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| Bondi Beach |
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| Rose Bay |
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| Rose Bay |
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| View of Sydney Harbour Bridge from Kambala school |
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| Street view near Kambala school |
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| Macquarie Lighthouse |
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| Coastal Cliff Walk leads to Signal Hill, Macquarie Lighthouse and Marine Rescue Radio Base |
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| Old South Head Road with view of Marine Rescue Radio Base |
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| Gap Bluff |
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| Bondi Beach |
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| Bondi Beach Promenade |
This morning we had our eyes pried open when we did an adventure run down Darlinghurst Rd. Looking for breakfast, we found a few cheap breakfast deals along the seemingly red light district. By daylight, the activities had all quietened down except for an obvious junkie in shorts, so short, it was revealing half her wrinkly buns. Our old crone was hoarding a public phone booth possibly running through all the contacts in her phone book. She was there throughout our time spent at breakfast!
Sitting down in a Chinese owned cafe just next to Dury House a backpackers accommodation, we observed the garbage truck parked opposite to us. In Autumn's cool weather, it did not emit any smell at all. Neither did the 3 garbage collectors on the table opposite.
It was also worrisome to see a young woman with disheveled hair stepping out from the backpackers. She disappeared up the street and when she returned, she asked for light from 2 middle eastern contractors at work. One of the men passed her the lighter with no exchange of small talks.
Puffy Eyes then sat at the bottom stair by the five foot way puffing away at her cigarette. Engrossed with her handphone, a few of her more energetic roomies raced past her with morning greetings.
After sending VT off to work, Claudine began her new adventure. Instead of the usual right turn on Kings Cross Rd, she ventured left this morning. It was an immediate climb but a short one before a long downward slide all the way to Bayswater Rd.
Rushcutter Bay Park was serenely quiet on a Monday morning. Beyond the trees was Cruising Yacht Club.
Continuing on, the road eventually connected with New South Head Rd. So far, the terrain had been hilly. Cruising down a slope near Bay St, Claudine heard a thud then realized her water bottle had fallen off the monkii cage. Thankfully, it rolled down to the side of the road with just a few scratches but it did stun a few drivers.
Before long, Rose Bay came into sight. The flat straight road with proper bike paths called for a slow ride along the scenic bay. With a golf course on the right and Lyne park, fully equipped with a wharf and cafes on the left; it was tempting to stop but she just couldn't! She had just gone 15 minutes into the ride!!!
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| St Mary's Magdalene, Rose Bay |
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| Steep road on New South Head Rd |
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| Kambala school, Rose Bay |
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| Kincoppal Rose Bay school |
Leaving the bay, the climb commenced all over again. At the top of a hill, a school was in session. The high vantage point gave an unobstructed view of Sydney Harbour Bridge.
It was also here that Claudine started noticing a tourer with a trailer. They will be passing each other many times throughout this route.
At Johnston's Lookout, Claudine's parked bike took a crash while she was taking a photo. The fall tore the foam on the handlebar!
Pushing on to Old South Head Rd, Macquarie Lighthouse is difficult to ignore! Looming at 26 meters in height, this frequently photographed lighthouse, built in 1883, is in fact a replica of the old one from 1818. The first and longest serving lighthouse in Australia, it is still operational until today.
Following the coastal pathway which saw a few strollers, she came across the Marine Rescue Radio Base. It looked homely with deck chairs and laundry flapping in the backyard.
Signal Hill Battery, built in 1892-3 was a grey, formidable coastal defense fortification. Only the upper complex was accessible although the underground levels are said to hold a maze of rooms and corridors that includes a mess room, elevator shaft and gunpowder magazines.
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| View of Gap Park's walkway, just off Old South Head Rd |
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| Memorial to Lt G J Grieve @ Gap Park walkway, just off Old South Head Rd |
The coastal path soon connects to Gap Park's walkways that ran along the rocky cliffs. Bringing a bike has its limitations as some areas were only accessible on foot.
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| Old South Head Rd with view of Gap Bluff |
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| Steep downhill towards Watson Bay |
Heavy hearted, Claudine had to turn back to Old Head South Road. Heading down a steep hill, she had to press hard on the brakes. Passing St Peter's Anglican Church, she finally reached Watson Bay, stopping by Watson Bay's Tea Gardens which overlooks the beach.
