My Experience
The first trip I ever took during my time in Australia was to Sydney. As I boarded the Murray's bus that would get me to Sydney in just three short hours, I was extremely nervous, but even more excited. Australia was still so new to me, and yet here I was, jumping on a bus, making my way to one of the cities that had been sitting on the top of my bucket list since I was 14.
I had decided to meet up with and stay with my friend Abigail, who is also a student at McGill University, as she was on exchange in Australia as well. As excited as I was for my first grand adventure, it was definitely a great comfort to see a familiar face.
Since I only had three days in Sydney, I had made a list of things that I wanted to do and see; things that I would likely never get the chance to do again. When I got off the bus in the heart of the city, I decided that instead of taking a taxi, I was going to walk to my first destination: The Sydney Harbour Bridge. I wasn't just going to see it either; I was going to climb it. All alone, and with no idea exactly where I was headed, I punched the address into Google Maps and off I went. Within 20 minutes of arriving, I was in being fitted into climbing gear and doing the preparation course, getting ready to climb one of Sydney's greatest landmarks.
The views were nothing like I had ever seen before. I had been imagining Sydney, The Opera House, The Harbour and The Bridge, but nothing could have prepared me for what I felt when I was harnessed in and ascending the Bridge. I looked over to my right and saw the Sydney Opera House and became so overwhelmed (I almost cried); I couldn't believe that I was finally getting to do and see all of the things I had been dreaming about for the past 7 years.
Three and a half hours, and roughly 1,332 steps later, I had been given my first real taste of Sydney. I had seen the city in such a way that many Australians haven't. For me, one of the greatest parts about this particular experience was that I got to do it on my own. While it may have been nice to do this with a big group of friends, I found something beautiful about the chance to do it on my own. After completing the climb, I felt like I could take on the world.
Following the climb, I met with my friend Abigail, and her roommate, Emilie. We set off to see the Opera House up close, and once again, I was completely blown away. It was almost as if I was having an outer body experience; I couldn't believe that I was actually here, and doing all of these things, and seeing all of the sites.
Now, I haven't mentioned this yet, but I have a slight obsession with koalas, and I was determined to see one when I got to Sydney. So the next day, we set off to The Wildlife Sydney Zoo, and I finally got to make a koala pal. Like climbing the Bridge and seeing the Opera House, this was pretty surreal to me. In just a matter of days, I had managed to cross more items off of my bucket list than I had in about 10 years.
The following morning, we set off to do the Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk, which takes you along the cliff tops from Bondi Beach to Coogee, and takes around an hour and a half to two hours to complete, especially if you stop for pictures. This walk also gives you the opportunity to pass by some other incredible beaches and lookout points that are completely stunning, even on a cloudy day like the one we had.
Now, I haven't mentioned this yet, but I have a slight obsession with koalas, and I was determined to see one when I got to Sydney. So the next day, we set off to The Wildlife Sydney Zoo, and I finally got to make a koala pal. Like climbing the Bridge and seeing the Opera House, this was pretty surreal to me. In just a matter of days, I had managed to cross more items off of my bucket list than I had in about 10 years.
The following morning, we set off to do the Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk, which takes you along the cliff tops from Bondi Beach to Coogee, and takes around an hour and a half to two hours to complete, especially if you stop for pictures. This walk also gives you the opportunity to pass by some other incredible beaches and lookout points that are completely stunning, even on a cloudy day like the one we had.