Lil and I raced to get first dibs on washing machine at 6:30am, have to get up early to beat these grannies! Just slid in and left for the walk to Manning Gorge feeling v smug with 2 loads of washing actually machine cleaned and hanging out to dry! We watched lots of people set out early but decided to leave a bit later and passed all of these on their way back to camp. This was quite a walk (2.5km) up and down to get to the falls with a challenging climb down at the end. Everyone we passed said it was worth it and so it was. The largest falls we’ve seen so far and a huge pool to swim in. Just as we got there someone jumped off the falls which captured the attention of a few members of my family. We were better prepared for slippery rocks and made much more sensible choices about entering the water, which was clear and cool, we swam under the falls which were quite strong, Tommy thought it like a hail storm. Not many people left in the gorge having gone back for lunch, we were entertained by a group of guys who had found a green tree snake in the bush around the gorge and seemed to be harassing it a bit. Another dude told them off and obviously had a bit of snake know how, took snake off them and showed them it was harmless, after which my boys were straight over to him and wanting to touch it. Was the highlight of Cam’s day touching a real live wild snake! An elderly lady floating in the water near me just about had a conniption when she thought he was going to put the snake in the water. Glad my boys didn’t tell her about the water monitor the guy had told them lived in the gorge as well! Kids spent a whole hour trying to catch fish by hand in the second shallower pool, no luck but very intense concentration from all involved.
After lunch Matt climbed up to where the girl had jumped off when we arrived and gave himself a free enema, almost blowing out an ear drum in process as well. The older 3 were allowed to jump from a smaller ledge which was high enough- if Lil had backed out there was no way the boys were going to jump. Lucky they have a brave sister who went first! Mummy and Lil were floating around a little while later when the local water monitor scared the life out of Cam, he had just come out to sun himself on the rocks, but everyone keeping a wary eye on him just in case he slipped into the water, I don’t think I’d like to see him gliding past me. Our legs were already sore from the walk in and we were not looking forward to the walk out very much, especially as the first part was climbing up the challenging bit.
Boys were relegated to the back to walk with mummy, for squabbling over walking order, so chatting to them made the walk back seem not so bad. Think we all got a bit of sunstroke as needed a lot of water when we got back. Should have taken rashies, all a little burnt as well. Another languid session at the campsite river before a bbq dinner, Matt sadly finishing his last beer for what may be another week or so, a magical day with the usual fights over who is kicking who and taking up too much room in the bed, before eventual silence and just some beautiful bright stars. Milky Way is just gorgeous here.