Because there is SO much in Sydney that I haven’t had time to see, deciding what to do on my last day in this beautiful city was tough. Ultimately, the decision was made for me when my friend, Jane, with whom I’ve been staying, said that coming to Sydney and not seeing Bondi Beach was like going to Paris and not seeing the Eiffel Tower.

Bondi Beach is famous with surfers the world over for its waves and famous with tourists and residents for its cliff walk that leads from the wide crescent that is Bondi Beach, up and over the rocky headland to Tamarama and Bronte Beaches. We had not done the cliff walk before this because the weather in Sydney has been unusually rainy, but today the weather cooperated, providing us with a crisp, sunny day with not a cloud in sight. Afterward, since it was such a nice day we had lunch on the outdoor terrace of a North Bondi restaurant, enjoying a spectacular view of the bay (I can’t believe I dined outdoors in 55 degree weather) and then toured some of Jane’s favorite beaches that are tucked into hidden corners all over Sydney. So, here are a few photos of the things I saw today – if only I had another three weeks here!

Bondi Bay, with double overhead surf and an offshore wind:

Looking down the beach to South Bondi and the beginning of the cliff walk:

The cliff walk, leading south to Tamarama Beach:

The Icebergs Pool at Bondi, one of many oceanfront salt-water pools around Sydney that are perched on the cliffs at just the right height to catch incoming waves and provide calm waters for swimming:

My friend, Jane, on the cliff walk between Bondi and Tamarama Beaches:

Coming around the corner on he cliff walk for the first view of distant Bronte Beach and closer Tamarama Beach:

Pretty little Tamarama Beach, tucked into a rocky cove and battered by waves:

A hidden jewel – Camp Cove Beach at Watson’s Bay, with downtown Sydney in the background:

The other end of the beach at Camp Cove in Watson’s Bay:

Nielsen Park Beach at Vaucluse, another tiny, hidden strip of sand with the skyline of downtown Sydney in the background:

And finally, giant fig trees create a natural arch at Nielsen Park at Vaucluse:

Early tomorrow morning (just a few hours from now) I fly to Singapore, so I’ve uploaded the entire Australian photo library, which contains all the Australia photos that I’ve placed on the blog plus many that did not appear on the blog. If you would like to view them, click on the button at the right labeled “Photos” and follow the directions to access the library. Enjoy, and I’ll be back once I get to Singapore.

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