August 13, 2007
Woo-wee. What a day! I met A.Al in the lobby at 8am and we headed back over to Circular Quay to the Rocks to take pictures with Cedric... Then we went to breakfast at the same restaurant as yesterday out on the back patio. I had this feta tomato basil turkish bread thing that was to die for and a chai latte. delish. So after we eat she asks me where I think we're headed or what we're doing. I said I figured we'd either be walking across the bridge or going up the OZ tower thing. So then she says we're not just walking across the bridge but climbing over it!!! I was giddy like a little kid on Christmas morning when their grandpa rolls out a new cherry red Schwinn Bike with bells and a basket. It was a silly sight, I'm sure--me sitting there on the patio clapping my hands unable to stop grinning! We had a little over an hour before our appointment so we walked around and went to a couple cute shops in the rocks. We got to the Bridge Climb place and sat in the little waiting area for about ten minutes.
There were quite a few people waiting and one lady was asleep on her significant other's shoulder--apparently not as excited as I was to climb the bridge. so they call out our appt time and about ten of us file into a room where we fill out a form and take a breathalyzer test. You can't be over 0.05 to walk the bridge. So I wonder how many times they had drunk people climb before they brought in the breathalyzers. So while we're putting on our incredibly fashionable grey and blue jumpsuits, we go around and introduce ourselves. There are four from England--a cute little blond family: the mom and her two teenage sons looked like a surfer family. Then an older woman from South Africa with her son and his wife. A lady from Germany I think and a couple that joined late. So we have to put all our stuff in lockers. No cameras, loose jewelry or basically anything is allowed to go up with you. Bummer. Ok, so then we walk through the metal detector--as they're apparently quite serious about this no camera thing--and meet our climb guide. Oh Lord. He's quite gorgeous (though it may just be the accent--it does me in every time).
How am I supposed to climb all those stairs when my knees go weak? He's tall, strawberry blond, handsome, fit, and has that damn accent. I'm done for. My very own Heath Ledger. Couldn't ask for more. So he takes us through the rest of the prep and practice, gets us our gear and takes us off. So I'm the last one in line and as we're all in line helping the person in front of us attach all their gear, he comes and does mine. Anyway, we get a headset so we can hear him give instructions and give the commentary as we go. We head out and the first bit is under the bridge on these pretty narrow catwalk things with a mesh, see through floor. It's pretty frightening and fantastic at the same time. Then we have to climb these ladders to get up on top of the bridge. I was a little out of breath and the top ha ha. It's pretty freakin’ high up. Our guide tells us that sixteen men lost their lives out of the 1600 (or something close to 1600) who built the bridge. Only one of the 16 fell from the top. wow. Once we get to the top part of the bridge, it is stairs all the way to the summit. We stop once for individual photo ops in front of the Opera House. Then again at the top for group photos. Then he tells us we'll have three more photo spots. So A.Al is like, "you should have him get in the picture with you, Meg. We can send it home to your mom." Oh dear. As much as I want to, there's no way. So we reach the top and stand there for probably fifteen minutes just enjoying the view. It's seriously spectacular.
A boat goes under the bridge towing a little dingy just after we all do our "we've reached the top" celebratory cheer. Our guide says something about the dingy in the back, and A.Al turns to me and asks, "what'd you do?" I said, "nothing..." She thought he was calling me a dingy :( Anyway, after we cross to the other side of the bridge we have another photo op with the city in the background and A.Al says, "hey, get in the photo with us!!" He's like, "Oh... am I allowed?" then jumps in. Then she says to him that we're going to send a copy home to my mom. groan... I was only slightly mortified and wanted to jump over the edge right then and there. Now I'm terribly embarrassed but at the same time glad he took the photo with us. So we finish out the descent and get back to take all our gear off. But before we do, we all get back in line and give a shoulder rub to the person in front of us... and as I'm the last person, he comes and rubs mine. ha ha. We're clearly meant to be together ;) Then we have to fill out a survey about the experience and A.Al puts down her phone number and writes, "Meghan's Aunt" next to it. Oh Lord. She shows me quickly before I can protest too much and puts it in the bin. A large part of me was thoroughly embarrassed, but a small bit thought, eh... it doesn't matter. We then went and bought a couple of the photos and a sticker that says BRIDGE CLIMB 2007! I CLIMBED IT! Then went to an Irish pub down the road for a celebratory beer.
Afterward, we took the subway over to Sydney tower to see if we wanted to climb it. On the train there was this incredibly creepy old man in all black and leather with like a do-rag and cowboy hat on. He was wearing reflective shades so we couldn't tell what he was looking at, but he was in the corner facing us the whole time and it totally gave us the heebie jeebies. Anyway, we get to Sydney Tower and decide we don't have the time or energy left. So we go back to the motel for a little rest before we go to Bondi Junction for dinner and Harry Potter! We take the subway again and only get a little confused. By now it actually feels like winter. Its 17C (17x2=34+30=64-1=63F), but the wind chill makes it feel like 45F. We get there and find a Mexican Restaurant... U.Shep explains to me that Mexican food here is very rare and expensive. So we open the menu and an enchilada goes for $19. Yikes. My chimichanga was $23. It was nuts and rather than refried beans and rice it was like mashed kumquat squash and rice. (P.S. they call all squashes pumpkin here.) It was actually really delicious though. So after dinner we walk up the street to the mall that has the cinema and we go into Borders to pass the time. It's nuts. First of all, Father's Day is coming up here in Australia so there are all these "Great gifts for dad" booths. And secondly, paperbacks cost anywhere from $25-$30. Another thing or two... you not only drive on the left but you walk on the lift. With light switches, up is off and down is on. Weird. There are usually two options when flushing a toilet too; one uses less water and is for #1 and the other is a regular flush for #2. Brilliant! Oh and the up escalator is on the left. That throws me off every time. Anyway, we're off to see Harry Potter and they bought these GoldStar tickets for this separate theater that has huge, plush recliners (that recline electrically and lay nearly flat). You order real food like ice cream sundaes (A.Al and I both had one--fantastic). Then they bring it out to you when the movie starts. It's absolutely fabulous. I never want to go back to a regular theater. The chars almost rivaled climbing the Bridge in magnificence. It was great! So then they hand me another poem on the way home and it reads,
"Fuzzy and soft are some so you'll say,
Some wet and scaly,
Others slither away.
By this day's end you'll shout 'Crikey! Get out of my way!'"
Be ready by 830am, comfy shoes."
Hooray! Another surprise!!!!
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