Australia Part Three: Sydney (the final chapter)

We climbed the bridge! It was so cool! I couldn't hold it in for the entire post...so up at the top goes the photo and I can gush and go on and then get on with it!

When planning our trip to Sydney, we were very conflicted about whether or not we would climb the Sydney Harbor Bridge.  After all, it is probably the most touristy thing that you can do in Sydney.  So, we asked everyone we met along the way, in all the parts of Australia that we visited, if they had done it and if it was worth it.  Not one person suggested that we skip it....so we thought "What the heck-we are tourists, let us be touristy!".

The bridge climb takes about 3 hours, start to finish.  You get trained on how to hook your harness and you get to practice climbing before you head out.  They furnish you with the really flattering jump suits that are designed in colors that blend in with the bridge-there are cars driving under you the entire time you are on the tour...

Everything is clipped to you-sunglasses, hat, a cable that tethers you to the bridge, a radio pack with a headset so you can hear the information from your tour guide.  You are instructed to remove everything from your pockets, any clips or barrettes from your hair, dangly earrings, and gum from your mouth.  You can't bring your own camera up there (wouldn't want any slippery fingers dropping a camera from that height onto the road below...), but they stop and take several posed pictures for souvenirs.  You climb up to the top of the bridge and walk over the arch to the middle cross section, coming back down the other side, to the place where you started.  We really enjoyed ourselves-sunny day + fun group (including 6 Americans from Atlanta) + spectacular views.  I guess the lesson we learned is that sometimes things are touristy for good reason.  The Harbor Bridge Climb is definitely in that category of a must-do.

One day we took a ferry out to Manly Beach.  In the picture above, you see the examples of the new and old versions of the ferries in Sydney.  The one that we took out to Manly was one of the old ones.  A 30 minute or so ride and we had some great views of the bridge and the Opera House there and also on the way back.

Manly Beach is lovely.  I have to say that we did go to Bondi Beach as well, just to check it out and make the comparison...let me tell you, there is none.  I don't even have any pictures of Bondi.  Manly, though, is worth the trip.

There is a walking path over to Bronte Beach, on which we took a leisurely stroll, looking at not only the amazing views of the water, but also at the expensive real estate that owns a little piece of that view, dreaming of someday owning a little piece of paradise for ourselves...

This sign was a good reminder for us Americans who naturally veer to the right

We lucked out and took the right ferry to coincide with sunset...gorgeous sights and colors...

Can you see the people on the bridge just to the left of the flag?

Opera House at night from the ferry

On our last day, we walked around the city, hitting a few street markets, including the one at Surry Hills which happens on the first Saturday of the month.  Basically a flea market in a cool part of town, it was fun to look at other people's junk!  We stayed in a section of Sydney called The Rocks-a wonderful old part of the city situated near the bridge and also the harbor, so we saw the Opera House everyday.

We decided to stop on our final evening and have a drinkie at the Opera House Bar, which over looks the bridge...and if you look closely below the bridge, you will see Luna Park, Sydney style!  (in the Melbourne post I made mention of this....take a peek!)

We loved Sydney-there were times that we wished that we had devoted more time to our visit there.  Everywhere we went we met friendly people who were....just.....happy.  A lot of them had come down to work for the summer, several had moved from the UK-pretty smart to leave the wintry, wet UK for sunny, happy Sydney.  I don't know if we will ever be able to get there again....but I sure hope so!