Day 52

Thursday 23^rd December 2010

We got up to a cloudy day but determined not to be put off we headed back to Manly beach on the ferry. We had a spot of Xmas shopping to do and then headed down to the beach.

Despite the cloud it was hot and the beach was packed – with Aussie school kids. We found a space the size of a postage stamp and lay down for a peaceful hour of cloudbathing – or so we thought! Surrounded by the boiling pot of hormones of the Aussie youth the beach was anything but peaceful. Franky assumed the role of grumpy old man and after an hour or so of general observational grumbling he declared, ‘Well I can’t stay here all day, I can’t relax!’….. so we had to move.

The teens were also scattered all the way down the Corso (main street) to Hungry Jack’s (Aussie Burger King) so we grabbed a take away salad for lunch and went down the promenade for a picnic.

Where we appeared to have happened upon a group of holidaying monks! They were happily posing for picture with their digital cameras whilst listening to their iPods but still wearing only the traditional orange robes – how random? Then they were all packed away on a coach and whisked away!

After lunch we headed down the beach to a more peaceful spot where grumpy old man Frank was able to concentrate on his novel.

He even contemplated venturing into the sea as there were big waves today …. But, on spotting a couple of jellyfish on the way in, he chickened out and came back to the towel! We’ve since been informed that these jellyfish are completely harmless!!!

We made our way back to the ferry via the ice cream joint in the ferry terminal (they do the BEST strawberry icecream ever). Franky is now ambivalent about the amazing vistas of Sydney harbour. Despite having prime spot at the front of the boat he was too engrossed in his Lee Child novel to give them a second glance.

We got back to the hotel with just enough time to shower and change before heading back out to the Ship Inn at Circular Quay for our dinner date with Sheridan and her fella, Nick. We put away a few schooners of beer as the sun went down and then headed up into the rocks, the oldest area of Sydney, which is full of pubs and restaurants. Sheridan’s recommendation was to do the gormet pizzas at The Australian Hotel and this was a good one. We had a duck pizza, a tandoori chicken and a surf and turf they were so gooooooooood! Throw in a huge bowl of wedges, salad and a great bottle of (New Zealand?) red wine and we made a happy foursome. The company was great. Nick is a good laugh… and takes banter well. He almost spat his beer all over us when Franky called him ‘Sailor Boy’ – that’s what you get when a well built 6 foot odd Aussie bloke comes out for dinner in white jeans and a blue and white stripey shirt!!!!

The pub eventually closed up around us and as Sheridan and Nick had work the next day we thought we’d better called it a night so we headed home to bed.