Australia Day 3 (Bondi Beach)

Ooooh Bondi. I have dreamed of you. I'm not normally a beach person...partly because of where I live (we get our fill), but also partly because sweat + sand + sharks = SCARY BAD PLACE. Bondi is only a 10-minute ride from Sydney (via bus...15-20 min with the stops), but it still cost us each about $4.60 to get there each way. Public & private (car) transportation is insanely expensive in Australia & New Zealand. It honestly makes Japanese public trans seem downright affordable. But then again, everything is pricey in Australia and New Zealand. Just ask my mother- who bought not one, but two pairs of socks for $17...each. These socks would cost about $5 in Target, btw...and I assure you, these were not spun with gold.

But back to Bondi...it's hard to explain what it's like, but I'll try- think of the sprawling size of sandy Waikiki Beach, but with the funky hippie vibe of Venice Beach (but a bit classier). When you combine them- you have one amazing beach that even I fell in love with.

First stop in Bondi? The weekend Bondi markets...I wanted to buy everything from the classy hippy vendors, but settled for some shea/clay/rose soap for friends. (Everything was waaaay too expensive. $35 onesies, for example.)

Grandpa (its aaaalways grandpa) bought someone some very overpriced ($5), very so-so shaved ice...because we don't have access to great shaved ice here on the daily. :-( 

We set off on a hike in search of aboriginal rock carvings that were supposed to be a few miles away, but never found them. Here's my pic of Bondi from the hike...

Totally Venice, right?

Here's one of two things that I think really takes Bondi to another level- the Icebergs. I have wanted to see the Bondi Icebergs (a private swim club with saltwater pools on Bondi) for many, many moons. Only wish I could have swam in those loooong laned saltwater pools if we'd had more time.

The second thing that just makes Bondi standout- their hiking! We did part of the famous beach side hike from Bondi to Coogee. And it's gorgeous!

Rich redeemed himself as(he was the guide of our failed aboriginal rock carving hike that took us through people's laundry lines and along treacherous cliffs but not to any rock carvings) by finding these carvings instead.  So different from the Hawaiian petroglyphs.

More rock formations. More mini caves for Ryan to live in. I hoisted him up five feet to crawl into this one...right before I saw the sign about staying off the rocks to preserve them. Bad tourist (Ryan, not me...he can read too).

One of the prettiest walks in the world. It may be worth a repeat visit to to finish it and swim at the Icebergs.

More funky Bondi...I'm a sucker for a well done mosaic. 

We had to drag ourselves away from Bondi, because we had an afternoon tour of Sydney Harbor (right under the bridge) for Rich and Ryan on a pirate ship.

Our second stop to Sticky at The Rocks after the pirate ship cruise...

If you can imagine, we watched them form each letter of the word 'Sticky', then pull it out from an 8 inch thick 'log' into a half inch. It took them well over an hour to do.