Day 12: Bondi Beach

Hey squad! My name is Leda Rossmann and I’m an incoming junior studying history.

We flew to Sydney early this morning - the airport experience is so different here than in the US. There was barely any wait times for security or bag check so we got plenty of time to explore the Lego store and get some breakfast. Our flight was almost three hours and pretty much everyone slept the whole time. 

We arrived in sunny Sydney very excited for warm weather since it’s been pretty rainy in Melbourne and Cairns. We drove to Bondi Beach to visits the legendary Bondi Icebergs Swim Club. One of the club members spoke to us about the history of the club and its importance to Sydney’s culture. The pools are saltwater and freezing cold. I was so excited to jump in. I was a competitive swimmer for most of my life so the water is one of the most calming and nostalgic places I can be. The water wasn’t too bad, in actuality. We had some races going and I even beat Dougie.👸 We also checked out the sauna which was an interesting vibe (a lot of old guys).

Our amazing bus driver took us on a guided tour of the Sydney sights. We saw The Gap and heard the story of Don Ritchie, who saved at least 180 people from committing suicide off of the rocks. It was great to see the work the government has done in terms of suicide prevention in that area after his death. We also saw Lady Macquarie’s Chair where she would look into the harbor to watch for ships bringing news of her family during the early colonization days. 

We saw some of Vivid Sydney, a sort of light/art show in the harbor, lights into the sky and on the bridge, and art projected onto the Opera House and other buildings. A small group of us went to get pancakes at Pancakes on the Rocks and got to hear some of the Burtons’ stories about their past journeys to Australia. I can’t wait to explore Sydney more!