We returned to Sydney the next evening and spent the next couple of days exporing the surrounding beaches at Bondi and Coogie. Bear in mind that we were now coming into winter and the winds were getting up a bit..this was more a case of 'viewing' the beaches over a coffee in a local cafe rather than lounging around on the sand. There were a few brave souls surfing between the iconic red and yellow flags on the beach- thats dedication i thought! But as we were leaving one of the English girls in our group who was off to Hong Kong in a few days decided she was determind to not only get a photo next to a flag on Bondi beach but more admirably stripped down to her bikini in order to do so!..sorry guys- didn't feel the need to do the same, may do come September! We caught a ferry from Circular Key that took us round the Opera House, out of Sydney harbour into Manly (another town popular for its beach) This town was also fairly sparse, waiting for the tourist season but Kate and I met a girl in our room who was orginally from Dundee. She was was living in Melbourne Australia now training as a teacher and was visiting Manly on a holiday in order to improve her sufing skills.