The last post described how the majority of my time in Australia was spent- in the middle of nowhere, Queensland, in a cowboy hat and boots. However, I did get one break during my work in Australia. Of course, I spent that time in the one Australian city that everyone knows, Sydney. My three weeks of living in Sydney feel like an entirely different trip of its own, with how stark the contrast was between city and rural living.
Living in a city and taking care of myself was an adventure in and of itself. Living in a hostel meant I had to take care of myself and maintain a budget, while simultaneously enjoying as many of Sydney’s sites and activities as I could. However the adventure was a little less outdoorsy or active of an experience as my other adventures I have posted about. So in order to maintain the same theme, I will focus on one specific outdoor adventure rather than my entire experience of Sydney.
One of my favorite pictures I took while in Sydney. Taken from the ferry ride to Manly Bay.
The classic picture of Sydney typically includes the iconic Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour, and in the background, the magnificent Sydney Harbour Bridge. The Sydney Harbour Bridge was built from 1924-1932 and used 53,000 tons of steel. It is currently the largest steel arch bridge, with its arch standing 134 meters above sea level at its peak, and spanning 503 meters. To see its size in person is breathtaking.
And if observing its size from afar doesn’t get the magnitude across, standing on top of it sure does. While in Sydney I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge. This tourist attraction is run by a company called BridgeClimb. At almost any hour of the day, BridgeClimb is guiding tour groups up the steel arch. My tour group left at sunset, so as we climbed dusk set in and the city lights illuminated.
The tour began in a shop at the base of one side of the bridge. We filed into a room for a meet and greet, learning the names of the handful of people in our tour group. We were each given a blue jump suit, cap, headset, headlamp, and harness. Our climb leader explained safety information while making corny jokes which the group politely answered with a few laughs. Once the basic information was explained, we went out to the safety training area where we learned how to safely transfer our harness carabiners from one safety cord to the next. After what seemed like excessive precautionary training, we finally filed into a line, hooked into the cord, and walked across the floating walkway up to the start of the climb.
The climb began beneath the roadway, near the pylons that support the bridge. Our guide told us that according to Aboriginal legend, the stone the pylons were made from had healing powers, so every group member rubbed the stone as we passed. We soon reached the end of the walkway and had to climb ladders to ascend past the road level. Despite the constant security of the harness, I found the ladders to be the most nerve-wracking part of the climb. The ladders passed right next to the train line, with only a thin sheet of wire mesh separating the tracks from us. The guide said it was common for trains to go by while tour groups climbed, but our group experience it.
By the time we were above the cars and trains, and walking atop the steel arch, the sun had set completely and the city was bright with lights. The panoramic view of city central, the north shore, and the Opera House was awe-inspiring. The height and location of the bridge gives a bird’s eye view of the city like no other. On top of the ideal viewing point, the timing of our summit allowed us to appreciate the glowing cityscape at night. I could never forget that stunning view of one of my favorite cities. Despite the nerves of climbing so high, climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge was one of the most memorable experiences of my time in Sydney.
Clip of my boyfriend Bobby and me on top of the bridge. We tried to say it in unison.
http://www.australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/sydney-harbour-bridge
This seems so amazing, especially how you got to climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge. My cousins when to Australia a few years ago and had an amazing time; since then I have really wanted to go and it is so cool how much you took advantage of your time there to not only get the experience in rural Australia but also come to a well known city to see that side of the country as well.
This was written really well, I think the imagery was great so I got a really good picture of your climb. I really want to study abroad there so thats good to know there’s something that neat to do there. It’s really cool that you got to experience both the rural and city living.
I have always wanted to do the Bridge Climb! Besides simply being in Australia of all places, the Sydney Harbour Bridge is definitely near the top of my travel list, if I ever leave the country. I’ve only seen pictures, but I think Sydney Australia is beautiful. It’s so cool that you were able to go and do this while being pretty much independent. Nice pictures too!