Had a FERRY Happy Day

Saturday I went with my two new mates (Aussie word for friend, amigo, pal, etc.), Sara and Brye, on an excursion to Manly. I met Sara at my RSA training class. She too had just arrive from the states and was looking for people to explore Sydney with. Sara introduced me to Brye, who she met through a mutual friend and works as an American au pair about a half hour outside Sydney. Manly is a beach and town across the Sydney Harbor which requires you to take a ferry to get there. Possibly the most stunning commute anyone in the world has to take. Life must be so hard for these Manly folks. I know I found taking in the exquisite views of Sydney from the water to be pretty taxing.

Sydney from the ferry

View from ferry

In Manly you will find beautiful beaches, an aquarium, and stretches of shops and cafes. Famish from the trip over, we first grabbed fish and chips from a small place that advertised it was voted "the best." I, however, may have to disagree with that claim do to one small, but significant fact: I had to pay for tomato sauce, otherwise known as ketchup. If you ask for ketchup they will look at you like you have ten heads. It's tomato sauce down under. This irks me slightly because tomato sauce is what you put on a heaping bowl of pasta. Regardless, my problem is not that I had to order "tomato sauce" but that I had to pay a pretty penny for it. It cost $1.90 for a small container of ketchup! I kid you not. Erroneous. Or I could buy a teeny, tiny ketchup packet that would cover one flimsy chip (french fry) for 50 cents. I went with this option because I refused to fork over 2 dollars for a red condiment that in the states is free and practically as plentiful as water. Then when I tried to open this shrimp of a ketchup packet, it exploded on my coat. Of course. So I would classify this fish 'n chips shop as mediocre at best. Moving on.

We snacked on our lunch while lounging on the beach. And then proceeded to lounge on the beach. It was pretty stressful. There were a ton of people in the water which I found surprising because it is winter here, and even though the sun was shining brightly, the wind was blowing more fiercely. I thought it was quite chilly. But those manly surfers disagreed. They flocked to the ocean waters, board in hand, and surfed the day away. I was reminded of the Beach Boy's classic, Surfing USA, except everybody's going surfing in Australia (obviously). 

Sara & Brye enjoying their fish 'n chips

Lounging on the beach (stolen pic from Brye)

Coastline

The remainder of the day consisted of more beach lounging, and then strolling around the shops, street fairs and beaches. On our way back to the ferry to return to Sydney, we grabbed gourmet Swedish ice cream. As we stood waiting for the ferry, I looked around me and noticed that every single person around me was waiting with ice cream in hand and I thought to myself, "What a wonderful world." Then on the ferry we saw a whale! I was more excited than a kid in Disney World. It was the first time I have ever seen a whale in the wild. So gosh darn cool. I tried to snap a pic of Shamu. If you look very closely, way out in the distance you will see a black spot. That's him! You will just have to take my word.

Whale spotting

Indeed we did! It was a ferry happy, relaxing day.