if i had 24 hours in sydney…

It’s been a year since I’ve been in Sydney and (go figure) I miss it so much! I can’t wait to visit again soon, but when I daydream all I think about are the top things I would do if I had one day to spend in Australia again….
IMG_3245First, I would go for my morning swim in Coogee. I lived right across the street from the beach and couldn’t go about my day without a fresh dip in the cool water.One day, a girl who worked at Love Juice in Coogee Pavillion told me she was very jealous of my morning routine, seeing as I would show up wrapped in a towel, with wet salty hair and sandy feet. I’ll never forget when she told me “you never regret a swim”…which takes me back to a time that I told myself that as I jumped into the rough, sea-weedy water on a stormy day… might have regretted that one.

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Wrapped in my towel and barefoot, I’d make my way over to Coogee Pavillion. I’d get an almond flat white and chat with my favorite people working there. Coogee Pavillion was one of my favorite Marivale restaurants–I’d do anything to go back for some pizza there too! I found myself sitting at he high tops for hours on end working on school work and my blog. It was peaceful to watch all of the people coming and going, and seeing people walk along the beach sidewalk.

IMG_1362I wouldn’t think twice about doing the coast walk! I love going on walks with friends or sometimes alone to clear my head. Each bay throughout the hike was so special and beautiful. The picture above is Gordon’s Bay, just at the beginning of my coast walk….

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…and at the end are the Bondi Icebergs! I never went for a swim in any of the ocean pools, but I was so fascinated by them! The water from the ocean would flow right into the pools.

IMG_2683And then there was brekky at Porch and Parlour at the very end of the walk! I could eat there for breakfast, lunch and dinner if I had my way! 
IMG_2835At some point in the day, I’d be sure to pay a visit to my Aussie family! Michelle is like my second mom (I love you too, mom!!) And her kids are like my younger sisters and brother. This was when we went to Opera Bar to see the sunset before seeing a show at the Opera House. It was such a beautiful night!IMG_2708And OF COURSE, I would go to Messina for the best ice cream in the entire world. I’m pretty sure Messina was the leading cause of my weight gain in Sydney, but it was so worth it! They have a list of specials every week, and the line is always down the block!

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Dinner would 100% be at Three Blue Ducks. I love sitting up at the bar and having hand made cocktails with kangaroo tartare and their pork belly! Yeah, you probably just read that and thought those both sounded equally disgusting, but don’t knock it till you try it! They also just opened The Farm at Byron Bay, which I will definitely be visiting next time I am there!

So there you go…I’ve hopefully sold you on Sydney, and successfully made myself want to cry after making this post. It is such an incredible place, I can’t wait to go back and explore more!

xx


dreamer

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The fact that I miss Australia is an understatement.  I can’t tell you how many times I open Instagram in the morning, where my feed is flooded with Australian bloggers, restaurants, and other people who are in the middle of enjoying a beautiful day in paradise.  My heart hurts a little, then I get up and go about my day.

I know, how dramatic! I had my experience, and I am so thankful for that. I plan to go back again soon, maybe after graduating to either travel or explore…so it was not goodbye forever!

One thing I really miss, and I knew I would miss, is the walk to and from yoga. It took about 15 minutes to walk uphill from Coogee to Clovelly, where I would walk into the intimate space of This is Yoga. Melanie and Michael are amazing teachers, with vibrant and positive personalities which makes the classes even better. After a good one hour sweat, I would make my way back downhill to Coogee. I loved walking at night, looking up at the stars in a complete daze. I would make my way to the end of Beach Road, seeing all of the people eating and drinking at Coogee Pavillion, kids running around playing, and seeing the waves crash on the beautiful shore. The moon would either be lit up over the ocean, or just a crescent in the sky, but it was beautiful either way. The sound of the ocean still resonates in my head, the feeling of the salty breeze, and the overall sense of being grounded.

Sydney truly is a special place. I don’t know anyone who comes back with a single bad thing to say about it. I hope I can go back again soon…but until then I’ll try to keep myself from checking Instagram first thing in the morning!

xx