Yesterday, we got up early AGAIN to have a quick bite (a BIG one at that) in the Altitude room which is at the top of the hotel we are staying at. The conference attendees are provided a wonderful buffet breakfast there every morning and we have the place to ourselves. The view is spectacular.
Our bus headed to the Blue Mountains at 8am and our guide Ian provided a nice tour commentary as we drove there. It probably took about two hours to get there and Mark was doing the "bob" as usual. I am envious and wish I could fall asleep as easily as he can. We did make a midway pit stop for tea and scones (yum) at a lovely spot.
The next stop was Echo Point where you can get the best view of the Three Sisters (named Maureen, Annie, and Judy....can you imagine?). Ryan had told us about a sky tram there that takes you down into the valley but we didn't have the time to do it. The oil in all of the eucalyptus trees apparently creates the blue haze in the air above the valley and that's why they are called the Blue Mountains. Two weeks ago, a couple of hooligans caused a fire that damaged a significant amount of the eucalyptus trees in the area and we saw the aftermath.
In the parking lot at Echo Point we found this guy, an aboriginal man playing a didgeridoo.
After another lookout point, we stopped for lunch at a lodge. The group decided that we wanted to stop at a wildlife park instead of the waterfalls so there would be just one more.........or so we thought........scenic viewing stop before we headed to see some animals. We ended up having to take a detour due to a snake bite! A guy in our group went to relieve himself in the bushes and he got bit by a snake that then slithered through his legs. Australia has 8 of the 10 most deadliest snakes. Our guide kept going on about how even the anti-venom can kill you and gave us all the gory details of what happens when you get a snake bite here. Needless to say, off to the emergency room we went to drop off both the victim and our guide.
After several hours at the hospital the snake bite victim was discharged because it was a dry bite...........apparently the old snake no longer had any venom.
On to the wildlife park we went where we got to experience pandas, kangaroos, and Tasmanian devils to name a few.
The very long bus ride wiped us out. We got back late but just in time to get ready and attend the group dinner that was held in the ballroom of our hotel. It was an early night for us. These gatherings just aren't what they used to be................or should I say we aren't what we used to be!
In the parking lot at Echo Point we found this guy, an aboriginal man playing a didgeridoo.
After another lookout point, we stopped for lunch at a lodge. The group decided that we wanted to stop at a wildlife park instead of the waterfalls so there would be just one more.........or so we thought........scenic viewing stop before we headed to see some animals. We ended up having to take a detour due to a snake bite! A guy in our group went to relieve himself in the bushes and he got bit by a snake that then slithered through his legs. Australia has 8 of the 10 most deadliest snakes. Our guide kept going on about how even the anti-venom can kill you and gave us all the gory details of what happens when you get a snake bite here. Needless to say, off to the emergency room we went to drop off both the victim and our guide.
After several hours at the hospital the snake bite victim was discharged because it was a dry bite...........apparently the old snake no longer had any venom.
On to the wildlife park we went where we got to experience pandas, kangaroos, and Tasmanian devils to name a few.
The very long bus ride wiped us out. We got back late but just in time to get ready and attend the group dinner that was held in the ballroom of our hotel. It was an early night for us. These gatherings just aren't what they used to be................or should I say we aren't what we used to be!
ok, so the aboriginal man playing a didgeridoo.... Kieran would have been the Irish version of that guy had I not married him, thus saving him from himself.
ReplyDeleteSheila
Wouldn't he have been playing a penny whistle instead of a didgeridoo?
ReplyDeleteGet me a boomerang!!!-rb
ReplyDelete