For the uninitiated, HAL uses a color coded luggage tag system to spread out the passenger disembarkation. We, for example, were Yellow 1 with a time of 9-9:30am. We were surprised when we were called at a little after 8am. We said our goodbyes to our wonderful cabin attendants, Yudha and Ewa and made our way off the ship. No passport inspection was need as we did that on board before Geraldton. However, Angela was selected for a full inspection of her luggage and backpack which went fine. We picked up our wooden items which we had to surrender onboard for inspection by the Aussies and walked down the familiar pier at Circular Quay to the nearby train station. The Maasdam was glistening in the Sydney sunshine and with the Opera House in the background. It's always been a little melancholy for me when we disembark a ship knowing it's heading on to new adventures without us. But we hacs a different set of our own adventures ahead of us.
We purchased a couple of $20AUD Opal Cards at a newspaper shop to use the train system to get to Katoomba. It was $8.20 to travel to Katoomba. One 'taps on and off' which makes for a very efficient system. We took the train to Central Station where we changed trains to the one for Katoomba and the Blue Mountains. Since we were early for the hourly departure, we got lovely seats on the upper level. We've found the Australian trains to be clean and neat, and this one was no exception. Two hours later we arrived in Katoomba and purchased our Explorer Bus ticket which is valid for up to 7 days and has some nice extra tourist type activities associated with it.
We found it could be used to reach our motel, the Echo Point Motel, and we checked in, left our luggage behind, and headed down to Echo Point for some lunch before reboarding the hop on hop off bus to ride it around on its full circuit to get a feel for the area. We got off the bus at the first stop and wandered around Katoomba with its quaint little shops and one impressive vintage hotel, the Carrington. We decided to walk back to the motel (about 2 miles downhill). Along the way we found an Aldi grocery for some breakfast supplies and a nice Chinese restaurant (Canton Palace) plus we found a little cafe (Shuttle Stop Corner Cafe).
In our review of what we might do while up here, it's working out that we'll do a number of bush walks Which will allow us to absorb a lot of views of the beautiful scenery of the Blue Mountains. Since we like to walk, that really appeals to us.
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