W and I took a long walk to McKell Park at the end of Darling Point on Sunday afternoon. It’s a great little spot, especially with the mercury gradually rising. He took some pictures of me and these are my favourites. I’m toying with the idea of buying a Nikon so we can share lenses, but I’ve been a ‘Canon girl’ pretty much all my life! First world problems indeed..

Last night in a random fit of inspiration I decided to move my room around. There’s a little more space now though I managed to put a small dent in the wall – argh. Thinking of moving a shelf or a clothes rack in there soon, I need more storage!

Sydney weather has hit it’s lowest for the year, I think. My heart sinks a little every morning I look outside and the sky is not the brilliant blue I always expect it to be. Even then, the shadows run long and the wind bites. I’m still in a bit of a denial and I’m sure I’ve left part of myself somewhere in the Aegean.. my Winter clothes are still sitting in a box in the basement and I can’t be bothered to get them out. No wonder I’m freezing my ass off! But ironically I find Winter a little less cold each year. Perhaps I’m finally getting used to it, and perhaps it’s finally getting used to me?

It’s only July but I’m already obsessed with the coming (Australian) Summer months – planning, anticipating, day-dreaming.. it feels a little like the void a lover leaves only there’s nothing you can really do about the weather but to wait, or move with it.. and I can’t say I haven’t been tempted to especially when I have so many amazing friends around the world. Some days I wonder if this wanderlust is a curse or a blessing. I can’t seem to get Summer’s promise of sunshine and freedom out of my head..

Next stop – Tasmania. In Winter. Oh dear.

Finally made my way to La Perouse on Australia Day (26th Jan) as we had a day off from work. Been wanting to go there for a while as I saw some photos of the place by some very talented local photographers and thought that I should check it out.

When I got there I realised I should have brought my snorkels and fishing pole, there were plenty of people chilling out on the little ‘island’ with a few eskis of beer and fishing the afternoon away. I haven’t fished in a while and perhaps that’s something to add to my list of things to do next month. It was a lovely day for it as well, even with liberal application of suntan oil I am slightly burnt from my day out.

Was a little amused that a lovely Greek man that ran a cafe there directed me to the nude beach! I am fine with topless sunbathing in enclosed areas but I draw the line at full nudity. What’s the protocol on nude beaches anyway? I think it wouldn’t be fair to go to one with clothes on while everyone is naked!

Jo rang and the first thing he said to me when I mentioned that I was at La Perouse was “Are you at the gay beach or the straight one?”

There were some locals harvesting fresh sea urchin under the bridge and I went over to say hello. I’ve had some sea urchin roe before when dad was here and can’t really stomach the thought of eating it straight out of an urchin on an empty stomach so I had to politely decline their very generous offer to share!

Also met a lovely little aborigine boy who was standing on the cliffs and saying hello to everyone who walked past, and told me to have a nice day. He was so adorable and I wished I had a picture of him. He had the cutest smile!

And then I made my way to Bondi to join the tens of thousands of people who decided to do the same thing and spend Australia Day on Australia’s most famous beach.

I wish Summer was endless. There are so many beaches here all up and down the East coast that I have yet to explore!

—

On a different note, should I buy an underwater casing for my Canon G11 (~A$300) or spend A$100 more on one of those all-weather compacts from Olympus/Panasonic? I have been sitting on this for ages and can’t decide – much as I’d like to bring the G11 out to water it’s easier if I had something smaller I wouldn’t need to worry about? But G11 takes amazing pics.