Hello Sydney....wow, now this is a city!

The Red Center

Hangin' in Sydney : 4 December 2003

We're hanging out in Sydney, and preparing for our outback adventure. On Tuesday, we met up with Shona, and were driven around to some of the less usual tourist sites. We hit a small animal park out in the western suburbs that had free-ranging kangaroos and wallabies that we could pet. There were also a bunch of koalas, tons of birds, some wombats, a Tasmanian Devil that we didn't see, a couple of the world's most deadly snakes and spiders (safely behind glass), and a particularly interesting species called Obnoxious Human Child, that runs around screaming, often dressed in matching blue striped clothing. After the animal park we got to see a suburban mall. Here we saw the Obnoxious Human Teenager (an relative to the OHCs) in its native habitat. After a pleasant lunch, we journeyed on to the north beaches. This is like going to the Palos Verdes of Sydney. Hills and cliffs leading to these great beaches, with multi-million dollar homes lining the way. These are the homes of the species Obnoxious Rich Adult, and we did see one or two of them through the trees. What a rare sighting! We saw School of Rock here in Sydney, and would both recommend it as a great flick! Yesterday, we did the hard-core tourist activites. We shelled out the bucks for the Sydney Opera House tour and the Sydney Harbour Bridge climb. If you don't know what the Sydney Opera House is, it's really time to get out from under that rock. The tour takes you through all parts of the place, and tells you all about its design and construction as well as the current usage. Some tidbits you may not have been aware of: Sydney has the highest per-capita opera attendance of any city in the world; the original architect left the project in a huff half way through, and has never returned since; the structure actually is a building inside a building, with the actual theatres being wood boxes suspeded inside the steel "sails" that make up the disctinctive outisde profile. The Bridge Climb was another exciting experience. First they spend an hour of prep time, making you change all your clothes into these exciting grey outfits. Then, we did a little training exercise on how to climb steep ladders while connected to a static line for safety. Then we headed out onto the bridge itself, walking through the girders and structure underneath the roadway. We got out to where the concrete tower was, and then had to wait around while an electrical storm passed overhead. For some reason they don't want people climbing on the 144 meter steel bridge during lightning storms. Finally, the storm passed, and we started our ascent. We climbed up to the top of the eastern arch, then walked all the way along the top of the arch to the very center of the bridge. We crossed to the western arch underneath the flags and the blinking red anti-aircraft light called Bob. Then we descended the western arch, and finally back along under the roadway to the starting point. Obviously, the views were tremendous, and because we had waited for that storm to move on, we didn't even get rained on. Actually, you could see the coulds all around, and rain in different parts of the city. It was really cool. On Sunday, we catch a flight to Alice Springs. We start a 5 day camping tour of the Outback and Ayer's Rock on Tuesday morning. Until then, our best wishes to everyone!

Replies: 7 comments

Aren't you guys in Greece yet?? I still have to call Patrick about dance classes. No comments from the peanut gallery, you know who you are Hope you're well. m Posted by michelle @ 12/11/2003 10:29 PM PST

There is more than simply Greece on the planet you know "m". Anyway if you learn to dance in grease you're likely to fall down or star in a musical! The Nuts can't pea. Posted by The Nuts @ 12/12/2003 02:21 PM PST

How are you two doing? I imagine that right now you are cruising around in some guys landcruiser or kickin' it on some rancher's palatial estate. Probably someone that you two have know for about three beers. Anyway, I just got back to LA from Australia and I wish that I could have caught up with you both in Sydney as it looks like we were there at about the same time. I am still single so if you guys know any great chicks in Southbay let me know so that I can take her round the world on a trip or around southern LA anyway. "Travel like you never get to, laugh till it hurts, and dance like you just got rid of your wheelchair." Arthur Posted by arthur @ 12/14/2003 04:20 PM PST

Hey guys. You were right. South Island kicks some serious butt. Did you try the maddog boogie boarding down the rapids? Their motto should be "If the rapids dont get you then the hypothermia will" I still chickened out of the bungie but have no regrets. We had 2 bungie naked - Geoff (Shorty) and a new guy Jo. The weather remained great, we stayed "retarded" and love blossomed for some. The tour did end on a sour note with another ambulance trip with Jason taken to hospital after some vigourous "stacks on the mill" rucking in the bar after midnight. Forunately he only injured muscles round the ribs. Did you go to the Koala Park at WPH as that's right near my place. I've sent you a link to some of my photos. Have a great XMAS. Posted by Scott Reid @ 12/23/2003 02:41 PM PST

Sorry, just saw the pictures at Featherdale Wildlife Park (not the Koala Park). By the way, the little fury things that sleep all day in gum trees are koalas not wallabies (which can be either small kangaroos or a group of young men who lose Rugby World Cups) May want to change the title of the photo "Petting a Wallaby". Posted by Scott @ 12/23/2003 03:22 PM PST

Thanks Scott and everyone else that pointed out my stupid error on the photos. I've fixed it now! Posted by Robin @ 12/26/2003 01:59 AM PST

Nice! :) Posted by Murzynki @ 01/17/2004 01:55 PM PST