Bridge Climb and last Aussie entry
Trip Start
Mar 25, 2008
1
5
12
Trip End
Jun 13, 2008
Sydney,
Australia
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Well its the 3rd April 2008, the day I decided to climb the bridge and as I woke up with excitement mixed with anticipation mixed with the urge to really go to the toilet after drinking too much the night before I realized there was something else I was meant to remember about this day. I dare to say my best ideas come to me in moments of relief but I'm glad to say this one came after that, I realized the 3rd was also my mums birthday, her 50th to be exact, but you see the joy of being in Australia is although it was her birthday here, England is far behind time wise that it was still the 2nd, so I still had a whole day before I had to worry about calling her....ah the bliss of time zones, the only time I think they've ever been useful!!!
Now when I had originally gone to book the climb at the reception desk I had planned to do it on Friday afternoon, (I wasn't going to do it at dusk because it costs more and whilst I'm away I'm being a cheapo) but Brad sat behind the desk said he'd check the weather (I was thinking what is the point man, its Australia - now say that to yourself in a Jamaican accent because I did) but he went right ahead and said Thursday would be better 'not a cloud in the sky'. So it fair too say when I walked out onto the deck and saw the sky above Bondi was litter with cloud that I may have said some uncalled comments about Brad under my breath...also I had failed to notice the 2 old Italian ladies sitting at the table playing cards...oops. Anyway back inside I packed my back and set off to the bus stop, its also fair to say at this point my heart was not hopeful of the sky clearing, I even took the chance of praying to Zeus, Buddha, Allah, Osiris, Poseidon, Mohammed, Ra and what the heck Jesus as well that the sky would clear, because I wasn't about to waste money...my HARD earned money on nothing.
Now the bus journey took longer than usual because of the insane amount of people trying to get onto the bus, I don't know why, I guess 10am is the Australian rush hour, but I finally got down to the harbour at 11am and now had to wait around for 2 hours until my time, so I did the touristy things, got some more pictures of the Opera house with lots of clouds, walked the botanical gardens where there were lots of clouds and tried to work on my tan with lots of clouds. So after I while I grew hungry and went in search of food, finding a small cafe which actually sold fruit salad, and they did what I would consider to be a large portion, now that has to be large, Robert sized one might say ;) - if he doesn't read this no one tell him otherwise he'll hurt me in some way.
But as I sat outside watching seagulls scrap for the watermelon seeds I had discarded I noticed that the clouds above Sydney were now only over the Bay about 2 miles away, towards the sea, (I'm about to steal some words from Gandalf) I exclaimed to myself 'hope is kindled'.
I still had an hour to go and at this rate the clouds should be out to see and then that would leave its sad to say as Brad had predicted, a clear sky, and I'm happy to report as I sat outside the Bridge climb office at 12.30 the sky was blue, perfect, lovely amazing blue. My thoughts were turned to the frightened lot I had just glimpsed marching out of a side down in what looked like full military kit and jumpsuits, this I realised that is what I would be forced to wear. I could just hear dad in my head as if next to me saying, 'yuck what ghastly colors', why couldn't they have made them royal blue or something, you know, would have looked better.'
Promptly I made my way into the reception area at 1pm, and after showing them my reservation slip I was told to wait for 10minutes in this pen, sort of like pigs at an abattoir I felt, especially seen as the fatty bon bon from England was next to me, and what a mouth she had on her, I tell you if I was her father I'd be in jail for assault causing actual bodily harm, section 47 (correct me if I'm wrong Steph). Anyway, whilst waiting I looked at the pictures of all the famous people to have climbed the bridge and thought why do they get there picture displayed in this big hall? Did they pay more? Probably not, infact because of there fame they probably were let in free. That is something I would like to touch upon just now, why is it if you have fame and more importantly wealth you get stuff given to you for free, it just doesn't make sense!!!!
