Wednesday, 18th February 2015 - Manly, Australia

We had intended to go back to Bathurst on Monday, then on Tuesday and then today, but when you wake to the sun streaming in, the water glistening on the beach and people all around enjoying the atmosphere it's difficult to drag yourself away. And so we have stayed.
There is always something happening in Manly, keeping us amused. At Christmas it was the Three Wise Men on camels wandering up and down The Corso, and, for the past few days, it has been the Manly school transport system.
We set out usually around 8.30 for a walk and swim: wait hours for the lift (our building has to have the slowest lifts in Manly), past the Post Office, cross the road and there they are - the kamikaze kids, hundreds of them. There are two primary schools within a couple of blocks and all the pupils seem to travel to school along the beachfront footpath under the pines. There are solemn little girls and noisy little boys, some walking, some running and many on bicycles, scooters and skateboards. Pedestrians beware - it is every man for himself in the rush to get to school.
But it is the odder means of transport that keep us amused - the father with two kids behind him on his bike, the little girl sitting crouched at the front of her scooter while mum provides the leg power behind and best of all, the mother with a three-wheeled bicycle that bears a startling resemblance to a rickshaw. her helmeted little daughter curled up in the box at the front.
After we had survived the onslaught of kids we came across something even more scary - a semi-circle of strollers lined up like a circle of wagons in an old cowboys and indians movie. Closer inspection revealed it was supposedly a post-baby bootcamp, but in reality was a bit of a gossip session with the odd waving arm indicating some sort of exercise.
We walked all the way up to Queenscliff then took of our shoes and walked along the water line back towards Manly watching the dismantling of the infrastructure from the Surfing Open that finished on Sunday.
The waves were quite high so North Steyne was closed for swimming and we carried on to South Steyne where the sea was a little calmer and the flags were up. The sea is very clear and clean at the moment - no seaweed or stingers, and also quite warm, so you can go straight in. Yesterday was quite calm, but today the waves had got up a bit and resumed their "dumper" status, so needed a bit of care. Despite that I was well and truly dumped at least once.
Even so, it was a stunning way to start the day - a long walk and swim in the surf. What more could anyone ask for.
We'll definitely go home tomorrow, though.

The Three Wise Men ride their camels down The Corso at Christmas time.