Friday 24th January 2014

After a long and antagonizing day at work, finally it was 3 pm and I raced home to finish off the packing before we had to head back out for the airport. We took Stu's big travel bag and a small suitcase we got in Perth with us and left my bag behind at Mark and Chelsea's. I cannot believe how much stuff we have even when I threw a fair amount out! How does one seem to collect so much stuff? I still blame the fact we have stay put in one place longer than a week!! After the finally struggle getting the bags to close, we headed off for the tram back to the city. We booked the sky bus from the city and it was pretty smooth easy journey.

Our flight was leaving at 8:45 pm so we had plenty of time to spare, Stu got stopped for bomb test again! My trick is to carry all the bags from the security x-ray and they guys doing the testing feel sorry for me and let me through!

It was a very short flight to Sydney, just over an hour, not even enough time to watch a full Glee episode considering everything has to be switched off for take off and landing! Our bags came out first, shocker, we collected our bags and headed for the train which was pretty awesome. Double decker trains! We finally made it to our hostel, which was extremely loud being Friday night. It was about midnight by the time we got to our rooms and we pretty much fell asleep straight away!

Saturday 25th January 2014

On Saturday I had booked a surf lesson at Manly, so we had a short walk to the quay to jump onto a boat. Which is pretty unique rather than getting a bus or train. It was an enjoyable ride to Manly, we went passed the Opera house and we could see the Harbour Bridge too.

Manly was a very beachy-surf town, which I liked. It was pretty busy, expected on a Saturday, but there was lots of competitions on to; boat racing, ski racing, sand sprints, iron man races. All exciting to watch!

We had our surf lesson, which was good fun and hard work! Both Stu and I managed to get standing on the board! But I think we need a lot more practicing though!

We had some lunch with an American couple, from Michigan that were in our class, Matt and Megan. I always find it so great meeting Americans, outside their own country and actually knowing there is a world beyond their own country! We decided to meet up later for drinks around Sydney.

We were going to head to Bondi, but considering the time we got back to the city it was pretty late. We had a coffee across the street from the hostel, which is down George St, (later on in our trip there had been another one punch incident down this strip).

We got washed and dressed and waited for Matt and Megan to arrive. We headed down to Darlington Harbour for some food and drinks. We found a restaurant that brewed its own beers, so we thought this was a good shout! We watched the firework show that happens every Saturday at 9 pm. Not as impressive as the New Years fireworks, but still a good touristy thing to do!

We then headed onto a few pubs, one awesome whiskey bar in a basement! We had a really good time and headed home, our hostel also serves as a 'night club' and we have to show ID or our room card. Which is fine, but this bouncer asked for my room card, which I didn't get one as I'm in the same room as Stu. So I proceeded to get into an argument with said bouncer claiming why I don't need a card as I'm with Stu, before I was let into the hostel. Well I shall be rating this hostel pretty low on hostel bookers.

Sunday 26th January 2014

TODAY IS THE DAY!! I was awake pretty early and we had packed up the bags ready for our short, 20 minute walk to our next hotel in Circular Quay. My parents plane was suppose to land at 7:15 am, which was delayed by an hour nearly. But we left the hostel at 7:15 so we were sure to get at the hotel in time (and a shower too hopefully) before they arrived. We arrived at the Marriott and the staff said they had already checked in, which first upset me that we got there late, then confused me as I knew they hadn't landed yet. It turns out Mum checked in via the iphone app in Hong Kong. When did my Mum get more tech-savvy than me?! I love Marriott's they allowed us to check in early and so we had an amazing shower before getting some breakfast, pie face and a coffee, and waited for their arrival.

We waited for a fair time and I knew they were getting a courtesy car so was looking out for a 'posh' looking car. This HUGE thing pulled up and I instantly knew they had arrived! When I saw my parents walk out the car, I think I literally ran out to the door! Stu was left to pick up my bags as I had left these behind! I pretended to be a bell boy to my Mum, asking if she wanted any help with the millions of bags they had. This proceeded with a scream, of what I can describe as joy! It was such a good feeling, plus surreal, seeing my parents after nearly two years leaving home!

We let my parents settle in and have a shower etc, both of our rooms look like a bomb sight! Stu and I had packed our bag a bit too much! We exchanged Christmas and other gifts we had brought on our travels since Perth which was still a fair amount!

Mum showed me the thousands of things she had brought Lucas already in Hong Kong, that child is very spoilt!

We decided to have a walk around, considering it was Australia Day, there was a lot going on around. Lots of decorated boats passing along the river going past the Opera house for the boat parade including two P&O ferries. We walked to Darlington Harbour where it was crowded and very busy! We stopped for some lunch along the water front, which turned into our favourite restaurant!

We headed back to the hotel via the boat, considering my parents have flown for a ridiculous amount of time. Even thinking about it makes me scared of flying back home.

We had 'happy hour' upstairs in the hotel, free booze and CAKE, and chatted some more. Its so nice to hear about things happening at home, especially listening to what Lucas is like as when I left he was just over a month old and wasn't all that interesting! Makes me quite excited thinking about coming back home, even though I don't think he really knows who I am even with Skype!

