Manly Beach

I got a late start today as I FaceTimed Alyssa and family at her request. It was a good time because little Leila was jabbering and very active. Then I had to deal with my finances as my debit card got rejected when I tried to make an ATM withdrawal, the cheapest way to get foreign currency. I had checked with the credit union before leaving home so there shouldn’t have been any issues. Since I arrived I have been using my Visa card but it would be nice to have cash for any small purchases. After 3 tries I was able to find a bank that would exchange my USD for AUD ($50 USD = $71 AUD).

My plan for today was to take the ferry to Manly Beach, a 30 minute cruise through the harbour, at a reasonable price of $13 return. Unfortunately, as I approached Circle Quay my ferry was just pulling out, meaning I had to wait 30 minutes for the next ferry. It was nice to see the city from a different perspective.

When I arrived at Manly Beach I stopped at the Tourist Information office to get a map and recommendations. The man I spoke to gave me very poor advice which really spoiled my afternoon. First I went to Manly Beach and walked about a km on the boardwalk. My only other objective was to see Quarantine Beach where immigrant ships and convicts were quarantined with infectious diseases, particularly the European plague, from the 1830s until 1984. The property has been converted into a hotel and conference centre maintaining all the original buildings. The Tourist Office told me I could get there by bus or by a 25 minute walk. I chose to walk the route he had recommended but he didn’t tell me that it was over 2 km straight uphill! Nor did he tell me that the Visitor Centre and buildings closed at 4 o’clock! The map I was given was very poor and when I encountered a young man on the road he too was confused. After walking for over an hour I eventually ran into two couples who were staying at the hotel so they invited me to join them. It turns out they were all teachers who once taught in Cold Lake, Alberta. Unfortunately, all the museum buildings were closed as well so all I got to see was a short tour of the property from the mini-shuttle bus provided by the hotel. What a disappointment after all that effort! The teachers were fun though and I did get to see an echidna!

I wisely took the bus back to the wharf where the ferry was waiting. I didn’t get back to the apartment until 8 pm after a long, frustrating, poorly planned day.Read more