On Tour With The Kid - Back to Bondi

I recently had to head to Bondi Beach for a work thing and being school holidays it was the perfect opportunity to take the kid to see one of Australia’s most iconic destinations. We booked accommodation the night before we left so weren’t expecting anything special. We were, however, thrilled to find an absolute gem. We arrived at our destination, The Baxley Bondi. Just a few doors up from Bondi Road which would lead us straight to the Beach in the morning. We found a parking spot on the street out the front on the very pretty Flood Street and stepped inside the gate to a perfectly landscaped oasis. The stunning grey and white two-story homestead stood out from the surrounding urban backdrop.

The boutique hotel was gorgeous inside and out — quality linen and luxury that enveloped the whole space. We walked hand in hand down Bondi Road and passed Waverley Oval to grab some Thai food for dinner and smiled when I saw a painting of Patrick Swayze’s face with Bodhi written below. A homage to the surf or die lifestyle near one of the most well-known beaches in the world seemed very fitting. I tried to explain Point Break to my girl, and I felt old. When I told my baby, it came out 28 years ago I felt like I was explaining the plot of a Cary Grant film that I’d seen in black and white.

We woke early the next morning and headed down to meet the Sunrise crew, Shannon Noll and John Forman. John was there to talk about the music program he runs called Count Us In and Shannon was there to talk about his new single, Long Live the Summer, which couldn’t have been more appropriate given the weather that Bondi had turned on for us that day.

The sun was out, the waves were perfect, and there were even a couple of whales close enough to see from the shore. Being a self-confessed introvert, I tend to avoid anywhere that is described as iconic, particularly during the holidays. Crazy traffic, too many people and scenes from Bondi Rescue is the picture I had in my head. That morning though was peaceful and calm.

We strolled over to Lush on Bondi for breakfast. Fruit salad and waffles seemed like the perfect end to the morning. I love to people watch; I could do it all day. As we sat watching the world go by, I thought back to growing up in the country and what a treat it was to get to the beach. Now that we live so close, I don’t get there nearly as much as I should. You get busy with work and one thing or another; the weekends just fly by.

I looked down at my baby girl. She already feels so grown up. I only have ten summers before she is an adult. Ten summers before she is off doing her own thing and starting her own life. Ten summers if I’m lucky. I vowed at that moment not to waste any more time worrying about crowds and traffic but to focus on the memories we are making by going to that special place. I know lots of people aim to head overseas, but we live in one of the most amazing and diverse countries on earth. Make sure you find your way to the iconic spots on your own doorstep.