Yesterday started late. didn't get up till around noon. Not that i minded, had to recover from the previous night. Katoomba was on my list. Since it was balmy i only had my flannel shirt and a t-shirt on. of course jeans too. Only left KingsCross station around 1300hrs. The train ride to central was short but when i got there i was in the a shock. the next train wasn't for the next 55 fucking mins! Crap! so i wondered the station taking pics. mostly in b/w. All this while my ankle were aching. Thinking it might get wet in the mountains, i wore my boots and they were strapped on tight. So i stopped at a platform bench and loosened them. Oh heavenly. that was a good call. Didn't feel the ache anymore. The train got there in less than 55mins, but stay at the platform for about 20-25mins. I got a comfortable upper deck seat. the seats are 2 per side but the stairs leading up are offset from the middle. so the end seats are a single and a 3-seater. No prizes for the one i took. The wait in the station alolowed for another 20mins of sleep for me. i wanted to be awake for the TWO HOUR ride up to Katoomba. The ride was pretty boring up to Emu Plains, the foothils of the blue mountains. The the ride started going uphill. you can hear the engines take the strain of liftin the 500ton machine uphill. Slow n winding the track was. Passsing thru abt 10 stations we get there. Irony. Katoomba being the only tourist stop of the whole leg, the station only has one platform in use compared to the normal 2.
So here we are in Katoomba. U can bus it to the 3 sisters, u can even cab it. But nooooooo....... i decide to walk. down a small hill, up a small hill. Then down a STEEP hill and then flatlands. round a corner and still not fucking there. But off the side of the road, a clift, i must be getting near. I can see trees and more trees. Ahha, echo point. That must be it. Lots of small motels and such. And yes, i can see the edge. The wind is howling up here. Now i was not yet dressed for this. but luckily i had my Long Coat in my bag. out it came and i was toasty. The lookout point has 2 tiers. the upper on gets in tie full view of the valley but the lower one is closer to the sisters. So out comes the tripod. I want to leave the sisters till later when the setting sun lights it up. So most of my initial pics are of the valley. looking down off the edge of the barriers, i realise that the lower platform actually STICKS OUT. nothing much keeps us up. the valley floor is 'miles' below us. I can't see it for the trees. Then I have company up here. An pinoy and his mum. He's come with the sam e thing in mind as I have. All decks out in similar style too. Long jacket, gloves, camera, tripod. The sun's setting on us. Little did i know was that strong lights were fitted below the rim of rocks where we were standing. they light up the sisters during dusk. Actually i would assume thoughout the night. So there we were trading tips, info on how to make the best of the conditions given to us. By the time we both finished, the sun was long gone and it was bitterly cold. My gloves weren't made for photography, so i had taken them off to manipulate the buttons on the camera. By now i couldn't even feel the individual buttons and had to visaully locate them. plus the lack the light made it almost impossible. So i called it a day. Packed my bags. made sure i was tightly wrapped up in my coat, gloves tightly fastened, i made my way out. It was a ghost town, the visitor center had long closed, the heritage center was empty. everything was dead. I dreaded my long walk back to the station for i didn't notice any streetlights on the way here. something told me that the visitor center might have some transport info. It sure did, cabbie numbers. called a cab and took the short ride out. The cabbie was a native to Katoomba and we drove right by his house where his wife and son lives. I asked about the current temp so we drove past the RSL which had the temp diplayed outside. Only 9 fucking degrees. Round the corner was the station. Enjoyed my brief conversation with the cabbie, nice guy. The train back was fairly full. got the same set of seats as of when i came up the mountain. was able to contact my cousins merv and audrey. made plans to see them on sunday. Not much to see on the way back so i plugged in my ipod and slept. Central was a grateful sight.
One would think after a walkabout like that, my day would be at an end. Think not. exited the train at St james. wandered around in Hyde Park. Needed to piss so badly. So a found a dark tree. After taking some pics of the fountain there did i finally find the public toilet. murphy's law. The other side of the park reveals the anzac war memorial and reflection pool. A quiet part of the park. not many ppl here. Found a skate boarder trting to perfect his kick flips. so i rested my feet and watched him. Then i found myslef wandering past St mary's Cathedral. wonderful spot for pics. went past that and wondered how far to Martin's PLace so i could take the train back to the Cross. at the road juction i could see the famous coke sign that locates the start of darlinghurst road. "It's only just there" I told my self. so i walked. It was another long walk. Luckily it was still cold so not that bad. on the way i passed the maseratti, ferrari and lamboughini showrooms. There's an akubra shop just round the corner from where i stay, i was estatic. But upon closer inspection, is not to be. the sign still stands but the shops long gone. more changes. Round the corner i went, a wee bit dissapointed. to the deli for some food and back to the room. found something new to eat, roasted pork ribs. like the roast pork during christmas, including the crispy bit ( you know what I mean). watched the olympics then to bed.
