No Place for a Fear of Heights in Australia

From the Dec. 9, 2012, Chicago Tribune "Dragging a fear of heights above Sydney" by Suzanne I. Cohen.

This is about her walk/climb to the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia.  I was fortunate to see it thanks to Mom who took my sister and me there back around eight years ago.  We had the opportunity to climb it...but, there was no way that was going to happen.  Some of our tour group did climb it and were not of much use the rest of the day.

One of its records is the world's widest single-span bridge at 161-feet (with two train tracks, 8 traffic lanes, a pedestrian walkway and bicycle lane).

By the Numbers:

** 1,332 steps to climb
**  3.770 feet long
** 6 million rivets
**  Nicknamed the "Coat Hanger" for its arched design
**  440 feet from the top to the harbor (called Port Jackson)

They had simulation drills before climbing.  Donned jumpsuits, hard hats with radio headsets and locked onto a static line anchored to the guard rail (just in case you do you-know-what).   It took two hours to get to the top in the three-and-a-half hour trip.

The Travel Channel calls it on of the Top Ten things to do in the world.

Something I Have No Intention of Ever Doing.  I'll get My Kicks Just Driving Across It.--RoadDog