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Published: January 23rd 2009
5/1/09 = Return to Sydney
Another early rise today because had lots left to do&see before return journey to Sydney at midday. Got showered, changed, packed up and checked out by 9. Set off the Echo Point to get a better view of Three Sisters and hopefully do a good walk round mountains. Enjoyed walk down much more this time and was brilliant when arrived to an absolutely empty viewpoint. Had been full of people on first day, but because we were early, we were only ones there. Was a beautiful day and mountains looked just as good as ever. Had originally thought mist above them was because of cold, but even on clear day today, still a layer of mist sat above them. Had 2 hours at least before needed to catch a train back to Sydney, so went to information to check out what walk we could do. I really fancied the walk down the Giant Steps - heard about it and could do with some good exercise. Very pleased when man told us we could do it, but not so pleased when he said we would have to get train back up mountain. Had seen trains and
cable cars running up mountain and didn't like the look of it at all; v.v.v.v. steep and screamed death to me! Had to do it though.
Set off on walk at speed because were really tight for time; already having to catch a later train and couldn't afford to set off any later than that.As soon as set off, immediately regretted decision of choosing that walk. Obviously knew there would be steps, but not metal grate steps clinging on to side of mountain and dangling over a sheer drop...'av a word! Did a few, but then nearly started having a panic attack. Really wanted to turn back. Was like the Eiffel Tower all over again. Evil Hat wouldn't let me go back, so had to keep going, gripping onto handrail and definitely not looking down! Sometimes steps turned into concrete, and that was o.k., but metal steps..... = steps of death! Was really hard work walking down steps and legs were actually trembling, but fear of death totally distracted me. Forgot to write down exact number of steps, but was over 1000. We were the lucky ones too....some poor/stupid people were walking in other direction, so actually coming up
steps. 1000 steep, metal steps in boiling hot 10 o'clock sun....no thanks! Every time we passed someone, Hat just looked at them in disbelief, turned to me and said “That's impossible...nobody can do that”...ha!
Did eventually make it to end of steps...yeh!, but then had 2.6km walk to railway = filled with dread allover again. Had probably been a beautiful view from mountain steps, but only looked up to appreciate it about 3 times. Walk to steps wasn't as pretty because were surrounded by trees, so couldn't really see out. Was a nice walk, but had to walk at speed and definitely on spider/snake watch. Thankfully didn't see any; been lucky with that so far on this trip. Arrived at train and noticed sign...'Steepest Incline Railway in world'...what on earth am I doing here?!? No other way up...other than step walk up, and I'm not that crazy! Had to do it. Felt sick while waiting for it to come. An elderly couple had just come down on it and lady was also scared of heights. She said it was 'horrible enough coming down, let alone going up'. Think it is very cruel of railway designer to make it so
One side of a sister
1/4 of way through walk here.that you have get to face drop, so even when you are going up, you are still facing ground/drop as you are being dragged up - awful designer man!
Only took a few mins and train arrived. Not only was Hat evil enough to make me do walk of death on stairs, evil enough to make me catch train, but also evil enough to make me sit at the very front....the very front seats of the train, looking down at a sheer drop of what must be thousands of feet....changed my mind about you Hattie Leach! Don't know why I agreed to it, but I did. Felt so sick; even more mortified when noticed there were no seatbelts or bars to hold you in....just us and a mountain drop...unbelievable. Shuffled right back in my seat, which was designed so that you were basically lying down (to accommodate for steepness of train) and closed my eyes. As started to set off, opened one eye and got biggest suprise ever...actually wasn't that scary....dare say I even enjoyed it. Only lasted 3 minutes anyway, and I can definitely deal with that. Paid our $10 for ride (not sure it was worth that),
then headed out to catch our bus back to civilisation. V.tight for time and disappointed that had to wait 20mins for a bus, which when arrived, told us he couldn't take us anyway. Nightmare. Rushed over to next bus stop and thankfully he came straight away and took us back to town. Practically ran to hostel, picked up our bags and did closest thing to a run with our backpacks on, back to train station. Got there at 12:15 for 12:25 train, so was o.k.
Really enjoyed time in Blue Mountains; was just what we needed after Sydney, but also glad to be going back to Sydney to try and sort some of our trip out. Journey home flew by quickly, only ruined in a minor way by teenagers who were actually trying to chat us up....what is it with me...it's either OAP's or teenagers...is there no in between!?! Got off train and went through wrong terminal, so poor station man had to scour through all machines and retrieve our tickets...bless him. Finally got on our last train to Kings Cross then, with the mission left of finding our hostel for night = Chilli Blue.
