Bondi Beach

Well, it is one of those places that you have to visit if you are in NSW Australia, near Sydney. You can't travel half way around the world and not go there now can you? It is an easy train ride from where we are staying (change once) then a bus ride. Now, the train rides go well, but the buses are quite crowded, no one really queues, but pushes in, (I can do that with the best of them chummy, drawing pins secured to elbows a bonus) in a free for all to get on the bus. Once on, a shortish trip to Bondi beach ensues, the travellers are then deposited on the road opposite the beach.

Bondi beach is probably known throughout most of the civilised world it seems. Iconic? Well it would be described by some as such I suppose. The best beach? Debatable at the very least. Visited by tens of thousands of people each year without a doubt. Now the truth about it all dear reader, from a beach lover and connoisseur of the same. Read on........

Bondi beach is a lot smaller than you might imagine. It is also crowded, (even on most weekdays) but not overly so, unless of course you are foolish enough to go there on Christmas day when all the tourists and locals descend upon that patch of sand, just to say they were there on that wonderful day.
I hasten to add that I will be some distance away, on a beach where I can go snorkelling and see fish swimming around the rocks and be with some of my family on that very day, the 25th of December.

Having had the great good fortune to have travelled around the east coast of New Zealand's north island, I can honestly say that any of their beaches and coves are far superior to Bondi beach in just about every way. They are bigger, longer, with far fewer people to spoil the place and with water just as clean and clear. Whilst the weather in New Zealand may not be as reliable as Australia, when the sun shines, (which was a great deal of the time when we were there) the beaches are absolutely splendid.

Now, more on Bondi beach itself. As I said previously, it is smaller than I expected, but no worries. However, the shops and cafes and bars abound, usually patronised by young people, all trying to look nonchalant whilst desperate to be seen in the right attire. Thankfully, due to my mature years, I no longer have to present myself in such a manner, can wear what I wish and behave in a way only the over 60's can do and get away with it! Compared to Manly beach, Bondi is found wanting in my humble opinion. Manly, not suffering from the "look at me everybody" style of patron is a real bonus, also the nearby Shelly beach (just a short, pleasant walk away from Manly) is great for snorkelling as there are rocks nearby, therefore fish to see and it is also good for youngsters as long as they are supervised because the  beach shelves fairly steeply after the first few yards.

To summarise, Bondi, been there, took the photo's. Would I go back again? No, in all honesty, there are far better beaches, one of which I will be gracing with my presence on Christmas day. Smug mode assumed until further notice.

Until the next time, take care of each other, all the best, Grandad.........