Second attempt at the Bluey's

So my first trip here was with Jimmy, Danz, Fill and the Baron and really was a fleeting stop - a quick squiz at the lookout towards the three Sisters and then lunch at a Katoomba Cafe. It's funny, my memories of that trip were of Fill panicking because he couldn't get hold of Ang and had been out of touch with her for about 2 days - I think he was fearing the worst - she'd met some nice, god-fearing Septic.... but then back he comes, all brightness and light, so he obviously was getting met in Japan!! Bless! And to think you thought we didn't notice!

So, this time, I figured I'd have a week there between the lovely meal that Neil and Trudles treated me too and my leaving p*ss-up next Saturday - Wahey! The first issue is to find a Caravan Park though as the one at Katoomba, which is 2 minutes from the major walk start points is closed due to prblems with the showers. The guy is really helpful and recommends I contact a campsite in Blackheath and stay there. The only problem is that it's 10 minutes drive away and now I'll need to pay for parking in the morning....

Have to say that night is the coldest I've experienced since being here in Oz - frost on windscreen and I had to sleep in a beanie and jumper! I need a pillow friend!! ;-0). Applications on a postcard please...!

TUESDAY

Anyway, up nice and early, 7am, with a view to being there before 9am..... and the van won't start! I thought the facking thing was mechanically sound.... So, after kicking the proverbial cat I managed to drag myself up to the overland station, where the trains are running once an hour... so get on the 9.15. It's a 20 minute walk from the train station to the 'jump off' point and so you get the picture... I start my walk at about 10.30am, absolutely fuming. I kid you not, I checked out that the fully comp insurance cover was valid for electrical fires as my mood was that dark, I could see the van having a toaster accident. They were selling toasters for 5 bucks at this 'dollar store'!! I could also see a certain gentleman from Kings X motors having a late night accident but once I got on the walking trail, my mood lightened. The pix don't actually do the scenery justice but it was really beautiful down there.

My first stroll was to 'skyworld', where I descended to the valley floor alongside the Katoomba Falls. As you can see, they were more of a dribble, but the whole area smelled rich and peaty - I'm sure people will know the smell I'm trying to describe. The animal and insect sounds getting louder as the machinery humming of the skyworld trains and lifts receded was also unbelievable. Part of this descent, called the Furber Steps, was originally put together by the first groups of Whitey's who'd managed to find a route through the Blue Mountains. I was reading a sad tale that there were no living Aboriginals left here as disease had preceded White Settlers and it was thought the tribes here had succumbed.

This walk was 'beautiful' (mate). I got caught up in a group of school children near the bottom of the steps and got chatting to a couple of the teachers - friendly race these teachers - why's that Amanda?! They were sharing their knowledge of the area with me, having brought the trip out from Liverpool. I explained that my mate was from Liverpool and that the city's a sh1te-hole and they agreed that so is the Aussie version. History repeating itself Fill?! I asked if crime was expecially bad there, but apparently, they just have a really high proportion of dole bludgers. Nothing new there then!

On the Valley floor I was able to get a move on and with the sun being where it was, the impression of being in a twilight world was quite strong. Enjoyably, there were very few people doing the walk here and so I was alone for up to an hour at a time. Stopping for lunch was my next issue, but I didn't want to sit down in the cool, dank part. It was then I came up and saw the path explode into light - again the picture doesn't do it justice but it felt like coming up for air! I see now what is meant when they say humans wouldn't survive a nuclear winter without the sun. Just around here, I was able to find a little route to climb down 10 metres or so and thus bask in the sun while enjoying my sarnies - beaut mate!

It was a pretty short walk from here to the Giants Steps, which leads up the back of the 3 Sisters to the top. 823 steps and they're like climbing up the steps on a ship - I felt every single one. Knackered ain't the word! That said, when I staggered back into Blackheath, I didn't fancy torching the van, so there were some bonuses. Neil and Troods had recommended I try the Ivanhoe pub in Blackheath for a bite to eat - which I did, but was so tired, I was in bed for 9pm. Not tired enough though as it rained... and rained.... and rained......! I thought the van was gonna buckle under the impact. Come the morning, I was as cheery as the previous day...!

