The Blue Mountains

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On Friday morning after a Thursday night drinking season we got up to for a trip to the Blue Mountains. We were all still a bit half cut, so it turned out to be one of those days where you find anything funny, which made it a good day.

We picked up a car from a handy location just round the corner, and set of by about midday in the end. We were due to meet Matt and Carla once we arrived in the town of Katoomba. Katoomba is in the heart of the Blue Mountains. They had left earlier that morning on the train.

We arrived in the afternoon and discovered quickly that it was bloody freezing up there. Where as rooms in Sydney have fans, rooms in Katoomba have heaters, and it is with good reason!
Katoomba is build right on the edge of the cliff edge to the valley. We met up with the others and drove down to echos point, home to The Three Sisters. (Three impressive large rocks on the edge of the large valley).

That evening we cooked Mexican at Matt and Carla's hostel, which was just down the road from ours. After dinner we chilled out and played table football. Mine and Matt's eyes lit up when we found it hiding in the corner halfway through the evening, i've not seen one for ages! It was to an early night, this was partly to catch up on the lack of sleep the night before, and also because we had to get up early for an 8km walk into the valley the next morning.

Morning came, as it inevitably does, and we all met to start the walk. Due to the temperates of the previous day we all had visions coldness along the walk. Once we got walking though it wasn't too bad at all. There was no wind, as there had been before, and it wasn't long before we all had to take off some of the layers we had put on.
We finished the trek around lunchtime and walked back into town for some well earned fish and chips. In the afternoon we were all a bit walked out, so we drove around some of the other small towns and look out points.

One the second evening. we ate out at a nice Thai restaurant in the high street,
and then continued the night at the only bar in town. It was cold again, and I think being in Katoomba was probably the first feeling of winter temparatures I've experienced since being away.

At the end of the night we said our goodbyes to Matt and Carla. This time, until we arrive home, as it is unlikely that our paths will cross again along the trip.

I enjoyed the couple of days in the Blue Mountains, and it was a nice break from the city life we had all become used to over the previous week. In the morning we left Katoomba and drove back to Sydney, were we had booked into a Hostel at the northern beach area of Manly for a few nights stay.

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Photos

Our home in Katoomba
The Katoomba Mountain lodge was slightly on the dated side, but still a good place to stay.

Matt, Matt and Myself at the Three Sisters
"Take this picture quickly will you, before this cold wind blows us off the edge!"

Save that walk back up!
After the 3 or so hour walk, the last thing you feel like doing in walking back up to the top. Fortunately they had thought of that, and build in a cable car for the return leg. We took that option!