Monday 7 January 2013

Rockin' the suburbs



I'm not sure how I'm rockin' them exactly, unless 'rockin'' means 'living in and walking around,' in which case I am a bloody rock god. If 'god' means someone who walks around for a few hours at a time trying to photograph elusive birds until he gets tired, a bit bored and sunburnt, so goes back to his comfortable room to watch QI (there must be some obscure religion, surely?)

I stayed in Sydney Suburbia for six weeks in the end, which has been plenty of time to get to know one specific area intimately, on days when I wasn't stubbornly insisting on extracting the maximum value for money from my travel pass by making six-hour round trips to see some slightly different cliffs. This month's blogs may get a little repetitive, sorry. I hope you like green.


Warriewood Wetlands



I was really impressed by the cockatoos for about a day,
until I realised they were the ones responsible for the shrieking din



Reclusive rabbit. Who am I, Bill Oddie?



Some kind of bird, isn't it?



They're never going to fit all that in the car




Today's irrelevant soundtrack: Agatha Christie, The ABC Murders (BBC dramatisation)


Sydney Harbour National Park



Middle Head seemed like a good starting point for exploring this intermittent national park, with its wartime fortifications and patronisingly well-paved bush trails



I wouldn't have known about this place if not for its appearance as various extraterrestrial ruins in Farscape. Over-enthusiastic Farscape Tour of Sydney coming soon



I considered heading down to the secluded beach until I read the sign:



I guess that explains its seclusion. And why it's called Cobblers Beach



Instead, I scarpered



And worked my way around Manly's frilly coast,
from the charmingly named Little Manly Cove to the unpleasantly named Spit



Forty Baskets Beach



Dobryod Head (and Dave Head, and Body)



Manly from Dobroyd Head



Arabanoo Lookout



Castle Rock



Ancient Aboriginal engravings at Grotto Point.
This one supposedly depicts 'land and sea'



Can't see anything in this one



The lizards impressed me at first, but they lost their appeal too. I've seen bigger



Spit Bridge marks the end of my journey



Now I'd just have to wander lost around residential streets for another hour or so trying to find a bus stop. Travelling's no less confusing when you speak the language




Today's irrelevant soundtrack: David Icke, Beyond the Cutting Edge