We must take a train in Sydney Central station to
reach
Katoomba, where we’re going to spend the day enjoying Blue Mountains
National Park.
If there is time, we could visit Jenolan caves.
The spots marked at map are:
0- Katoomba train station
1- Scenic World
2- Echo Point lookout
3- Katoomba Falls
4- Valley
After
I’m in Central Station on time to take the train
at 7:22
AM destination to Mount Victoria. I’ve paid 17.60$ by each return
ticket to Katoomba. When I called yesterday asking about the only
single day tour combining the Blue Mountains with the Jenolan Caves
they answered they’re no longer doing it as it’s too much time in the
bus for so few time actually visiting things, so that means we have
little options of seeing any platypus. Train takes around two hours in
reaching Katoomba. Once out of the station, I go directly to Carlston
Hotel because in front of it is the stop for bus 686, the alternative
to the a lot more expensive touristic bus. I pay 2.40$ for the ride to
Echo Point.
Somehow, this popular lookout is useless now as
Blue
Mountains are white today: fog everywhere preventing of seeing anything.
I go to the information center because there are
no more
places to go here and get an obvious answer for an obvious question:
fog can go or no, nobody can tell. Just besides it there is the start
for the walk to Three Sisters, but that is not the one we’re going to
do today.
I wait for the 686 bus to go to Scenic world this
time and
I can get all the information about our options and the walk we want to
do: Katoomba Falls walk. We’re explained we can join the walk down to
the valley after the falls, as that is what we’re going to do because
of the fog. My thought is taking the Railway to get back up here, but
we’re not going to use the Cableway or Skyway as the highlight of these
are the views, which are missing today.
A few seconds after starting the walk I’ve joined
the
nature and feeling part of this spectacular landscape. This is an
amazing environment and the fog is not affecting here but for improving
the views, if that is even possible. I’m taking pictures all the time
and take the way to Katoomba Falls, which are not disappointing.
Then we take the way down to the valley by the
part called Furber Steps, with more falls and beautiful fern forest.
The way is narrow in most of its parts, with a lot
of
steps and, sometimes, the vegetation have clears allowing access to
breathtaking views, which were spoiled today, but every time less, as
the fog is running out.
There are some lookouts in the way and we can see
progressively further as fog seems to make a roof, but is clear under
it. Somehow, this roof takes the Three Sisters peaks and the one below
is the best picture I can take from the most iconic spot in Blue
Mountains.
Once down in the valley, we take a circled walk
passing by
a coal mine and beautiful natural forests. All the walks are over a
wood platform, elevated in most of the places, keeping people out of
the forest ground.
When we end the walkway, we’re again by the
Railway, which
we take. It takes us quickly to the top with Indiana Jones music in an
almost vertical way, allowing us to see the valley through the glass
roof, which we have in front of us the most of the time.
We pay up in the Scenic World 16$ for each one way
trip. I
can see fog keeps covering everything at this level, so no point to go
to Echo lookout and we take the bus back to the train station instead
just on time to take the one at 12:34 PM.
After two hours of trip we’re back at the hotel and go to lunch in what
already is my favourite place in Sydney: Fresca 24-Hour Food Service, a
place with prepared food to take away, but we eat it right there this
time. It’s also the place where I’m coming every morning to get my hot
chocolate and a good piece of strudel.
We take a walk by the area around the hotel for
some shopping just before getting the rom soon.
