1 | 2 | 3 | next

~~~~~~~~~~~~
Intro | Sydney (Ourselves) | The Outback | Cairns | Melbourne | Sydney (Package)

 

Sydney (Ourselves) - (Continued)

Traci started Saturday morning with a 2-mile jog through the city. I, on the other hand, walked down to the harbor area at Circular Quay to get breakfast from McDonald's. We rarely eat there at home but I did not want to pay for an expensive breakfast buffet at the hotel that morning. While Traci was out running, she found an even better breakfast option just a short walk from our hotel. The Alpha Gourmet Cafe makes cook-to-order breakfasts at very reasonable prices.

During my walk to the harbor, I noticed that an enormous cruise ship was now docked there. It was the Majestic Princess. During our Los Angeles to Sydney flight the previous day, I was seated next to one of the ship entertainers. She and about 16 of her colleagues were on our flight after spending two months in LA learning the shows they would debut on the ship.

On the agenda that day for Traci and me was the Sydney Bridge Climb. Yes, we were going to get harnessed up and climb to the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. I had seen a TV show several years ago about the experience and although I thought it looked scary, I told myself back then that I would consider giving it a try if I ever visited Sydney. I reserved our 12:15 PM climb about a month before our trip.

Yep. We are going to climb to the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

The Bridge Climb building was located in walking distance from our hotel. Despite getting a little turned around, we still arrived there about 30 minutes before our scheduled appointment. While waiting around, I walked through the small Sydney Harbour Bridge Museum located in the building. We also had a little fun looking at photos of some celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey and Ben Stiller who have climbed the bridge.

Alas, our time arrived. We were given baggy jumpsuits and shown to the locker room where we were to get changed. We were not allowed to have anything in our pockets. This could lead to a dangerous situation for the drivers on the bridge if random objects began falling on them. Because it was an unseasonably warm day, it was recommended that we strip down to our underwear before putting on the jumpsuit.

After following our guide through the various stations to get harnessed up and to practice ascending and descending ladders while wearing the safety gear, we were finally on our way. The harness for each jumpsuit contains a hook that glides along a strong guide wire as you walk along the bridge. You are allowed to wear glasses or sunglasses; however, they must be attached to your suit via special straps and hooks. The same goes for the baseball cap each of us were given.

We exited the building and walked along the catwalk section of the bridge. This is a narrow section with a see-through, mesh-like metal bottom. We were not over the water yet. Instead, we were over the parking lot of a park. It was at this section of our walk that I experienced a mishap. It was a windy day. I was not wearing the baseball cap I was given. It was attached to my jumpsuit and flapping in the wind. Suddenly, I felt a tug. As I looked back, I saw my cap floating off the bridge and into some trees below. I believe my cap might have gotten caught on the end of a guide wire before it ripped loose.

There are four sets of ladders that must be climbed to get onto the arch of the bridge. I casually mentioned to one of the guides who was monitoring the ladder section that my hat was ripped off. I soon realized that this was a serious matter. They questioned me about where I was when it flew off. They would have to retrieve it. They also told me to turn in my jumpsuit to the lead guide instead of dropping it in the bin at the conclusion of the climb. I got the feeling an investigation was going to take place to figure out how the hat was able to detach.

But back to the climb. Despite my fear of heights, I did not feel any anxiety at all as we ascended the arch. With wide opaque steps and guard rails of a decent height, I did not feel like I was in danger of falling off the bridge. Instead, I enjoyed the views as our guide gave facts about the bridge and its construction. Since we were not allowed to bring cameras with us, our guide took photos of us at various stages of our climb. These pictures would be available for purchase at the conclusion of our climb.

We eventually made it to the top. It did not really sink in as to where I was until I glanced over and saw just a few feet from me the beacon lamp at the top of the bridge flashing on and off. Additionally, since it was such a windy day, I could hear the two large flags (Australian flag and New South Wales flag) flapping violently above us in the wind. Despite the wind, it was a bright, clear sunny day. Across the harbor, I could see the Opera House which looked miniature from here. The boats, distant islands, the skyline were all fascinating to view from this height - not to mention the cars, trucks, and trains on the move below us.

Climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge

 

 

Our group was a little ahead of schedule. Therefore, our guide let us stay at the top for quite a while. We found out he is also a runner. He had done the Sydney Marathon and the Sydney Half Marathon. When he found out that Traci would be running the half marathon the following day, he took the time to point out parts of the course which could be seen from the top of the bridge and gave some advice on how Traci should pace herself.

During the course of our 3.5-hour Sydney Bridge Climb experience, we walked more than a 1,300 steps. I did not experience much fatigue. We stopped frequently to listen to our guide's commentary or to let other groups pass by. I did start to feel a little burn in my hips during the descent but by the time it started to become uncomfortable, we were at the end of our tour. The bridge climb was the highlight of our time in Sydney!

For dinner that evening, Traci and I chose the Mrs. Jones restaurant in the Rocks section of the city where Traci could eat pasta to help her carb-load before her half marathon the next day. Unfortunately, the food was not anything special - and so continued our losing streak on choosing restaurants in Sydney.

It was such a pleasant evening with the mild breeze coming off the water. We walked around the Rocks and the harbor area. It was a lively scene. There were street musicians and musicians performing in restaurants. I was surprised at how much American R&B I heard. Throughout our time in Australia, R&B and hip hop were the predominant genres I heard.

We got a little surprise during our stroll when the large Princess cruise ship docked in the harbor blasted its low-pitched horn as it began pulling away from the port. It blasted again but this time, its horn began playing the Love Boat theme song. It sounded like a loud tuba. The ship did not play the entire tune which led to the surreal moment when people on the street began singing the lyrics where the ship's horn left off. Continue...

 

1 | 2 | 3 | next

~~~~~~~~~~~~
Intro | Sydney (Ourselves) | The Outback | Cairns | Melbourne | Sydney (Package)

Other City Stays:


[Back to the Main Page]