New Zealand / Australia Trip

Sydney 2/14/2005

Other trip days

Sydney Blue Mountains Tour - To Star City

Got a 6 AM wake-up call. Went down at 6:45 AM for breakfast (opens at 6:30). JR and Susan were there and Ellen sat on the other side later. At 7:15 AM we went back to the room to get stuff (Kwut and I were the only ones going to the APT tours outside of Sydney). I took Kwut’s camera and he took the camcorder. At 7:35 AM went down to get APT (Australian-Pacific Tours) bus for 7:40 pickup. The dupe was early and was greeted by sales representative Alana for APT. Afterwards we still had to go to 8 other hotels to make pick-up stops. Got out at Star City (departure depot for APT buses) to catch the tour bus for the Blue Mountains, leaving out of Bay 8, Kwut caught his bus for Canberra.

Sydney Blue Mountains Tour - To Leura

Set out across the ANZAC bridge travelling west and joining up with the Parramatta road, continuing on the Motorway (Aussie for interstate highway) 4. Through the city/suburb of Parramatta, and past the 2000 Olympic Village and the city/suburb of Penrith. Across the Vepean River where the motorway ends, continuing up the hills. Past the town of Blaxfield, we began seeing the Blue Mountains. Past the town of Lawson where we saw Sulfur-Crested Cockatoos in the park. Arrived for the morning tea stop in the town of Leura. Saw an antiquarian bookshop and bought some cookies.

Sydney Blue Mountains Tour - To Katoomba

Continued a short way to Katoomba, a former coal-mining town that was now a commercialized tourist trap. Its claim to fame is Scenic World which has a scenic railway and cable cars providing a view of the Three Sisters, the signature rock formation in the Blue Mountains. I chose to skip the rides and had lasagna and veggies for lunch. Shot some pictures of the Three Sisters, finding out too late that there was a walking trail that you could get around to the Three Sisters. The blue haze of eucalyptus fumes given off by the trees that gives the mountains its name was visible.

Sydney Blue Mountains Tour - The Bells Line of Road and back to Sydney

Got back on the bus through the town of Victoria at the furthest western end of the tour, then back through the Bells Line of Road (bumpy and windy) making a loop though the Blue Mountains. As we were leaving the Blue Mountains we went down Bellbird Hill and the driver stopped the A/C and coasted down the road so that we could hear the chirping of the bellbirds. Getting back to Sydney though the western outskirts of Richmond and Windsor. Saw an RAAF base with C-130 transport and hospital planes.

Sydney Blue Mountains Tour - The Koala Park

Stopped at the Koala Park to pet the Wombat and to see koalas and kangaroos. Took a picture with the wombat. Back into Sydney there was a huge traffic jam, and we crossed the harbor bridge. The bus made a drop off at the Menzies Hotel, since this was close I got off here to walk back to the Wentworth. Saw a Dymock’s bookstore on the way on bought a small Australia travel book and an Aussie wine book for Bear. Finally got back to the hotel at 5:50 PM. Took a nap all the way until 9:15 PM. Tried to call the weird on-on, but the phone number that M had was not complete. Went out to look for dinner. Tried the Celestial Chinese Restaurant next to the hotel, but it had nasty smelling authentic food and you had to go down to the basement to get to it. Looked around some more and saw an NCG restaurant south of the hotel. Stopped at the convenience store to get drink and snacks. Saw the Kwut there. Skipped dinner this evening.