Bondi heaven..
I did it...sort of...yes, I took a surfing lesson, no I didn't managed to get upright on the board. The only slots available were in the 9:30am class, which meant an 8am start in order to make the one hour walk to Bondi. You don't get better morning walks than from Clovelly to Bondi - a long winding path which overlooks spectacular wave-worn cliffs. And boy do the Australians get out - both at 8am and 5pm, the path was full of joggers, walkers, dogs, kids and the occasional tourist. Plus it's so clean - in general Australia is one of the least trash strewn countries I've been to - Brits and Americans would do well to emulate the Australians.
Bondi is certainly easy to fall in love with - soft sand, great waves, nice cafes and warm sun. At this point in the spring, it's not yet chock-a-block with people so rather relaxed. Bondi does have a reputation for being a place to be seen, so perhaps my opinion would have been different had I first come during the peak season. The surfing school (www.letsgosurfing.com.au), which is at the north edge of the beach, is quite a bargain - 59 AUS$ student rate for a 2 hour class with no more than six students. That includes wetsuit, board, sunscreen and class.
After slathering on sunscreen and squeezing into wetsuits, it's off to the beach to get boards and learn the basics. There were about 10 of us - all but one were Europeans - and I ended up in a class of four - me, another Brit, a Swiss guy and an Austrian woman, all in our mid-20s to early 30s. Leo, our instructor, is Brazilian, but has lived in Australia since he was a kid.
You quickly learn that surfing is very physical and very tiring - it takes a lot of energy to carry the board down to the water, then swim out beyond the deeper channel to where the waves are good. And then there's the actual surfing!
We were taught the basics on the beach, and then Leo helped to position us on our boards to catch some small waves. At first, we just lay on the boards and pushed up with our hands to ride the waves on our stomachs, but after another on-shore demo, we attempted to stand. Leo, in his infinite patience, helped to tow me and another girl out since we were getting knocked about by the waves a bit.
I didn't manage to stand up - probably a combination of insecurity and lack of leg muscle - but now have at least a basic idea of how to surf. Not to mention, a great deal of respect for those who can surf. It takes so much strength & agility, plus the ingestion of enough salt to meet one's daily need for weeks. I certainly won't be needing to salt my food for awhile.
After shedding several layers of sand, the four us headed over to grab a well deserved lunch at one of the beachside cafes. Follwing lunch, the other Brit and I did some shopping at the Bondi surf store. Then of course, we took full advantage of the sunbathing possibilities of the beach. There was a fair breeze blowing, so it was a bit chilly when the sun ducked behind a cloud. After a good long snooze, we had tea overlooking the beach before parting ways.
The leg muscles were definately sore on the walk back, but it's hard to complain about getting to take such a scenic walk. I think the most fascinating part of the walk is the graveyard - most of the graves are from the 1940s or earlier, and it's intriguing to read the inscriptions. Many plots hold several people, with each grave a story in its own.
So, tomorrow it's off to the Taronga Zoo and dinner.
I did it...sort of...yes, I took a surfing lesson, no I didn't managed to get upright on the board. The only slots available were in the 9:30am class, which meant an 8am start in order to make the one hour walk to Bondi. You don't get better morning walks than from Clovelly to Bondi - a long winding path which overlooks spectacular wave-worn cliffs. And boy do the Australians get out - both at 8am and 5pm, the path was full of joggers, walkers, dogs, kids and the occasional tourist. Plus it's so clean - in general Australia is one of the least trash strewn countries I've been to - Brits and Americans would do well to emulate the Australians.
Bondi is certainly easy to fall in love with - soft sand, great waves, nice cafes and warm sun. At this point in the spring, it's not yet chock-a-block with people so rather relaxed. Bondi does have a reputation for being a place to be seen, so perhaps my opinion would have been different had I first come during the peak season. The surfing school (www.letsgosurfing.com.au), which is at the north edge of the beach, is quite a bargain - 59 AUS$ student rate for a 2 hour class with no more than six students. That includes wetsuit, board, sunscreen and class.
After slathering on sunscreen and squeezing into wetsuits, it's off to the beach to get boards and learn the basics. There were about 10 of us - all but one were Europeans - and I ended up in a class of four - me, another Brit, a Swiss guy and an Austrian woman, all in our mid-20s to early 30s. Leo, our instructor, is Brazilian, but has lived in Australia since he was a kid.
You quickly learn that surfing is very physical and very tiring - it takes a lot of energy to carry the board down to the water, then swim out beyond the deeper channel to where the waves are good. And then there's the actual surfing!
We were taught the basics on the beach, and then Leo helped to position us on our boards to catch some small waves. At first, we just lay on the boards and pushed up with our hands to ride the waves on our stomachs, but after another on-shore demo, we attempted to stand. Leo, in his infinite patience, helped to tow me and another girl out since we were getting knocked about by the waves a bit.
I didn't manage to stand up - probably a combination of insecurity and lack of leg muscle - but now have at least a basic idea of how to surf. Not to mention, a great deal of respect for those who can surf. It takes so much strength & agility, plus the ingestion of enough salt to meet one's daily need for weeks. I certainly won't be needing to salt my food for awhile.
After shedding several layers of sand, the four us headed over to grab a well deserved lunch at one of the beachside cafes. Follwing lunch, the other Brit and I did some shopping at the Bondi surf store. Then of course, we took full advantage of the sunbathing possibilities of the beach. There was a fair breeze blowing, so it was a bit chilly when the sun ducked behind a cloud. After a good long snooze, we had tea overlooking the beach before parting ways.
The leg muscles were definately sore on the walk back, but it's hard to complain about getting to take such a scenic walk. I think the most fascinating part of the walk is the graveyard - most of the graves are from the 1940s or earlier, and it's intriguing to read the inscriptions. Many plots hold several people, with each grave a story in its own.
So, tomorrow it's off to the Taronga Zoo and dinner.
posted by Scottish Missy at 2:49 AM
1 Comments:
Surfing! Wow, sounds like you're having fun. Tell Elisabeth and Brandon I said hello!
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