雪梨的生活雜記: City to Surf

I was browsing through my folders of photos, and come across some past events, memories just popped out.

I never thought i would actually participate in “City to Surf” when i learnt about this event at younger age. Everyone probably have seen video clips on evening news each year of this “city to surf” thing. Young, old, men, women, people with disabilities joined in, it seemed like half of Sydney people were there on that day. Some people dressed funny or in weird costumes, people were laughing and smiling, and seemed to having a great day out in this activity, for good cause too, i can’t remember what is it for now, raising fund for Heart Foundation or something like that.

I was (and still am) working in the city, i received emails from social club of the company, promoting City to Surf - staffs who participated in “City to Surf” would be sponsored by the Bank, well, you pay your fees, but the bank would get you free T-Shirt, singlet, cap, and at the end of the journey, there is a bank sponsored Stall/Tent, right on the world famous Bondi Beach, free BBQ lunch and wine, plus massage.

Sounded good enough, i don’t know what i was thinking, i guess i was curious and bored, but i was not going there by myself, no one in the team wanted to come, i asked my mate Wallace if he is interested, and i sent out emails to friends about it. Friends of staff would also get free t-shirt and stuffs too. Wally said yes, and also Ada, galfriend of Wallace at the time, is coming too. And, also, Lucia said yes, when we talked about this some where some time. So we have a company.

Woke up early, of cos, everyone met in the train station first.

到了火車站，發覺人非常多耶，大家看來都是有備而來，一看就知道和我們的目的地一樣。扶老繫幼、全家出動或朋友親人一群群的。當天天氣非常好，八月冬天，氣溫還蠻低的，但是陽光普照，應該是一個睡懶覺的好天氣，哦哦，當然是出門走走的絕佳天氣。

在市中心的 Townhall 站下車，然後步行幾分鐘就到了起點，雪梨市中心的海德公園，跟著人群走就行了。人好多，有圖為證。

仔細看可以見到 Wallace 在照片正中間探頭探腦，他在做什麼？？？

原來是我們的拉肚子天王在開始前要先清腸胃，因為等一下不知道哪裡才會再見到廁所。流動廁所都人山人海了。

在等待中就照張相留念。

Wallace 終於排到中段了。

看表情好像有點不耐煩或是快忍不住了？？？看到有運動型娃娃車在前面哦。

時間快到了，大家都到起點集合。City To Surf 的參加者呢總共分三類型，第一類型呢就是真槍實彈的比賽，來自各國的選手來爭名次，第二類呢就是業餘選手或有一定水準的民眾，認真跑步的。第三類型就是意在參加不在得獎的民眾啦，湊熱鬧型的閒人等。起跑當然也是按照上面的順序來，間隔10或15分鐘。

起跑前，可以見到很多人開始脫衣服，脫了衣服後就隨手丟在旁邊，有的人把衣物就掛在旁邊樹上，起跑後就更多人邊跑、走然後一邊脫衣服丟路邊或路中間。你猜到了嗎？原來會有慈善組織沿路撿拾衣物去賣或送給需要的人。滿有意思的，如果有人想參加以後的 City to Surf 要記得穿件不要的舊外套或毛衣去參加，可以隨手丟廢物還可以做好事。看下圖就知道了，剛離開起點沒多遠，地上有好多衣物。

City to Surf 的解釋照字面上就是從『市中心到沖浪』，就是從市中心出發到世界有名的著名景點 Bondi 海灘。途中行經的路都是平常繁忙的路段，每年一度就因為這個活動這些路段都封閉起來讓大家在上面大搖大擺的跑跑走走或玩耍。

路中行經Double Bay，一個酒吧還有樂團在屋頂賣力演出魚肉鄉民，sorry，娛樂。

說老實話，我全程沒跑過半步，全程用走的，大部分人也是。別小看這13還是14公里的路程，其中有一段路是上坡，而且非常長，還有一個大家都知道的名字(City to Surf 使用，非正式路名），HeartBreak XXXX，會傷心或讓人難過的一段路。所以我全程沒有力氣再拍照，直到見到美麗的Bondi海灘後心情一振才在拿出相機拍照。