Actually found it
Me on the stairs of death
V.forced smile for this photo! quite easily. Weren't sure what to expect since is only cost $15 a night...but didn't expect what was coming. They didn't have a bed for us. After all that - no bed. They did have one bed and when manager suggested sharing, we both laughed. When he didn't laugh and repeated it again, with added bonus of only having to pay for one bed, we took him more seriously. $7.50 for a nights stay....sold! Were getting up to leave really early anyway, so sharing would be no problem! He was so happy that he gave us lovely cold can of pop and big bar of Swedish chocolate each = even better! Wasn't a good hostel, but equally not worse we've stayed in. We were right on top floor. Dumped our bags, drank our pop, ate our chocolate (well little piggy me did anyway) and did the main thing we had come back to Sydney early for....we went to the post office to see if they had our christmas parcels, sent by our parents ages ago. Was the last chance to get them because would not be coming back to Sydney and we both really wanted them.
Post office was
a nightmare. Had 2 parts to shop and both had queues running out of door. Hat got in one and I got in other....one of us was bound to get to front. Queued for 35mins in a silent room, full of v.frustrated people. Everybody else in room had collection slips and half of them walked out empty handed, so really didn't hold out much hope for us. When finally got to front a v.unhelpful lady looked at me in disbelief when explained situation and said there was no we could get parcel without a delivery slip. Thank you lord for the lovely man who was listening and told us to wait a minute and he would talk to us. Explained situation to him and he said only thing he could do was have a quick look on shelf for parcels matching our names, but would be v.unlikely they would be there. V.disappointed. 2mins later he popped his head out and unlikely had happened...he found both parcels sitting quietly on shelf, just waiting for us. He said it was our 'lucky day' and both us started jumping up and down with excitement. Said a million thank yous, then skipped outside to
open them up.
Sat on a bench near by and looked at parcels...was like christmas all over again. Saw that crazy Mum had spent over 20pound on postage, then ripped into parcel. She must have read my mind...all toiletries and things I was running out of. Brilliant! No wonder cost so much to post though! Only disappointed when noticed she had seny me 2 conditioners instead of a shampoo and conditioner, but then laughed...typical Mum! Enough conditioner to get me round world now. Hat's Mum had been just as crazy, sending her lots of chocolate. Were both so happy though and skipped back to hostel full of christmas joy...shame it was 5th Jan. When go back, polished off rest of chocolate (well there's no point keeping it) and had quick chat with Scottish girl staying in our room. Then had to press on, as had decided to go down to Sydney Harbour to see Opera House and Bridge at night. Quick shower and changed, then off we went.
City looked different at night and even normal streets looked quite pretty with lights of all buildings. Couldn't face the walk all the way there, so got a bus...especially because
seemed to be being followed by binmen around every corner we turned...could smell them before could see/hear them. Soon forgot when got to Harbour though. Bridge was first thing I spotted and it looked amazing. When Opera House came into view, it made the perfect scene to see them both together. Even the city behind us looked great. Sydney Harbour definitley worth a look at night. Headed over to sit inbetween Opera House and Bridge; had already decided were going to splash out and have a beer. Got a great table spot and was quite unreal to be sitting there looking at 2 such amazing structures lit up in dark. Could have looked at them for ages, but when the beer came, that brought me back to earth. Had a good chat, laughed and stared with everyone else when an amazing cruise ship moved out of harbour. Such a good experience and worth paying double for the beer.
At 11 o'clock, set off for home; had to be up v.early in morning. Tried to get into Opera House first, but was closed = shame. Waited for bus and wasn't long before found one to take us all way home
The train of death
Lot of death in the air today! = brilliant. Strolled back to hostel (usual night time characters out in Kings Cross) and did last bit of packing before headed to bed. Spotted a cockroach crawling acroos floor and poor Scottish girl nearly had a heart attack. Have got quite used to them now and casually shuffled it out of the window. Afterwards, thought about my actions and am quite disturbed that cockroach crawling across my bedroom floor does not disturb me...it really shouldn't be something I've got used to....and no Mum, I will not be happy to move spiders from the bathtub whem I get home, so don't even think about it!
Got into our single bed to sleep, but was so hot that after 10mins, ended up having to top and tail. Still found it really hard to sleep and not even sure if I did sleep at all. All becoming clear why this hostel only cost $15 per bed!
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