The Blue Mountains

Today Dana of Oakland, Dan of Ogdensburg, newly arrived Joe of Milwaukee, Rick and Lexie of Alabama (Dan’s friends) and I took the two hour train trip into the Blue Mountains. It was a full day but we really had a great time in this beautiful region west of Sydney. I have been wanting to visit it for many weeks. The day was overcast in Randwick as we boarded the bus to the train station, but by the time we were half way to the mountains the sun broke through the clouds and we had us a bright, cool day. It was ideal for hiking through the mountains.

The mountains are called “Blue” because of the fine blue haze that the Eucalyptus trees exude in their tree sap which fills the air. There was indeed a blue mist in the air shining through sun and clouds. We took several trails that lead down into the ravine up from which we could see the mountains surrounding us. After a few hours of this, we found a restaurant over looking the “Three Sisters Rocks” and had a fine meal. It was about that time when the mist became gray and then dark. The clouds soon brought a downpour. We scurried inside from the balcony over looking the valley below where we were eating lunch.

The Blue Mountains were a natural barrier during the colonization period and it was a while before passage over them could be secured. By 1867 the railroad had blazed a pathway up and over the mountains. It’s basically the same route that we traveled today only now it is electrified. It was a long day which started at 7:00am when we caught the bus at the corner in Randwick. Just after 7:00pm we crawled off the bus and were back home.

All in all a good day!