Australia #8 Blue Mountains

It's a two hour train trip from Central Station, Sydney, to Wentworth Falls in the Blue Mountains. At first sight the mountains look more like tree covered hills. Not mountainous at all. A bit like the Quantocks, perhaps. Lovely, but not unique. But get up into them and the scale hits you. These mountains go on for ever. A check on the map shows them covering an area that looks to be almost as big as Wales. Hill after hill after hill, all tree covered, all slightly blue in a haze.

The walk to the falls began through bush land - a single file path that crossed and recrossed a little stream. Finally we rounded a corner and came to the start of the falls. A Japanese couple, on looking at the ladder we had to descend, turned back and retraced their steps. What a shame, as round the next bend we came to Wentworth Falls themselves. Stepping stones take you across and the edge of the falls are always a way off - and there's a sturdy barrier to stop anyone getting too close to the edge. 

We crossed to the other side and walked around a bit. Now, as you know already I'm a wimp. Did I mention I am scared of heights? Just past a huge group of Americans, who filled the path, the view opened up below us, and I point blank refused to continue. In fact, I don't think I could have. My knees kept giving way!

I clung, rather desperately, to the rail while Andy and Cat continued down for a little way. Fortunately the trail we wanted to take was the other side of the falls, so, rather gingerly I let go and we continued. Would I have done so if I'd known what was in store? I'm not sure...

It was a long, again single track, walk, up and down hill, all along the edge of the hill, sometimes rather too close to the edge for me, but this time there was no going back. 

Where there were hand rails, I held them, when there weren't I studied the ground in front of me very, very hard.  It worked. We made it.

Tomorrow we leave Sydney, and Cat, and begin the journey home, via Hong Kong. I don't think I need to say how hard tomorrow will be, but Oz has been good to us. A wonderful place.