We went for a hike and I got to see my first view of the plateaus and canyons that are similar to a really green Grand Canyon. We had a picnic on the canyon rim at Govett’s Leap overlooking a beautiful waterfall called Bridal Veil that drops all the way down the steep canyon walls. Next we descended into the bottom of the canyon on a trail called Furber Steps, which gets it's name for the hundreds of steep stair steps to the bottom. The trail paralleled a big waterfall called Katoomba Falls. It was beautiful with lots of wonderful scenery including great views of three sisters, three rock pillars… local legends say three native sisters were turned to stone to avoid a canyon monster. Thankfully we avoided all those steps back up by taking the Scenic Railway, world’s steepest railway going straight up a rock tunnel back to the top. Next the bus dropped me off in Katoomba, a small mountain resort town, where I stayed for the next couple of days. The YHA backpacker I stayed in is a historic-art deco cabaret building that had been restored with beautiful lounges, nice kitchens and clean rooms. So nice I decided to stay an extra night. After settling into my room I took off to try another hike the Prince Henry Cliff Walk to Echo Point. This wonderful trail follows the cliff edges with lots of lookout points over the steep and vast canyon lands. I heard and saw lots of colorful native birds that would only be found in exotic pet stores back home.
Thursday I woke up so sore that I decided to tool around the town like a tourist rather than an adventurer… I watched a local parade for Anzac Day a local holiday before taking a trolley tour of all of the beautiful sites. I took the Scenic Railway again this time going down dropping steeply to the canyon floor. After hiking past a bunch of old coal mines built into the cliff walls I continued down into the canyon floor… encouraged to stretch my sore muscles with another hike on elevated wooden walkways winding through the thick rainforest floor. I enjoyed drinking from a safe and refreshing rainwater spring before taking the tram back to the canyon rim to explore more views along Prince Henry Cliff Walk.
Friday, I spent the morning shopping in Katoomba’s interesting alternative shops before seeing an Imax movie called “The Edge” highlighting the Blue Mountains. Midday, I hooked back up with my Oz Experience bus to Sydney stopping for a brief visit to another wildlife park to pet more Koalas, Kangaroos and a baby Wallaby. This park is unique originally a veterinary clinic that took in wounded and orphaned local animals… they acquired so many they eventually turned it into a wildlife park.
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