Days 25 - 28: Sydney

Day 25: Adelaide to Sydney
The next day, which was Friday, Feb. 12, Eve drove me to the airport before her class. I was astounded to find out that she could go through security without having a boarding pass, and she saw me right to my gate (unfortunately she was selected for a random screening going through security and tested positive for explosives... but when they did the test again she was cleared, and they STILL let her through!)  My flight for Sydney left a bit after 8, and took about two hours. After we landed, and I stepped off the plane, I realized that Sydney was even more humid and hot than Adelaide!  It was a bit disgusting, but I knew that rain was forecast so I was looking forward to some relief.

I took the train downtown and then caught a bus to my hostel, where I had a very welcome shower.  Then I took the bus back downtown and wandered around.  I saw the Argyle Cut, a street channeled through walls of rock on either side.  I think it's been there for quite some time.  Next I made my way to the Sydney Harbor BridgeClimb, and booked myself a climb for tomorrow night.  I also wandered over to the Opera House, which is my favorite attraction in Sydney because for so long it has represented my trip to this part of the world.  It felt like I was in a dream to be walking past it!  I called in there and asked about tours, as well.  Then I headed back to the hostel, where they are having a free BBQ tonight.  I wasn't expecting much but they had loads of hamburgers and hotdogs that were quite delicious.  The BBQ was "dampened" a bit by a deluge of rain, so I moved inside.  While I was eating, I started talking to a German guy who has been in Australia for 8 months or so.  He did some work at a banana farm, and showed me photos of his trip to Uluru with a tour company.  There are a ton of Germans staying in this hostel - about 70% Germans, I think.  They are everywhere!  I haven't met any other Americans, though.  My roommates are a guy and a girl from Italy, Bape and Leah.  They are very nice but don't speak English very well.

Day 26: Opera House and Bridge Climb!

Back downtown today and I first headed to the Rocks Market.  These are open air stalls in a section of town known as The Rocks.  Next I visited the Opera House and had a tour.  It was fascinating, and is a really beautiful building.  It's on the worldwide register of historic places, and is one of the youngest buildings to be on the register.  There was some drama over its being built, too, since politicians had different ideas than the architect's original design, and after a change of power, the architect actually resigned instead of being pushed into an advisory role.  In the end, he left Australia, and never returned to Sydney to see his design realized in full.  He was eventually invited to be the visionary of the Opera House's future, but it has been his son who has carried out that work on-site.

After leaving the Opera House, I made my way uptown to the Victoria Building, a beautifully decorated and stylized up-scale shopping center.  Once I explored to my heart's content, I took myself out to Darling Harbour on the Ferry.  Then it was time for my bridge climb!  I was quite impressed with the speed and efficiency of the BridgeClimb operation.  They call you in, you sit in a circle and fill out paperwork, then you move into the next room and stand on a yellow dot in a circle, and while you introduce yourself to one another, the staff size you up and give you a jumpsuit and a pair of rainpants that will fit.  My group was 14 people, 13 Australians, and me!  From the outfitting room, we moved on to changing rooms, with a separate hallway for each group and individual rooms to get changed.  They recommended that you strip down to your underwear underneath the jumpsuit, because it was quite warm and still rather humid, even though showers had been passing through all day.

After we got changed, we stashed our stuff in lockers and passed through a metal detector.  You aren't allowed to take a camera or anything up onto the bridge with you, since if you dropped it, it could smash through a windshield of a car below or hit someone and hurt them.  I did stick Miniwati down the top of my jumpsuit, though.  I was hoping she could make it into some of the photos!  After clearing the metal detectors we met our guide, Baxter, and he took us to another room where we put on our harnesses (a belt with a static line that clips into a line on the bridge) and were fitted with rain jackets that hung off our belts (to put on if we needed them) and radios so Baxter could talk to us without having to yell.  Then off we went!

So many people climb the Harbour Bridge that they have a new group moving through this whole process about every 5 minutes.  It really is quite impressive that they can outfit and equip groups and explain everything so quickly and streamlinedly.

We first walked along an approach section, which is actually underneath the roadway of the bridge.  Then we climbed a set of ladders up to the arch section of the bridge.  From there we walked up the arch to the top of the bridge and back down.  It was about 8pm by the time we got onto the bridge, so the lights of the city were on and the view was beautiful!  Until we reached the top, it didn't rain, and we heard lots of stories about the construction of the bridge and its history.  Baxter took photos of the group and even allowed Miniwati to be in a photo when he really wasn't supposed to.  The whole experience was a lot of fun, and a good thrill to be so high (394 m above the water).  I would recommend it to anyone!

Day 27: Today I took public transportation to Hillsong Church in the hills outside of Sydney.  Becuase of track construction I had to ride the bus to Olympic Park (remember when the Olympics were in Sydney?) and take a bus the rest of the way.  I was worried that I might miss the Hillsong bus (they pick people up at another train station) and the guy in charge stopped people from getting onto the bus right before me, but when I told him I need to be there by 10, he let me on.  Hillsong is where Darlene Tzeck (not sure if that's spelled right) is from, and she is responsible for songs like "Shout to the North Lord." (thanks astute readers.)  The church was nice, but enormous, and it is an AoG church, so not exactly what I'm used to, but that was okay.  They sang some cool songs and I enjoyed the song they did for communion, which is one of my favorites by Jon Foreman.  It was really nice just to be in church.  Afterwards I went back downtown and took a ferry out to Manly, where there is a really nice beach and I watched some surfers and bought myself a new top from the Element store there for my birthday (which is tomorrow.)  I enjoyed being out in Manly immensely.  It was very relaxing.  I ate yummy paella at this chain called Nando's which does chicken with a special chili seasoning.  It was yummy!

Day 28: My Birthday!
Being on my own in Sydney was a little bit of a downer because I missed Eve and having someone to talk to.  It will be hard leaving Australia and heading back to NZ, and will require an adjustment.  I hope I can make some friends soon! 

Well, today I checked out of my hostel and wandered around a bit in Glebe, the suburb that I'm staying in.  It is a very backpacker heavy, artsy sort of area.  I found an internet cafe and did some emailing.  Then it was basically time to head to the airport and back to Adelaide.  I enjoyed seeing Sydney, and particularly the Opera House, but I have a feeling I would have had a better time with someone to share it with.