This was a place I'd always desperately wanted to visit - a surfing mecca. I first saw the infinity pool at Bondi Beach in Thorpe's swimming training photos. Back then, I didn't know what it was called, but I thought it looked incredibly cool and longed to see it in person.
It took about 40 minutes by car to reach Bondi Beach. The weather was overcast and slightly chilly, so I didn't swim in the pool. Instead, I stood at a distance, watching people swimming back and forth, and the ocean waves repeatedly splashing against the pool, creating beautiful sprays. I watched for so long, reluctant to leave...
Walking along the beach, there was an endless graffiti wall stretching from one end to the other. I took photos continuously as I walked. Then it started drizzling, but I kept taking pictures until the rain got heavier and forced me to seek shelter. That's how it is with coastal rain - when one cloud passes, the rain stops, only to start again when the next cloud arrives, creating an intermittent pattern.
The rain made it a bit chilly, so I stopped at a beachside café for coffee and cranberry cake. After finishing my coffee, my love for the ocean drew me back to the beach to watch surfing enthusiasts chase the waves. The waves were huge, coming one after another - beautiful and spectacular.
I tried walking closer to the ocean, instinctively stepping back whenever a large wave came to avoid getting my clothes wet. I walked along the beach for a long time. A solitary walk in the rain - perhaps it sounds lonely? But immersed in the moment, I didn't feel that way at all. If I'd had more time, I could have stayed even longer - such is the allure of the ocean...