It had started raining before we left for our hotel on the coach for a day exploring. We were supposed to be going to the Blue Mountains to see the Rain Forest, visit the Katoomba waterfalls and then go to Sydney Zoo. As we left Sydney, we went through a tunnel under the city that was 10 km in length, it saved a lot of travelling time but meant we didn't see any of Sydney.
Blue Mountains & Katoomba Falls.
When we arrived at the Blue Mountains the weather was terrible and everybody stopped at the gift shop and bought a poncho to try to keep the rain off. We did go down three different levels on the cable car but abandoned any hope of trekking through the rain forest because of the heavy rain. We could hardly see Infront of us the rain was so hard and although we had heard the water underneath the cable car as we passed over the Katoomba Falls, the mist had been too thick for us to see them. We got off the cable car and although the rain had slowed a little, we turned back and waited for the next cable car to arrive and went straight back up on it.
When we got back to the top we all climbed back on the coach and were then taken to a viewpoint at Echo Point. We were dropped off there around lunchtime and went inside as it was still to wet to walk anywhere. We queued up to get drinks and something to eat but when I got to the front of the queue I was told there was no lunchtime food available and I could only have coffee or a sandwich. I took the coffee and drank it before walking around a couple of the typically tatty tourist gift shops there. I bought a post card to send my new great grandniece.
After having a walk around to try to pear out through the mist with the other people on the tour, we all waited patiently for the coach and were soon under way for our next stop. Sydney Zoo.
Sydney Zoo.
After the drive back to Sydney, we were dropped at the Zoo and after being given our tickets to go in we were told to explore and return to the drop off point in a couple of hours. I had planned to go to the zoo on my own and spending a day there. It soon became apparent that wouldn't be necessary unless you were paying extra to do some off the up close and personal animal encounters. Because of the time of our visit this was impossible anyway.
I took my map and walked round the entire zoo. I looked at all the animals inside and outside and took hundreds of photos of all the animals. I particularly liked to see all the native Australian animals, snakes, reptiles and mammals that I hadn't seen before except on TV. Before leaving I bought a soft toy koala for my great grandniece and posed with it in the arms of a stone statue of a giant koala outside the zoo.
Chinese Meal.
When we had been taken back to our hotel in Sydney it was still raining. After a brief stop at the hotel, myself, Steve and Debbie walked across the road from the hotel to the Paddy's Market shopping centre and to its food hall. We walked around and chose a Chinese restaurant. I decided to have something different and looked through all the options before ordering. I made my order but the girl who was serving us told us that what I had chosen wasn't available. I looked at the menu again and chose something else. This time she informed me that what I had chosen wasn't very good and that I might want to try something else. I again chose something and ordered.
All three meals were soon delivered and what I had chosen although okay, was quite bland and not what I had hoped, it serves me right I should have stuck with the choice she said wasn't nice, I probably would have enjoyed it.
I had a great time talking to Steve and Debbie getting to know them both a little and enjoying a lot of laughs and a couple of beers. When we left the rain was still coming down quite heavily and we made our way across the flooded road and kept under the shelter of the restaurants and shops making our way back to the hotel.
As tomorrow we would be leaving to travel by coach to Port Macquarie quite early, I again went to bed early and was asleep very quickly. I have to say the beds at our hotel were very comfortable and I would stay at the Furama Darling hotel again if in the area.
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