EC-Rider Travels

Bit a of noisy night as the neighbours were having a really good party till the early hours, so my plan to rise at five to take the dogs for a walk with Michelle did not quite materialise. I made them porridge for their return and packed my bags for the Blue Mountains. Gibbsy arrived at about 10am in the most enormous bright blue seven-seater LDV which he had named Bluebottle – not very kind! She was not a beauty, but very comfortable.

We headed out of Sydney over the Harbour Bridge, which was exciting and drove due west for about an hour and half until we felt the temperature lower and we were in the Blue Mountains. Just outside Katoomba there is the hysterical Hydro Majestic Hotel which had received much publicity about its reopening and Gibbsy thought we should drop in to have a look. It was the most bazaar combination of the most extraordinary architecture and most hideous interior design – almost like a crazy film set. Lots of lovely, hen parties, Chinese engagement, and funeral parties were going on which we almost found ourselves crashing, but decided not to hang around.

Talking of film sets, Katoomba also looks as though it has come out of some Hollywood 50’s film. All a little tired and out of date. We carried on until we reached Blackheath, where we stopped for a quick, rather delicious lunch at a little tapas bar in the village and then set off to find our little home for the weekend.

Girrawheen, was off a quiet road (not the one in its address!) with a pretty little garden. The interior again looked as though it came from a film set, full of lovely old furniture and even a wind-up gramophone (sadly broken) and an amazing selection of 75 records. All very comfortable and everything one could possibly need, even a coffee grinder and lovely soft feather pillows. Our nice hostess, Kate had left delicious bread and fruit for us, which was such an unexpected surprise and meant there was no need to go shopping for breakfast, so we headed off on our first walk (hike!), which Gibbsy had spotted.

Grand Canyon Walk – a clue perhaps in the name – was a very steep descent deep into the canyon where we followed the river along the bottom, crossing back and forth across the river, before climbing back out up many, many steep steps. Quite hard work, but incredibly beautiful. As we rose to the top, we could see the skies darkening and felt the winds getting up and as we emerged into daylight, the heavens opened and the rain came down, like I have never seen. Sadly Bluebottle was not in the car park we had returned to and it was still quite a walk back to her. We managed to catch a lift with three young lads, we had met on our walk – and had quite a whiffy drive back to the car.

Soaked to the skin, we returned home for a quick shower before heading to Zoe’s where we had booked tickets for their Mexican club night – Margaritas, tacos, nachos, very naughty churros, live music and the sexiest barman who we both fancied like mad – what more could one ask for. Quite weary after our 15,000 steps and 63 flights of stairs, we left not too late and headed home to bed!