Day 5

Arrival In Sydney

It was time to say goodbye to sunny Queensland and head down to Sydney (rain forecasted). We packed our things and hopped onto the bus and watched our last glimpses of Surfers Paradise out the window. To our surprise when we arrived in Sydney the weather was nice and we pulled up to our hotel The Grace, a large hotel with an old fashioned and rather fancy personality. We checked in and visited our rooms quickly then as a group went out to get some lunch.  Some members of the group had been to Sydney before and suggested an asian restaurant to visit and after a large hunt we ended up at a cafe which served hot plate lunches, a first for me. Time flew very quickly and soon enough we were back at or hotel preparing for the Harbour bridge climb.  We were a bit concerned that it might rain but luckily for us the skies were clear. 

Bridge Climb!

We arrived at the bridge and were prepped for the amazing experience. This included being introduced to the rest of the climbers, fitting our jumpsuits, a practice stair climb and an overview of what to expect on the climb. Our guide led us to the entry to the bridge and one by one we were attached to the guideline. We walked on thin platforms over the main road and could see straight through the floor below us. I am not one to be scared of heights but the beginning of this walk was making me question my courage. We climbed and crawled through dark spaces and climbed up vertical stairs through train railways in use. We soon however arrived at the bridge itself and the view was amazing. We had a full view of the city scape and night lights, a very different experience to what it would be during the day. The part of the bridge we climbed on was an easy and comfortable walk and we had many opportunities to stop and have photos taken and enjoy the view.The guide was very engaging with many interesting facts and stories about the history of the bridge, he mentioned the fact that on every climb he hosts there are always such different tales told as there is just so many to talk about. It was an amazing experience and I am so glad we all got the chance to do it as a group. When the climb was over we had the opportunity for a free night in Sydney. My boyfriend was in the city at the time so we had the chance to meet up. We spent the night exploring the city together, a great end to the day.