WEDNESDAY

Luckily the weather cleared up pretty quickly and so did my mood, as today was an early start to get out to the 'Ruined Castle'. They reckon it was an 8 hour walk, so I wanted to see how I would manage! First though, the walk took me along the old coalmining works which were a site to see. The pits were all open-cast seams but they'd had a lot of accidents with mini-rockfalls. The interesting thing was that I'd be following the old railway line to the Golden Steps along which the pit ponies hauled the coal. This is one of the old mine entrances.

This walk was far more arduous, as at one part, the path had disappeared in a rockfall and so there was a fair bit of scrambling over loose scree and around some large boulders - wicked. Felt just like a kid again! After this, the path became quite settled and followed the line of the cliff's for about 2 hours. The walk here was very nice, much like yesterday with the smells etc. The only wierd thing was at 2 points along the trail, the animal and insect sounds stopped completely - there was nary a peep - and I wasn't sure why that was. It's wierd, after a while, you're so used to the noise of the jungle around you that you only notice it when it's not there! The other really noticable thing was how the vegetation and sounds changed as I descended to the valley floor. It became alot more swampy and the tree's were taller and not as close together. The walk to the ruins was nice though, with the last 30 minutes of climbing hard work. Worth it though, here's the magnified view back to the 3 Sisters which was my starting point.

After a nice spot of lunch, the long road back, on which 2 Magpies accompanied me as they obviously felt I should be sharing some of the sandwiches with them! It's always amazing how easy a walk is on the return leg when you know how far it is and I really got motoring back, wanting to get the leg bashed out in under 2 hours. As I was rounding an outcrop of rock prior to the rockfall, the sun threw this view, which was again, spectacular, but you can have a look anyway and decide!

Met a group of 6 ladies here as well, where one of them had sprained her ankle. They didn't know about the rockfall ahead and I tried to advise them how heavy going it was and to be careful. There was the usual group Dragon - 'I've been here 29 million, thousand hundred times' etc etc and started telling me about this hike she'd done.... I felt a bit rude cutting her off with an 'OK - you'll have no worries. I found some parts hard but that's probably just me... I'll advise the Ranger at Skyworld that you're coming through in case you don't make it back to the skytrain (which takes you from the Valley floor up) in time!' The look on some of the ladies faces was almost priceless!!

I'm sure they made it, but I left warning anyway and the Ranger did say he'd head back along the route at 4pm to meet them if they hadn't turned in. Bless.

THURSDAY

This was a fairly easy day, I wanted to just chill and have an easy day so walked some of the 'boardwalk' routes along the top of the Katoomba gorge. Pretty overcast day but still great views. I sat down at one point and out of the corner of my eye, I saw some movement out of my left eye, which was a liquid-like up and down movement - very strange. I swivel my eyes and slowly turn the head and there's an Ghecko / Iguana / Monitor just inches from my face - it was so well camoflagued!! I felt like the comic book villain as I slowly reached for my camera whilst we eye-balled each other! IN the event, it clicked and squaked at me and scampered up the cliff, which was a shame, but I really couldn't believe it!! Tomorrow off to the Jenolan caves if I can get the van started quickly.

FRIDAY

Up at 6 to phone in the van with the RAC here - guy is out pretty quick - apparently the ignition is showing a very weak spark - coil is f*cked and the leads are in a bad way too apparently. Not good! After the tow and the mechanics having a look (lots of sighing and shaking of heads - think it was for my benefit though!) the van costs 300 bucks to fix and I get out at about 1.30 in the afternoon - had enough now, so head home but like Arnie, I'll be Bach!

The drive back was OK, quite nice - and if anyone gets the chance to drive into Sydney along the Parramatta highway from the Blue Mountains, please do so. Just before Parramatta, you crest this hill and you see the skyline of Sydney CBD in front of you, surrounded by green and forest. It's an amazing shot and ignoring Parramatta around you, the view is just as I'd imagine a near future city. I couldn't get a shot as it was past too quickly but I can advise it!

By the way, does anyone know why the Blue Mountains are Blue? You can leave the answers on the comments section, I'll get the winner a beer next decade when I get back to Blighty!!