We arrived on Monday and headed straight to Manly to catch up with Will’s family.

After a much needed power nap to fight the jet lag, Will took me out to explore Sydney Harbour National Park, finishing with breathtaking coastal views at North Head.

I did get a bit of a fright from the spiders, but I quickly stuck to the footpaths after that.

Unable to resist, I squeezed in a sunset swim at Little Manly Beach before finally giving in to sleep.

By Tuesday, we were ready and raring to go. Will and I headed into the city to tick off the iconic sights: the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Opera House, the Royal Botanic Garden, St Mary’s Cathedral, and the ANZAC Memorial.

Not quite done for the day, we jumped on a bus to Coogee, fuelled up on veggie nachos (after correcting the earlier beef incident 💔), and set off along the coastal path to Bondi Beach.

After a quick swim, we began the long but scenic journey back (bus, train, then ferry to Manly) where we rounded off the day with a gorgeous family dinner at the Manly Skiff Club.

Wednesday was all about family, with a picnic bringing together both sides ahead of the wedding at Meadowbank Park.

On the way home, we stopped for ice cream and a drink at the Opera House, because it would be rude not to.

Determined to keep the swim streak alive, Will and I ended the day with another dip at Little Manly Beach.

Thursday was the big day: Liv and Chris’ wedding.

We made the most of the sunshine with a morning at Shelly Beach before heading to the most beautiful ceremony at Sergeants’ Mess. I always love a wedding, but this one will be hard to beat (the cheeseboard alone deserves a mention 🧀). We danced the night away and celebrated properly.

On Friday, leaving Will to enjoy a well earned lie in, I set off on a solo adventure. I walked to Shelly Head Lookout, Manly Beach, Freshwater Bay, and Manly Lagoon.

After 10km in the heat, I was very ready for the family lunch kindly hosted by Will’s aunt and uncle.

Somehow, we still found the energy for an afternoon walk to Fairlight Bay, followed by skim ball on Manly Beach with his brother James, and finally to top it all off, we devoured fish and chips for dinner. 

Saturday morning brought rain, which made saying goodbye to Sydney just a little bit easier, although we were still very reluctant to leave.

Next stop: Hobart, Tasmania!