Our final days in Sunny Sydney

The bug had got us for surfing so we were up and out on the waves again on Sunday morning. The waves were still fine for us beginners and I was in and out of the water constantly determined to get to my feet and properly surf! Jen and Lizzy were keen photographers trying to capture that brief moment and were telling me to take a break as I was knackered. I wish I had listened to them as the last wave I tried to catch really was my last - I think I may have broken or cracked a rib on that one as I have been in pain ever since. Well worth the fun we had though.

That afternoon, Jen and Matt drove us north of Sydney to Palm Beach for a picnic overlooking the beach and some very very impressive kite surfing - they were jumping about 30 feet out of the water - and landing! Made my tiny rib breaking wave look pathetic! We had a great picnic and then took the walk up to the lighthouse overlooking Palm Beach. Once at the bottom we did the tourist thing of having our picture taken outside the Summer Bay Surf Club from Home and Away!

The weather was due to not be as hot in the week so we planned in our Aquarium visit and meeting Jenny and Matt at Darling Harbour for dinner and a beer. I also met up with a friend I used to go to school with who I haven't seen for 16 years!!

We decided the weather was good enough on the Wednesday so we took on the Manly Spit walk, about a 3 hour walk from Manly along the coast line to the Spit. Then jumped on a bus to the city and then a ferry to have some well earned fish and chips from Doyles at Watson Bay. Beautiful!

Jen and Matt very kindly bought Lizzy and I a surf lesson from the pros on Manly Beach. I was unable to do the lesson due to rib but Lizzy soldiered on and took on some pretty serious waves - much better than I did so am very proud of her. A couple of serious wipe outs and a board that was nearly twice her height but she was a real tropper and kept going out to catch that perfect wave. She was knackered but thoroughly enjoyed it.

A quick catch up and a beer with the Swedish girls from our Fraser Island trip and then dinner with Jen and Matt before our very early departure for New Zealand tomorrow where the adventures continue.

Thanks to Jen and Matt for brilliant hospitality and amazing generousity (and for feeding us so well - will be a shock getting back to the homebrand pasta!)

NZ here we come - Thanks Oz, its been brilliant!