We had a meal that night in Katoomba, it was really strange because everything closes so early. I kid you not.......it must have been only 8.30pm when the restaurant started closing up. We were the last people in there and they were literally sweeping up around our table. We didn't mind though, the food was brilliant.
The next day we went to Scenic World. This is a combination of the steepest train in the world and cable cars which take you to the valley floor. The Scenic Skyway cable car has a glass bottom and you can see the valley floor below. I have an irrational fear of heights but I did manage to stand on the glass and look through it to the dense bush below us.
We took the train to the valley floor. It was a hell of a ride and pretty fast. It was like being on a roller coaster where the only direction is down. I was sandwiched between Sparks and another man and I hoped that I wouldn't end up on the other fella's knee. The train was originally built to provide access, for the miners, to the mines in the valley. This was once a rich mining area and there are still entrances to the mines down there which have been restored.
A large boarded walkway takes you through the forest where you can view mining memorabilia and all of the different ferns, shrubs and large trees that make up the bushland of this area. It was a nice walk, lovely and cool down there as the sun was out and it was hot above us. We returned to civilisation via another cable car. There are loads of viewing points from which to gaze at the Blue Mountains. We were walking along a little path when Sparks spotted a snake, fast asleep in the bush just beside us...
"Bloody hell.... trust me to be wearing sandals." I said.
Many of the snakes here are venomous, I did take a quick photo but didn't hang around for too long. There were 3 cases of snakebites which hit the news whilst we were in Oz, one unfortunate lad died, he was just 16.
We went back up to Echo Point to use the loos and managed to get in on a wine tasting in a shop there. We found some lovely local red wine and bought a couple of bottles. It didn't matter now if the restaurants close early, we had a bottle of good stuff to keep us going..
Here are some pics... The Scenic Skyway, can you spot the sleeping snake? Katoomba Coalmine and a lovely little waterfall we happened across.
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Never put off until tomorrow what you can avoid altogether.
The views expressed here are my own and not necessarily those of my family, friends, employer, this site, my neighbours, hairdresser, dentist, GP, next door's dog or anyone else who knows me..