The Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk

This takes place on Day 449, February 19, 2012

Australia is expensive. Very expensive. At least in terms of a backpackers budget. After the insanely cheap living I was doing in South East Asia, Australia was a massive shock. Even knowing that it would be expensive did not fully prepare me.

And so, I began really looking for anything to do that was awesome and free. Thankfully, searching Google for “free things to do in Sydney” brings up a host of options, including probably the most popular option I found: the Coastal Walk between Bondi Beach and Coogee Beach.

Since I was closer to Tamarama Beach, I cheated a tad and decided to start my trek from there, rather than going all the way back to Bondi. I’m a rebel I tells ya!

The walk winds around Tamarama and follows the road towards the next beach along the coast: Bronte. 

Bronte even has a natural rock pool to swim in which is awesome. The rocks break up the large ocean waves, creating a calm section that even kids can swim in. Beside that is a manmade pool that is simply filled with ocean water.

The walk continues, past some amazing golden coloured cliffs which are hard to not clamber up for some amazing views over the water.

 
Past the cliffs, the path leads down some wooden pathways that hug the cliff face, running past the large Waverley Cemetery.

 

Turning around from looking back to the cemetery, you are confronted with the narrow, concrete rimmed, Clovelly Beach. While not the largest beach along the trek, it’s one of the more calm ones thanks to the large breakwater. Fish love it too, so Clovelly has become a popular spot for snorkelling.

The walk continues down a long stretch of stairs that leads to the seemingly abandoned Gordon’s Bay. This was the only place along the walk where I felt truly alone. I didn’t see anyone at all.

And here’s where I got lazy. I walked halfway to the next beach, Coogee, before I just kinda just stopped. I sat on the cliff between Gordon’s Bay and Coogee and just looked around. I may not have gone all the way, but I still felt like it had been a great day. Plus I still had to walk all the way back.

The walk back was just as amazing, seeing everything from different angles. And since the sun was still up when I got back around to Tamarama, I decided to keep going all the way to Bondi, passing by Mackenzie’s Point on the way. By now it was getting busier along the trails as more people were off work and out for an early evening stroll or taking their dogs out for a walk.

I ended the day by having a little frozen yogurt at a place on Bondi Beach. It was a great way to end an already great day. But it was about to get even better. Walking back to Paula’s place, I saw someone just up the street from me. My eyes saw but I couldn’t really believe it.

That is the team that won the first ever Amazing Race Australia. And just up the street, walking with his friends, was Nathan, the one on the right in the video above. Anyone who knows me, or has been reading this blog, knows how obsessed I am with this show. So it wasn’t a big surprise that my brain basically turned to mush. I stopped and pointed.

He looked back at me and asked “Can I help you?”

All I could say was “Amazing Race!”

His friends laughed. We chatted a bit, me being the completely awestruck fan. In the end we took a couple photos together and parted, leaving me in an intense state of glee.