The drive out of Jenolan – on the same perilous road as yesterday – was a very different experience since we woke early and got out before the traffic. Our destination was the town of Katoomba, tourist center of the Blue Mountains.
We arrived in Katoomba about 11 and headed to a place called Scenic World, which is perched right on the edge of the cliff overlooking the valley. Here’s a shot of the lines when we arrived:
Incredible! We would learn that the lines start even before the place opens before 9 am. What is here that is worth lining up? Well, after about an hour in line we…
Rode a cable car the 275 meters down to the rainforest before…
Exploring the rainforest walk. This was a ~45 minute stroll on a raised walkway around the dense rainforest that fills the valley below Katoomba. We saw two lyrebirds!
Can you see him in the middle of the picture displaying his plumage?
To get back to the tops of the cliffs we rode the world’s steepest train:
This was remarkable! A very fast and thrilling train set on an up to 52 degree incline with incredible views of the mountains. Highly recommended!
But the attractions weren’t over! After another line, Bernard and I rode this:
We even stood on the ‘electro-reveal floor’ which used liquid crystal glass to become transparent half way across:
The views were breathtaking. I was so dazzled, I even forgot to take a single photo of the famous attraction known as The Three Sisters. You can see them on a postcard if you’ve never heard of them 🙂
After visits to more lookouts we – after a long day – headed back to our motel for the night. We had eaten a kings breakfast back in Jenolan and actually skipped lunch, so we were famished when we headed to the local RSL for dinner.
The Chinese food was incredible! We ate like emperors! Bernard then demonstrated he still had the magic touch by turning $5 into $86 using His favourite poker machine:
As if this club couldn’t get better, I then wandered over to the tiny arcade and found this:
The Doctor Who pinball! Holy Christ, I’ve been wanting to play this forever! And playing it was like a religious experience 🙂
A great end to a great day! What would tomorrow bring?
