Girls' Weekend in Sydney: Day 2

Day 2 was full on!

Thursday:

"Sunrise"

We started the day by heading up to Martin Place to watch "Sunrise" live.  The security that were there, were really lovely and kept us up to date with what was happening next and when to expect the hosts to come out for the end of the show.  We managed to get on TV heaps in the background, and then at the end when they closed the show from out on the street.  We even got a plug for Colour Conference from the main host!  It was such a fun morning!

 Watching the live taping of "Sunrise" in the studio

Getting on camera often (click on the picture to enlarge it!)

 Catching up with the friendly hosts after the show had finished.

 

"Lindt Chocolate Cafe"  

The security guards were extra lovely in telling us about the movements of "The Morning Show" hosts, so we could meet them after the show (which was taped straight after "Sunrise", so conveniently, we headed across the road to the Lindt Chocolate Cafe, where we were in heaven while we killed time until the end of "The Morning Show".

 

 "The Morning Show"

 At the allocated time, we headed back to the studios to await the end of "The Morning Show" so we could meet the hosts.  The security guards (now our friends!) had told us that if the hosts didn't come outside to end the show, they would arrange access to the foyer for us, and have the hosts come out and meet us.  The hosts didn't come outside, so we felt quite special being allowed in to the foyer to meet Larry and Kylie.

 

Lunch

After all the excitement of watching the TV programs, we headed up to Circular Quay.  One of the girls had already split to meet up with her friend for lunch and the other 3 decided to have lunch at the Quay.  For lunch, I also split away from the girls and met up with an old friend.  I used to work with Matt over 10 years ago and haven't really seen him since!  He works in North Sydney, so I took a taxi across the Sydney Harbour Bridge and met up with him for lunch.  We had about an hour and a half together and it was so wonderful catching up with him after all these years!  A pity we only had a limited amount of time, but I'm grateful that it worked out for us to meet!

Enjoying the beautiful weather at Circular Quay!

 Catching a taxi over Sydney Harbour Bridge

(note the pylons in the second photo - we climbed ones similar to this later in the day... see below)

Unfortunately, I was so focused on catching up with Matt, that I didn't even think to take a picture together, so I don't have a record of our wonderful catch up. :o(

Walking the Bridge

During lunch, a couple of the girls from my group said they were walking the bridge and said they'd meet me half way.  By the time I finished lunch (we went way over, catching up!) and found my way to the bridge on foot, the girls had made it all the way across!  They were keen, so we all walked back together and climbed a pylon at the other end.

 Meeting up with a couple of the girls to start our bridge walk back into the CBD

 Crossing the bridge on a windy, but beautiful day

 Climbing the pylon on the other side of the bridge.  Gorgeous 360 degree views of the Opera House, CBD, North Sydney and the Queen Mary II docked at Circular Quay.

 

The pylon on the opposite side of the road/bridge, to give an example of what we climbed (by climbing, I mean climbing stairs!)

 Walking back into the CBD via The Rocks and stopped for a well-earned drink (Midori & lemonade).  Yum!

After the very big day we'd had, we got back to the apartment and met up with the other girls and had a quick relax, before heading off to the opening of Colour Conference.  You can imagine how tired we were after the opening ceremony, which only started at 7:30pm!

After it finished, we stopped in China Town (which we walked through to get back to our apartment) to get a light meal for a late dinner.  Just as we were about to leave, I heard someone call my name out from another table.  It was a lady I knew from Diamond Valley Baptist Church (where Big Spring and I were married), who I hadn't seen in probably over 12 years!

Whilst on the topic of random run-ins, on the Wednesday night as we were heading through the reception of the apartments we were staying in, to have dinner and a show, I bumped into the president of the Lutheran Church of Australia, who was in Sydney for a completely unrelated meeting.  It was totally random!