Sydney

Arrived in Sydney yesterday to slightly milder climate than in Melbourne. It only took me a couple of hours, or a walk from the Central Station down to the harbour front, to fall completely in love with the city! I had been longing to see Utzon's Opera House for years and there it stood in all its splendor, much more magnificant than I could have ever imagined! Tomorrow I am going inside for a tour of the building and to listen to a classical concert in the big Concert Hall. There were only a couple of tickets left - in the loge where they normally seat queens and celebreties (...the cute guy at the ticket counter told me) and being a free-spirited flashpacker, I found the seat perfect.

To take photo's of the the Opera House and the city from this angle one has to walk out on Sydney Harbour Bridge, which in itself is another stunning construction! It is not too long so you can walk across it in half an hour but the view is great. However, to get the ultimate bridge experience, I have booked a bridge climb on Friday. It is 3 1/2 hours long and one gets to climb to the top and back. I seem to be seeking heights lately! I am quite excited about the climb.. and a little nervous. Just have a look of the people who climbed this morning on the second picture!

I am staying at the excellent budget backpacker YHA Hotel in The Rocks, a nice area of Sydney with steep hills, lots of good cafe's and fancy shops, within walking distance of the bridge and the Opera House and the roof terrace has a view to both.

In the splendid Victoria Building on George Street you can shop till you drop. Or admire the interior and the huge Christmas tree for free.

I never got to brag about my sky dive with pictures and all because they were on a CD and my fancy little Netbook does not have a CD drive but eventually I got them transferred to a USB stick and here they are!

Eh... that's a.. small plane.

Oh shit, 14.000 feet is exactly as high up as I had imagined! And just when I thought being in the plane is alright, the pilot opens the door and you feel the surge, like you are being sucked out. My buddy still had to push me out, though :-)

OH, NOOOOOOOO! 60 seconds free fall is a long time! Not that easy to smile to the camera when the pressure of the air shuts your mouth - while you are scared shit! But here's to the paparazzi!

Perfect landing on the beach in front of Hilton Hotel in Nadi, Fiji. Slightly dizzy, but alive and kickin'!