Background and Show Notes:
Getting everyone down there on the same schedule was a heavy lift. Neil and Kevin flew in from JFK (via LAX), Soly and I flew in from JAX (via IAH, where we rendezvoused with Cody and DJ), and Randy flew in from DEN (via LAX, but a different airline from Neil and Kevin). We all departed the US at various times on Sunday and arrived in Sydney on Tuesday morning after 14-17 hour flights from LAX and IAH.
At SYD, customs and immigration were a breeze. The only snag was a few of us getting pulled aside for grass on our golf shoes. We scooped rental cars and headed out to our rental house in Bondi Beach and recharged for a bit (worked out, napped, ate, coffee, etc.) then headed over to Angus & Grace to meet up with some of our local sherpas, before setting off for golf at Bondi up the street.
The weather in Sydney had been uncharacteristically humid and wet in the weeks prior to our visit, and that remained the case while we were there. We were lucky to get some sunshine for both golf and bowls, and the low passing clouds and wind kept the rain away until the next day after we finished up at New South Wales. The goal for day 1 was to knock a little bit of golf off and force everyone to stay up until at least 8 pm that night to help adjust to the time difference. The bowls were a PERFECT thing to do and kept everyone upright and engaged.
The next day was a smooth one at New South Wales. Our hosts were wonderful and Scott Warren did such a great job of coordinating the visit. I cannot wait to see what they come up with for the course’s upcoming renovation/restoration work - the sky is the limit. It definitely came through on the episode, but physically speaking, the combination of our second day on the ground and a massive, hilly, windy routing took a toll on us. I have so much respect for the members who play there daily. When we got to the 15th hole, I truly didn’t know where to hit it. Between the crosswind, the uphill, the native areas lining each side of the hole, and the mental tricks being played hitting between a narrow saddle, I haven’t felt that helpless over a tee shot in years. Here’s a good course tour courtesy of the club, and this link will take you specifically to the time stamp on that tee shot. The aforementioned rain rolled in after we finished, and we drove back to Bondi in the midst of some wet conditions. We rested, dumped footage, and cleaned up prior to hitting the North Bondi RSL and then walked down the street to Sean’s for one of the best meals of the trip, which closes out the season premiere. You’ll be left with a little surprise at the start of episode two, before the group splits up, with some of us exploring the city and others playing additional golf.
The Midnight Troubadour
Tough and timeless, this polo is built for the long ride. Featuring a crisp, non-collapsing collar and a rugged, stretchy fabric, it's the perfect shirt for any cowboy's wardrobe.
Random observations and planning notes:
On Bondi: We referenced it in the episode, but it felt like we were partly in a Lululemon catalog and partly in a massive Truman Show set in Huntington Beach, CA, but one where everyone just does yoga and looks beautiful all the time and resists the urge to wear many clothes. Bondi worked well for us as a base for this trip since it was between most of the golf we wanted to play, the airport, and downtown. I also prefer getting us in walkable areas, especially if people are fighting jetlag and need some time to recharge and nearby coffee shops and restaurants to fuel up. It’s really tough to get around Sydney with bad traffic, hills, curvy roads, and driving on the left side of the road after over 24 hours of travel, so having a central location was key.
The sewage vent at Bondi Golf & Diggers Club was such a weird, fascinating feature. Never seen anything like it! And Randy loves vertical hazards.
Coogee Beach is somewhere I would REALLY like to get back and see. Pacific Northwest surf vibes, sort of set in this valley with the beach right at the center of town, and framed by massive Norfolk Pines. Drove through there on the way down to NSWGC and back. Manly, on the north side of the harbor, is another place I’d love to get back and get out to. Exploring the different suburbs via ferries from Circular Quay would be catnip for me, and most of the locals we met recommended it. In episode two, we explore a few other parts of the city.
Ep. 1 is always a loopy one. Jetlag, not really having our bearings, not having seen one another in a while and the general excitement of the trip all add up to being both frayed and saying some dumb shit, which always makes me laugh when I watch them. Whether it’s our first episode of the entire series, Portland, LA, Stockholm, Detroit, or Doolin Pitch & Putt/Doonbeg, we’re all slap-happy and not exactly on-point, which makes for a fun, breezy retrospective.
Neil temporarily losing the Osmo Pocket would’ve been devastating. Most of our footage from our travels down to Australia was on the
Source: https://nolayingup.com/blog/tourist-sauce-season-9-episode-1-travel-guide