Today was a late start. It's wet and colder. Going to city center. Meeting up with Jan and family for Lee's birthday dinner and drinks. I'll fill you all in about that tommorrow.
So here we are in Katoomba. U can bus it to the 3 sisters, u can even cab it. But nooooooo....... i decide to walk. down a small hill, up a small hill. Then down a STEEP hill and then flatlands. round a corner and still not fucking there. But off the side of the road, a clift, i must be getting near. I can see trees and more trees. Ahha, echo point. That must be it. Lots of small motels and such. And yes, i can see the edge. The wind is howling up here. Now i was not yet dressed for this. but luckily i had my Long Coat in my bag. out it came and i was toasty. The lookout point has 2 tiers. the upper on gets in tie full view of the valley but the lower one is closer to the sisters. So out comes the tripod. I want to leave the sisters till later when the setting sun lights it up. So most of my initial pics are of the valley. looking down off the edge of the barriers, i realise that the lower platform actually STICKS OUT. nothing much keeps us up. the valley floor is 'miles' below us. I can't see it for the trees. Then I have company up here. An pinoy and his mum. He's come with the sam e thing in mind as I have. All decks out in similar style too. Long jacket, gloves, camera, tripod. The sun's setting on us. Little did i know was that strong lights were fitted below the rim of rocks where we were standing. they light up the sisters during dusk. Actually i would assume thoughout the night. So there we were trading tips, info on how to make the best of the conditions given to us. By the time we both finished, the sun was long gone and it was bitterly cold. My gloves weren't made for photography, so i had taken them off to manipulate the buttons on the camera. By now i couldn't even feel the individual buttons and had to visaully locate them. plus the lack the light made it almost impossible. So i called it a day. Packed my bags. made sure i was tightly wrapped up in my coat, gloves tightly fastened, i made my way out. It was a ghost town, the visitor center had long closed, the heritage center was empty. everything was dead. I dreaded my long walk back to the station for i didn't notice any streetlights on the way here. something told me that the visitor center might have some transport info. It sure did, cabbie numbers. called a cab and took the short ride out. The cabbie was a native to Katoomba and we drove right by his house where his wife and son lives. I asked about the current temp so we drove past the RSL which had the temp diplayed outside. Only 9 fucking degrees. Round the corner was the station. Enjoyed my brief conversation with the cabbie, nice guy. The train back was fairly full. got the same set of seats as of when i came up the mountain. was able to contact my cousins merv and audrey. made plans to see them on sunday. Not much to see on the way back so i plugged in my ipod and slept. Central was a grateful sight.
One would think after a walkabout like that, my day would be at an end. Think not. exited the train at St james. wandered around in Hyde Park. Needed to piss so badly. So a found a dark tree. After taking some pics of the fountain there did i finally find the public toilet. murphy's law. The other side of the park reveals the anzac war memorial and reflection pool. A quiet part of the park. not many ppl here. Found a skate boarder trting to perfect his kick flips. so i rested my feet and watched him. Then i found myslef wandering past St mary's Cathedral. wonderful spot for pics. went past that and wondered how far to Martin's PLace so i could take the train back to the Cross. at the road juction i could see the famous coke sign that locates the start of darlinghurst road. "It's only just there" I told my self. so i walked. It was another long walk. Luckily it was still cold so not that bad. on the way i passed the maseratti, ferrari and lamboughini showrooms. There's an akubra shop just round the corner from where i stay, i was estatic. But upon closer inspection, is not to be. the sign still stands but the shops long gone. more changes. Round the corner i went, a wee bit dissapointed. to the deli for some food and back to the room. found something new to eat, roasted pork ribs. like the roast pork during christmas, including the crispy bit ( you know what I mean). watched the olympics then to bed.
Today was a late start. It's wet and colder. Going to city center. Meeting up with Jan and family for Lee's birthday dinner and drinks. I'll fill you all in about that tommorrow.
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