Date: 6/9/2025
Trip leader: Kristina Li
Party: Amelia Chen, Devanshi Sood, Felix Li, Hemu Ni, Huda Abbas, Jack Yang, Jinghan Fu, Lei Wang, Paula Celada Zimeri, Qi Xia, Qiyan Jing, Shiwen Zhao, Vipul Kumar Sharma, Xiaotong Jiang, Xinning Liu, Yanxi He, Ying Wang, Yiyue Wang
As a 90% J-leader, I could not wait to share this unforgettable trip with you all.
We gathered at 12:00 pm at Marine Pde, opposite Bond St, ready to set off on the iconic coastal walk. A few participants were delayed by public transport, but thankfully everyone kept us updated in the group chat. The funniest mishap of the day happened to Shiwen, who accidentally navigated himself all the way to Manly – a completely different location on the opposite side of Sydney! He even messaged me asking where everyone was, only to realise he was miles away from our actual starting point. Meanwhile, Felix unfortunately missed the group at the start but managed to complete the entire trail on his own, even trying to share his location with us. In the end, he powered ahead, and we hope he enjoyed his solo version of the hike.
The first part of the walk from Maroubra Beach was much more stunning than I had expected. The coastline was so picturesque that many of us could not resist stopping frequently to take photos. Special thanks to Vipul, who walked alongside me at the start to help navigate the route. Soon we reached a rocky, steep section where the pace naturally slowed, and I decided to give everyone time to catch their breath. It was also the perfect spot for our first team photo.
Due to a road closure, we were forced to detour onto the main road, which added some extra distance. Approaching Coogee Beach, we finally stopped for a proper rest. Some participants were already hungry since they had skipped breakfast. Andy, determined to refuel, bought a fresh crab lunch for AUD 28, the strong seafood aroma filled the air, but she seemed to thoroughly enjoy it!
Just as we were finishing our break, one of the team members noticed something exciting: free gelato across the road! Of course, we could not resist. We quickly joined the line, and luckily, we were among the last to get served before they closed the giveaway at 2 pm. It was such a sweet and unexpected highlight of the day.
After Coogee, one participant decided to head home, while the rest of us pushed on towards Bondi. Around Bronte Beach, Shiwen finally managed to reconnect with us. He had actually walked from Bondi in the opposite direction and then turned back, truly covering an impressive amount of ground this day! From there, Shiwen led the way, as he was already familiar with the route. I did not even need to check the map anymore.
A fun side story: Yanxi, Andy, and I were all tracking our steps on our phones or smartwatches. For some reason, Yanxi’s device consistently showed 3,000 fewer steps than ours, which became a running joke for the rest of the walk.
The second half of the hike was filled with stunning scenery. We passed the dramatic coastal cemetery, overlooking the ocean, before finally making our way into Bondi. As the sun began to lower, we gathered for our final group photo at Bondi Beach, celebrating a journey well done.
Even on the way to the bus stop, the surprises did not end. We encountered a flock of Sulphur-crested cockatoos, being fed by an elderly man – a delightful end to a long day outdoors. Eventually, we all caught the 333 bus back to the city.
To wrap things up, a smaller group ( Andy, Yanxi, Qi, Nicole, Shiwen, Qiyan, and myself ) went for dinner together. The food was perhaps not the best (a bit of hit and miss), but the company made it worthwhile.
All in all, it was a perfect trip (full of beautiful views, funny mishaps, unexpected gelato, and wonderful company). A day to remember!
Finally, I would also like to thank everyone who shared their photos, they truly captured the spirit of the day and made our memories even more special.
