After all of the fun and games yesterday, we had a sedate dinner on board the train and then did a bit of tidying up our cabin before bedtime. This would be our last sleep onboard and I was already saying things like ‘I don’t want to get off the train…..boo’.
But we needed to be up early again for our trip into the Blue Mountains. We got off the train at Mount Victoria where a fleet of buses were waiting to take us all on our different tours. Our bus was a big red London Double Decker bus that struggled to make it up some of the hills around here but caught the attention of the Korean tourists.
As we drove to Scenic World the driver gave a v good commentary on the Blue Mountains. However, today it looked as if nothing would be particularly scenic as the mountains were covered in mist! When we got off we were handed freebie Indian Pacific ponchos which were very welcome as it was rather damp.
Interestingly, as we get nearer to Sydney we are catching up with all the history that I’ve been listening to on the superb ‘A History of Australia Podcast’. I’ve been listening to this back home whilst taking Molly for walks and doing chores etc. It’s by an Australian undergraduate called Anthony and is really good (nerdy). So far I’ve listening to 37 episodes and we’re only upto 1830!
But I do know that the Blue Mountains were seen as an impassable barrier by the first settlers from the time of Captain Cook landing in 1770. It wasn’t until 1813 that Blaxland, Wentworth and Lawson along with 4 servants (convicts) and 6 dogs (let’s call them Woody, Buddy, Winston, Molly, Maevie and Dougal) , 2 cats (Bibi and Lily) and 1 Budgie (Toto the Intrepid) managed to find a way across. I do feel an entirely separate story coming on about this unlikely band but perhaps that should be for another day!
We drove through the town of Blaxland which was first settled way back then and allowed the colony to continue because it provided access to reliable farmland further beyond. Notably today I spotted the billboard advertising MacDonald’s in Blaxland so still providing a source of food today. Boom boom.
Meanwhile back at ‘Not so very scenic world’, Katoomba. It was time to get off the bus and start the rides! Basically, here they’ve created a bunch of different ways to travel across the canyons and forests of the Blue Mountains. First up was the Scenic Skyway which at 270m is Australia’s highest cable car. I’m sure the views normally are terrific but today….nothing! However, we were allowed in before everyone else which was great.
This took us to the next ride the Scenic Railway. At a 52 degree incline this is the steepest passenger train in the world. The metal seats are bucket like but when the driver said ‘hold on tight’ I thought it was a joke as there was nothing to hold us in and I had my rucksack in one hand and my camera in the other. As we set off the train tilted vertically and I felt myself sliding down. Oops! I was able to jab my foot up against the front and stop myself from….well , let’s not think about that but I do have a few Health and Safety concerns about this ride. Imagine if one of the tiny 3 sisters from the train were on here , I don’t think they could hold themselves on.
After these thrills and nearly spills , we took a leisurely stroll along the Scenic Walkway amid the ancient, temperate rainforest. Here we got up close to the flora of Eucalyptus, Banksia, Ferns, Acacia, Honeysuckle, rhododendron and huge strong vines.
By now the mists were starting to clear as we took our final ride on the Scenic Cableway. This is Australia’s biggest cable car and takes us back upto the Scenic Shopping Emporium. Jane and I ignored all this and just started to admire the views across the vast expanse of mountains and forests below.
But we’re not finished yet….no. We leave scenic world behind now and drive over to Echo Point which is the famous viewpoint for the iconic Three Sisters. These are 3 ancient sandstone formations from 200 million years ago (Triassic) named Meehni, Wimlah and Gunneddoo by the Aboriginal indigenous people.
But even though the sun was out we weren’t going to look at them. It was time for the Indian Pacific folk to eat lunch and consume vast quantities of free beer and wine. Dear God, they love a freebie! Unfortunately, around about the Scenic Walkway, I’d started to feel horrible motion ‘sickness’ after being on the train for so long. Not exactly sick but just like I was still walking on something that was rocking and feeling very unsteady. At lunch I discovered that others (all women) were feeling the same way.
So as soon as we’d scoffed the excellent taster board , Jane and I skipped off to see the view of the Three Sisters. Now the mists had completely cleared and the formations looked stunning in the sunshine! Not for the first time this trip, I felt a little bit over-whelmed (tired).
It had been a great trip, once again extremely well organised by the team at Journey Beyond who run the Indian Pacific Train. At Katoomba Station we boarded a local train that had been specially hired to get us back into Sydney and relaxed for the 2 hours it took before we arrived into Sydney Central Station.
Our luggage had all been taken off the original train and lay waiting for us in orderly queues next to where we got off. Amazing but then it all became a bit of a bunfight as people rushed to find their things. Suddenly there was a scream from a nearby train door and it was one of the 3 sisters who had fallen between the train and the platform and badly hurt her leg. Poor lady. The Indian Pacific team did all they could to look after her but that was definitely going to hurt in the morning.
Of course, we had our own issues what with Jane’s back and there was no way I could lug all of our luggage to a taxi. Did I mention that we had a lot?! So I guarded everything whilst Jane went and fetched Greg, a super helpful chap, who helped us get everything to the taxi queue and then waited with us until one came. Thank you lovely Greg and all of the Indian Pacific crew. The train has been absolutely amazing and we’ve loved everything about it. As I overheard someone else saying ‘I could get used to someone telling me to go here, do this, do that, cook my dinner and make my bed!’
But now it’s welcome to Sydney folks!
Where shall we go to next? 