I had to go to Sydney this week for a day’s training and I took the opportunity to visit my old hunting ground.  I used to live in the middle of the city and would regularly walk down around Mrs Macquarie’s Chair for my morning walk.  It was a time I (thought I) was getting serious about my health, was doing Lite N Easy and was walking most morning and doing JALAM (Jump Around Like A Maniac) in my apartment most evenings (I was too scared to even contemplate joining a gym).  I got some good results and then it all went off track.

I never ran of a morning, only walked, so this time I wanted to experience it as I wished I could have years before.  I didn’t run the whole time (mainly cause it was still quite dark) but I did the km or so down and then most of the way back to my hotel near Central Station.

Also while walking years ago, technology wasn’t what is was today.  I still had a film camera so getting a selfie just wasn’t as easy as it is these days.  So who could resist one of these:

Selfie with a gorgeous view

One of the loveliest things about Sydney

I then ran back up through the Botanic Gardens and into Hyde Park.  I used to walk through Hyde Park to get to and from work each day and never realised how much I wanted to run through until I did it.  I’ve always loved Hyde Park with its gorgeous old trees and green grass and savoured every moment of walking through it when I lived there but running added a whole other dimension.  As daggy as it sounds, I felt like I was running through, saying “Hey Sydney, look at me!  I’m fit and feel fantastic and I get to run with the beautiful people through Hyde Park”.

Of course, if I really gave a shit about the beautiful people I would have been like the women I saw in the Botanic Gardens that got out of their designer cars with full make-up, designer work out clothes and lattes.  All that did for me was realise you probably shouldn’t run and continuously roll your eyes at the same time.

The next day I was back in good ol Bega and couldn’t resist a comparison shot:

Bega’s very own Harbour (River) Bridge

Thanks Sydney, it was fun.  But I love the country just a little bit more…