My trip began in Auckland, and I continued to the Coromandel Peninsular, Hobbiton, further onwards to the Tongariro National Park, and finally reached Wellington. But before I got to the capital city, I had two days along the coast on Cape Palliser.

A ferryman and his hotel.

Lake Ferry is a sleepy little village that sits next to Lake Onoke. Following a drowning back in 1850, a ferry service was established across the lake. The ferryman needed accommodation and so he opened the Lake Ferry Hotel in 1851. This is where I would stay the next 48 hours.

Driving down to the hotel already gave me a good impression on what I would get the next two days: Peace and quite. Zero tourists, very few locals and no sounds other than the wind & ocean. Lake Ferry mostly consists of holiday homes and only a few permanent residents, therefore don’t expect a lot of action here.

Sheep, a scenic ocean road and a lighthouse.

Before reaching the coastal road, you drive through an amazing field landscape, with sheep as the only living thing in sight. European settlers brought sheep and cattle into this area in 1844. After about 20 minutes of driving, you’ll reach the winding road along the coast. It’s truly a ridiculously scenic drive with steep cliffs on one side and an endless ocean with black-sand beaches on the other.

Fields decorate the landscape along the road down to the coast on Cape Palliser, New Zealand.

You won’t find many people on Cape Palliser; instead, the fields are full of sheep along the road to the southernmost area of the North Island.

The dramatic weather scene along the coastal road on Cape Palliser was a great photo opportunity.

As a solo traveller through New Zealand, you can really feel ‘alone’ from time to time. Cape Palliser was definitely one of the loneliest places I have to.

I got the most amazing impressions and was overwhelmed with the atmosphere of the area. Therefore I was ready to drive down even further, all the way to the famous lighthouse I read about many months before.

Cape Palliser lighthouse – the southernmost point of the North Island – would test my fitness. To reach the candy-striped lighthouse, you must climb up the 254 (very steep) steps. Being up at the top, you really get the feeling of pure remoteness, combined with stunning views that extend all they way to the South Island on a clear day. But not only the the landscape was unreal; at one point the power of the wind was so strong, I was unable to stand up straight.

Cape Palliser lighthouse was the reason I came to this area in the first place, and it made every minute being there worthwhile. The most photogenic lighthouse in New Zealand was a true highlight!

The ocean road along the coast of Cape Palliser is dramatically scenic. It was one of the most impressive drives during my trip through New Zealand.

Cape Palliser Lighthouse; the southernmost point of the North Island – it’s in fact considerably further south than Nelson or Blenheim in the South Island – and one of the most remote places in New Zealand.

It’s hard to convey the feeling I had up at Cape Palliser lighthouse. Happy and content would describe it best … and I’m sure that the atmosphere was a great factor for this.

While driving along Cape Palliser road, you will come across wonderful creatures along the rocks just off the side of the road.

On your way to or from the Cape Palliser lighthouse, you must keep your eyes open for the nearby seal colony.

It’s easy to see why this area of ocean was known for seafaring disasters. This storm came quicker than I had hoped for and the ocean turned into a ravaging element.

When I saw a storm approaching, I quickly packed up my camera gear and headed back down the stairs. The Putangirua Pinnacles had to wait until the next morning, because just as I reached the Lake Ferry hotel, it started pouring cats and dogs…

Just before flying across the Tasman Sea, I spent two weeks in and around Sydney, which pretty much meant “beach, more beach, and even more beach”. This would give me the rest that would be needed before completing treks like the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, Milford Track or Rangitata Valley trip.

But, before I started my hiking adventures across New Zealand, Cathedral Cove (also known as Te Whanganui-A-Hei) was on my agenda – yes, I saw the movie Narnia. That large pinnacle that looked like the sail from a boat made quite the impression on me. So after two days in Auckland, I drove off to the Coromandel Peninsula.

I passed the beautiful Hot Water beach before arriving at the car park near Hahei beach. From there it was a nice walk down to the Cove. It took me 40 minutes, but I was pretty fast since I needed to continue to Matamata on the same day. It usually takes about 1 – 1 1/2 hours. The walk itself is nice and should be enjoyed, but due to heaps of people, I’d rather recommend to just get down to the Cove. Here you won’t be alone, since Cathedral Cove is one of the most visited places in the area. Yet is was still a real highlight and if I return there (which I will for sure), I’ll give myself more time to explore the region even more…

The striking rock is known as ‘Te Hoho’. It’s a large pinnacle at Cathedral Cove. Over centuries this has been sculpted by wind and water.

