Though we were staying at Bondi Beach, Julie and I also visited downtown Sydney a couple of times during our stay. Sydney has an excellent public transit system, of subways, busses, and ferries. We particularly enjoyed taking the ferries. Sydney has a beautiful harbor best seen from the water.

On our first day in town we met up with some former workmates of Julie’s from years ago. We had a delightful lunch, which then turned into early evening drinks, which turned into a slow morning the next day. They were delightful hosts, all from the travel industry, and we enjoyed swapping stories, old and new.

We saw a bit more of the city on our second excursion into the Sydney CBD. Our first activity was to climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The peak of the arch is more than 400 feet above the water, providing incredible views of the city. And Julie did the climb 30 years ago, so it was fun for her to come back.

The tour was probably the most safety conscious endeavor we’ve encountered on our journey so far. We had special outfits, harnesses, straps for our glasses, and individual radios to hear our guide. We were physically attached to a steel cable the entire walk. The bridge itself is rock-solid, with no swaying. The path was wide and stable. After bungie jumping and scuba diving, the climb was relaxing and pleasant. And the views were stellar!

After the climb, we walked around to the Sydney Opera House, where enjoyed a drink at the Opera Bar.

After a little refreshment, we walked around the opera house.

We’d thought about trying to see something at the opera house, but truth be told, we’re not opera people.

After walking the grounds of the opera house, we walked through the nearby botanical gardens for a bit before hopping on a bus back to Bondi.

Sydney is a beautiful city. We’ve seen a lot but still feel like we’ve only scratched the surface. We only visited one area on the north side of the harbour (Manly), and there are intriguing restaurants and cafes at every ferry stop. We’d love to keep exploring. Looks like we need to come back!

-Will