We decided to go wandering for some food down Darlington Harbour plus to see the Australia Day fireworks. I thought it was busy during the day, it was rammed now! We stop on the side and waited for the fireworks. It was pretty epic! One thing off my bucket list, Australia Day in Sydney!

After the fireworks people started moving on so it was less rammed. We headed back to the same place for food again. Dad claims this place does the best burger he has ever had any where in the world. Considering how often Dad flies I take his word!!

We walked back to the hotel, which took a lot longer than I thought. Sydney isn't too hard to navigate but its not like Melbourne (or the US) nice grid set up. I took us round the houses, but I did get us home!

I think I had the best sleep I've ever had in the last 6 months....!

Monday 27th January 2014

We had our complimentary breakfast upstairs again, Stu went wild...! We decided to do the hop on & off tour bus. Plus its a bank holiday so it would be pretty busy in the city!

The bus stopped right outside our hotel, which was pretty handy and off we went. We went through the city past the ANZAC monument, about five times throughout the day! We stopped off at the botanic gardens to get the 'classic' Opera house and harbour bridge picture.

To be fair, it is a pretty awesome view. We grabbed an ice cream before having a wonder towards the Opera house. The gardens were beautiful and so was the weather. We pasted a shuttle train, where Grandad had to take a picture with it for Lucas!

The Opera house is pretty impressive, we went inside for a little wonder. Its a building which is a UNESCO world heritage site, it was designed by a Danish Architect JØrn Utzon, it was officially opened on 20th October 1973. We jumped back on to the bus to head to the connecting Bondi bus tour.

Bondi was pretty busy, not surprising with the weather and that it was a bank holiday as well. I got to see my lifeguards too! So exciting! We had some lunch at the pub before we headed back to Sydney.

We enjoyed happy hour again before we had a shower and headed out for some food, Mum and Dad weren't hungry so Stu and I headed to to the quay. We found a little Italian and had some food. I really enjoy sitting by the quay having dinner watching the ferries coming in and out and people watching.

We enjoyed some more cake upstairs before we headed to bed.

Tuesday 28th January 2014

We woke up early as we were doing the bridge climb today! We had a short walk to the office. We then joined the rest of our team and had our briefing and filling in forms etc. We then got ourselves 'kitted' out in the most sexiest jump suits! These are legal requirements and that we were not allowed to bring anything with us as these might fall onto the road and cause an accident.

So once we had our jump suits on, our sunglasses, hat, radios, harness and sun-creamed ourselves up we were ready! We had a short walk up a ladder, before we were on the beams of the bridge and our climb began. It was a pretty easy walk, it sloped very gentle and the steps very shallow. Nothing like climbing the Great Wall in China. Our guide was extremely funny and we had plenty of stops to take in the view and learn about the history of the bridge.

The bridge is a steel through arch bridge that allows, trains, cars, bicycle and pedestrians to cross to the North Shore of Sydney. The bridge was designed and built by British firm Dorman Long and Co Ltd of Middlesbrough. The bridge was influenced by the Hell Gate Bridge in New York, and it is the sixth longest spanning-arch bridge in the world and it is the tallest steel arch bridge, measuring 134 metres from top to water level. It was also the widest long-span bridge at 48.8 metres until the construction of the new Port Mann Bridge in Vancouver.

It has six lanes of traffic, plus two additional lanes on its eastern side, these lanes were formally two tram tracks. It also has two lanes for railway tracks included in its original design.

The constructions started on 26th October 1928, the cranes crept along the arch on both sides of the river until they finally met in the middle in less than two year on 19th August 1930. Once the two sides were joined the supporting cables were removed.

Once the arch was complete the cranes crept back to the shore building the road from the centre out. 16 workers died during the construction with only two falling from the bridge. Must have been nerve racking working that high with no safety harness and walking along the thin beams through the centre of the arch. They were several photos in the museum at the office with workers trying to stand in the most difficult locations while looking 'comfortable!' I would not want to be doing that job!

The opening of the bridge was interrupted by a man in military uniform, Francis de Groot, rode on a horse, slashing the ribbon with his sword and opening the bridge in the name of the people of New South Wales. He was arrested promptly! The ribbon was retired before Jack Lang, the labor premier of New South Wales officially cut the ribbon on 19th March 1932!

We walked to the middle of the bridge before getting our pictures taken and crossing over the bridge to the other side to descend.

The worst part was climbing down the ladders in the middle of the train tracks. I had the scare of my life when one passed as I was at level height of the tracks. Not funny!

Once back on solid land and de-robbed we headed for some well earned lunch!

We headed back to the hotel to sort our bags out for Cairns. We decided to leave behind a few bags that weren't needed, our small suitcase that Mum and Dad were taking home and a big suitcase mum had brought for us to take all of our belonging home with us!

We decided to have some dinner at the quay and settled for a banquet meal at the Chinese. It was the biggest meal ever with so many courses, including a huge lobster! We enjoyed watching the quay and was amazed how the big luxury ferries exited the harbour. Two tiny boats pulled this huge cruise liner out of the dock helped turned it round before de-attaching and the cruise was off to its next destination.

We headed back before finishing packing ready for our flight to Cairns.