Blue Mountains - Katoomba

Our wonderful hosts - Wayne & Heather Ward- suggested that we find time to go see the Blue Mountains and Katoomba. So on Friday morning we awoke in WW to rain but the weather channel said that the Blue Mountain area would have sunshine. We quicky packed a bag and set off for a 3 hour drive to Katoomba.  By crikie it was spectacular!!!!!!  The mountains are Blue in color because the eucalypt trees emit a gas that hangs in the atmosphere.  Landslide Lookout above Katoomba was very etherial but it was only a prelude to The 3 Sisters Rock.  The story behind the 3 Sisters is that 3 Aborigine girls feel in love with 3 brothers of another tribe which was unacceptable. Their medicine man changed them into stone until the war that was waged because of the romance was over.  But the medicine man died in the war and no one else could change them back.  So there they stand!!!

Katoomba  is a mountain retreat for many NSW people.  It is much cooler there and does get snow.   Definitely saw signs of Autumn in the air.  The town had great small restaurants and a beautiful old hotel, The Carrington. Of course we found the baby grand piano in the bar.  We had a meal in the Bar Pub and to my surprise they had delicious soft shell crabs on the menu.

We spent the night in Katoomba and drove to Featherdale Animal Park on the M3.  Froomes Guide said "that if there was time for only one zoo on your trip to Australia that you should make it Featherdale" and they were absoutely right.  Australian animals & birds for the most part ran free.  We petted Koalas like they were our pet cat and feed Kangaroos and walked with them like they were common pets.  It was incredible.  The variety and beauty of birds here are breathtaking.  Enjoy the pictures as much as we enjoyed the experience :)

Came back to WW on Saturday evening.  It is Fall here & we changed the clocks backward.  We are now only 14 hours ahead of the East Coast.

And my new favorite saying is "No worries Mate!"