Australia, NZ + Tahiti

Last night, we went on the BridgeClimb up to the top of the arch of the Sydney Bridge. We had debated whether to do it, but decided before we left Toronto and booked tickets for a twilight climb. Our hope was that we would have a beautiful sunset.

We were fortunate that it was a cool day And not terribly windy. There was some rain in the forecast, but ended up being totally minor drizzle. But it was overcast, so there was no spectacular sunset which was disappointing.

I had been leery about the physicality of the climb, but a number of friends had assured me that I was more than fit to do it. Brad was leery in another way - he’s not a fan of heights. We’re happy to say we both succeeded and congratulated ourselves at the top for having completed it. The views from the top are truly spectacular.

The procedures and rules for the climb are quite extensive with special gear to be worn and practice ladder climbing before you actually approach the bridge. It’s incredibly well thought through. Virtually everything you wear is clipped to your jumpsuit including eyeglasses, cap, flashlight, etc. You can’t wear any watches or bracelets or necklaces and you’re not to bring cameras or cell phones. As a result, you’re at the mercy of the BridgeClimb folks for photographs. Not surprising.

Once we were done the climb, we felt we needed to celebrate and headed to the rooftop bar of the Shangri-La Hotel which is known to have one of the best views of Sydney. An Australian Chandon bubbly for me, a glass of Shiraz for Brad and grilled kangaroo for both of us. A fitting celebration for our accomplishment. What a spectacular way to end our time in Sydney!Read more

The waters were a bit rough last night so neither of us had a great sleep. Despite that, I went ahead and did the Pilates class at 8:15 this morning. We then had a leisurely breakfast and a lazy morning until I went to trivia at 11:15.

Leisurely lunch, lazy afternoon and then back to the gym. This evening was the captain’s cocktail party which means complimentary bar and an introduction to the officers. It’s always a fun evening. Once that was over, Brad and I had a dinner reservation at Toscana, the specialty Italian restaurant. After dinner, we went and listened to the string quartet. Got back to the room just after 9 p.m. The seas are calmer tonight so we expect to have a wonderful sleep.Read more