Blue Mountain, NSW, Australia

'The blue mountain under the blue sky'

I need a break. Now, this time it is about Blue Mountain in New South Wales, Australia. Well, I can say it is a nice national park. This is a really, really vast national park. This area has couples of mountains, few small towns, cascade waterfalls and numbers of spectacular cliffs. The Australian government (or perhaps since the Real British.... - sorry, I'm not sure) had turned this place into a remarkable tourist attraction. Before this? From my observation, I believe that this place was used to be a mining area. Now, everything has changed. Five stars for jungle tracking (they call it as bushwalk here), adventurous exploration and camping. In addition, there are aborigine show, numbers of historic museums as well as modern assets that could enhance your treasured moment here such as 'Scenic Skyway' and 'Scenic railway'. And not to forget, those 'scenic' facilities are convenient for disabled person and as a customer I am 'quite confident' with the safety precautions here - Bi-iznillah and InsyaAllah.

 Heading to Blue Mountain. The train was heading to Lithgow via Blue Mountain.

 Katoomba station - In Malaysia we have Teluk Ketumbar. After 2 hours haul.....

Easy to go, easy to find. Have problem with English? Then learn English. Oh my English!

At the exit, definitely you'll find the Explorer Bus service. Exactly like in UK and Rome. 

Same company I guess. Any percent dear?

I took intercity train to Blue Mountain from Sydney (refer here to check the latest ticket price). The distance: 110km from Sydney, thus it takes around 2 hours from Central Station. So, what else? Sleep, eat, talk. The train dropped me at Katoomba, the biggest town in the Blue Mountain area. Just few steps away from the Katoomba station, there is Blue Mountains Explorer Bus (hmmmm, seems like UK, same colour, same fonts - of course ya). No need to worries, there is signboard everywhere and you walk in the aisle. So, I bought Lyrebird Pass (Explorer bus plus the 'Scenic World') for AUD 72 per adult. You can check the latest price here. Based on the provided map, plan your trip properly because everything is depend on the weather condition - controlled by Him. It was summer the day I arrived there. Hence, it was pretty hot but I did enjoy a clear view. Once you had arrived here, please get the experience of the Scenic World, the breathtaking view at Eco point, bushwalk by the water falls and listening to the vibrant rhythm of the typical Australian aborigine's song. There are more but the proposed activities are suitable for 'brief visitor' like me who had less than 24hour to go. If you have more time to spend, you can drive to Blue Mountain. It would be more flexible. There are many hotels too with different budget plan. This is a good link for general info regarding to the Blue Mountain. Enjoy!
 

 

First encounter - the Scenic Skyway. Are you confident enough? Do you have any vertigo? 

Crossing the hundred meters deep ravine.

Now, there you are. Nice shot of the cascade waterfall. How do they manage to do this project? They have a 'not so bad' view point but they know how to make it more interesting. Yupp, I think trade is one of the answer. Australia has tonnes of valuable mineral deposit....remember?

It's a ladder - it's an escalator - NOOOOO! It's a super....scenic rail. The steepest railway in the world? Oh yeah? What about the railway to Jungfraujoch in Switzerland? You're kidding me? The railway incline at 52 degree (ref.). Wow! Not suggested for those who has heart complication - heart attack I'm afraid.

List of the steep railway that I had been:

1. Blue Mountain - NSW, Australia
2. Jungfraujoch - Murren-Grinderwald, Switzerland
3. Bukit Bendera - Penang, Malaysia ( I haven't been at the peak yet)
4. Victoria Peak - HK, China

But, which one is the steepest? I'm not sure.

Now what? Start the bushwalk? Or the 'clean' bushwalk. There is a track here and quite easy for beginner. If you need more challenge, BM offer another tougher tracks such as Victoria Falls, Mount Banks, Knight's Deck, Magdala Creek and many more. Even from Kanangra to Katoomba. Tough enough?

In a shiny day I walk pass through the forest of rhythm, to find the tranquility and rhapsody of the melody - Ewah! How could I... be a poet? Never in my dream too.....

This is how it looks ......

Ah haaaaa.....an old mine office? Yuhuuuuuu.......

  

 

Hmmmm, real coal. Is there any rare earth here?

Finally, my stomach started to speak. Need to hurry to the top where there is toilet and restaurant.

 What else? Fish and chip for the gastro.

 And this was the price. Will the price increase soon?

"The Waradah" - Wahida? Wara Sudah? Gua redah? What ever......but it is one of the interesting place to visit.

 Waradah is a name of a group that perform aborigine dance with cool melody from the aborigine's instrument, the 'Didgeridoo'. They'll ask you to dance too.

The last station (for me). At the Eco Point we could see the 'cheeky' and lovely Three Sisters and splendid panoramic view of the Blue Mountains range. Their names are: Meehni, Wimlah and Gunnedoo. Of course there is a myth behind these rocks. These rocks are....just rocks. In Cappadocia there are more such kind of rocks and relatively more unique. You can go to these rocks via a bushwalk from this Eco Point. Still remember your geography class? Are these 'sisters' were 'born' from the wind erosion? Or earthquake?