It took us about 2 hours to get to the Blue Mountains.
On the way, our really cool aussie guide+driver gave us quite a history lesson, and an interesting one!
Among other things he told us why the English managed to settle on Australia and the Dutch and the French failed:
only the English were able to find Australia again after they set first foot on it. And why? Because the English had invented the clock, or chronometer, how it was called back then.
We also learned that the name Australia comes from the latin word for “southern” – australis.
I cannot write down everything he told us, that would fill a book.
But the drive really passed in a hurry.
Our first sight was in Katoomba where we had an awesome view above one of the valleys and could see the “Three Sisters”, a stone rock formation.
The next stop was near a lovely waterfall, it was only a short stairwell down.
Our thirt stop was a bit longer, we walked for about 40 minutes down the stairs through the rain forest – that was really awesome!
The steepest train in the world took us back up in 2 minutes 😀 amazing as!
We got lucky – because we had a professional photographer onboard the driver changed the usual trip and took us through a valley into the heart of the mountains.
Usually no bus goes there because the bus companies don’t think it’s worth the costs. WRONG!!!
It was breathtakingly beautiful out there. Once we stopped in the heart of this world heritage, we were out in the wild, and it was completely still, pure calmness.
Unbelievable mute, except for a rifle shot in the distance here and then 😀
And the best thing: we got to see kangaroos!!! Real ones, in freedom, not in a zoo to pet.
It was a long trip home then, about 3 hours back to Sydney.
Our bus driver had somebody else to sit next to him every 2nd stop, so he could ask them questions and tell stories from his life.
He has travelled the world himself a fair bit and was a real storyteller, one of those who are hard to find these days.
Also he was born in the Blue Mountains and grew up there, he knows the area really well and just loves it, and he did a good job making us love it as well.
It’s hard to describe in words how fabulous this part of Australia is, I hope my photos can give you a better impression. Enjoy!
From 2011-05-21 Blue Mountains. Posted by Philipp Hübner on 5/23/2011 (77 items)
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