Saturday 5 Jan Memory Parade

As the summer heat continues to pick it, we, like half of Sydney headed to the beach and Bondi beach in particular. For me this was a particular trip down memory lane because I lived in North Bondi for six months when I was here on a twelve month working visa. It's hard to think it's almost 25 years – that's a long time and surely I'm not that old!

3 / 95 Hastings Parade, Bondi

The shopping centre at Bondi Junction had undergone the greatest change; gone the Grace Brothers store where I worked as a Clarins girl and in it's place a modern shopping mall, but Bondi Beach was the same packed, colourful and lively throng of people. OK, the shops are more upmarket, new hotels where once were pastel coloured 1930's building, more cars, more people.

We got off the bus at the north end of the beach and walked to the block of flats where I'd lived. It hadn't changed much, a little shabbier, but aren't we all. It was all there, the entrance hall with bikes, the garage we rented to surfers for their boards and the balcony which my bulimic flatmates would throw up over into the garden under the washing line.

We retraced our steps to the beach and it was heaving; the last weekend of the summer holidays and a hot day had brought everyone out. I felt overdressed in shorts, shirt and sun blocking hat. The sea did look very inviting; clear and blue with small waves breaking perfect for the novice surfers but at 20c a bit cooler than we're used to.

Bondi mosaic bench

packed Bondi beach

Tamarama beach

My plan was to do the coastal walk from the south end of Bondi around to Coogee passing Tamarama, Bronte and Clovelly on the way. The path was very busy today and it's been upgraded from the concrete with wood handrails to proper paving in places, raised board walks with trendy steel handrails in others and I think the biggest difference is the upward mobility of the houses. Modern glass and steel creations gaze out over the water replacing the pre-war Mom and Pop pebble dash bungalows and red brick blocks of flats. Many of the old houses are still there but it's the new that catches your eye and they are gorgeous.

By the time we reached Coogee (why are there more hills and steps up than there are down?) we were pooped and in need of a coffee before we could contemplate getting the air conditioned bus back to town and then the tram back to the fish market.