So later in the 'pen' and instructor named Adam joined us to get us to sign a long form stating that if for some reason we fall off of the harbour bridge because our belt was faulty its not there fault and they insist that we tampered with it. However as many of you know I'm not one for reading things through properly so I promptly signed on the dotted line. Also to my amazement Adam said he would have to breatherlise incase we were drunk and tried to climb, I imagined to myself this drunk Brit waltzing in and slurring 'you'll let me climb the bridge, hiccup, we own you' and shaking his fist fiercely in the air, apparently people have tried to do this 134 meter climb over the limit, I however to the surprise of many of you was not over the limit :)
(In this paragraph I would tell you about how we got our gear etc etc and learnt everyone's names, which I cannot remember but I'm growing short on time, I will tell you though for convenience that our guide for the climb was 'Chris' and looked and sounded very much like my old driving instructor.)
So as Chris lead us out onto the beginning of the bridge after being marched through the street like 18th century criminals we were about to latch on and begin our climb, he told us make sure you're next to someone you like because you're going to be spending 3 hours between these 2 people.' I was expertly positioned 2nd in line, with the very hot and delicious Italian 'Julie' in front of me, which seen as I would be having to be staring at someone's arse for a while made sense (how I didn't get into Oxbridge amazes me)
So we began our climb and as we walked along Chris told us many interesting facts about the Sydney Harbour Bridge, many of which I wish I could recollect to baffle you all with however I did remember the ones that I thought important. Like as he was telling us the Australians in there infinite wisdom misunderestimated (a brilliant Bushisum) the cost of the Bridge and had to borrow 10 million from the British Government, hence making us part owners of the Bridge, a fact everyone just smiled politely, except I chirped in "Oh yes Britannia", I don't think anyone else found it very funny but long live the Queen.
Now the scariest part of the climb is not the fact your 134 meters in the air, nor the fact that the wind was so powerful that I thought hurricane Katrina had finally given the poor souls of New Orleans a break, but to get to the actual start point on the arch of the bridge you have to climb 4 ladders, almost vertical and as you do your head appears with cars flashing past and the immediate reaction is to shove your head down because in a movie-esq style you believe one will hit you, and then the next ladder up halfway there and the 2.00pm train comes hurtling by shaking you till you almost lose your grip...I tell you I have never been more scared!!!
But in a matter of minutes the rest of the group had joined us on the arch and already the view was breathtaking, it gave a whole new dimension to Sydney, one I couldn't achieve from kayaking or standing by the harbour, it was amazing. Now because my group was so amazing we got to the top with no other group there which gave us extra time to just stand there and no matter how many times I turned from side to side and looked again it just stayed the same amazing view, it was great. Now at the top Chris once again enlightened us with facts, one being that some people propose to each other at the so called kissing tower, which you walk under and is suppose to bring luck to the relationship, he told us some 400 people had popped the question, and of course yours truly shouted through the wind 'How many said no?'. It turned out to be around 60 people had said no, some even saying yes, and then saying no back on the ground because they hadn't wanted to embarrass them in the group.
So we made our way back down, 2 hours after we began and I am now the proud holder of a certificate and a group photo to confirm I have climbed the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Now back at the hostel after I'd had dinner and read my book I returned to my room to find an odd lump in the bed above me, I was contemplating hitting it with a big stick and seeing what happened but the problem of where to find the big stick appeared. Instead I decided to sleep and 10 hours later found out it had a name of Jake (I think) and he was from would you believe it Northampton, and had worked for a time in Milton Keynes, Now that is freaky. But we got talking and I soon realised this guy was basically an older version of me, it was scary. He had read the Da Vinci code and believes it could have happened, and I believe he also reads the guardian, also many of you will remember what I said about seeing no fat Aussie girls and how the fat ones were exercising, well he said exactly the same thing, and he even quoted Galileo at one point. So here it was on my final night in Sydney I had found someone who wanted to grab something to eat and then he suggested going to a bar!! Its ironic how on my final night this happened, and even though I had to be up at 6.30am we still knocked back a few, ending up in this cool bar showing the latest Quentin Taritino movie and we just sat there and talked till midnightish when I called it a night.
And that I'm sad to say concluded my adventures in Sydney Australia. I was sad to leave but I'm now heading for New Zealand where green pastures lie, so you never know, I might meet someone from Milton Keynes here....infact I hope I don't.
