A Ponyride and Bushwalk

So we didn´t quite ride a pony, but we were treated to a 2 hour tour in a fully restored 1967 convertible mustang… a true treat given that every piece was scavenged and shipped over from the US and significant time and sweat was required to not only restore the car, but also switch over the driver side to the right.  It was a labor of love and Ross´s, Kim´s dad, favorite hobby.

With clear skies and a fresh breeze, Ross picked us up for a spin in the car before dropping us off for our planned hike.  A quick spin turned into an informative and entertaining 2 hour tour of Manly and surrounding headlands.

 

The view from the Manly Bluffs

 

Smiling from all of the fun facts, Ross said good-bye to us at the Spit, where we were to begin the 12 km walk back to Manly along the Manly Scenic Walkway.

The trail hugged the bay´s shore, winding through the jungle and bush and dropped us off at the Manly Wharf.  Far removed from civilization (at least in feeling) it felt more like we were on a deserted island rather than just outside of Sydney.  The only problem with being that remote however was the abundance of wildlife, including my favorite spiders (the Huntsman) and large lizards.  I spent the first 3km alternating between looking up for spiders and down for lizards.  I eventually had Martin lead the way which helped somewhat, except when he would stop to take photos of plants and flowers… which was more often than one would imagine!

Martin leading the way

A Huntsman spider...only slightly enlarged 

We thankfully made it back to town safely, with just enough time for a shower before heading to Sydney for a send-off dinner with Kim and Nick.