Sunday 18th March, 2012 - Up early and ready in plenty of time for my train to Sydney.  On the train I spent my time reading a travel guide (Rough Guide to Australia), checking out places to visit in Tasmania, places to stay, places to avoid, that kind of thing.  Made notes for myself, it will be gold when I'm on the road. 

My train arrives at Wauchope station

On time into Sydney, checked into my hotel, caught up with a few friends.  In the evening decided to get night shots of the CBD from Milsons Point.  In 30+ years of living in Sydney, I never took night shots from Milsons Point.  I got to the classic viewing area in time for a shower of rain.  Did I say shower?  It poured.  I ran to take shelter under the Bridge, but that was futile.  The bridge deck is so far above the ground, the wind blew the rain in under the bridge and I got wet.

Fortunately there was a small box where a security guard sits beside a bridge pylon.  That at least had a  small awning as protection against the afternoon sun.  I waited out the rain huddled under the awning while a wall of water poured off the awning just a few centimentres from me.  I noticed there was a metal door in the wall of a bridge pylon, and it was open.  I was very tempted to step inside, but settled for the cover of the awning.

After a while a security guard appeared, and then a second joined him.  They eyed me off, and one returned a nod when I nodded to him.  Neither spoke to me, and they spoke in whispers to each other, so I took a few photos, even though it was raining.  I figured, if I had a camera in hand, a few shots would establish my bona fides.  The shots were rubbish, but that's okay.

Eventually the rained eased, and I left them, but I hadn't gone many steps when I hear the metal door slam shut.  Obviously it wasn't supposed to have been open; I'm glad I didn't take shelter behind it.  Arrested for trespass, or a night locked in a bridge pylon; neither seems an attractive option as I look back. 

With a break in the rain I took a few shots, and returned to the classic viewing area.  I set my Gorilla pod up on the roof of a car and got a few shots, but they were disappointing.  With more rain a real possibility, I decided to return to my hotel.     

Opera House, CBD and Bridge from Milsons Point

If the weather is any better tomorrow night, I'll try taking this, and some other shots, again.