From Hahei Beach you can walk to Cathedral Cove, where a naturally formed archway are a real eye-catcher.

The famous Cathedral Cove. The cathedral-like arch makes quite an impression…

Cathedral Cove is one of the most picturesque spots on the Coromandel Peninsula.

A one-hour walking track leads through forest along the cliff top and then descends to the Cove.

Coogee to Bondi Beach.

Since my aunt and cousin live very close to Coogee beach, I started from here at around 6.00am (yup, I was still a bit jet-lagged). From there it was just a short walk towards Clovelly beach. I passed Waverley cemetery – also well worth a visit – and then continued towards Bronte beach. Pretty steep stairs will lead you down to one of my favourite Sydney beaches where I spent at least 30 minutes taking photos and watching the surfers near the rock pool (it was a pretty rough day, which made watching even more exiting).

Then I walked up the stairs on the other end of the beach to continue to Tamarama beach, which is right around the corner. It was early in the morning but there was quite a lot of action happening town there because someone had drowned just minutes before I arrived. Yes, Bronte and Tamarama have super strong currents and unfortunately quite a few people drown here each year my aunt told me. Mostly they’re tourist who misinterpret the currents and waves.

Heading towards Bondi beach, I passed by Mackenzie’s Point beach, which is only accessible at low tide and not recommended for swimming – but surfers love catching a wave here. The walk then ended at the iconic Bondi Icebergs, just above the Bondi Baths at the southern end of the beach. Personally, I don’t know what all the Bondi beach fuss is all about, but tourist tend to love this beach the most…

Then I just sat down on a park bench, let the sun shine upon my face and simply enjoyed beautiful Sydney…

Don’t Miss This.

• Each year in spring, a section of this amazing coastal walk is transformed into a seaside art gallery known as Sculpture by the Sea. Don’t miss this spectacular show which is really unique.

The Sydney Coastal Walk is a highlight not only for tourist. Local walkers and runners use it on a daily basis and also as a reminder of how lucky they are to live in such a wonderful city!

The ocean pool at Icebergs next to Bondi Beach has been a swimming institution for over 100 years.

Not a bad place to do some yoga, right next to Bondi Beach.

Surfers and Sydney go hand in hand. Sydney as many legendary surf breaks, including Bronte and Tamarama, yet these waves are nothing for beginners.

Bronte Beach is a small but popular recreational beach on Nelson Bay in Bronte in the eastern suburbs of Sydney and one of my personal favourite beaches.

Whether you want to do some yoga, catch a few waves, swim in one of the many ocean pools, work out a little, or simply lie in the sun, the beaches in Sydney are the best to do so.

Bronte beach lies between Coogee and Bondi beach. A paved coastal footpath along the rocky clifftops connect them and are much frequented by tourists, local runners and walkers.

Waverley Cemetery is noted for its largely intact Victorian and Edwardian monuments and it contains the graves of many significant Australians.

If you want to surf at one of the beaches of the Easters Suburbs, you need to be patient. The simple pleasure gained from one good turn, a cover up, or the chance to meditate upon the day, belies the stark reality of crowded line-ups, localism, injuries, and competition for waves.

Since I flew into Auckland, the Tongariro Alpine Crossing would be my first hike in New Zealand as it lies on the North island. It’s supposed to be one of the (if not THE) best one-day-treks in NZ. And I have to say (so far I can only agree).

A Few Facts About The Tongariro Alpring Crossing.

The Tongariro National Park is actually New Zealand’s oldest national parks and a World Heritage site. The three peaks – Mt. Tongariro, Mt. Ruapehu and Mt. Ngaruhoe (aka ‘Mt. Doom’) form one of the most spectacular landscapes in all of New Zealand. Mt. Tongariro and Mt. Ngaruhoe are still active volcanoes so one has to check the volcanic activity before attempting the track. Also, be sure to check out the weather before, since this can change in an instance. Be prepared for any weather conditions. On the day I went I was luck to have sunshine almost all the way.

