North Sydney's Pool, Harbor Bridge in Background
Although I haven't repeated the 10 pool marathon of our Singapore/South India/Hong Kong trip, I knew I liked Australia when I discovered the 50 meter salt water swimming pool in the shadow of the Sydney Harbor Bridge. It was less than a half mile walk from our hotel and it opened early, even around the holidays. While we were in Sydney, I swam there every morning. It is right next to the 1930s style amusement arcade, Luna Park. I could look at a colossal clown face or at the Sydney Bridge. Mostly, I looked at the Bridge. I've loved that Bridge ever since I made a model of it with pipe-cleaners for 6th Grade Social Studies.
50 meter pools are the gold standard of long distance swimmers. They provide a better work out than 25 yard pools because you get no free ride, pushing of a wall every 25 yards. It felt natural to stop at the end of 100 meters and chat with my fellow swimmers; a chance to converse with Aussies in their native element.
One day I took the ferry to the beach side suburb of Manly. Lovely waves for body surfing, no wet suit required, but not much of a workout.
After our week in Sydney, it was on to Adelaide, about a 2 hour plane ride. Adelaide is in another State: South Australia, as opposed to New South Wales, the home of Sydney. We stayed in Burnside, a leafy suburb, with YES! a 50 meter pool, a third of a mile from our host's home. Once again, I swam every day.
My final pool experience was a new one for me. We visited my Vassar classmate who lives near Gawler, north of Adelaide, and has a lovely small pool, set in her Eden like garden. It provided a great workout: it was equipped with strong jets, creating a current to swim against.
Water is my element. I think I must have been a water buffalo in a previous life.
