Sydney, Australia. Monday 18th December 2006.

Yesterday the return ferry from Manly ran into a little trouble and we had a period in the harbour entrance when the engines just didn't want to go. My Frank Spencer continued this morning when Ben and I bought Bundaberg's ginger beer. Ben could open his but I managed to twist the cap until it could not be opened. On George Street (Sydney's oldest street) we headed into the Brooklyn Hotel and with some effort and a bottle opener we finally got to the glorious liquid.

Speaking of glorious liquid we headed to Sydney's oldest pub The Fortune of War (1828) for a celebratory beer.

Our walk today took in First Fleet Park and Cadman's Cottage which was built in 1816 and was originally the home/workplace of the government coxswain and at the time of building was sited on the beach.

We explored the Suez Canal, Nurses's Walk (so named because of the siting of the cities first hospital) and Mission Steps areas of The Rocks. We could not resist coffee's at The Baker's Oven Cafe which is based on the site of the first bakehouse in Sydney here in Bakehouse Place.

The highlight of today is to be the amazing bridge climb on Sydney Harbour Bridge and before our climb we enjoy lunch on the roof terrace at The Glenmore Hotel.

The Sydney Harbour Bridge was opened in 1932 with construction commencing in 1923 and the BridgeClimb opened in 1998 taking you up 1337 stairs to the height of one and a half football fields above the water.

To allow the construction of the bridge, homes and businesses had to be cleared from the proposed route. Compulsory purchase meant people had little time to clear out. That said, the publican of the Harbour View Hotel demolished his premises brick by brick and re-sited the hotel in its present position next to the bridge. The original ground plan is laid out in brick markings on the original Rocks site.

Ben and I set out with a target for climbing the bridge...Look no hands. Typically laddish we both climbed to the summit without using the hand rails (not very sensible but it was a challenge).

The climb was wonderful, especially as Mike (our guide) had decided for some reason that my name was Ray and that Ben was Dan. You should have seen his confusion at the end of the trip when he was handing out the certificates and had two left, Ben and Will, but none for Ray and Dan?

The climb was the first time I have been run over by a train as we were lucky enough to be on the walkway below the railway as a train went over...good vibrations!!

Possibly the strangest sight I will see on my travels was Sydney's oldest public toilet situated in The Rocks area of the city and pointed out to us by a German colleague on the climb...you've got to love those German guidebooks.

After our climb we headed off to enjoy a drink at the re-sited Harbour View Hotel before heading off for a curry in the Chatswood area of the city a base for many of the Asian immigrants who have come to Australia in the last thirty years. We finished our day at The Gordon Club, one of the local rugby, social and recreation clubs.

Some Bridge facts...

On March 19th 1932 the world's largest steel arch bridge opened containing 6 million hand-driven rivets. At 1149 metres long with an arch that peaks at 134 metres above sea level, the bridge cost £10 million with the final payment only being made in 1988.

The "Coathanger" was built to John Job Crew Bradfield's design and the two massive arches met on August 19th 1930.

16 workers died in the construction and on opening it cost sixpence for a car and threepence for a horse and rider.