• Total Length: 19.4km (without any side trips)
• Time needed: 5-8 hours (depending on your fitness and not including stops or side trips)
• Altitude: Start at Magatepopo car park approx. 1.000 metres / Red Crater approx. 1.900 metres
• Tracks: Apart from the Crossing itself, there are three additional side tracks: Soda Springs, Mt. Ngaruhoe (approx. 2.300 metres / add another 3 hours) and Mt. Tongariro (approx. 2.000 metres / add another hour and a half)
• Fitness level required: The track runs over steep volcanic terrain, so a reasonable level of fitness is required. If you decide to hike up Mt. Ngaruhoe, you definitely be to be very fit!

Magatepopo Valley to Soda Springs (1 to 1 and a half hours).

You start your way through the Magatepopo Valley on even terrain. Then the track climbs alongside a steam and around edges of old lava flows.

Soda Springs to South Crater (1 hour).

The track climbs steadily. When gaining the 340metres to the South Crater, you’ll have  spectacular view on a clear day. Those wanting to climb up Mt. Ngaruhoe (including me), turn right at the top.

Mt. Ngaruhoe (add 3 hours).

After about one hour I got to the base of the volcano and decided to conquer ‘Mt. Doom’. So with about 20kg of camera equipment as well as water & food supplies, I went on my way with a few other crazy peeps. Oh and it was quite a way. There is no marked route up the top, so you just have to find your own way (which is not too difficult I might add). The first 30 minutes are not too difficult, but once you get to the steep way up, be sure to have both hands ready. The rocks are super sharp and lose and the way up very tough. About half-way in, I realised that this was also the way down, which made me a bit nervous. So after about 2 and a half hours, I reached the crater (which is not the top top yet) and had to rest for a while. I then continued to the top and have to admit that I was pretty proud of myself for doing this without any training before. The defend only took me about 30 minutes. You pretty much run down the loose scoria and hope for the best. I fell once and my leg looked pretty bad afterwards, so watch your step! Was is worth it? Heck yeah. Would I do it again? Yes, but with less equipment because those 20kg really killed me in the end.

Mt. Ngauruhoe on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, New Zealand.

The view from the top of Mt. Ngauruhoe on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, New Zealand.

Up on Mt. Ngauruhoe on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, New Zealand.

South Crater to Red Crater (45 minutes to 1 hour).

You follow the route to a ridge leading put to the Red Crater. It’s not really a crater but basin. Looking in, you’ll see the very unusual formation. Yeah well, we all can guess what it reminds you of, but lets just leave it at that… From here, you can take the trip to the summit of Mt. Tongariro. I left that one out since my legs where already shaky at that point.

The Red Crater on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, New Zealand.

Red Crater to Emerald Lakes (15 minutes).

The summit of the Red Crater is the highest point during the Crossing. From here, it continuously descends. From the Red Crater to the Emerald Lakes the terrain is very lose again and you really have to watch your step carefully.

Emerald Lakes on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, New Zealand.

Emerald Lakes to Ketetahi Hut (1 hour to 1 and a half hour).

The Crossing continues to the Blue Lake and the track slides around the flanks of the North Crater and then defends to Ketetahi Hut. This is was the first time when my legs really started getting to me…

Blue Lake on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, New Zealand.

Ketetahi Hut to Ketetahi Car Park (1 and a half to 2 hours).

Continue along the track which defends through tussock slopes to the forest bush line. You’ll be surprised by the quick scenery change, which is a lovely sight at the end of the track again. Still, these last 2 hours where the hardest ones for me. I just wanted it all to come to an end…

The walk down to Ketetahi Hut on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, New Zealand.

I have 28 full days in New Zealand. This means that I’m on a pretty tight schedule, cause I want to see a lot (plus I’ll be travelling in the footsteps of LOTR)! After all, the distance between Vienna and Auckland is 17.841 kilometres/11.086 miles (!) so who knows when I’ll fly down there again. Usually this kind of tight planning gives me the creeps even before the trip starts, but not this time… Ok, that’s a lie, I hate being on a schedule! But since February is high season in Kiwi land, a lot of things need to be pre-booked.

