On Monday my post was about how we lived in one of Sydney’s multi-millionaire suburbs for all of 2 days, and on Wednesday I explained how Mrs Bobinoz and Elizabeth took care of some dogs in Australian quarantine for the day.
Today, being Friday, I have a video for you as I conclude ‘Sydney Week’.
There are many attractions in Sydney; after all, it’s the most visited city by tourists in all of Australia. One of the big attractions though, is a fair drive out. Hit the road and travel about 50 kilometres west of Sydney and you will start the slow ascent into the Blue Mountains.
And that’s what we did on one of the 4 days we were in Sydney.
As far as mountains go, it’s no Everest, but then not many mountains are. The UK’s highest mountain is Ben Nevis, the peak on that one is apparently 1,344 metres. The highest point in the Blue Mountains is Mount Werong at 1,215 metres, so there’s not much in that, is there?
Australia’s highest mountain is Mount Kosciuszko which is in the Snowy Mountains, also in New South Wales. That one is 2,228 metres at the highest point, so it towers over Ben Nevis.
Anyway, enough of this Australia versus UK mountaineering one-upmanship, what were the Blue Mountains like? Truth is, they didn’t really feel like mountains, probably because of the ease of access and gentle ascent in our minibus.
But as the figures above show, they are mountains, no denying it.
The views were pretty stunning as well, and I wish I could tell you much more about these mountains, but you really don’t get to be an expert after a one-day coach trip. Maybe some of you reading this can tell me more about your experiences in the Blue Mountains, I’d love to hear them.
Anyway, three Sisters and three rides in 3 minutes. You will understand what I mean when you watch the video; you do want to have a ride on the world’s steepest train, don’t you? Then click play…
Dear Bob,
Am a south sudanese young boy who really wants to get to australia for permanent stay and be a citizen of Australia coz am really suffering from south sudan as it has a field of battle since 2013 to date, my parents had been disaplaced and I got separated from them and I cant find them any more, please your kind help will be highly appreciated and thanks.
Blessings
Riek
I can’t help you with that, it’s the government that approve the visas, not me. It’s a very complicated process, see Would I Qualify?
Hi Riek, Have you been successful?
Awful the way the greedy sociopaths in govt crucify the everyday person!
Bob,
Your website is very informative! It’s great.
I’d like to visit NSW, then venture to Sydney, Queensland, and so on..
Always my childhood dream to come Australia….. This will be attainable within the year. 2016!!.
Kind Regards,
Lisa~Marie..
Hope you have a great time when you get here, it’ll be hard not to really 🙂
Glad you enjoyed your trip to the Blue Mountains, Bob. I am an enormous fan of The Blue Mountains and the best way to take in this magnificent World Heritage listed area is to stay for at least three days in one of the many quirky little B&Bs or, better still, splash out and stay in the legendary, and recently refurbished, Carrington Hotel right in the heart of trendy Katoomba. The Carrington Hotel was built opened in 1882 and is one of the most elegant Hotels in the country and its amazing Dining Room is worth a visit especially for its famous Grand High Tea.
http://www.thecarrington.com.au/news.asp?pid=15
Another Hotel worth mentioning is The Clarendon Guesthouse which offers fabulous entertainment.
http://www.clarendonguesthouse.com.au/
This Hotel is owned by the legendary thespian, Reg Livermore. I stayed there years ago with friends and we had the special treat of watching one of his one-man shows up close and personal (with only about 100 guests at the time). The Blue Mountain towns of Katoomba, Leura and Wentworth Falls are spoilt for choice for magnificent cafes and restaurants. Also, a trip to Katoomba is not complete without a visit to the Choc-a-holics dream, the Paragon Cafe:
http://www.notquitenigella.com/2008/01/01/the-paragon-cafe-at-katoomba-blue-mountains/
There are so many attractions up in The Blue Mountains it is absolutely impossible to see it all in under a week:
http://www.bluemts.com.au/things-to-do/
I also recommend experiencing the giant movie screen of The Edge Cinema which often stages great Film Festivals.
Of course, the MAIN highlight of any trip to The Blue Mountains is to actually go BUSHWALKING and HIKING down into the valleys of this exquisite mountain setting. My favourite walk is THE NATIONAL PASS TRAIL which is one of the most jaw-dropping, spectacular walks in the country. It is a medium grade walk suitable for anyone with a reasonable level of fitness and winds its way along a heart-stopping trail cut into the size of sheer cliff faces! The views are absolutely incredible. Read this link to attain a good understanding of this famous, historical trail:
http://www.nationalpass.com.au/
Its a good 2 to 3 hour hike but if there is just ONE thing to do in The Blue Mountains, this is it! You can walk one way on The National Pass and return on the Underpass Walk. There are so many inspirational and beautiful trails within The Blue Mountains area, you could stay here for months and not be able to complete them all! My advice, though, is to ensure you take PLENTY of water and be sure to STICK TO THE TRAILS … people still manage to get lost in the wilderness here! Outlined in this link are some of the more famous walking trails of The Blue Mountains, Wentworth Falls area – each trail is graded for fitness levels. For safety reasons, be sure to let people know when you embark on a walking trail and NEVER walk on your own.
http://www.bluemts.com.au/tourist/thingstodo/bushwalks/
Areas surrounding The Blue Mountains, eg the world famous Jenolan Caves are also worth the visit. A two night stop-over in the legendary Caves House (at Jenolan) is a wonderful sojourn. Enjoy!
Kathryn, you are like a walking, living, breathing tourist information office 🙂 I get the impression that I can’t yet tick off the Blue Mountains as a “done that” place. My one day coach trip just wasn’t enough, was it?
We will be going back to Sydney, for sure, one of the things that Mrs Bobinoz and I agreed upon is to do more plane hopping around Australia for long weekends and mini breaks. But next time I head for the Blue Mountains, I’ll make sure I have at least three days, if not more, to have a much better look around.
Thanks for all the links, those hotels look really good and that walk looks stunning. I’ll pass on the chocolate shop though, I have to look after my figure LOL!
Cheers and thanks again for the very detailed information.
Bob