1/10/15 The bridge climb

This morning I got up with great anticipation and had the breakfast buffet at the Marriott knowing that I would need lots of protein to climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The bridge was within walking distance of the hotel and I took the route through "The Rocks" which is an older part of town that now hosts street bazaars and cultural events. It is very picturesque. The vendors were just setting up their tents when I went through. I lost my way briefly because I had to climb winding sets of stairways to get to the upper streets. I found the office for the bridge climb thinking I would be one of the first to arrive; however, I was surprised to learn that people climb the bridge 24/7! I had seen people on the bridge last night before going to the opera, but had no idea that they went through the night. Anyway, my group went into the prep room and were told that due to the weather prediction for the day, we had to strip to our under ware! We couldn't take anything with us because falling objects could easily break through the windshields of cars on the bridge. Obviously, no cameras. 😒 We were given light weight jump suits ( blue and gray so as not to distract drivers on the bridge). Our ensemble was completed with sweat towels secured to our wrists, locker key lanyards tucked inside the jumpsuits, eyeglass security bands, hats, heavy belts with clips for the security lines and radio headsets to communicate with the group leader. The climb started out through the underside of the bridge revealing the massive beams and intricate ironworks. We gradually made our way up by way of a series of ladders to the base of the arch. Climbing the arch was a gradual ascent; the problem was the humidity of 88 percent and the temperature of the same. The discomfort was minimalized by the spectacular views. It was stunning to see the Harbour from this perspective. 360 degrees of unbelievable, beautiful Sydney. It was truly indescribable. The bridge climb is, in my opinion, a "must do" for anyone visiting this wonderful city. I'll never forget the experience. I returned to the hotel after three 1/2 hours on the bridge (1033 steps up, 1033 steps down and a height of 450 feet above the water). After a quick shower, my intent was to take the Fast Ferry to Manly Beach for the afternoon, but I made the mistake of lying down for a few minutes to rest my aching legs. I woke up to find it was 7:00 pm! Oh well, it was a fabulous day anyway.

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