Having not had the courage to climb the last time we were here - Shirl, and Arlette decided that 'now is the time'!

The day was beautiful - a cloudless blue sky under a hot sun all day! We had an easy journey into Circular Key on the cheap and comfy double deck train and a quick lunch from the deli eaten in the nearby park in the company of Ibis and Grey backed gulls. We checked in to the Bridge Climb centre and were told we would enter via Gate 1!

We filled in the disclaimer forms, were breathalysed and then taken through to the fitting out rooms where we received our grey 'flight suits', radios to hear Rob our trip leader, special belts with a cool connector which would keep us attached to the bridge at all times - pretty important! Our caps and glasses were secured on - everything had to be attached to prevent it from falling onto traffic and pedestrians passing below. A briefing and we were off....

The first walkway was a grill followed by wooden 'scaffold boards' followed by more grills, 'Look down' said Rob, Dave shook his head as Shirl clutched tightly to his belt - not happy with the height! Further on there were more grills and four ladders to climb: the ladders were more or less upright and only one person was allowed on at a time, the first was okay because there was no view between the steps, the second horror of horrors gave a clear view of the road beneath and the passing traffic and passed under the trains tracks along which travelled....a train. Fighting panic and on her own Shirl gave herself a quick bit of an 'Anxiety Management' talking to on the next two ladders and climbed last with her eyes tightly shut! Success!

The rest of the climb up was a doddle on a wide solid staircase and how magnificent were those views! Under a cloudless sky we saw as far as the sea on one side and the Blue and Southern Mountains on the other. Sydney harbour twinkled and sparkled beneath us - a truly beautiful harbour with lots of different bays and we watched the boats and yachts making their way far below us. The city spread out, a very green city with trees and parks - the old and the new buildings all mingled in together. One of our group of 8 jumped up and down waving to her husband who works under the 'M' of the AMP building at every chance, a young girl from Tokyo stoically smiled but also wasn't comfortable with the height and a young Sydney couple were celebrating their 10th anniversary.

The walk across the top of the bridge felt less secure to Shirl but the walk down the bridge arm was ok - however the four ladders and 'grill walks' were not! A repeat of the successful anxiety management formula and the old shut eye technique got her down to the scaffold board walkway which by now was a doddle and then guess what.....? Rod Stewart et al passed us en route with his party for their bridge climb....how about that fellow Rod fans!?

We disrobed and after receiving our certificates it was on to the pub for a celebratory drink and the train ride home. Tired, happy but grimy travellers it was home for a wash and brush up before a steak dinner with the family in Cronulla at Northey's.

What a fantastic day all round!