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| Watson Bay |
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| Watson Bay |
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| View from Greenpoint Reserve, Watson Bay |
Taking the sandy beach path, she crossed the sandy patch and got back onto tarred road. Following Cove St and Pacific St which passed by local housing, she climbed all the way to Green Point Reserve. Hindered by footpaths and steps only, she had no choice but to leave after taking a few photos.
This time, she went in search of Hornby Lighthouse but was surprised the road led to an army camp! Uncertain and not giving up, she tried going via Cliff St. This led to the Gap Bluff instead. The lookout gave a beautiful and unobstructed view of Macquarie Lighthouse and beyond. Down below, the huge waves that beats relentlessly at the walls of the cliffs were jaw dropping and terrifying at the same time.
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| View from military mess's car park @ Gap Bluff |
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| View from military mess's car park @ Gap Bluff |
There were a lot of tracks similar to the ones at Gap Park. Burdened by a bicycle, Claudine had to abandon the walk. Instead, she scouted the abandoned homes and what could be a military mess at Gap Bluff.
Back at the entrance to the military base, another cyclist on a rented bike was looking for the lighthouse as well. Both ladies proceeded to ask a soldier on his way back to base. They received disappointing news when told only the footpath leads to it!
Reluctant to leave her bike unguarded for Hornby, Claudine left for Bondi Beach instead. Her initial plans was to get there by Military Road but made a wrong turn. This led her back to Old South Head Rd. Hoping to reconnect back with Military Rd, she turned to Liverpool St only to see that the road ends with a footpath up a slope which separated both ends of the street.
Remapping her route, she took Murriverie Rd. However, Shuk Cafe changed her course once again. A steep climb ahead, a growling stomach, a blazing sun all coerced her to make the stop.
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| Cargo bike at Shuk Cafe |
The neighbourhood cafe was a good stop which allowed her to catch up on social media, refuel and reroute. Serving Israeli-Mediterranean breads and cuisines, the place sees many after school children during lunch hour. The waitress was kind and considerate, bringing cold water first and foremost to a cyclist on scorching weather.
Claudine never made it to Military Rd but Bondi Beach came a lot faster via Mitchell St. Cruising downhill, Campbell Parade was packed and so was the beach. While the sea was blue and the sky was blue; the beach was a vast area of beige sand in little mounds and depressions. Besides the sand, more organic beige mounds in different sizes of twin peaks tease the eyes!!!
Not game for a lazy afternoon on the beach, Claudine decided to head back. Climbing up Bondi Rd, her little 16 inch wheels overtook a cute young man on a roadie. She took the chance to flirt with him, asking if the road leads to the city center!
Bondi Rd seemingly turns right towards the end of its run. Claudine missed this turn but went ahead to Waverly St. This brought her to Westfield Bondi Junction. The detour got her to Grafton St and Grosvenor St before ending up on Edgecliff Rd.
Edgecliff was aptly named as the road was bumpy with lots of potholes. It ended at the intersection with Ocean St. Meanwhile, the cross junction to New South Head Rd was just a few meters away. Needing to get there, Claudine did what she had to do! She carried her bike over the center road barrier at Ocean St then turned left to head back home.
Getting back was still tricky. At Cross City Tunnel, Claudine stared at google map and the street for the longest time. She had no data to map her biking route. There were so many intricate routes to choose from! Just then, a cyclist was riding past her and she just had to stop him for directions. He took her on a pedestrian path, then Craigend St and finally William St. All this while they were climbing but he waited patiently for her. Saying their goodbyes, she found out he is an off duty soldier serving at Watsons Bay!!!
Evening was setting in by the time she got back to the hotel. After a good wash, she returned to Plateia, the Greek restaurant with VT. When dinner was done, they walked to Holiday Inn which was just a few hundred meters away, looking for an alternative cheaper accommodation.
As they were in Sydney on business cum leisure, their stay at Larmont has been an out of pocket expenditure so far. In the meantime, while they were booked at Intercontinental for 29th March, they had nowhere to stay on the 28th March as the hotel was fully booked. In fact, most hotels were fully booked and Larmont's rate had gone up 2.5 times!!! Fred's indecisiveness had put them in a quandary! Unless they suck up to Larmont's rate or move to a budget hotel, they may end up homeless!
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