Part 9: Bondi Beach & Darling Harbour - November 8, 2016

Previous: Part 8
<         Sydney Harbour Bridge & Rocks Tour

2016 New Zealand & Australia Trip Home

Next: Part 10
​Walking Through Cairns         >
​

Phillip and I had one more day in Sydney, so we decided to head out to Bondi Beach in the morning, and it was significantly less busy than Manly Beach was before, but I would guess that was due to it being a Tuesday as opposed to a Sunday when we were in Manly. This time, we came prepared for a swim, although it wouldn't be for a very long time as the water was quite a bit cooler than we anticipated, combined with it being a cloudy day.

After a bit of time in the water, we took a walk along the path that sits atop the seaside cliffs, passing by The Bondi Icebergs Club. The club building (shown below) is a very unique place in that the pool and building were built into the waters of the bay, and the pool would occasionally have waves crashing over. I would see this place many times over as each flight on QANTAS had the same safety video, and part of it shows this place in part of the video.

While the weather may not have been ideal for a swim, at least there were scenic views to enjoy.​ Especially because the bay is surrounded by these rock walls. It's hard not to like this place, especially since you can get some unique vantage points that aren't easily found everywhere.

Around lunchtime, Phillip and I went our separate ways for a bit as he wanted to explore a mall we passed on the way to Bondi, and I felt like I was ready for a shower and a nap. After my nap, I took a stroll down the street and found this really good pizza restaurant down the street from the apartment we were staying at called Mad Pizza e Bar. I had their version of the Hawaiian pizza, made with fresh mozzarella cheese. The crust was a very thin and cracker-like, giving a nice crispiness to it. I definitely recommend it when you visit Sydney!

After a while, Phillip returned and we decided to take a stroll over to Darling Harbour as we had not yet made it over that way.​

We first wondered around the park that was beside Darling Harbour, and there were several interesting features of it, including these stationary bikes that you could connect your phone to and charge it. Below you can watch Phillip test it out.

Also in the park, there is this awesome water area with several man made streams that you can walk around and step between platforms that are surrounded by the running water. They also have a few water play items where you can alter the flow of the water by spinning these different devices.

The park also has a playground for the kids and a carousel. The carousel wasn't open while we were there, which leads me to believe that it is open on weekends or during the days when schools are out in New South Wales.​

As for the harbor itself. It looks more modern than Sydney Harbour, with many restaurants and newer buildings in the area. They also have a Ferris wheel and a maritime museum to enjoy.

The last stretch of our evening in Darling Harbour was spent taking a walk further West so that we could see the ANZAC Bridge, so named as to pay tribute to the fallen soldiers who have served both Australia and New Zealand. Definitely a very cool bridge indeed.

With that, we conclude our visit to Sydney. This city has been one of the highest on my list of places to visit, and I felt incredibly fortunate that we were able to do so during our trip to Australia and New Zealand. Up next, we'll be heading North to visit the town of Cairns in Queensland.

---

Previous: Part 8
<         Sydney Harbour Bridge & Rocks Tour

2016 New Zealand & Australia Trip Home

Next: Part 10
​Walking Through Cairns         >
​