Sydney #SOLO

When you look at Sydney on a map the first thing you think is- WOW, look at that surface area to land ratio- rather impressive indeed. Zoom out and I am sure you will agree, the sea carving into New South Wales resembles an intricate plant root system or series of snaking blood vessels racing one another towards Australia’s heart. There Sydney struts, carefully balancing as she prances along all these twists and turns with a playful pride. Boasting not just a huge metropolis, but also a wealth of beaches and bays, both large and small. She manages to combine smart with casual, suits with swimmers, heels with thongs, and skateboards with surfboards - essentially a lifestyle of both city and beach; a skill very few other cities have managed to achieve. And this is what struck me the most in making Sydney quite so unique.

Let’s lay the ground for the geography of this sprawling city. Lay your arms down on the table in front of you, palms and wrists facing down (keep elbows bent- don’t want you lying down!!). Your forearms represent North and South Sydney, left and right respectively. Now spread your fingers out and bring your thumbs together to form a bridge- these will become the infamous Habour Bridge[1] connecting north and south. The dips between your fingers on your left hand depict the northern beaches, namely Shelly, Manly and all the way up to Palm Beach at your pinkie, where the most expensive beach houses gaze down on its comrades.

Taking the ferry over to Manly is one of the best ways to spend a day in Sydney. Feel the breeze through your hair, and revel at the sheer size and spectacle of the iconic Harbour Bridge, city skyline, and Sydney Opera House as you head out of Circular Quay. I encourage you to stick you head (and only the head) out the side of the boat and let your tongue hang loose like a dog out the window #SOLOPERKS. Then do the classic Mr Bean scan of the crowd for any potential spectators who would be better off minding their own business.  You glide past numerous sailing boats with The wind in their sails, each on their own happy course. I take some random boat pictures to send to my Dad along with a mental note to warn him that yes, sharks do like to patrol the harbour area, particularly at dawn and dusk (apologies to those who must now go cancel their sunrise harbour kayak experience- been there mate). Throughout the journey, you might be tempted to point and shout out “look at that!” or “WOW, what a beautehh beach!” but remember, this is a SOLO trip and you are quite content without these silly little remarks.

Upon arrival at Manly Beach, you enjoy observing the long, beautiful bay littered with surfers and wonder how high the unemployment rate is here. Walk along the coastal trail towards Shelly Beach and stop for a typical Acai bowl from ACAI.SYD en route- not quite Bondi standard, but delicious nonetheless. Add an additional ten minutes to your walking time to allow for picture stops, not just for the spectacular views but also the frequent Eastern Water Dragon bathing in the sun! Not quite as menacing and exciting as it sounds, but these lizards reach the length of your arm so can still generate quite the squeal of excitement. As soon as you catch a glimpse of Shelly Beach you immediately understand why it is so worth the visit (thanks Eleonora!). The transparency of water truly deserves the ‘crystal clear’ cliché and it remains so perfectly still that just looking down you can see fish dart around your legs. A much slower spot than Manly (yet not quiet enough to keep the likes of influencer Natacha Ocean away!), relax and read your book before popping by The Boathouse for a coffee or spot of lunch!

As you embark on your journey back from your blissful beach day, you notice the other of North Sydney’s tentacles, such as Kirribilli and Kurraba point. Here you find idyllic suburbs promising all the CBD views and coastal perks just a 12-minute drive across the bridge, but without the rush and exhaustion of the city itself. I spent one of my favourite evenings here at a typical Aussie bbq with an effortlessly kind, energetic, and welcoming family. A night of delicious food, fantastic company, and wacky games was the perfect dose of socialising I needed, and I returned feeling happy and ready to take on Bondi!

So, back to the bridge. Extending inwards from your right thumb is the bustling harbour area, or Circular Quay, where city workers squint up at the sharp crested dorsal fins of the Opera House as they make their daily ferry commute to the CBD. Hopping off, they cast a critical eye at those Gen Z’s sipping on their oat capps at the latest pop-up café or “co-working” space at 11am. “Working from home” has never become more synonymous with “home from work” and they tut tut at how they will never know a hard day’s work. This area is known as The Rocks; a notoriously trendy area spilling over with popular cafes and brunch spots. I highly recommend La Renaissance Patisserie for a fresh, still warm almond croissant and (hate to say it) oat milk cappuccino…

Continue from here into the deep curve between your right thumb and index- snuggled in here is the Royal Botanical Gardens which extends all the way up to the tip of your index where it juts out into the ocean. Got to be one of my favourite spots; so abundantly rich in vibrant shades of green, tangled up in a web of tranquil ponds and brightly-coloured flowers, enticing all sorts of exotic birdlife. Escape from the buzz of the city to the hum of the birds for a snapshot of serenity. And, for a 10/10 solo evening, visit the Westpac Open Air cinema for, quite frankly, the MOST cinematic experience of your life (no pun intended hehe). Watch a film overlooking the ocean, bordered by the Royal Opera House on your right, and the Harbour Bridge and city skyline to the left (and in my case, Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone behind- NOT a permanent feature sadly). The sky turns from blue to orange to pink as you munch on your pre-film pizza, a beautifully silent experience which truly enhances the flavour of each mouthful. Note- I highly recommend ordering from Lucio’s pizzeria for a decent Neapolitan style pizza (make sure to add truffle oil- I assure you, you won’t regret it).  

