Harbour Bridge Climb

If you are coming to Aus, the one thing you have to make sure you do is the Harbour Bridge Climb.  I'm not being biased just because I'm from Sydney.  I work right in the city and see it every day, but after doing the bridge climb it puts another whole perspective on the way you look at things...It's amazing!  And so worth it for $170!  The Opera house looks fab from its steps but a thousand times better from 200m in the air!  DO IT!  (the outfits aren't the best and neither is having a bum in your face the whole way up, but the rest is definitely worth it!

Further to Lisa's comment - this is the story of how I got to do it...

My boss had me arrange the Bridgeclimb for her Executive team as a motivator before 3 days of non-stop 2007 business planning.  We had people coming from America for it and everything.  So I booked it for 10 people and no one knew about it besides me and my boss.  The 2 from America ended up not being able to make it - so I called Bridgeclimb and played the sympathy card.  "I know you don't normally give credits, but their flights got cancelled"  yada yada yada - ended up getting 2 credits! So my boss was happy that we didn't lose the value. Then it was the day and they were all on their way there, and Grahame found out where they were going and started to freak out. Broke out in a rash and was sweating and everything! So my boss called me and said before we get there can you call them and try to arrange another credit.  So I called and they wouldn't do it.  So I called my boss back and told her, then she says to me - well you come and do it then...I said "but I'm in heels!" she said "my suitcase is in my office there are runners in there, and just rummage around until you find some socks" (because they were staying at the hotel for 3 days) I said "but I am wearing a skirt" then she yelled at me "THEY GIVE YOU OVERALLS!  GET IN A CAB NOW! I'LL PAY FOR IT WHEN YOU GET HERE - HURRY!" 

So I found the runners and the socks, and bolted out into the street looking atrocious I might add...hopped in a cab and made it there just in time...

Then when we got back to work she was like is this done, where's this and that sort of thing, and I said "they were all on my to-do list today, but you hunted me out of the office so fast that nothing is done" and she was fine...great day all round! :o)

I went to Sydney in 2007 for one reason and one reason only that is to climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge. I didn't plan it but my friends suggested that it would be an exhilirating experience and it was. I found it funny that most of the Aussies I've told about my climb gave me the impression that climbing up that bridge that they cross maybe a million times all their lives is just a waste of time.

Anyway, the climb was very well organised and you can tell that the person who came up with the idea really know what he was doing. Safety harness, weather condition, communication headset, climbing crash course and professional guide had assured me that I was in safe hands. Before the climb, we had to sign an agreement stating that we didn't have any heart conditions or other health problems that might come up during the climb. We were put in a small room and was given some briefings on the climb.

After that we went to a changing room-special overall was given for everyone to wear. There were 10 of us in the group, me and my two friends and other tourists from Slovakia, Japan, the UK and the USA. There was also an ice-breaking session where each member introduced his or herself to other members. I guess this is for the purpose of building trust as our safety harness were linked to the others.

Then we moved to another room (a bigger one) to fit our communication headset (I thought that was pretty cool)as well as safety harness. A professional guide introduced himself to us and guided us through the journey.

The climb up the Sydney Harbour Bridge was not that difficult but it sure tested my fear of height. I will spare all the details of this climb so that you can experience it yourself. One thing I must tell you though is that this climb is an unforgettable experience for me.

I was stuck in Sydney for an extra 2 nights..if you want to call it stuck. I had gotton on of the hosptial because I had gotton sick and was not able to get a flight for 2 days. So instead of just sitting in my hotel room I explored the city. I saw the bridge and it just called me.

It is amazing..if you go to Sydney YOU MUST CLIMB THE BRIDGE. You get a quick prep-class and a trial run inside. Afterwards you begin your climb up the bridge. You hook yourself on a line and put on this really sexy outfite ( its a jumpsuite so nothing falls out of your pocket onto traffic below you). While climbing, you get to view Sydney in a way you would not be able to anywhere else. They have night climbs and early morning climbs as well if your into that. The sunset climb would be amazing with the view of the Sydney Opera House in the backround. Highly recommonded...