Right now, the plan is as follows:

• Arrival from Sydney in Auckland on 21st February 2014
• Auckland – Cathedral Cove – Matamata (Hobbiton)
• Matamata – Tongariro National Park (via Lake Taupo)
• Tongariro National Park – Cape Palliser (including the Putangirua Pinnacles)
• Cape Palliser – Wellington
• Wellington – Picton (via Cook Strait)
• Picton – Nelson Lakes National Park
• Nelson Lakes National Park – Christchurch
• Christchurch – Rangitata Valley (Mount Sunday)
• Rangitata Valley – Franz Josef Glacier (via Arthur’s Pass)
• Franz Josef Glacier – Queenstown
• Queenstown – Milford Track (4 days of trekking)
• Milford Sound – Queenstown
• Queenstown – Lake Tekapo
• Lake Tekapo – Christchurch
• Departure from Christchurch to Sydney on March 22nd 2014

My One-Month Travel Route Through New Zealand. I’m focusing on the South island for my first trip to NZ due to the amazing landscape.

28 days & 3.750km by myself, with my 4×4 car, road map, trekking gear and of course my camera equipment. So looking forward to this adventure!

I was born on April 27th, 1986. My parents were travel enthusiasts and one would think that a baby would settle them down a little. Well, not the kind of parents I have. And thank God for that, because my journey began straight out of the maternity ward…

Africa – How It All Started.

My parents were fixing up their Unimog to convert it into a mini-apartment for one of their long-term African adventure – this time with me in tow. The truck would become our home for the next year (or so), so things needed to be in place for the journey to start. I quickly adjusted to the fact that my sandpit would become the Sahara desert, that my toys came out of the toolbox and that I would take my first steps between jerry cans, spare parts and sand sheets.

So we set off to Africa on a truly remarkable journey, and I was right in the middle all the time – not only because my place was mainly in the baby capsule in the middle front seat but also because I opened a lot of doors with my baby smile; even the grimmest custom officers, check-point soldiers or police chiefs couldn’t resist me :D It was always “baby first“.

I never got sick and mum had 800 nappies packed in the trunk. Actually, we had all the fun in the sun, 24 hours together with both parents – a rare privilege for a child.

By the age of one, I had 15 countries under my wings.

Those were the good times…

Back To Civilisation – but not for long.

Back in civilisation, the longing for travelling prevailed and it didn’t take long until we flew to Malaysia. This was the time when walkmans just conquered the market – omg how cool was that?! Now, even the longest, roughest bus rides through Sarawak didn’t bother me at all. It was “Bibi Blocksberg” or “Fünf Freunde” all day long. Mum also bought my first bike there – not only to speed things up (after all I was only four years old) but also to make me happy because I hated walking for hours. I was certainly the first Western kid cycling through Kota Kinabalu. We had a couple of rules like “Always stop in front of a street” or “Don’t run anyone over (not even a chicken)” and this worked really well for both of us.

Mum Knowns Best.

Yup, mum’s definitely do know best. She knew how to handle every situation, or how to keep me busy…

Giddyup Down Under.

We continued to Australia. And since Down Under is cattle country, I was on a horse by the age of five. It was mum’s idea to become a Jillaroo, so living on a farm in N.S.W. was not a problem any more. We adjusted well and blended in like all the others.

Busy Bangkok.

Bangkok train station was hot, humid and busy and we had to get tickets. While mum disappeared through the crowds, I stayed put with (or better on) our luggage. She told me that I had to ‘protect’ the bags and made a game out of it so that I would really watch out. In case someone wanted to grab them – or me – I should just start screaming. I looked pretty grim and nobody tried to steal anything after all.

Bangkok held another incident for us. I once got lost in the toy section of a shopping centre. I didn’t notice it at all, but in the meantime my mother frantically alerted the entire staff and they announced through speakers that a little blond girl was missing. After one hour they found me; I was happily playing in a changing room & mum almost had a heart attack.

At a market in Bangkok.

Sri Lanka.

We climbed Adam’s Peak and stayed at Brown’s Beach Hotel in Yala for a while. All the local kids listened to my command :D Sand, waves and sun – perfect!

Back in the days, a “white” kid was still a real attraction…

Indonesia, my second home.

