Hello, Everyone!

Our last two days in Australia didn't see any slackening of pace!

On Sunday, whilst Steve played football, Catherine drove us up to Katoomba to visit the Blue Mountains.

The area was an important coal mining area until the late 1940s. There is plenty of evidence on the steep slopes amongst the almost impenetrable vegetation. We took the funicular railway down the mountainside into the forest below and walked the raised wooden walkways before returning to the top by way of the cable car.

We also descended the precipitous path and narrow staircase to the first of the Three Sisters, the finger-like peaks that dominate the valley.

On the way back Catherine took us over Sydney Harbour Bridge, only for us to be stuck in traffic - on a Sunday afternoon! - for over an hour.

On Monday we made use of our spare ferry tickets to take a last look at Sydney. The twenty-minute ride from Manly ferried us to Circular Quay and we took the upper walkway past Government House and into the Botanic Gardens. It was strange to walk around rainforest with towering blue gums teeming with flying foxes but look over our shoulders to see (even more) towering skyscrapers!

We always seem to bump into somebody - this time we shared our lunch table in the Botanic Gardens cafe with a Burnley couple who have a daughter who lives in Crawshawbooth!

Tonight we are taking Catherine and Steve to a Bierkeller on Manly waterfront for our last holiday meal together (for the time being!) Then it is an early start on Tuesday morning (5.30am) to get to Sydney airport for the flight to Christchurch in New Zealand's South Island.

Our next travels will be done by camper van so updates will be as and when we can find an internet cafe.

Please keep in touch either by email or a message on the link above.

A special "G'day, mates" to the chaps in the Vintage Motor Cycle Club for the first meeting of the month and a special 'good luck' to Ernie who will be chairing the meetings in my absense!

David