Sydney was a totally different experience, big city, tall buildings and thousands of people running around.It's a bit like being in London, in that it is a truly international city, more often than not the person that serves you is not Australian. Apart from taking a good 100 photos of the Opera house and the harbour bridge, we wandered lots interspersing the exercise with well-deserved food and drink breaks.Definitely ate in some fine establishments, my favourite was Doyles, a fish restaurant set on the beach.The food was great, the view as the sunset over Sydney was incredible and the company fantastic, it was the first night I had joined up with Ash, Jenny and Richard.Doyles is on the other side of the harbour, so to get back you have to take a water taxi - it was like having your own private boat, speeding across the water.

The two best experiences in Sydney were definitely climbing the harbour bridge and spending New Years Eve on a boat on the harbour.

The bridge climb starts with a breath test, apparently climbing under the influence isn't a good idea, can't think why as the walkway is a little over 60cm wide in places! So check on the alcohol level, it is then into the fitting room.They sized us all up and handed out boiler suits and old school plimsolls for those in unsuitable footwear. The boiler suit is covered with clips and loops, all get used as everything clips to you, hats, waterproof coats, fleece even a hankie is tied to your wrist. You get into your harness and have a practice clipping and unclipping yourself - you are attached to a steel cable all the time you are off the ground, which is fine if you are of average height as the runner simply trails along beside you like an obedient dog.However, if you are over about 6'3'' like Richard then it would appear to struggle slightly and stick at every rolling mechanism, poor bloke spent most of the walk coming to a sudden halt and having to yank it through.The first bit is along a gantry under the bridge, then up one of the pylons, whiz up a series of ladders (apparently not good if you don't like heights) and finally out onto the top.The view is spectacular, 360o view of Sydney and the harbour; we climbed at sunset, which is my favourite time of day and watching the sun go down over the opera house was just fabulous.You walk up one side cross over at the apex of the bridge and stroll back down the other side, the ladders on the way down go passed the train track, was a little bizarre being able to see into train as it went by, the ladder also drops between the carriage ways of the bridge, I thought it was great, but can understand why some folks don't like it.

Bridge climb done and the fleece bought, it was onto New Years Eve and the harbour cruise.Normally I find NYE a little bit of an anti climax, and although I have had some good ones, there have been a lot a crap ones - standing in Time Square, New York for 6 hours with no food, drink or anyway of sitting down, would top the list (company was fab though Jane).So I was holding my breath.The day was a little manic as I was trying to find a dress for the occasion, being not at all Thai sized I hadn't found one in Bangkok. Spent the day in and out of shops, by 5pm we were heading back to the hotel with no dress, I took one last shot looking in a small mall on the way back and lo and behold I ended up with a choice of 2.Bingo, dress sorted, cruise sorted and a few glass of champagne already down it was starting to look good.The boys scrubbed up very well and Jen and I looked fabulous as we set off back to the harbour. Our boat was called the Sydney Glass Island and as this massive glass box pulled up we knew it was ours.It was my all time best NYE, I think it was definitely helped along by free flowing champers, oysters and a constant stream of food.The most memorable thing was definitely the company, we laughed and danced all night, literally, far too much fun for any one night. We were sat in the middle of the harbour as the fireworks went off, great show, actually two great shows, they did a family one at 9 and then the main ones at midnight.Safe to say the New Years Day was a quiet one wandered round to the Opera house and had a long nap in the park.

I managed to catch up with Ema Kav, from uni. She is well and truly immersing herself in the Aussie way of life. Sydney over I headed back to Melbourne.Hailey and Ben were in the final throws of wedding organisation, which also involved all three of us running! I was on holiday. The dress was gorgeous and the plans were all coming together.We were all leaving on the Sunday, Ban and Hailey off to Noosa for their big day and me back to Bangkok and the new term, so we chilled on Saturday night, by watching Wall.e at the open air theatre.What a great experience to finish my first trip to Oz with.

All in all Australia was brilliant, I was not disappointed at all, I have finally fulfilled a life times ambition and I spent it with some great friends, doing great things.Next time though I am going with a budget!!