Coogee Beach to Bondi Beach, Australia

 It is hard to put the events of today into words.  As simply as I can put it, we relaxed all morning and walked the beach all afternoon.  Even as I type that, the day felt like so much more.

If there is one thing I have learned while traveling, it is to make the most of the time I have in each city.  There is always time to sleep when you get home.  I have never regretted packing a day full of sites to see and things to do.  Today I discovered that it is also ok to take a morning off and do absolutely nothing but drink coffee in good company.  Syd had a drawing class in the morning that lasted a few hours.  I was going to explore the neighborhood around the house we are staying in but I just never got around to it.  No regrets.

We left the house around 2:00 p.m. and took a bus to Coogee Beach, the starting point for our coastal beach walk.  We walked for about 4 hours, making our way through 5 or 6 beaches.  As we walked we continued to catch up on each other’s lives.  It seems it will take all week and then some considering it’s been a year and a half!  These beaches require pictures to even begin to describe; even then, pictures don’t do it justice.  The closest I can compare them to is the American West Coast.  The beginning of the walk had calmer waters with sandier beaches.  As we worked our way north, the coast became rockier, with bigger waves.  The color of the water continually changed into all spectrums of blue depending on the beach.  With it being a Saturday afternoon, the beaches were filled with local ‘Aussies’, enjoying their weekend ritual of beach-going.  There were some tourists as well, but nothing too overwhelming.  Surfing, sunbathing, swimming, volleyball, rugby, barbies (barbeque)… there were so many outdoor activities.  I felt like we were in scenes from a movie.  The weather and clouds combined with the natural scenery of the beaches made for a picture perfect atmosphere that did not quite seem real.  It was the type of afternoon that was filled with awe.  So many times I thought to myself, this cannot be real.  I can’t be here.  These are the moments that I find myself truly in awe of God and his creation.

We finished our coastal beach walk with Bondi Beach, one of Australia’s most famous beaches, just in time for dinner.  There was a decently priced grill a few blocks off the coast that stole our attention.  I ordered a burger and fry and a glass of rose wine, local to Southern Australia.  Simple, but it was one tasty meal.  After dinner, neither of us was quite ready to head back to the house so we sat on the beach for quite a while. We had the entire beach to ourselves.  It was dark, but something about being on the beach at night is even more relaxing than daytime.