Sydney Trip (Part Two)

On the Tuesday, we all headed out to the Blue Mountains where we stayed in a lovely old house at Katoomba. That afternoon found us all taking a long walk to the supermarket, detouring for a couple of caches along the way.

On the Wednesday, we went to Scenic World where Jon and I took the Scenic Railway (a 52 degree incline!) down to the Jamison Valley Floor while Jachin and Alisi, with the girls, took the Scenic Skyway (a glass bottomed cable car) across the valley. Jon and I then proceeded to walk across the valley to the bottom of the Three Sisters where we climbed up the 900 steps of the Giants Stairway to Echo Point where we all met up again. It took us 75 minutes - much better than the estimated 2-3 hours! Jon and I LOVED it - the bush was wonderful and the track was a 'proper' bush walk - lots of variation and ruggedness to it.

Along the Jamison Valley Floor

At Echo Point, looking out at the Three Sisters

We all walked back to the Skyway by road (poor Jachin had had to manouvre the pram up and down a lot of steps on their bushwalk to meet up with us at Echo Point) where we split up again - Jon and I took to the bush again to make our way back to Scenic World while the others took their return ride on the Skyway. The track wasn't well marked and it took us a couple of wrong turns before we finally made it back to where the car was parked - very hot and ready to eat! While waiting for us, Abigail had managed to get her uncle and aunt to buy her a kangaroo toy which she has barely put down since! Thank you Jachin and Alisi :)

That afternoon Andrew joined us all; Nola and co brought him up and stayed for dinner with us - lots of homemade pizzas!

On Thursday, our last day together, we went to Wentworth Falls and did a big walk (a couple of hours) together there - along, up, down, and under the cliffs.. Jon and I are keen to come back to this area to do some of the even longer walks - fascinating bush/cliffs! As it was, we did a fair amount of walking (the girls walked most of the way too), with Sarah falling asleep in Jachin's arms towards the end. Then the sexes split - the gents detoured off to complete an earth cache, while Alisi and I took the girls back towards the car park. That was the hardest part of the walk for me - I had a sleeping Sarah in my arms, a heavy pack on my back, and a 32 week pregnant belly to get up a hill! Alisi and I spotted a bench to rest on near the top for much needed refreshments, and when the guys caught up with us again we found that we had stopped only a stone's throw from the car park!

Part of the Wentworth Falls

Sarah worn out from the big walk

After a picnic lunch we headed back to our house in Katoomba. Jon and I had a nice soak in the bath to ease stiff muscles while the girls slept (oh the luxury of a hot bath!).

Friday morning was spent packing up before splitting ways - Jachin, Alisi and Andrew back to Sydney while we started our northward journey back to Brisbane. It took us 8 hours of driving in the heat before we reached our stopover (again, at Nambucca Heads). The next morning we were on the road by 4:30am and reached home before 9:30am - thus we avoided driving in the heat and being caught up in end of school holidays traffic. Sarah seemed to be quite demoralised to wake to find herself in the car AGAIN so I am sure she is glad to be home again!

Lunch stop to find air conditioning and cold drinks!

We had a GREAT holiday with Jachin and Alisi and look forward to being able to do it again in the future! A big thank you to you both for all your hospitality, company, and generosity!