The Blue Mountains – Hazy, crazy but not lazy!
9 October 2006
We have just returned from two exhausting bun fun-packed days in The Blue Mountains which are located about two hours (by train) to the west of Sydney. The area which spans 1436 square km’s of World Heritage Site and is one of the most popular daytrip destinations out of Sydney.
We arrived in Katoomba by train on Saturday morning booked into our hostel and grabbed an all day breakfast before making our way to what would be our first of the magnificent views that The Blue Mountains have to offer – spectacular rock formations, cliffs and ravines, and a wilderness you can get hopelessly lost in. It was here we both finally understood why the area had been given the moniker – ‘Blue’. The canyons give way to a valley of rainforest stretching as far as the eye can see and overshadowed by a hazy blue mist. The blue mist is a result of the sun hitting oil particles emitted from gum trees (eucalptus).
We made our entrance to the canyon via the world’s steepest railway; a 415m descent into the valley below. Once in the valley we hiked across one of the many trails on the valley floor for a couple of hours before climbing over 1000 steps to make our exit. Legs burning and having only seen the famous ‘three sisters’ from the valley floor we worked our way back along a clifftop trails stopping at various lookouts along the way. It was at one of the many lookouts that we came across what we now believe to be ‘kookaburra’ (although if anyone knows any different from our photos then please put us straight). The bird was sat on the railings with his recent catch, a live worm, in his mouth. We gently edged closer to get a photo but soon learnt that this bird was going no-where. The bird had nerves of steel and it was Chris and I which retreated when it turned and stared but not before we had chance to get a few photos.
We eventually made it to Echo Point where we could get the best view of the three sisters. The three sisters are rock formations which are one of the Blue Mountains most famous sights, towering above the Jamison Valley. Their names are Meehni (922 m), Wimlah (918 m), and Gunnedoo (906 m) or more colloquially Winnie, Minnie and Ginnie. It was at this lookout we met a man who told us one of the many myths that led to the creation of the rocks.
Now our lack of success with asking others to take a photo of us both together long continues. Once again we asked a couple of people to take a photo of us with the three sisters but to no avail – each shot was rubbish!
Absolutely exhausted we walked back to Katoomba where we treated ourselves to a pint before scouting a few restaurants as possibilities at which to eat later that night. Returning to our hostel at 6pm for a shower before we headed out for dinner we made time for a ten minute ‘lie-down’ only to wake up again at 10pm to turn the lights off before going back to sleep. I think that puts Saturday night on par with the night spent completing a jigsaw in Milford Sounds!
Now you would think having a good 13 hours sleep we would have woke up on Sunday feeling refreshed and full of life……think again…we could have easily slept on till midday and our legs were feeling the burn from those pesky steps the day before. Not ideal when we had booked a full day of abseiling and canyoning!
With our only prior experience of abseiling being the 10m (30ft) drop into the black abyss in Waitomo (NZ) we embarked on a morning of abseiling in the canyon progressing from up the ranks from 5m to 10m to 30m to a whopping 60m (yes 180ft!!) down the sheer rock face into the rugged bushland below.
After stopping for a spot of lunch we hiked back down into the canyon and changed into our wetsuits….we each had a backpack into which we placed our clothes safely locked up in a drybag for we were going to get wet! We made our way along the canyon scrambling over rocks in the bottom of a crevice undertaking numerous water jumps and swims. On the first jump we witnessed our guide whooping bizarrely a couple of times before jumping and it soon became apparent that this was his build up as the water was icy cold.
On route we met with our first Yabby which is not dissimilar to a crayfish and finally made the connection with ‘Yabby Creek’ (Home and Away fans will understand!).
We eventually came to the top of a 30m waterfall which we abseiled down into the pool below in front of a handful of spectators who were happily taking snaps of us.
Once all three of us were down we got changed into our dry clothes….well they started off as dry at least! I placed my trousers and underwear on a rock only to turn around to find it downstream and totally soaked through! Chris saved the day and my modesty by lending me his spare pair of shorts which he had packed.
Well and truly done in, we caught the train back to Sydney treating ourselves to a well deserved $5 steak at our favourite local haunt – Five – O’s.
Tags: Australia, Oz, Sydney
Chris and Charl
Hi,
Thought you would like to know at least one person is still reading your blogs…..
They just make my day…
We wasn’t lucky enough to see the blue haze, although we rode the railway and climb the climb…so glad you are having such a wonderful time….oh youth!!!
Can’t wait until i’m retired to start again…
Hello Mum
Thanks for the comment – we love them. Think you and Chris’ mum are largely responsible for the 11593 page views;0)
The Blue mountains were great – just retire now – a little irresponsibleness (not even sure that is a word!) goes a long way! – Although thinking about it I dont want you spening all the inheritance! ;0) (Only kidding!)
Missing you lots
Charl
Wow, it all sounds so fantastic. I didn’t make it to the Blue Mountains but it’ll be top of my list next time I’m there. How are things with you guys? Certainly sounds like you’re having an amazing time – I’m just a little bit green eyed to say the least. Keep up the good work and have fun. Love seeing your pics too.
Take care, love and hugs
Bethany x
Hi Beth
Great to hear from you – yep still having a ball!
News update – we have got tickets to go and see Kylie in Concert next month – how cool is that! Expecting it to be a good what with being her comeback after breast cancer and in Sydney!
Hope everything good with you….send me an email to update me on any salacious gossip ;0)
Take care
Charl
Hi guys, just been catching up on the blog – been a bit busy recently. Great to read of your diving – I never got past the 6m introductory when we were on the GB Reef. We did the cable car at Blue Mtns but NEVER silly enough to actually go walkabout at the bottom! Don’t miss Harry,s Cafe de Wheels at Woolamooloo (or however you spell it) a famous late night pie spot, especially after a few schooners at the Wooly hotel close by! I’ll be checking out the birds in your photos later….
Cheers,
Pete & Margie
Hi Pete and Margie
Sure Chris will be replying to you separately but have to get my own two penneth in!
I read something the other day about the Harry’s cafe de wheels it was along the line – the pies come with mash, peas and gravy and are truly scrumptious!
I am sure that description alone would have been enough for Chris but now that we have the approval of someone we know I am also bought in!
We have been sampling the hotels along our way but have yet to make it to the Wooly – but rest assure we will get there!
Hope you are both well
Love Charlotte
Hello you two,
I felt sorry for you saying no-one is reading your blog! We both are and can’t wait to see those sight for ourselves in a mere five weeks time! Blue Mountains, diving, another Tyne bridge, pie shops . . . it sounds like heaven!
One question for Chris though, have you found a golf course for us yet??!!
We watched your sky diving DVD the other day! Wow . . . it looked fabulous, even if you did look like Bambi when you first jumped out, Chris! I’m not sure I’ll be able to convinvce Nic to try that with me though!
See you both soon,
Steve
Steve,
No worries mate, I’ve found a nice links course on the coast at Bondi, we can hire some sticks there, looking forward to re-claiming my crown after that hungover game in Leeds before we left!
Looking forward to seeing you both soon!
Hi Uncle Pete and Autnie Margie!
Nice to hear from you!
Hopefully we will get some diving in at the GB reef when we head up that way in the new year!
You obviously didn’t eat enough of Harry’s pies if you only went down to six metres, I’m off to sink a dozen schooners followed by a couple of pies to make sure I sink down to at least 10m!
Take it easy, Chris and Charlotte!