From Sydney to Cairns - part 1

In Sydney, we stayed with Richard, a hospitality club member who resides in Panania about 30 minutes by train from Sydney. The weather was rainy at times but it didn't hinder us to explore the sights such as Glebe,a bohemian district with lots of bookstores, cafes and vintage clothing stores. We went to see the Art gallery of New South Wales, the Opera House, the Rocks, the Botanical Garden. We visited Sydney's satellite commercial centre just across the Harbour Bridge which is the gateway to the Lower North Shore. Here we enjoyed great views of the city and checked out the cafes, pubs and shores at Kirribilli. We also did a 2 hour harbor cruise to learn a bit about the different regions in Sydney. Here, Diana became a official servas member and after receiving our Australia host book, we were off to explore the eastern part of Oz (we only have one month).

Art work along the lighthouse path

We started out with a visit to Katoomba, the gateway to the Blue Mountains National Park. An hour after we got to the fancy YHA, it started raining and it didn't stop until 2 days later. Undeterred by he rain, we went to see the Three Sisters and embarked on a one day trip to the Grand Canyon.

Blue Mountain with Kristi and a german gal

We started our rainy adventure with a walk to Neates Glen and then descended into a Eucalypt woodland environment. We then entered the first of the rain forest gullies where we found that the very wet habitat supports a variety of tree ferns like Dicksonia antarctica and many rain forest canopy trees like Sassafras and Coachwood. Crossing the raging Greeves Creek (by this time, the only part of clothing still dry were our undies)we walked beneath tall cliffs of Banks Wall sandstone from which waterfalls at times small and trickling and at times raging, dropped down before we descended to creek level.

We passed through a natural tunnel to reach a water fall which marks the beginning of the canyon environment. For us, it marked the end of the track as we found it impossible to cross a raging river which in dry times is a small creek. Clambering around to find an alternative route, we inched our way up the forest wall following a small trail which topped out in a small forest area. Not having a clue as to where we were, we scrambled around for an hour to eventually find ourselves at Pilcher Point, the cliff wall opposite Evans Point Lookout where we were supposed to be. Soaked wet and cold, we decided to head to the main road to catch a bus back to Katoomba. We eventually emerged in Medlow Bath, a tiny village. Its main feature is the historic Hydro Majestic Hotel, which is actually three buildings constructed between 1880 and 1903 by a leading Sydney businessman as a health resort. From here we took the train back, almost running to the YHA to get in a comforting hot shower. The next day, we met up with Kristi from Indiana and a German girl and hiked to the Three Sisters and the Leura Falls. The area is beautiful at any time of the year, in rain or sun.

Cockatoos

Death kiss to the pufferfish

Diana in rain in Botanical Garden

Hyde Park - ibis

Hyde Park - plenty of ibis

On Sydney Harbour Tour

Sun in our face

Sydney Opera House

The surf an Byron Bay

The Three Sisters in the background

Two smiling faces

With Diana and Kristi