Jan 3 - Blue Mountains

Took a day trip to the blue mountains today. The bus showed up 15 minutes early. Luckily I was ready, just had to eat my eggs on the bus instead of the lobby. Unfortunately I forgot that other countries like their scrambled eggs and omelets done softly, and these were really runny. I always order them well done, especially when I travel. I ate about half and threw the rest away. I find it helps to take sips if coffee after every few bites.

The bus was full with 20 on the bus. The guide seems nice and knowledge. There are people from Germany, Switzerland, France, Russia, New Zealand, and Taiwan. I was the only one from the states.

One of the ladies, about my age, was also named Tanya (spelled differently).  She is also single, no kids (her sister and family are here for a year).  Her mom also named her after hearing the name in a movie.  She owns two small businesses (okay, here's where we differ).  She was one of seven who spoke German - I didn't realize I should have brushed up on it before I coming.

I've noticed before when I travel that a lot if the tourists are English and Germans. It's also not unusual to run into Europeans that are taking a year and either working short term our doing advanced studies. Two of the guys are lawyers (look to be their 30's) taking class for a year at the "uni" (ie. University).  At the end of the year, they'll go back to their job.  Although normal in Europe, this would never fly in the states.

Went by the Olympic Park. Surprisingly, the area is still expanding with new hotels and such, even 12 years later. Many of the schools use the facilities for matches, and the apartments are popular (they go for $0.5M) due to their proximity to both sports and the subway. They have poles in front of the stadium with the names of the olympic volunteers, and what look like mini-cranes with the names of previous olympic game cities.
I forgot that every tour in Australia and New Zealand includes a morning tea. You usually stop at a park and have juice, cookies (or as they say, biscuits), and dried fruit - but almost never tea.

I love the names of places here. The Blue Mountains have the Grand Canyon and Minne Ha Ha Falls. I remember passing over the Niagara Falls in New Zealand, which is only 1.5 feet tall at most.

Stopped at the kings tableland. It's a big rock overlooking the blue mountains. The edge is a sudden drop off, so they warn people to be careful. Unlike the states where fear of lawsuits would have ruined the natural beauty of the place.

The Blue Mountains are named so because in warm overcast weather there is a blue valor over the mountains that is created from the leaf of the eucalyptus tree (last time I was here our biologist guide said the eucalyptus here are a totally different genus from the States).
Went for a short hike to the lookout for Wentworth Falls. The way down was great; the way back up, not so much. The waterfall didn't have much water due to a drought. Supposedly phenomenal when water is flowing at full force.

Next we went to Katoomba.  The view was great, but we were rushed to catch a boat at the end of the tour.  I would have rather had more time.  At Katoomba, we took a skyway over the gorge, then a cablecar over another gorge, a walk through a cool-weather rainforest (I've been in tropical and subtropical, but this was my first cool-weather), and finally a train almost straight up a mountain.  You had to hold on to everything you owned or it fell to the front of the train.  The german couple is going to email a picture of me on the train going up.

Then it was off to the boat, where I got a mild sunburn and a picture of the Sydney Harbor.

Now I'm leaving the Marriott and going to a small hostel over a pub.  I'm there for two nights, and based on my experience there, will decide where I stay when I come back on the 12th.

Tomorrow I'm thinking of going to Bondi Beach.  There's a 2-3 hour hike along the cliffs that is supposed to be worth doing.

Problems with reading pictures, so none for now - I'll try to add later.

Not sure how much wi-fi access I'll have at the hostel, but I'll try to post again tomorrow.