Royal National Park
We had a full day planned in Royal National Park today. One of the things we really wanted to visit was the Wedding Cake Rock along the Coastal walk. So our friend Physio would drive us out to the National Park and we would make a day of it.
Coastal Walk
In order to get to Wedding Cake Rock, we would have to take a short 3-4 kilometer coastal walk. It must be something about the Australian coast, but every time I’ve taken a “coastal” walk so far, its been nothing short of amazing! We walked along the cliffs, looking out at the ocean, and seeing waves crash against rocks. The views were incredible and the landscapes were breathtaking. It was an easy walk and we stopped often to take photos.
Wedding Cake Rock
We had Wedding Cake Rock on our list of places to visit from the beginning. The way that the rock is colored and how it hangs over a cliff makes it look like a slice of cake! Because of cracks in the base and some deaths though the area around the wedding cake rock has been fenced off to keep people safe.
We were told by many locals during our time here that even though there is a fence, lots of people have hopped it for the photo opportunity. With a little courage and a sense of adventure our party also did “as the locals” did. We quickly hopped the fence to grab a picture on the famous rock one by one. It was exhilarating! On one hand, if we were caught by a park ranger, there would have been a hefty fine, while on the other, you didn’t want to be “that guy” that was caught when the rock finally fell, or be “that tourist” that died. Thankfully we all survived.
For those of you planning to visit, I can’t really condone doing what we did, but at the same time it was a once in a lifetime opportunity. I would simply say to exercise your own best judgement when presented with the choice.
Emboldened by our adventures, there was another outcropping that we had passed on our initial walk that would have been an adventurous spot. On our way back we worked up the courage to take some more photos on that ledge. To be honest, this second spot felt scarier then Wedding Cake. Maybe because it was windier and you were higher off the ground, so it was a thrill and we loved it.
Again, if you were to do the same, please exercise common sense and sound judgement.
Wattamolla Beach
After our death defying adventures along the coastal walk, the plan was to relax at Wattamolla beach. Many people had mentioned that this was “the” beach to visit and they were right. Unlike Manly, Bondi or Coogee, it wasn’t crowded and offered an amazing view of the ocean. What was unique about it was that the beach itself had its own lagoon behind the ocean. So we had an opportunity to step into the ocean, swim in the lagoon and lie on the beach with one on each side! It was a very relaxing way to end an adventurous first half!
Brunch and Co in Alexandria
The next day we didn’t have a lot on our agenda, we wanted to keep it a bit relaxed given how heavily we’d been going for the first few days of our trip. Photos had arranged to have brunch with a friend and I tagged along. We had brunch at Brunch and Co in Alexandria and I had a great Eggs Benny.
Miso Japanese Restaurant
We didn’t have much else planned, so for the first time in our trip we went back to Photo’s cousins home to take a nap before dinner. The plan was to take the family out so that we could thank them for allowing us to stay with them. We ended up sleeping for a few hours, and then met up with the family for Japanese food at a restaurant called Miso. Miso serves Japanese bento boxes and we all ordered different ones. It was pretty tasty and a good meal to end the Sydney portion of our trip. I also wanted to say a big thank you to Photo’s cousins for allowing us to stay with them. It was great to meet them, and allowed us to stay in a comfortable and safe place! I’m very grateful they were able to make room for us!
Botanical Gardens at night
After dinner, Photos and I had been planning to head out to the Botanical Gardens, to see if we could get some final shots of the Sydney Opera house and bridge in the evening. However we didn’t realize that the Botanical Gardens close in the evening and had to settle for less shots than we could have gotten. However it was still a great way to see the city skyline in the evening!
Coffee with a friend
We were able to schedule a last minute late night meeting with an old friend right before we were to head home to pack. He was a cousin of a friend in Vancouver and had visited us years ago. I wasn’t sure if we would have been able to meet up given scheduling, but it was great when he had time and we grabbed a quick drink, and caught up!
I really enjoyed Sydney, it was a lot like home in many respects and certainly a city that I could see myself living in. (save for the heat!) I would certainly return (if only to see friends) and would enjoy exploring the multitudes of places I have yet to see!
Tomorrow we will board a plane bound for the centre of Australia, where we will be camping for a few days in and around the Uluru region.