Dispatches : BostonCube

	13 Feb '03, Surf, sand and opera
There's not many places where you can go surfing all day and then watch an opera. If you're into people trilling away in Italian for several hours instead of speaking (and getting through it faster than English cricketers take to lose a game), then Syndey is the somewhere you will enjoy. The Opera House is one of the most distinctive buildings around, on a par with the Pyramids, Eiffel Tower and Statue of Liberty. But when you get close it just doesn't seem all that big from the outside. Sydney is also where Australia started and it gives you a feeling that the place has been around a while and has been well used, like an old armchair. Perhaps that's because the city grew naturally rather than being planned from the outset or it's just the size of the place. But with several construction projects currently underway (no need for an alarm clock!) And within an hour of the city there are some of the finest beaches in the world. Everyone has heard of Bondi beach, but there are many others to choose from that are a lot less crowded. I spent the day in Manly which is a short ferry ride away. The main beach was quite busy with swimming restricted to a small section at one end due to the tide, surf and a few blue jellyfish. While the girls were catching some rays I noticed a line of dark RIBs racing across the bay just beyond the surf zone and a transport plane started circling overhead. Next thing the sky was full of paratroopers. It wasn't the Kiwi's launching a pre-emptive strike for the Super 12 but an army exercise. Why they decided to use a public beach is a mystery to me, but it was entertaining watching some of them land in the surf or even on the beach itself, much to the surprise of people sunbathing there. The second attempt was much better with only two of them getting washed up on the shore. A quick lunch and short walk later found us on Shelley beach which was nicely sheltered by a headland and much better swimming. It reminded me of the beaches in Brazil for some reason. I can't wait to move out of the hostel tomorrow. Sharing a tiny six bed dorm with no fan, a disconnected air-con and a window that opens about two inches in not my idea of fun when it never gets below 24C. Footprints may be in the process of upgrading, but they've got a long way to go yet. The YHA costs a few dollars more but it's a luxury hotel by comparison and even has a roof top pool (more of a paddling pool but it still counts). Guess there's nothing for it but to go to Scubar for a pitcher or two of VB.
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