I'd ummed and arred about whether or not to do the Harbour Bridge climb, it's quite expensive and would the views be worth it?? After seeing the views from the Westfield tower and my mum telling me 'OH JUST DO IT!!' (She'd done it last year so came highly recommended!) I decided on it and I'm so glad I did! What an experience!!
We were called through promptly on our call time of 17:35pm, it was close to a military operation. We were ushered into one room to sign forms and give details, ushered into the next for introductions and boiler suit size ups then into the changing rooms. Before going up our guide gave us the quick run through of what the nights agenda was looking like and we had a practise climb inside! Seeing it as some sort of personal race, I raced up the steps round the railings and back down! Hilarious really because by the time I get out there I'll be scare shitless climbing ladders! After the practise climb we then 'accessorised' up with radios, wrist handkerchiefs and head phones and headed to the tunnel leading us to the beginning of the climb!
As we walked out on to the walkway (the one suspended like 30ft in the air!) I had a quick moment of doubt whether I could climb A BRIDGE!? Turns out, I can! The first walkway ran the length of the bridge to the first set of pillars where the ladders were. If I'm honest, this was the scariest part of the whole thing! It was a narrow, 2 plank wide walkway with just a rail keeping us from following off the other way (and a harness of course, but still), thankfully the Opera House was glowing against the bay so was a good distraction!
As I reached the base of the 4 sets of ladders above me Harriet, a poor girl I'd only met 5 minutes ago, had to be my words of encouragement! I don't know if it was the night sky, the full step ladders or if I'd actually kicked my fear of heights, but I wasn't phased by them at all! VERY aware I was climbing a ladder but not terrified like I was in Mesa Verde. Now clearly, some one, somewhere along the line had gotten the wrong message about me and Harriet because they kept putting us in the same photos, first I thought it was a group thing or solo climber thing. This was until they asked how long we'd been together... OH GOD SWEETIE NO!! Turned out to be quite nice sharing my photos with someone, even if I did meet her that same night... So we stuck with it for the rest of the climb!
Climbing the bridge's arch after that was just amazing, looking out into the bay at the Opera House or back towards to city and the skyline glowing a warm shade of orange again the night sky. I'd definitely made the right choice of a night climb. We stopped at several stops along the way as our guide pointed out places and spots within the bay and along the shore, the prime minister's house, Dennis Island and it's $1000pp New Year's Eve package and of course the illuminated Luna Park. Also did you know the metal used to build the Harbour Bridge came from Middlesbrough!? One of the few times I was proud to say where I was from! As we reached the height of the arch I noticed the two huge flags of Australia and New South Wales. There's actually a story behind the flags, there is a historic running bet between football teams where the losing team must fly the opponents flag on their bridge for the entire year until the next tournament! After a 4 year stint New South Wales finally own and are flying their own flag again as Queensland has the shame of a different flag.
We crossed over the bridge while looking down at the road below us. It's amazing really, the bridge is completed unaltered from the day it was built. It was built totally looking into the future. 1 pedestrian path, 6 car lanes and 2 train tracks. All this when in the day it was designed and built there was probably a handful of cars on the road compared to roads now.
We then began our decent! Considering it should of been something that terrified me, it was absolutely exhilarating! Even the ladders back down and grate pathways didn't bother me! Does this mean I'm healed? Am I fixed!? Watch this space... I've still got my challenge of my skydive yet!
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