A walk in the park

Not everyone can easily go for a walk in the park, or to the beach, or somewhere peaceful in nature. Especially lately... Walking has always been a saving grace for me. I thrive on going for walks and often joke that in a past life I was a dog so I need to be walked regularly.
For those who can’t get out for a walk I invite you to come along with me today.
The sun is shining, it’s a beautiful day.
From my place we walk two blocks to a main road and cross to the park that hugs the edge of the harbour. We cross a river-mouth over a small bridge to enter the park that widens stretching down through grass to a narrow beach. The scent of the ocean wafts in on a light breeze.
The park has a cement path winding through it parallel to the water’s edge where we walk passing trees and a playground. There’s some children on the swings swinging away earnestly as high as they can. Others play at the edge of the playground, two are kicking a ball and laughing because it’s a tennis ball and hard to kick well.
The path is mostly straight but curves as it follows the shape of the harbour, we pass by groves of trees that reveal the view across the water in parts and hide it in others. There are houseboats anchored in the harbour, one has a dummy dressed up in fishing gear on the top-deck holding a fishing rod waiting eternally for the one that got away.
Beyond, the water opens up to the ocean in the distance.
The park narrows as we walk near the boat ramp. The carpark for the boat trailers replaces the park so we cut through it towards the fish and chip shop that sits close to a small swimming area. There’s pelicans there milling around waiting for scraps. They can grow to 4ft tall and dwarf the seagulls that hover over the heads of people sitting at the tables bordering the beachfront.
We continue on, the park opens up before us again with dog walkers going by and the occasional jogger.
The trees are taller here, there’s crows and currawongs calling from the treetops. They go to and fro overhead chasing each other through the sky. The view through the parkland over the harbour now reveals speedboats joy riding and the occasional jet ski.
We reach the marina which is fenced off to protect the rich and their aquatic toys, so we walk to the beach. Before going down to the sand we take off our shoes to head back along the shoreline with the water lapping over our bare feet.
The city comes into view in the distance, a rainbow arcs through the clouds overhead making a colourful gateway to lead us back home.
When the beach ends at the boat ramp we dust the sand from our feet and put our shoes back on, then track through the park where willy wagtails are now circling on the breeze turning and sweeping in circles on an unseen thermal updraft. Just past them there’s a collection of lapdogs panting and wagging their tails at each other’s cuteness. The owners mill around watching their fur babies adoringly between snippets of conversation about what a beautiful day it is.
Overhead a line of pelicans pass by and we follow them continuing on the path to the park’s edge. On top of a streetlight by the footbridge there’s a pelican perched watching us. We cross the bridge leaving the park behind, then we cross the road and head home.