many other beaches along the same stretch of the coast have similar shark nets.

Some cute building we saw while on the bus

The Bondi to Coogee walk extends for six kM and offers stunning views, beaches, parks, cliffs, bays and rock pools. The beaches and parks offer a place to rest, swim or a chance to eat at one of the cafes, hotels, restaurants or takeaways. Brad and I did a bit of this walk.

Next stop.... the Sydney opera house and bridge! The opera house is one of the most famous and distinctive buildings.

The Sydney Harbour Bridge carries rail, vehicles, bicycle, and pedestrian traffic between the Sydney central business district and the North Shore. The dramatic view of the bridge, the harbour, and the nearby Sydney Opera House is an iconic image of Sydney, and Australia itself. The bridge is nicknamed "The Coathanger" because of its arch-based design.

We made our way back to the hotel via Darling Harbour. Originally named Long Cove, Darling Harbour has lots of restaurants, businesses and condos. But got sidetracked....we walked through Chinatown and Paddy’s Market. The Haymarket Paddy's Markets is also located in Haymarket, beside Chinatown and is more like a traditional flea market. This is the place you’ll find cheap imported clothes, giftware and also has a small section for fresh fruit, vegetables and seafood. The Haymarket Paddy's Markets site also sells souvenirs which makes it popular with tourists.

We walked over 28,000steps today.

Back at the hotel, we went for a refreshing swim and then headed off to catch our flight Cairns. Once there, we took a taxi to our place (booked using air bnb). This little guy was there to welcome us.

December 28
Early start to the day. Breakfast then pick up our camper van.


Great breakfast and a very friendly cook!

It was time to explore Cairns. The Esplanadethere has plenty of nearby restaurants, coffee shops, stores and the Swimming Lagoon. The Cairns Swimming Lagoon on the Esplanade is a magnet for backpackers from around the world as a sunbaking and social gathering place, a place for locals to get fit on all the exercise equipment thru the parks and the esplanade boardwalk.

It was time to load up with groceries and head up to Port Douglas. We stopped at Trinity Beach and Palm Cove for a dip. The water was just like bath water! Stinger nets are placed in the waters off many Cairns’ beaches during the ‘stinger season. The nets consist of a few materials, a floating “boom”, which visually marks the perimeter for swimmers and takes the net’s protection to the water surface, and the net itself, which is weighted at the bottom to sit on the ocean floor. It serve to ‘keep out’ the larger box jellyfish from the enclosure. However smaller box jellyfish can still pass through the nets so precaution and protection should be taken including wearing a stinger / lycra suit.
Trinity Beach

On our way back to the van, we saw this sign.... Yikes!

Palm Cove

Stopped at Rex Point on the way to Palm Cove

Checked into a campground just a few minutes walk from town and 4 mile beach.

After the beach, we hiked up to the lookout.