Stranded Delights

 In the time that I've been "stranded" in Australia and unable to work, I have been fortunate to make some good friends through running and they have taken me out and shown me many different places and terrains to run......from tough technical trails such as the Great North Walk route, to the flat Cooks River Path which stretches through the city out to the airport. 

Check out that scenery...right in Sydney too!!

Anzac Bridge on Anzac Day

A few iconic landmarks

One of the 3 lighthouses seen running out to Bondi

Tranquility in the Harbour

I've run during the daytime and also in the silly hours of the morning, covering some iconic routes such as the "7 Bridges" walk, and the City to Surf run which heads out from the CBD to the beach at Manly (though as it was not an organised race, I had to run back rather than get a race bus!). 

The empty domestic terminal

Departures

Running the airport ramps

The airport crew!

I've been running with the Terrigal Trotters up on the Central Coast (and supported some of them on their targeted "non-race" ultras), with the Rhodes parkrun crew (both on city roads and bridges and on hidden quiet trails) and also with the "airport crew" - though I have to say it's very odd to run through an empty airport (mind you, the coffee shop owners were glad to see us and do some actual trade!!) and up and down car ramps. 

Supporting Simone's GNW

The Rhodes crew

Supporting the "Iso-Ultra"

I've explored waterfalls, trails and rock crevices/steps in the lower Blue Mountains and also famous beaches and headlands such as Balmoral and Manly. 

Rock crevices

Rock hopping

Rock scrambling really!

Blue Mtn valleys

Secret waterfalls

Manly Beach

Balmoral Beach

A cormorant stretching

A greedy pelican

An inquisitive wallaby

I've seen sunrises, sunsets, iconic lighthouses, famous Sydney landmarks, the Anzac bridge on Anzac day, abandoned boat slipways, big lizards, curled up porcupines, inquisitive wallabies, cheeky kookaburras, greedy/graceful pelicans, stretching cormorants and even some poisonous snakes (though I didn't hang around to take their photos!!)

A shy porcupine

Cheeky kookaburras

Lovely lizards

It has been quite a journey of discovery so I just thought I'd share some pictures of my Covid-19 adventures, though I do realise that I have been very "lucky" to find myself trapped somewhere that has not had much in the way of lockdown or curtailment of outdoor activities!

Sunrise

And sunset!!