Bridge Climb!

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I just climbed Sydney Harbour Bridge!!! This was one of the few things I really wanted to do here and I have to say that it was completely amazing! I was really impressed with how organised everything was, and by the time I had my climbing suit on with headset, radio receiver, raincoat, hat and safety rope clipped to me I felt like an astronaut going into space. Our climb leader was really good fun and he let me go near the front due to me being ever so slightly scared of heights...

The scariest section was actually quite near the beginning of the climb when we had to work round the sandstone pillar - we were on the outside of the bridge with a mesh floor so we could see right down to the ground. After that there were four steep ladders to go up but you couldn't see much from these and anyway I was concentrating too hard on climbing to be looking round. We went past the road and railway line and a train zoomed right past my head!

Once we reached the arch we had a wide solid floor to walk on and we could only see down as far as the road underneath and not all the way to the water below, so it was much less scary. Of course we could see over the side, but I looked out into the distance and it felt fine. The climb was easier here too, just a gentle walk up shallow steps all the way to the flags at the top. When we finally made it to the summit I grinned the whole time, remembering my months of saving and my dreams of being in that very spot. The weather was perfect, with bright sunshine and a refreshing breeze, and the views were amazing. On one side we could see all the way to the sea at Bondi and Manly beaches, and on the other side we could see the Olympic park and beyond that the Blue Mountains on the horizon. The city is just beautiful from up there - it seems to be full of water as it's built round all sides of the harbour, and you can see sparkling blue snaking away into the distant surburbs and the little tracks of the ferries as they churn up the water.

Sadly I have no photos to show you as you're not allowed to take anything on the climb with you - even hair grips are banned and if you have glasses you have to put a special harness round them and clip them to your suit! I do however have a nice big picture of me that I bought after the climb as well as my free group photo, so I'll show those round when I get back.

After the climb I was really hungry - it takes 3.5 hours to do the whole experience including preparation - so I went to the quay and finally ate barramundi which I've been wanting to try for ages. There's a fish & chip kiosk that does grilled as well as fried fish, so I had a lovely piece of grilled barramundi that was cooked while I waited and they even put herbs on it! I'm off to iron a skirt now for the opera tonight. Both famous buildings and the most Aussie of fishes in one day - I'm a walking Sydney tourist cliche and I love it! :o)

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