24th April - OrangeUp at 5.30am to catch the train to Orange to visit our cousin Sarah, (nee Douglas) and her family, husband Paul, and sons Patrick 10, and Jack 8.Orange is around 5 hours by train westwards from Sydney on the other side of the Blue Mountains.The changing scenery was lovely.First the western suburbs, then the mountains, and finally onto rolling hills which reminded us of Derbyshire.Orange is a town of 46,000 people and also a cool climate wine growing region.Sarah met us at the station, but had to call for back up to help collect our luggage as it wouldn't all fit in her car!We spent the afternoon catching up and reminiscing as she hadn't been home to Cambridge for nearly 8 years.Friday 25th April - Anzac DayPatrick and Jack were in the Anzac parade today so we joined thousands of local people to watch them march with the war veterans to the war memorial for a service.Very similar to Remembrance day in the UK, wreaths are laid in memory of those who lost their lives.The biggest difference was how many people took part and the crowds that watched.We all felt quite moved and dare I say slightly ashamed when we thought of how many people would have attended had this been a small English town.After the parade we went to visit Millthorpe an old town where the mining community used to live when the gold mine at Lucknow was booming, as there was 7 of us Richard got to drive Paul's 'new' car a 1973 Ford Cortina .We went for a walk around the village which is beautifully preserved and saw lots of original buildings.It is also home to Jack's favourite park so we went there too.The day was finished off by a Barbie and a few of Paul's beers and a couple of bottles of local red wine.Saturday 26thWe went for a drive up to Mount Canabolas which is the highest point going eastwards to the Indian Ocean, and took in the views over Orange and the surrounding countryside which is predominantly cherry and apple orchards or vineyards.We were taken wine tasting at one of the local wineries.The choice of wines locally is vast we only get a very small range in the UK.The small wineries all only supply local establishments or sell from the cellar door.Patrick was playing in a rugby match so we went to watch him play before going back home for lunch.In the afternoon we went to Lake Canabolas (at the base of the mountain) so that the boys could chuck a line.The fish didn't bite until the sun started to go down and the mossies came out!As we were going to dinner at The Robin Hood that evening, the women departed to get ready and left the men to continue fishing and get bitten!Sunday 27thThe sun shone as we had an early start heading off to the Blue Mountains.We headed for Echo point and the Three Sisters at Katoomba as the sky was clear, if the cloud descends (as it tends to very quickly), the rocks are hidden.We took the funicular railway down into the valley to have a walk round in Jameson Valley through the forest and learning about the mining etc in the area, and we returned to the top on the cable car.Travelling on we went to a little town called Leura where they have a sweet shop which sells british sweets and other goods, Sarah bought herself a packet of munchies and jar of marmite - she maintains that vegemite is not the same! Leura main street is full of little quaint old fashioned shops.It was lovely to return here as this is one the places I visited back in 1989, improvements have been made with regard to accessibility but I thought it remained unspoiled considering how many people visit the area.