 |
| Taking picture with Kat. |
On the second day, we joined Blue Mountains tour with Anderson. It was all-inclusive small group tour that we didn't have to worry about the entrance tickets as well as the lunch meal. Everything has been taken care by Kat, our friendly and knowledgeable on everything about Aussie. She was very attentive to each of us and always had something to tell down the road to the Blue Mountains
As our lodge located outskirt, we woke up early in the morning just to have enough time to be at the pick-up point by 7 am. We stopped at the Wynyard metro station and walked for about half kilometers to the Four Seasons Hotel. The Circular Quay station should be nearer to the pick-up point, but then the station was closed for reasons that we were not aware of. We just relied on the Google Maps suggestion. The shuttle picked us in front of the hotel around 7:20 am, nonetheless. The journey took almost two hours to reach the Scenic World. In between, Kat did a brief stopped at the Glenbrook.
Halfway stopped to the Blue Mountains
Scenic World is one of the Blue Mountain's attractions, in Katoomba. Its home to the famous skyway, cableway and railway, as well as the walkway through the rain forest. We first rode the Scenic Skyway that glided between cliff tops provided the best views of Katoomba Falls, the Three Sisters, and Jamison Valley. There was a glass-bottom view in the middle section that raised up to give the superb viewed of panoramic valley. And the most thrilled encountered happened when we rode the steepest passenger railway at 52 degree incline. Once we hoped on, we switch the carriage to 'cliffhanger' ride to add more adventurous to the ride. It was really an awesome experience! Yeah.. you have the 'laid back' option, though..
(Left) The glass-bottom view in the Skyway (Right) The Orphan Rock
 |
| We rode the steepest incline railway in the world!! yeaahhh |
We disembark at the bottom station and continued to walk through the Scenic Walkway. It was a 2.4 km stroll through the ancient rain forest on the elevated broad walk. Keep your eyes and ears to the nature lyre birds!
(Left) Old funicular railway (Right) Direction to the ancient rainforest
 |
| Part of the mountain used to be a coal mining site |
 |
| A steam-powered furnace used to transfer the coals |
After about of half an hour of walking through the ancient forest, we descended into the Jamison Valley on the Cableway. That provided us a unique vantage point for viewing the Three Sisters and Orphan Rock.
 |
| Sedimentary rocks formation can be seen in this listed UNESCO heritage mountains |
 |
| The Cableway was the last rides we hoped in the Scenic World |
 |
| I've tried to search on the internet, what sort of this? |
A clock powered by steam depicting the history of coal mining in Jamison Valley
We moved on to the next lookout, Katoomba. Apart from viewing the Three Sister Rock from the Scenic world, the Echo Point offers a clearer view of it. This was the tourist gateway to learn about the aboriginal place existed in the land of
Darug People. While the Visitor Information Center provide enough of the information, we watched the live performance of the Waradah aboriginal tribe. We learnt about the smoking ceremony, the tribe dance (they called it Corroboree) and easily get acquainted with their didgeridoo performances.
 |
| The best lookout of the Jamison Valler, fret not it's difficult to get a good photo spot |
 |
| Kedumba, Goodomba are the ways to spell the Katoomba |
 |
| The Three Sister Rock views from the Echo Point Lookout |
 |
| Taking pictures with the Waradah Aboriginal Tribe |
 |
| In front of the Waradah Aboriginal Cultural Center while waiting for our shuttle to arrive |
 |
| There was a fire-burning in some part of Blue Mountain back in January |
 |
| Kat told us that this stop is not on the list if we join the larger coach tour |
 |
| Can you identify the boar's head? |
After lunched at one of the golf club in Leura, we stopped at another lookout, which couldn't be reach by typical large buses. Yet we captured another postcard-view of the Blue mountains before we headed back to the city.
 |
| Nu'man ordered a sumptuous desert after lunch |
 |
| It was an old hotel-turn-to-cafe |
 |
| Don't you dare to do that! |
 |
| I can feel the air breeze! |
 |
| The flowers as smooth as silk |
Half-way backed to the city center, we were given about an hour at a popular jaunt, the Featherdale Wildlife Park. One thing that has in our mind was to get the chance to cuddle with the koalas. We've been looking on which place is the best to have the experience with such cute animals. Glad that the Anderson's Blue Mountain tour includes the stop to this wildlife park. There was another option, Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary in Brisbane, but we could get any closer to the others type like dingo, bilby, wombat and many others in this park!
Some of the animals were wild encounters, like this joey!
 |
| Pelik kan? |
 |
| Nu'man was looking around for the stamping station |
 |
| It's the feeding time for the penguins |
 |
| We spotted the Spotted-tail Quoll |
 |
| Oink! Oink! |
 |
| Thought we can cuddle the Koala? No? |
 |
| Nice bilby.... |
Now we know...
 |
| Nu'man manage to collect all the stamps |
The arrangement was to get into the Paramatta river cruise back to the city. But since we still got plenty of time, Kat drove us to the Olympic stadium area. Even though she just passed by the area, we can felt the vibrancy and excitement of the events. Once we arrived at the jetty, the ferry was there and that's the last point that Kat were with us. The cruise took us to the Harbour Bridge passed through the Balmain area and Cockatoo Island. We even had the chance to soak up the incredible, iconic architecture of the area, as well as the vibrant lights of Luna Park.
 |
| A quite large ferry with two enclosed decks |
 |
| The upper deck was an open space without benches.. |
 |
| but the best thing that you can have splendid view, like this Balmain area! |
 |
| A gigantic cruiser parked just beside the Harbour Bridge |
You have options to disembark either at Darling Harbour or Circular Quay. We chose the later as we wanted to get closer view to the most iconic Sydney, the Opera House. But the crowd pulled us away, so we just headed back to the hotel, saving the Opera for tomorrow.
Jalan-jalan kat Circular Quay, ternampak plak Ayam brand
Comments
Post a Comment