From Sydney to the Blue Mountains

Sunday 22^nd October

Today, we left Rockdale at 9.00a.m. and to avoid the Toll roads we let the Satnav guide us towards Liverpool and Penrith to Katoomba in the Blue Mountains. Here at Echo Point, one can see the most famous landmark of the Blue Mountains, the Three Sisters formation which stand at the end of a plateau which drops away into the blue haze of the Jamison Valley, opposite Mount Solitary.

The blue haze is caused by the effect of the finely dispersed droplets of eucalyptus oil coming from the trees. It causes a mist which refracts the light and makes a blue haze from a distance.

The Three Sisters were formed by the erosion of Triassic sandstone.

An Aboriginal legend tells of the three sisters whose witch doctor father turned them into stone with his magic bone to protect them from a frightening bunyip that lived in a deep hole. The bunyip chased the father, who turned himself into a lyrebird but lost his magic bone before he could turn his three daughters back into girls. You can still hear the lyrebird calling in his search for the lost bone.

                                        

We took a ride down the steeply descending (52 degree angle) scenic railway which is on the site of a disused coal-mining operation. It used to carry the miners down to the coal-pits. From here, we followed a boardwalk through the rainforest of the Jamison valley, passing several monuments to recall the days of coal-mining. We made our ascent via the Cableway which rose 554 metres from the valley floor.

Highlight of the day: For the sheer 'hell' of it we did another return trip on the scenic railway.

Saturday 21^st October

Thankfully a dry day again. We went into Sydney by bus and train, straight to Circular Quay where we caught the ferry across to Manly. It really is a splendid harbour and was very busy with all kinds of craft from cargo ships to catamarans and yachts. It got a little choppy as we passed Sydney Heads. At Manly, we wandered down to the beach which was also busy with people playing beach volleyball and surfers trying out the waves, although the rollers were not that big. 

We returned on the Manly ferry to Circular Quay and hopped on another ferry round to Pyrrmont, which is where Karen and Dan lived for a short while about ten years ago. Here, there is a large Maritime Museum and the Welcome Wall, which lists people who registered as immigrants over the years. We walked round into Darling Harbour, where there is a large Convention Centre.

            

Late afternoon, we caught the train out towards Oyster Bay to meet friends of Karen and Dan's who moved back to Sydney from London a few years ago. They have two gorgeous little boys and a lovely house and they made us very welcome.

Highlight of the day: We really enjoyed the ferry rides around Sydney Harbour.

Friday 20^th October

I think we should ignore today. Suffice to say, it hasn't rained in Sydney since 4^th August and they had a month's worth today. Just to add insult to injury, on our way back walking from the shopping centre, I suffered a 'Bridget Jones' drenching courtesy of a passing bus! However, the day did give us a chance to catch up with ourselves and take stock of our itinerary.