Jan 2007

Well up we go, had a nice breakfast then planned our route out of the blue mountains, we were hamperd a little with the bush fires that were curently raging so decided to make for the coast.
Hunter valley Via Wisemans Ferry was the route we chose, (ok then a friend suggested it) nice trip and some lovely places down the Hunter valley but we needed to press on, I was a little confused but we had to cross on a ferry to get to Wisemans ferry, this threw me off a little (blonde moment)but the trip was nice taking in some lovley views along the way.
Wisemans ferry apeared out of the blue,,,,big river too and was not expecting the place to be so nice.

this is the veiw on the ferry we used to get to wisemans ferry.

on the ferry crossing at wisemans ferry.

some nice bush and landscapes followed but we needed to press on to a camp site.
Singleton was the place we ended up. sorry Singelton but we rushed through a little and we did not give the place the time it needed for us to see things,
Following morning we set off for the coast again and finaly made it to North haven.
What a camp site, lovely place in fact we stayed 2 nights.
There was a cracking beach and estuary where I could not resist the tempation of having a go at fishing.

yep, sorry for those of a faint disposition, I should have given a warning!!!! thats me fishing.

I must have looked like I knew what I was doing, unless the Pelican came to laugh at me.

even the dolphins came to laugh at me. sorry for the poor picture but catching a dolphin with a didgy camera.....not on.

Yes i put all the fish back, we went to the supermarket and bought meat for the barbie honest.

Can i just say at this point, the Barie facilertys where second to none,

back in the uk we had never seen the likes and we found the Barbies to be great fun.
Even Hilary thought they where spot on and also enjoyed my cooking,,,,,its a mans thing the barbie.
we did quite a lot of walking on the beach and even walked from the camp site round to Laurieton I think they called the other side of the estuary,,,,,,God my Hilary made me have it with the walking that day. and it was red hot too.
could not fault North Haven and hope it stops like that forever.
We had to retire to the bowling club for lunch and beers that evening, we were getting into the swing of things now.

Well thats it nothing else can go wrong after the carpark, we set off for the Blue Mountains and I had a couple of places to visit recomended by Friends and a fellow TP,er. (Thank you Pauline from Ipswich.thank you for taking time out to respond to my emails).
we set off in our motor home nice and steady, up to the Blue mountains, well not much of a mountain I said to Hilary more like a big hill, but some nice veiws on the way and even had time to stop for coffee, nice this pull up anywhere and get the kettle on.
We needed to find a place called Katoomba,(I think !!!) Hilary was on top form with her map reading, we finaly pulled up at the Caravan park at the Three Sisters, paid our dues and took a look around.
Football/Rugby pitch and a little cafe over the road did not seem to be too much to see. Had to look round and find the nearest bottle shop.
God the car park had a height ristriction on it too!!!!!!
"Huh once bitten, twice shy I thought", old Garrys not going in there ive seen the trailer.
Parked elsewhere, got my bottles then away.(always nice to stand in the cold room where the beer is kept).
Then went back to the Three Sisters Camp site.
We thought we would take look at the veiw over the road.
but it was getting late afternoon. Went anyway.
Well Which way do we go ?? not sure just went down a path and all of a sudden from behind the bush was a vast Canyon.
Hundreds of feet wide and could not guess how deep and how far is went back in the bush, what a veiw, honest it takes your breath away.

There was a Sky rail running from one side to the other at the top and there was even a train that could take you down to the base of the walk and bring you back.
Thats it I said lets walk down and catch the train back up (you see Im built for comfort not speed),
But be careful warning Hilary "Pauline said she fell on her way down" in fact translated to broad Yorkshire I said "Pauline went arse over tit" (no honest those were notPaulines words they were mine).
We could not wait to set off, there were little paths off the main track down the walk to some nice veiwing spots, heres one.
Three Sisters nice eh!!!!! The photos dont do not give the veiw justice.

I Will say some of the steps cut in the rock for the walk down were well dodgy, at one point there was a couple of sets of steps which you could almost call ladders and were bolted into the rock with rusty old bolts Hmmmmmmm, "you ok Hilary" I said as we were going down, she really put her mind to it and once again I could not belive she was scaling down a rusty set of steps with a drop of what looked like hundres of feet below us.....The white parrots flying all over from tree to tree bellow us, and could be seen in the tree tops, totaly weather was totaly differant from the Rain forest in Cairns a lot dryer, as we desended the lower we got, the cooler it was, we were in the shade and that was nice, we went along another path to veiw a water fall, (eh in the middle of the mountains where forest fires were raging water fall !!!)

Not much water but you could see imagine if there was rain.
We enjoyed every step down the walk and in total with the divertions on the little veiwing paths it took us about an Hour and Half to walk down and enjoyed it all.
Just about at the bottom now I said to Hilary, bet we get some nice photos on the way back up on train eh!
Just as i said that a young couple were coming back up the path from the base of the mountain. In my best ozzy accent I said with a big cheesy grin. "gooday mate" (hey told you I was getting good at the ozzy phrases) "What time is the next train", (the one that takes you back up, bet he was well impressed with my accent or thought I was local)
"sorry mate the last train was at 4:30" GULP!!!!!!GULP!!!!!BLOODY GULP!!!!!!
soon brought my broad yorkshire accent back and knocked any sort of smile off old Garrys face. "Your joking" "your bloody joking" I said. then i looked at them with eyes like a puppy dog.....
"no mate the trains stopped running"
I put on a brave face and pretended the walk back up did not bother me,,,,, I said "cheers mate"
as soon as he got out of sight I turned to Hilary and nearly broke into tears,,,,,,"the bloody trains stopped running" the bloody trains stopped running" at this point you tend to look for someone to blame dont you. One thought came to mind (Pauline if I have a Chuffing heart attack on the way back up you can get ready!!!!!only joking Pauline)
Well we both looked one another and Hilary said "and you know how fast it drops dark" that was true we needed top get back up the mountain a.s.a.p.
come on lass I said as we set off back up them steps,,,,,,and there were a very, very, lot of steps too, we did not bother with the sights on the way back up, only stopping to sit on the odd rock to catch our breath now and again, and have a little drink of water. (well thats if I could hold my hand steady enough to get the bottle near my lips). anyway i could not have taken any photos on the way up as my hands and legs were shaking like mad......it was probley the speed we assended at, in fact we came back up the mountain that fast we were in fear of getting the bends!!!!!
Well we landed back at the top of the mountain with a sigh ill tell you, Got a nice shower and had to steady myself with a couple of cold ones.
But dont miss it it was a fantastic experiance and one we will remember all our lives.