Adventures in Australia

Ayer's Rock, or Uluru in Aboriginal language, is a sandstone formation, which stands 348 meters high, with a circumference of 9.4 km. [Photo by Raymond Zhou/China Daily] For more photos, here

There were 10 members in my expedition team, a ragtag group from various cities in China.

We were assigned a Chinese-speaking guide, a young woman who had emigrated from Guangdong. She was petite and perky, which eased anxiety among the rest of us. If she can sprint up those stairs, through some of which you can see the dark blue water below, shouldn't we be assured the climb is fun?

Dressing up for the climb was a hassle. We were instructed to don all kinds of gear to prevent an impromptu sky dive or stuff falling from your pockets. Don't even think about bringing your own camera. Your guide will take photos for you.

What we got was a view of the surrounding area—including the iconic opera house—that was simply matchless. On other bridges, only maintenance crews are able to observe the bridge traffic and details of the structure from that angle. It's not just the height—the Sydney Tower Eye is taller—but the total exposure to the elements that adds a sense of unpredictability, albeit with safety strings attached.

Sydney is great for walking tours. Even though many modes of transportation are available, the best way to explore the city, especially for a first-timer, is probably to walk around.

In the Outback, though, walking must be carefully planned. We were advised to take three liters of water with us, but actually one bottle per person would be good enough because tour buses offer refills anytime.

The longest walk I embarked on this time was King's Canyon, which lasted three and half hours, but it was early in the morning when the sun was not yet scorching.

My first stop was Ayer's Rock, or Uluru in Aboriginal language.