Road Trip - Days 6, 7, 8 & 9

Day 6

Tuesday morning, after some really lovely conversation with the sweet family we were staying with, Bea & I said goodbye to everyone and headed off to the Blue Mountains. It was absolutely stunning! 

A number of people told us that there wasn't much to see up there, but we completely disagreed. We did a longer than planned hike at Wentworth Falls, and loved every minute of it. The landscape was stunning, and the waterfall only got more beautiful the lower into the valley we walked.

Bea testing her muscles!

Bea was lovely and sweet to offer to get a couple of photos of me. She didn't want me looking at the photos years later wondering why I wasn't in there!

A German tourist took this one for us.

The steps were the steepest I have ever climbed.

Grand Canyon, with gum trees.

We then went into the delightful town of Leurra, and enjoyed a very well earned late lunch at the cutest little cafe/deli.

Then it was on to Katoomba, where we checked into our accommodation for the night, and proceeded to be "bored." With a mountain of books to read and letters to write and emails to check, we needed time to be bored :)

The view from our room:

Day 7


Wednesday morning, after a breakfast in the quaint kitchen of our mountain chalet, we set off to find the Three Sisters. The scenery was awesome.

The Three Sisters themselves were quite spectacular. I would have loved to have done the hike to the bottom of the valley, but we didn't have time.

Bea reading Braille. 

Ghost gums make my heart do the happy dance. I love love love them, and couldn't get enough photos of their spectacular beauty.

After walking along a muddy flooded track for quite some distance, we reached the cable car station, which we caught across the valley. The views were quite lovely.

Then we boarded a train on the World's Steepest Railway. 51 degrees straight down!

I would have loved to have spent more time in the valley with the rocks and ferns and trees, but our ticket expired at 12:00, so we caught the cable car back up the mountain, and then another back across the valley.

Katoomba Falls was spectacular in its simplicity.

More ghost gums and deep valleys. My heart was so happy!

Gateway to the Three Sisters.

Bea sitting in the shade of the first Sister.

The steps to the Sisters were really steep and worn.

Maps :)

While planning our route, I insisted that I didn't want to go back in to Sydney. Who wants to see city when they can see national park? A dear friend suggested that we go up to Wiseman's Ferry, and I'm so glad we did!

The Hawkesbury River, which we crossed by ferry.

As we approached the little town of Wiseman's Ferry, I kept commenting to Bea that I hoped it wasn't touristy. Over commercialisation just takes so much away from the natural beauty. We were pleasantly surprised to find, there was not one little bit of tourism!

With all of our detours, we were rather late pulling into the house of our lovely hosts, and elderly couple living in Taree. It was after 10pm, and they insisted on peeling vegetables to make us a cooked dinner. They were just so precious. 

Day 8

Lovely little bridge at Thone River. We had to stop because I'd spotted more ghost gums :) 

The scenery just kept getting better!

We stopped in Armidale, where my mother went to college. The University of New England is absolutely stunning! I felt like I'd stepped back into another era.

The township of Armidale was lovely, too, and had the BEST custard tart I have ever tasted. I'd go back just for another one!

Then it was on to Ebor Falls, where I took far too many photos as I tried to capture it's beauty. The lighting was lovely and soft, and everything looked like a painting.

We spent the night in Maclean, a quaint little Scottish town. The accommodation here was really good, and really showed up the other places we'd paid for!

Day 9

Friday morning we spent touring Maclean, and admiring the view from the lookout. Every lamp post in Maclean sported a clan tartan from the Scottish immigrants that settled this area.

The Scottish Cairn was built with rocks from all over Australia and Scotland, symbolising diversity and unity. 

Then we pushed onwards to Byron Bay, and got caught in floodwater, which I found pretty exciting to drive through!

Byron Bay was an interesting place, a mix of hippy meets surfy. There was definitely a new age feel to the place, and I didn't enjoy the atmosphere or the crowds. They did, however, have good coffee.

Driving at 120km/h.

Streetscape in Collangatta. 

New South Wales / Queensland Border (yes, it's looking the wrong way. We got lost.)

Then, the final leg of our journey, it was on to Brisbane, to Bea's flat and then even further north, to the little town I'd be staying in. 

And then it was all over. Over 2,500km of driving. Nine days of fun and fellowship. Of photos and learning and growing and sharing. 

Every minute and every mile was a blessing.

Thank you, Lord.