Hi Bikerchik68

I LIVE in Sydney!!! Maybe we can meet!

You can tell that I'm new to this forum,cuz I didn't scroll down this far, until today, duh!

OK Sydney - The most beautiful city in the world. I did the bridgeclimb last May, and it was a fantastic experience. Your friend shouldn't be too worried. It's not scarey at all. You don't really get a sense of being suspended. The bridge is very substantial, and you are always hooked to a line that is connected to your group, and onto the bridge. The whole climb takes about 3-4 hours, and you get a big briefing session, and it's incredibly organised.

We're rightly proud of the Opera House, and catching a show or a concert really would make a highlight for your trip.. There's also a restaurant in the Opera House, but pricey....

Featherdale is good, but Taronga Zoo is more spectacular. Featherdale is in the middle of the 'burbs, but the good thing about it is that it concentrates more on Aussie animals, whereas Taronga is more like a typical zoo, eg lions, tigers, giraffes, (koalas and kangaroos too) etc. But it is right on the harbour, on the North shore and it's a beautiful location. The ferry ride to Taronga is a good way of seeing the harbour.

Eat streets in Sydney include Darling harbour on the Cockle Bay side, Chinatown, Leichhardt (for Italian food), Bondi Beach, the Rocks, around Taylor Square, etc. Food is fabulous in Sydney, and hugely multi-cultural.

Shopping - with the fantastic exchange rate, pack light! City, Bondi Junction, Oxford Street Darlinghurst/Paddington, lots of shopping.

I live at the bottom of the Blue Mountains in Penrith. So if you want to do the 'Mountains' (really some very beautiful hills), let me know and I can take you around. There's a famous Oaks trail between Woodford and Glenbrook if you like MTBing. My DH works in Glenbrook, so we know the area quite well.

I went to Cairns in January last year. Cairns is very busy, a little touristy and a wee bit tacky. Port Douglas is a bit more upscale but not too over the top. I stayed at Palm Cove which is more family oriented and in between Cairns and Port Douglas, a bit quieter. Cairns has lots of restaurants and things to do. I do recommend the Kuranda trip, you can do the railway on the way up or down and then reverse and do the sky rail which is a very spectacular trip. I didn't do any scuba diving, but of course you'll enjoy the reef. I believe going to Green Island is very popular, we went to an outer reef and onto a pontoon which I must say was not really my thing.

Mossman Gorge is pretty, but we'd just done the Katherine Gorge (or Nitmuluk) in Northern Territory, which didn't help the comparison. But it is lovely. NT is another trip which I HIGHLY recommend!

You've picked very wisely September is one of the nicest months for weather. Just off our winter, and just into spring...

OH You'll LOVE this trip!!! And you'll have the best time!!

eva