Barzura Cafe, Coogee Beach. I rode here from Chippo on the Schwinn. It was no big deal, really, took about an hour. There was an almighty hill I came down – another matter entirely to go in the other direction.

I came towards Coogee on Alison Road and there was – bugger, it’s teabag tea – suddenly a stripe of deep blue against the lighter blue of the sky. The sea. I look up now and see the deep blue of the sea here at Coogee. And it is so quiet. It’s Wednesday, the middle of the week, no weekend crowds. A swirl of white cloud in the sky to the left. Golden sand dented by thousands of footprints. Green, green grass, deep blue sea. The crispest, clearest air this unseasonally warm winter’s day.