After one week and over 2,200 km, we feel like we have seen a good portion of New South Wales. When Mike and Cara picked us up with the rental car, we started making our way to the Blue Mountains, which are west of Sydney.

The trip there was only long because the holiday traffic had started. Before setting up at our campground, we stopped at the Wentworth Falls lookout. Sadly, the falls were not that impressive since it has been so dry, but the view of the mountains was something to see. The mountains have their name because of a slight mist given off by the forests of gum trees that cover them. And, on a gray, overcast day, the mountains truly did look blue.

Next it was on to Katoomba, the main town within the Blue Mountains. It was very quaint -filled with B&B’s, hostels, restaurants, and cafes. It is also where you go to see the Three Sisters from a huge lookout called Echo Point. The view was better than from Wentworth Falls, and there were a few trailheads, as well as the Giant Staircase, which runs 841 steps down into the Jamison Valley. We did a small portion of it, but came up so we could get to our campsite before dark.

About thirty minutes later we arrived in Megalong Valley, and set up our tents before making dinner - our first of many delicious meals made on a camping stove. Since we’ve been in Australia we’ve been missing Mexican food, and have only seen two over-priced Mexican restaurants. So, when we found refried beans at the market in Bondi we followed our stomach’s desires. Before going to bed we played some cards and Cara gave Mike one of his Hanukah presents, a fly net - how romantic…

The next day it was on to Newnes, which was about three more hours away. Getting there included going about 60kms the wrong way before realizing it, then backtracking to an unpaved road no wider than a single car and driving on that for a good 40kms. It was worth it though, since the scenery all along the way was awesome - huge red cliffs, gum tree forest, cow pastures, etc. It’s somewhat funny that Newnes was on the map, because when we arrived it only consisted of 5-6 buildings. Fortunately, the biggest one was the old Newnes Hotel, which is now an information desk and general store. We stopped and got info on camping and hiking. The campground was only three minute drive from there, and was practically empty. There was a huge grassy area in the middle, and on one side there was a mountainside with a great red cliff at the top - we were all excited by this, especially considering that all we had heard before leaving was how crowded everything was going to be. That afternoon was spent relaxing at the site - reading, writing, disc golfing, etc. It was overcast there, which made being outside quite comfortable.

That night, Cara surprised us with a Christmas dinner, even though it was two days early. She had secretly bought instant stuffing, instant potatoes, cranberry sauce, and vegi sausages. Even though we ate while sitting in the car, it was a feast finished off by hot chocolate/mint Bailey’s and Caramel Tim Tam’s. Yum!

On Christmas Eve day, we did a day hike up to the Wolgan Valley Shale Mine Ruins. From 1907 to 1911 there was a full-fledged mining operation in the area, and various pieces of it could still be seen. Almost everything was made from brick, which is impressive in that the area was very remote, and roads leading up to it were quite steep. There were large remnants of the coke ovens, various buildings, random chimneys, and the reservoir. We had a lunch break part way through, and made it back to camp right as the rain started.

Although our plan had been to do another hike, we stopped to get a coffee at the Newnes Hotel. While we were there it started and continued to rain for the rest of the afternoon, so we stayed there and read, wrote, played cards. It was so quiet and relaxing there, listening to the rain and having good conversation. Eventually dinner time came, and since we had no shelter at our campsite to cook, we made stir-fry on the porch. Again, a fun, relaxing day finished off with a delicious meal - what else could you ask for?

Christmas!

When Whit and I got up and out of our tent on Christmas morning, Mike and Cara had started the campfire, and Cara had put together small stockings in hiking socks. Chocolate made up most of the presents, which was beyond acceptable. Mike and Cara also gave us portable mini-iPod speakers, very exciting. A traveler’s Christmas is funny because not only should the gifts be practical, they should be small and light, or edible.

After breakfast we packed up our site and drove to the trailhead for the Glow Worm Tunnel hike, which is about 9km round-trip. On the way to the tunnel the terrain was pretty steep and very rocky, with lots of cliffs along the way. Every now and there would be an old rusty railway piece from when the mining community used a train through the mountains. Right before arriving at the tunnel you walked through a rainforest gorge filled with tree ferns.

The tunnel itself is hard to describe - you walk in about 50m until you go around a bend and lose all natural light. It’s freezing, pitch-black, and you need to be as quiet as possible. Once you stop, turn off your torch (flashlight), and let your eyes adjust - dozens of glow worms turn on their bioluminescence and become visible as tiny spots of light. It’s like staring at a starry sky - but a more amazing experience when considering the biology of it all. It was a great way to spend Christmas away from home.

After the hike we started driving out of the Blue Mountains, listening to the all Christmas music radio station, and stopped for a Thai dinner in Katoomba. The rest of the day we drove out to the coast and made our way north.

That night we camped near Crescent Head, at a caravan park that had showers, which we all needed desperately. The next morning we got up and called our families, then continued driving. Our destination was Byron Bay, a haven of a beach town not far from the New South Wales-Queensland border. On the way we stopped at a fruit stand for cheap mangoes and avocados, and some other veggies for the rest of our dinners. We also stopped in Ballina for lunch - fish n chips, again. Later we stopped momentarily outside of Lennox Head at a viewpoint where we saw a pod of dolphins swimming south.

Byron Bay was packed. There were tons of backpackers and people on holiday, a big change from where we had been. We drove through town, and then on to Nightcap National Park where we would be staying the night at a free campsite. The drive out to the park was beautiful, as it took us through lush, green pastures and rolling hills. Little did we know that once in the park we would be in a rainforest, but we didn’t mind it, obviously. We had enough daylight to do the short rainforest walk up to Protester Falls, which is named after the protests for logging the area. It was an amazing place to be, not only for the sights, but also the sounds of everything living in the rainforest. The waterfall was about 200m high, and the hike took you right to the pool at the bottom. Sure enough, during dinner it started raining, and at dusk the bats came out by the hundreds and flew above the treetops. Fortunately, this time we had cover to cook and eat, so we ate a nice meal (pasta and bread) and played cards until bed.

The next morning we went back into Byron Bay because Mike had surprised Cara and I with a massage and salt bath at a spa. The massage was about an hour, and so was the salt bath and both were extremely relaxing - thanks Mike! Afterwards we had a “New York” pizza for lunch with pesto, spinach, feta, and garlic (isn’t that a Greek pizza?) and then hit up the beach. We left with enough time to get to our next campsite, which was about 150km south of Byron Bay. Yaraygir National Park was packed when we arrived, and we were all disappointed and nervous about finding somewhere to sleep. We pulled over to discuss options, and noticed a walk-in camping sign. Whit and Mike ran in to check it out, and came back with good news. Not only was the site open, it was completely private and right on cliff at the beach - score! Another great night of camp cooking, cards, and relaxation, plus sleeping to the sound of crashing waves.

Before our drive back to Sydney the next morning, we took a dip at the beach. The first stop we made was in Coffs Harbour, where we found a burger stand with the best veggie burger I’ve ever had. They were homemade, and came in lentil, veggie, or sweet potato & almond flavor - so good. The only other stop we made was in Port Macquarie, to visit the Koala Hospital that’s open to the public. Since we hadn’t seen koalas yet, we were excited to see them, even though many were still recovering from car accidents and bushfires.

We made it back to Sydney around 8pm, and stopped at an Indian restaurant in Glebe for dinner before coming back to the Wedge. Since then we’ve been recuperating, doing laundry, and making plans for watching New Year’s Eve fireworks.