Surfer's Paradise

We left Coff's Harbour for two days in Surfer's Paradise, a Vegas-on-the-beach where I learned to surf (of course).

I also got to take a tour on the back of a Harley driven by a fantastically grizzled Aussie biker, Rick.

The first night, we just had a nice dinner and drinks at a Lincoln Road-type pedestrian mall. The next night, we went to this theme restaurant called Dracula's, where there was a dinner-and-a-show thing that was very funny. We ended up at a club called Shooter's, where there was a surprise male go-go-dancer show. The lookson everyone's faces were worth the price of admission alone!

Sydney

After seventeen really boring hours on a plane, I landed in Sydney last night. I took a really cool ferry ride through Sydney Harbor to Manly, a peninsula to the northwest, and spent most of the time on Manly Beach, on the ocean side.

on the ferry from Sydney's Circular Quay to Manly

I swam in the Pacific for the first time!

Sydney's Manly Beach

The sand is very fine here, which makes it soft, and it's a warm golden color. There was a surfing exposition going on, including a small clinic. I'll be gracefully wiping out on the waves soon enough, so I decided to pass on this surf class.

Sydney's Manly Beach

Manly has a big promenade that's a lot like Miami Beach's own Lincoln Road. The Wharf starts at the small harbor-side beach and looks onto Sydney Harbor, which was filled with sailboats and yachts. I saw a almost-collisions and one capsized monohull - the people on-board flipped it back and kept right on sailing, so no worries.

Sydney Harbor from Manly Wharf

Sydney Harbor

On the ride back, I had to get a shot of me in front of the Opera House.

Sydney Opera House