School stopped travelling for a while, but mum decided it was time to learn some proper English. So she simply took me our of elementary school and decided to hit the road again. Down Under is was once more. Getting there took quite a few of months, because Indonesia was en route. All my friends where going to school back home, and I was studying on a remote island; cycling for PE lesson, Maths in the hammock and German under the stars – not too bad if you ask me :) And of course, the island kids where curiously watching as always. Oh and I’ll tell you, mum was definitely a tough teacher!

Beside the day to day school work, I learned how to fish and how to survive in a remote place, without modern gadgets of any kind. While my friends at home teased their pets, I targeted the Komodo Dragons with a slingshot … yeah, those where the good times for sure!

In Togean Islands, I had my first diving experience when dad went down to 20m depth with me in tow (just one octopus and one bottle of oxygen). Fun for me, but mum on the surface simply freaked out and tried to harpoon dad after getting me out of the water. Imagine all the Indonesian gloating over our family dispute :)

When leaving Togean Islands, we hired one seaworthy looking vessel. What we didn’t know was, that it was the captain’s first journey to the mainland, so he missed our destination by far, and we steamed along the coast to find a landing point. Right before sunset we arrived in a small fishing village, in a beautiful bay with stilt houses. When we came closer, many little canoes started paddling toward us and we got stuck between sea and shore. Everybody was screaming and welcoming us. We felt like Lady Di on Australia tour…crazy I tell you! They told us no tourists ever had been to this village before. This warm welcome preceded a week’s stay at the mayor’s house. Luckily he had just acquired a new TV with satellite connection, so I got in charge of the remote control immediately, plus the best and only chair on the veranda. Me in the chair and all the villagers on the floor around me, sitting in front of the TV watching “Cartoon Network” was a pretty funny sight for my parents. Honestly, this was actually my most memorable travel experience until today. Ever since that trip, we came back to Indo at least once a year and today I call it my second home.

On a ferry to some remote island…

In Timor with a lot of school kids.

Having fun with kids in Sulawesi…

The travelling never stopped and today, I feel very grateful for having seen so many different places of our beautiful planet.

What about you? How did you catch the travel bug?

French Polynesia – or better Tahiti – is not an independent travellers destination. Most people come with a package tour, which you’ll realize immediately after arriving at the airport … Everyone is greeted with flower garlands, while a group of musician fiddle their souls away and after a fast custom procedure, you’re out in the street alone because all other passengers have been picked up by their hotel chauffeurs.

Flower garlands at Papeete airport, French Polynesia.

Public Transport – No Chance!

As it was just 5.00 am when I arrived in Papeete, nothing was open and there was no chance of finding any sort of public transport, as I planned to reach the freighter ship to the Austral Islands (which only runs once a week). After checking out the area a little bit, I found someone who pointed me the direction to the next bus station. Let me tell you something … public transport is not an easy thing in Tahiti! The buses run irregularly, sometimes don’t even stop and if they run too fast, they’ll just pass by the station without the smallest bit of eye twitching. Also, I don’t know who designed the bus loops and stops but that person must have been under the weather – if you know what I mean. There is no public transport going down to the port where all the ships take off … and it’s one hell of a walk down there – especially if you’re fully packed like myself! Sure, you’ll adjust and get used to it but it can get frustrating. So the last way out of this crappy start into the day was hitch-hiking down to the port.

These ships down in the port looked like monsters (no windows and high steel walls) who really have to conquer the rough seas from time to time. Luckily, this was not the case when I travelled. The Pacific ocean was calm and though the ship was an old lady, it was a very pleasant trip with my hammock set up right on the stern.

A ship at the port in Tubuai, French Polynesia.

The ship from Papeete to Tubuai, French Polynesia.

The Austral Islands & its people.

The Austral Islands are really out of the way, and the main town of Tubuai is a scatter of a few houses, not more. You’ll find one supermarket with an adjoining post office, some guest houses and that’s about it.  It’s a small place but that’s what makes it more cozy & homey as well.

The landscape of the Austral Islands, French Polynesia.

The people of the area are very friendly and happy to help you out if you need something. Just be aware of the ones hanging out in front of the supermarket – most of them have consumed lots of booze and this can be quite uncomfortable – especially when you’re there alone at night. One thing is for sure, forget the South Sea beauties! Food over there is totally unhealthy and lots (!) of people tend to be very overweight.

Overweight man working … a regular sight in Tahiti – no wonder with the food you get there.