For those of you prone to sweaty palms, by this point you might be starting to feel the wrath of this exercise, but I urge you to persevere! Peer down at the centre of your right palm and, for those with impaired visual, I do apologise, and also perhaps suggest you prop your glasses further up the bridge of your nose. You will be looking down for a while… Here you meet the beating heart of Sydney’s CBD with Pitt Street and George Street traversing horizontally as the main shopping streets. Beneath this, you enter the colourful, more authentically rugged suburbs of Newtown, Glebe, and Alexandria. Peruse the vintage shops, alternative vegan cafes, and pay a visit to the Glebe Market selling an enormous range of second-hand clothing, film-cameras, and street food to keep you going through this local must-do experience. However, I do recommend escaping the hectic chaos of the market cuisine, and just for a while, grab a seat and fresh panini from ‘Oh my days’ vegan café, or ‘Sappho Books Café’ if you are looking for a more high-brow intellectual break (looking at you lot in the spectacles). If, in the unlikely scenario your panini comes without the promised basil pesto, DO be THAT person and mention it- believe it or not, whilst a free panini will never make up for the lack of basil pesto, it certainly helps to soften the blow- and besides, Karens aren’t ALL bad.  

Now travel to the outer edge of your right hand, what would be south easterly, to that part just below the junction with your pinkie (juts out a little, or is that just me???). Welcome to Bondi! Somehow still just a quick train away from the city, but an entirely different world. I say this because you feel like you have just stepped off a plane, not only for a fun beach holiday, but also for a cultural revolution. If you had thought you would spend your beach weekend chilling on the sand soaking in those UV11+ rays (owch) and eating fish linguini you are in for a nice surprise! Instead, you are embarking on a detoxifying journey to becoming a fitness fanatic stroke clean-diet, health-mad guru. Bit of a mouthful I know but it’s hard to last more than a few days without undergoing this mandatory transition, and by the end of it, you become one of them. A slightly foreign shade of tight black workout clothes, 6am runs along the beach followed by an iced long black and acai bowl “Bondi Boost” edition. Oh, and probably another workout in the outdoor public gym at sunset. But, don’t forget- lights out at 10pm so you can be ready for the next day of ritualised self-help.

Don’t get me wrong there is a side of this that is amazing, and I loved my few days here. A morning run from Bondi to Bronte and back for a quick dip, then coffee and acai as I start my day’s work was a brilliant way to start the day. And evenings sat on the beach or grabbing a drink and gelato from Messina’s with friends, perched on the little hill on the north side of side (alone works too), was a lovely way to end it. If you want a chance to properly swim, rather than somewhat inelegantly pretend to enjoy being crushed under the waves, check out the Iceberg Pool. Just $9 for the day, you have access to an impressive saltwater pool fed by ocean right on the rock edge overlooking the whole of Bondi beach. However, by my last day here I began to notice a slight underlying toxicity to this idealised Bondi hype. The true driver behind such a “clean” lifestyle is appearance and aesthetics, to such an extent that any element of balance and authenticity is lost to the mercy of artificiality. Think planting a fake tree instead of a real one, so that leaves don’t fall on your beloved car and make it dirty. With this in mind, despite being someone who loves being active and keeping healthy, there is a cultural crux for me that would make the initial sweetness of living here turn bitter.  

But, the good news- it’s not all about Bondi! Go north, up your right hand pinkie finger towards Watsons Bay. I was lucky enough to have my favourite Bondi local, Arie, show me around her favourite, tucked away viewpoints and beach hideouts. We explored the little Milk Beach with its pristine sand and waters that overlook the city skyline- a very unique and special experience as I don’t know about you but most beaches I’ve been at look out to the ocean!? Next up, we climbed down a tiny narrow set of wooden steps to Kutti Beach after a hilarious, and unfortunately unsuccessful) attempt by Arie to park on the corner of a very steep road (12/10 for effort though!!). This is essentially the backyard beach for three, very lucky, houses and was beautiful! We picnicked here and I laughed when a floating Mr Whippy boat came in to sell ice creams from the water! A final swing by Camp Cove viewpoint gave me a glimpse of yet another stunning bay, this time with emerald, green water from the bordering green trees and shrubs. If you have access to a car, and someone with promising parking potential, I highly recommend checking out some of these less-touristy beach areas.

To summarise, Sydney is a remarkable city, possessing a unique array of qualities from the glitz and glamour of a truly cosmopolitan city to the easy-going surfer dudes and influencer paradise. And for me, whilst not entirely convinced by its surface-level ideal to the extent I would live here, can agree that it makes the perfect destination for a solo week away. Thank you Sydney for a fab time! 😊

You may now release your arms.

Rosanna xxx

P.S. In case you struggled with the arm concept, here is (A) visual showing the normal and natural way one would position their arms in line with my description., and (B) a sketch to compare, the practically identical I’m sure you would agree, REAL map of Sydney.

​[1] I have decided to italicise the names of real places to differentiate from your hands and arms. E.g. don’t want you confusing Palm beach with the palm of your hand, do I!?