To Sydney

Just a brief update as, strangely enough, with only a 3 hour time difference, I am suffering from jetlag. The floor keeps moving up and down! However just wanted to let everyone know that I have finally made it to Australia!!!! I was rather disappointed when we landed in Sydney in thick cloud and rain. I always had in my mind that it was a bright, sunny and sparkling city and I would suddenly see the opera house and harbour bridge rise out of the water glistening in all their splendour like in the glossy handbooks. No worries mate, I’m sure it will be sunny tomorrow…. damn cold though – I’m glad I brought all those winter clothes after all. But on the drive back to Melinda’s I was stupidly amazed at the blossom on the trees and the young green leaves, of course, silly me, it’s spring. I asked Melinda what was that big white bird, thinking I’d just seen a barn owl. “It’s a cockatoo”, of course it is, there are several of them sitting on the street lamp, and she tells me there are galahs also that swing on the cables. I know about those don’t I Kylie ^ _ ^ Pics tomorrow after a sleep.

The Blue Mountains
Today Melinda and Dennis took me off for a weekend trip to the Blue Mountains, a couple of hours drive from Sydney. After we came off the main freeway, the roads became increasingly windy as we made our way higher and higher up into the mountains. I thought the scenery on the way up looked very much like the Fells in the Lake District. When we got to the vantage point, the panoramic view was just breath-taking and I can’t do it justice in a photograph.

While up there I saw my first aborigine and was amazed to find him virtually naked and bare-footed on such a bitterly cold day! He was sitting playing a didgeridoo (not sure of spelling).

I then took a few rides, first on a train that went almost vertically down the mountainside (not recommended with those suffering from vertigo), originally used to haul coal up from the mines. Then followed a walk that took us through the history of the mines with various displays and also descriptions of the flora and fauna along the way.

I was then taken back up the mountain by cable car and then finally across a deep ravine between two mountains by Skytrain with a clear floor…. again breath-taking views all around. Many cockatoos here!

In the afternoon, we enjoyed a ride on the ZigZag Railway, a voluntary-run steam railway running up and down the mountainside over viaducts. The engine kept being switched from one end of the carriages to the other in order achieve he required zigzag incline.

We then made our way to Katoomba, a lovely little town, where we stayed the night in a guest house. I have to say, I will remember how cold it was there. We found a very nice twenties style restaurant for dinner in the evening,

But getting warm in bed at night proved to be a major problem despite the fact that the aircon was switched to heat 24 degrees. I made use of a portable electric radiator to heat blankets for my bed! Am I really in sunny warm Australia I asked the receptionist rhetorically! Anyway, we survived the night and the reward was a good cooked breakfast.

We then made our way to the Jenolan Caves, about an hour away along an amazingly twisty narrow road descending very steeply down to them. We booked ourselves to go round the Orient caves which were supposed to contain very pretty coloured crystals. It was actually spectacular! Again photographs cannot do it justice.

We made our way along a narrow railed staircase built into the crystallised crevices of the cave which went deeper and deeper, always opening into incredible displays of stalagmites, stalactites’, shawls (which were my favourites) and columns. The lighting effects were a major feat of design, as were the many winding staircases.

Our guide Craig had a very dry sense of humour and sometimes it was hard to know if he was serious or not.

As we finally emerged into the bright sunlight I noticed again the many spring flowers, which seemed so odd to me in September, pretty japonica, narcissus and primroses.

Even the Wisteria was about to burst forth. We had a spot of lunch and were joined by Rosellas (as my painting!) and Magpies (I think).

We then embarked on the long drive home (not by Aussie standards though). As we rounded the first bend, Denis just happened to mention that he’d seen a Wallaby on the hillside when he collected the car to pick us up!!! What!! I had been keeping my eyes peeled for a Roo or a Wallaby or even a wombat…. the best I could do was a photo of a road sign!

Must be off to bed – it’s the big climb tomorrow!

Monday 12 September – Happy Birthday Kerrie xxxx
I woke up to a beautiful warm spring day. I am so pleased because it’s the day of the Harbour Bridge Climb! Emotional news of different kinds on the tv, remembering those who were caught up in the horrors of that fateful day in New York a decade ago today. But also the brilliant US Open win for Sam Stosur for Australia.
After a later start this morning, I took the train into the city and caught my first glimpse of the Harbour Bridge just before travelling over it on the train.

Then immediately caught sight of the iconic Opera House. It was such a beautiful sparkling day to be leisurely walking by the harbour and taking in all the boating activity as well as the many eating places and finally the entrance to the Opera House. Shiny modern high-rises soured above into the blue spring skies.

This is just how I imagined it to be, a far cry from that cloudy damp morning of my arrival. I booked a tour round the Opera House which was very informative and fortunately included a rehearsal in the main hall by a pianist. It seemed that we weren’t supposed to be in there but the accoustics were just amazing. We were told the organ had over 10,000 pipes!

Then a spot of lunch watched eagerly by a row of seagulls just a foot away on the harbour wall. They nearly knocked over the table getting to the spoils as I got up to take my leave. It was a good 15 minutes’ walk uphill to the Bridge Climb entrance where we were togged up for the ”climb of our lives”.

Melinda had suggested a 3.15 slot (which lasted 3 hours) because we might take in the sunset, and she was absolutely right. Although I was a little nervous climbing the see-through gantry at the start, I soon became confident as various points of interest were pointed out and described in the panoramic view before us. I have to say the whole experience was awesome to put it mildly. We even watched the moon rise over the opera house as the sun set on the other side. All in all a full and wonderful day! I love Sydney.