Arriving back in Tahiti, the problem with public transport continued. Teahupoo was my next desired destination but getting there was far from easy. A bus to Teahupoo exists, but you have to get out at the right intersection and wait a few hours for the connecting bus … I’d really suggest to hitch-hike, which I did again. The guys who gave me a ride were some surfers from Teahupoo, so I could save a lot of time and immediately got great input for nice guest houses in the area.

Some advice.

• If you plan to visit Teahupoo (and stay there for a while), keep in mind that the supermarket is quite some kilometres away from the village, so be sure to plan ahead.

Teahupoo itself is a black beach place with many local rent out rooms and the vibes are really good – as they usually are around surf spots. I was lucky to stay with a few surfers from Brazil (including the pro-surfer Dennis Tiahara). When the guys went our for a surf the next day, they asked if I’d dare to go out with them to take some photos. This was a great opportunity and I followed their request immediately :) Some local guy they knew, took me out to the massive waves on his jet-ski and I spent the next two days taking heaps of shots right near this world-famous break. It was an unforgettable experience to be so close to the action.

A surfer conquering the waves at Teahupoo, Tahiti.

A surfer conquering the waves at Teahupoo, Tahiti.

Further information.

If you’re planning on visiting French Polynesia and are looking for cheap, yet nice accommodation around Papeete, Tubuai or Teahupoo, feel free to drop me a line.

As we have relatives living over there, we’re always able to stay in their house as a base. It’s a real privilege, but even if you don’t have family or friends to stay with, you’ll find lots of great accommodation in Sydney – either right next to one of the many famous beaches, or in the city centre … whatever you prefer. Anyway, we were lucky to live close to the world-famous Bondi Beach – the beach every tourist heads to. It’s a 2 km long half moon bay, with white sand and blue water. So as Bondi was right in front of our doorsteps, we went there quite often. Not necessarily to go for a swim but more so to watch the people and scenes. On weekends the beach is fully crowded. Lifeguards are always monitoring the area and quite often the unaware tourist – sometimes after drinking a bit too much – runs into trouble when the current is too strong and they get sucked out into the open sea. Then the lifeguards step in. These guys (and gals) exercise every movement of a rescue operation very precisely, so that when an incident occurs, they can save lives within seconds.

Restaurant Tip:

• The “Noodle King” serves quick and cheap Asian noddles. It is located on 126 Campbell Parade just metres away from Bondi Beach. We’ve always had great food their and of the chef hasn’t changed, it should still be the case.

Sydney has about 200 beaches; one nicer than the other. The Eastern Suburbs have some of the most prominent ones: As mentioned, Bondi, Tamarama, Bronte, Coogee and Maroubra. To see all of them a real must-do is the Sydney Coastal Walk where you will pass all of the mentioned beaches. Another very famous beach is Mainly on the North Shore. Not only the beach itself is great there but also the shopping. Take the ferry there and you’re excursion trip is perfectly complete :)

Whichever beach you choose, be sure to come prepared! Bring a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen. The Australian sun is very strong and a bad sunburn comes easy, especially when just arrived with a heavy jet-lag.

If you’re not a beach bum but still want to enjoy the scenes, you could simply walk along the Eastern Suburbs walking trail (coast trail). You’ll cross all the beaches and it’s a great photo opportunity. You’ll pass Waverley cemetery, where some of the very early settlers are buried. Beautiful tombstones and a sometimes amazing wildlife can be found on this cemetery.

Sydney is good at any given day and you’ll need weeks/months to explore it all. It’s a good way to do so with public transport because it’s cheap and reliable … or you can rent a bicycle from one of the many shops around. If you stay longer you could even buy one at a garage sale – vintage so rocks! So anyway, I’d really suggest to stay in a place near the Eastern Suburbs and simply wander around from there. Accomodation.com offers great deals and places in the area and as already said, getting around is very very smooth.

Sexy lifeguards at Bondi beach in Sydney, Australia.

Bondi beach is crowed almost every day of the year.

The lifeguards at Maroubra beach train to stay fit in case of an emergency.

On weekends, the beaches of Sydney are of course more packed.

Enjoying a sunny day in the ocean near Bondi beach, Sydney.

Walking along the Sculpture Walk in Sydney is a real highlight.

Sculpture walk along the cost in Sydney offers many interesting sights.