Blue, very blue, Mountains!

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Friday 21st
Drag myself out in time to be packed/out for 10am, get to train station to find train went 5 minutes ago and is another hour + for the next one, but I just find a seat and read my book. Onto the double decker train - love these (and the seats move to face different directions too - woo-hoo), and arrive in Katoomba 2 hours later having been through some beautiful countryside en route.

Get my guidebook (I've bought a 3 day train/bus pass), and make way to the YHA (quicker than waiting for the bus). Can definitely see the 1930s influence here all along the main-street and to the award-winning/restored YHA building. Easy check-in, find a bottom bunk, open the card which is waiting from my Mum! Go for a bit of a wander round town, then get the bus - was just going to sit on it and get my bearings, but decide to get off 5 stops later and go for a walk at Scenic World. Got a 3-way pass, then took the world's steepest railway (I hadn't read that bit and was at the front!) down to the valley, where did all the walkways before finding the skyway up - nice views but just a cable-car really - then onto the one with the glass floor. Thankfully it's not completely glass, but I get up on it (better than Spinnaker Tower!) and look 200m down to the valley. See the bus go past a fraction early but manage to catch it on its return route (last bus of the day) and sit on it all the way round. Find way to Coles supermarket for a pile of veggies to eat over the next few days, back, cook, chat and sleep! Weather forecast not great for tomorrow!

Saturday 22nd
My only other full day in the Blue Mountains (have a prior engagement in Sydney tomorrow), and I'm going to make the most of it, so up early-ish, and walk to Echo Point. It's windy and obviously going to be wet at some point but with full wet-gear on not too worried! Great view and the wet weather actually is some of the best weather for seeing the 'blue' of the Blue Mountains - created by a vapour evaporating from the gum trees. Head down steps to Sister 1 of the 3 sisters, then decide not to walk down 500 more steps, but back up a few and along the cliff-top - some more beautiful views, come out near a stop (Leura Cascades), get the bus to Gordon Falls, have lunch and onto the next bus to Leura, where I check out the Tea Shoppe, the Candy Shoppe and the chocolate shop(pe) before catching the train to Blackheath.

At Blackheath it started to tip down, but I decided to wet-gear up and walk to the Lookout - was slightly further than anticipated (3km!) but a good walk, including popping into a Heritage Centre for some history of the early days of the Blue Mountain - and how a few walkers allowed for the creation of a National Park when it was to be logged! View is quite surreal, with cloud drifting through the middle, then it's a fast paced walk back. Got back in plenty of time, wait for the train to Mount Victoria. Walk past plenty of Australiana houses in Mt Victoria, then head for Pulpit Point (again, further than expected, but the map does say not to scale!). Pulpit point is aptly named - really does look like a lecturn and I must have picked the right time of day as the light is amazing! Few photos and back to collect the next train. Plan is washing/dinner/book tonight!

Back and showered, am walking through the dining room when I hear my name. Don't know anyone here, but turn round, and there's Ricky & Lynne, just finished their dinner. They came in from Tasmania last night (next time in Australia, Tasmania, East Coast and Top End are on the list!) - great to catch up. Have to go when realise only just have time for washing cycle before they close it for the evening! Rest of evening to plan!

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