The Blue Mountains

Saturday 30th June

The Blue Mountains are an easy two hours drive west out of Sydney. When the first European settlers arrived at Port Jackson, the Blue Mountains stopped them in their pioneering tracks, as though they were able to settle the land around the coast, they didn't have the means get across the mountains to find out what lay beyond them.

Actually, to call them mountains is a little generous. The Australians are fond of bigging things up, they'd like to think they have mountains but most of the time it turns out to be a bit of a hill or a rocky outcrop at best.

The Blue Mountains is national parkland, most of which lies roughly 1000 metres above sea level. It gets it's name from the blue haze formed by eucalyptus oil hanging over the area. You become aware you're climbing as you drive out of Sydney because your ears start popping, but you never come across any actual mountains, which can be a bit of a disappointment the first time you come out here.

And then you catch sight of these huge canyons through the trees and you have to stop the car and reverse and say "whoah!".