Part 6 : Sydney and the Blue Mountains.
Upon reaching Sydney, I stayed at the Waldorf Apartment. The reception service is up to 5pm and there is secure parking provided. It is also in the centre of the city and very close to the rail station.
Above : Night view from the balcony of your Waldorf Apartment.
From Sydney, you can take the train to Blue Mountains. It is less than 2 hours journey but the view you get is simply amazing.
Upon reaching Katoomba train station (this is the Blue Moutain stop) , it is a good idea to get a pass from one of the shop oppositve the exit of the train station. One will allow you to travel on the Red Explorer bus while the other in a green tramlike bus. Either will do fine and the price is almost the same so you cannot go wrong with either.
I took the Blue Mountains Explorer Bus.
The Scenic World is a must go as it will take you across to the other side of the blue mountains via 3 types of transportation : the skyway, the railway and the cableway.
This skyway will take you across to the other side of the mountain and allows you to see via a transparent glass flooring what is down below.
If you are having fear of heights then you may choose to look out the window instead and see the magnificent view!!!
Once you are done with the Skyway, you will then take the railway down into the deepest part of the rainforest.
It is very steep but once you arrive in the deep jungle, you will realize that it is all worth it. Walk the trails (ranging from short to long – from 1 hour to 3 hours) and you will get to see many historical sites within this deep jungle of the blue mountains.
As well as views that will amaze you …………….
Then once you have travel the trails , it is time to get out of the jungle via the cableway. (Due to the crowded nature of the cableway and the rush I was in, I have forgotten to take a picture of it.)
Once you are out of the scenic world, use your pass to take the RED Explorer bus to another station called Echo Point where from here you shall witness why the THREE SISTERS of the Blue Mountains are just magnificent and why the blue mountains are indeed called the Blue Mountains.
From here you can take the bus again but this time instead of ending your trip at Katoomba to go back to Sydney , you should stop at the second last stop instead. This is because here you will discover Leura , a small town that serves great scones and wonderful chocolates.
After a great day of sight seeing and shopping for chocolates and eating scones, you can just walk from this town to the Leura train station which will take you back to Sydney.
In Sydney, there many good places to see, eat and just laze around. From Waldorf apartment it is mere walking distance to the Harbourside.
Great places to shop, eat and take great pictures with the docked ferries and ship. Not to mention a great Naval Museum.
Have a go at the Australian Museum or take a picture with Capt Cook.
A visit to Market CIty (which houses the Sydney’s Paddy Markets) is a must visit. It is a great place to buy souvenirs and trinkets which you may enjoy keeping as mementos. The price is also unbelievably cheap.
I also managed to find my favourite hotel chains i.e HIlton Sydney. It is enough to say that I can’t help myself but to pose within its walls. (Or should I say within the walls of the doors of its entrance. )
Sydney definitely has its charms and I am sure you will find lots of information on great places to visit in Sydney from other travel site. As for me, I am still having withdrawal symptoms from visiting the small towns thus I don’t find Sydney particularly amazing.
You cannot end a visit to a great city such as Sydney without visiting its two iconic landmarks i.e the Bridge and Opera House.
Indeed to be able to see such landmarks LIVE, was truly a breath-taking experience. Thus, if you can find the time and great company, do consider a drive from Melbourne to Sydney and visit the beach towns along the way while soaking in the atmosphere.
This has indeed been a great holiday.
Till next time.
