Will Around the World

At 5:20 AM a taxi picked me up for the airport. It happened to be the country's first hybrid taxi. While the car was progressive, its driver wasn't. This was an elderly gentleman who didn't mince words when he blamed a recent rash of crime on Aborigines. He even called them the N-word. With immigrants rising in number, I wondered what whites thought of living in a multicultural society. Here was a sad answer.

I arrived in Sydney at 10:30. My flight for Auckland, New Zealand, was at 4:30 so I had a few hours to explore the city. I took a bus to Coogee Beach, a public beach a little bit south of Bondi. The ride was an hour long but it was worth it. Coogee is smaller but much less crowded. I walked north up the coast towards Bondi Beach. Nice homes dot the coastline. My favorite spot along this walk is Gordons Bay. It features sandstone cliffs and incredibly clear water. And because there's hardly a soul, you can stake out a spot on the rocks and enjoy the ocean view in peace. At 1 PM I returned to the beach. I walked up Coogee Bay Road, the trendy main road, and had a lunch of fish and chips. For its beauty, laid back vibe and small crowds, I would put Coogee at the top of the list of beaches I visited in Sydney.

Coogee Beach

Lazy Thursday afternoon

I rode the bus back to the airport. I had to change buses at Randwick Junction, a bustling neighborhood ten minutes from Coogee. Randwick Junction has lots of Asian eateries and funky shops. It seems like a cool place to live. Back on the bus, I passed Anzac Parade near Maroumba, which also has many interesting-looking restaurants and shops. It was neat to ride the bus through these neighborhoods. Soaking in Sydney's multiculturalism and urban fashion was a nice change from the tourist/backpacker ethos of Cairns and Airlie Beach.

Gordons Bay

That does it for Australia. All in all, I had a fun time traveling up the Aussie East Coast. But I wouldn't do it again. Although I've never been to Hawaii or Mexico, I imagine that the beaches and forests there are much like those I saw in Australia, but a hell of a lot closer. I didn't get to see much Australian wildlife, but I don't have to travel twelve hours on a plane when I can see it at the zoo. I must admit that I loved Sydney and its big city vibe, and I wouldn't mind going back to see more of it. And for that matter, I still haven't seen Australia's other big city, Melbourne. But I'll take my time planning the return.

# posted by billklee @ 14:06