For Martha

I'd like to dedicate this blog to my friend Martha, who sadly lost her battle with cancer yesterday. She fought bravely and long, and was an inspiration to me. She made light of her illness wherever possible, finding something to smile at in most situations, and taking an interest in my comparatively trivial ups and downs. There will be a Martha-shaped space at our girls' nights out which will be impossible to fill. I was privileged to be her friend, and my condolences go out to Chris and to the rest of Martha's family.

Having expected to compare Australia unfavourably with New Zealand on all counts, I have to tell you that Sydney is stunning. I love it; there's so much to see and do, and the harbour takes your breath away. If you were to walk the whole perimeter of the harbour it would be as far as from Sydney to Melbourne, I'm told. I've covered about 3 kms so far - a long way to go yet!
I've really fallen on my feet with my accommodation here - 5 star luxury:- a double room with ensuite to myself; beautiful house and surroundings; delicious food (gourmet packed lunches included); and wonderful company to top it all. Yes, I'm staying with Nick and Fenella (pic 2, in paddy field)! They even 'guested' me onto a trip on Sunday with their local bushwalking group. I'm being really spoilt - think I'll stay a few months... no, it's ok N&F, I'll tear myself away soon!
I'll have to give you a quick taster of events since I arrived, otherwise this will be a marathon blog, but so far I have watched jazz in the park; bush walked in the Blue Mountain region; explored The Rocks heritage area underneath The Bridge; ascended the Sky Tower and done the 3D, 180 degree screen, strapped into a chair 'Oz Trek' which swoops you through canyons, down white water rivers and so on; explored Parramatta; travelled down the river on a river catamaran under the harbour bridge into Sydney; toured the Sydney Opera House and, the highlight so far, CLIMBED OVER SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE!
To expand a little on some of this - can I urge any of you who come to Sydney (even the atheists like myself) to make time to visit St Patrick's Cathedral in Parramatta - it has been rebuilt since being mostly destroyed by fire, and it is absolutely beautiful. Very simple, very modern. I don't know how to convey to you the peace I found there - truly a place to linger and meditate.
The river trip gave a different angle on the harbour - seeing the bridge from below before my climb emphasised the sheer size of it.
What lucky star was I born under I wonder - my tour of the Opera House was very special - when we entered the main concert hall, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra was rehearsing Brahms' 5th symphony (I know, Daddy, before you rush to your keyboard to correct me - Brahms only wrote four; this was of course the Schoenberg piece of homage). Then when we went into the Opera Theatre hall, one of the principal male dancers of the ballet company was in solo rehearsal being directed by the choreographer. He repeated one phrase several times, then launched into a fairly lengthy sequence - a modern take on the ballet Swan Lake. I'm not fond of classical ballet, but this was a blend of old and new; fascinating and wonderful to watch. We were so fortunate in our timing of the tour. Nick, Fenella and I are returning on Sunday afternoon to listen to a 'Steinway Spectacular' featuring 8 grand pianos - should be good!
So, in conclusion, I want to shout "I DID IT" and wear the t-shirt, as I achieved a long-held ambition to climb the harbour bridge. This is a 3.5 hour experience, and I enjoyed every minute. We were kitted out in jumpsuits, then the essential belt to which all sorts of stuff was attached so that it wouldn't drop off or get blown away: a radio receiver and headset; handkerchief to wipe sweaty brow or runny nose ; baseball cap to stop hair covering eyes; fleece in bag; rain jacket in bag; and finally the piece de resistance - a cable to attach oneself to a metal strip winding along our entire route. Once attached, we were committed - no going back! After instruction and a practice on some ladders in the waiting area, we were off. Firstly we negotiated a long flat part alongside the metal framework to the end of the arch. The the ladders began - one person at a time. The worst part was changing from the top of one ladder to the bottom of the next, at an angle to it, with trains and cars rattling along below. Having negotiated these ladders, we were ready to climb onto the arch. This is a fairly gradual climb (although the lady behind me didn't think so!) until, after a few stops for breathers; photographs taken by the guide (we weren't trusted to handle a camera and hold on at the same time - or maybe they like their monopoly!); and looks at the view - we were at the apex. Wow! what a fabulous view - twice as high as the Opera House. We saw a raincloud approaching and hastily donned jackets, but it veered away, and we were left with a magnificent sight... blue waters, the Opera House, ships, scyscrapers ... fabulous. Well worth it, I'm very glad I did it.
There's still much to do here - I've had a restful day today, and am planning a ferry trip tomorrow to touch the ocean...
Until the next time...

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