Blue Mountains and Misty Sisters

The Blue Mountains lie only a couple of hours west of Sydney.   These mountains reach over 3000 feet and are covered with forest.  The eucalyptus trees emit a vapor which can remind you of sick days with a chest rubbed with Mentholatum.  The sun reacts with this vapor, giving the mountains a faint blue color from a distance.  Personally I did not smell that scent, nor did the mountains look very blue, but that is what we were told on our trip into the mountains.

The mountains contain coal, which was mined by hardy men who descended into the valley to dig the coal.  Then the coal was loaded into carts pulled by "pit ponies" and taken to a steep lift to the top.  The coal mines are gone, but one family bought the area and turned it into a tourist attraction called Scenic World. 









We took the Scenic railway to the valley floor where an elevated boardwalk wandered above the ground to protect the rainforest floor (and to provide easier walking.)  In addition to eucalyptus trees, there were tree ferns reaching 30-40 feet, other trees and vines connecting the trees and providing a canopy over the valley.



In order to get to the bottom we took the 52 degree railroad.  The cars used to be open, but, you know government, and now all are enclosed for safety reasons.




















Rather than retrace our steps on the walkway, we rose to the top in a hanging box, which held 40 or so people, to be drawn up on a cable for a swaying ride.  The fun never ends.






















After those adventures it was time for a break, which I shared with this fellow.  He hopped from table to table looking for crumbs and then to the roof to sing his appreciation.

The magpie has a beautiful song.

The adventures were not over yet.  The last leg of the trip was on the Scenic Skyway across to the other side of the valley.  Although it was misty, we were able to see the falls and the Three Sisters.





























The tour included lunch at the histortic Hotel Carrington in Koolumba and a final stop in Leura, a town famous for having a concentration of restaurant and shops to buy expensive second-hand clothing and other items.

I am not sure how a video will work here, but I will include one of the train ride.