Week 7 – August 30th to September 5th (+ 6th!)

Week 7 started off fairly uneventful – as we’re now half way through semester (I KNOW, CRAZY RIGHT?) deadlines are starting to creep up. So that meant studying. And more studying. And some cartoons, because sometimes you just can’t study anymore. However, the copious amounts of studying was worth as it lead up to the weekend; “What did you get up to this weekend, Stephanie?” you may ask. Well, in Classic Steph fashion, bush walking. Yah. Yaaaaaah.

As a part of my Outdoor Education class we were required to spend three days hiking in the infamous Blue Mountains. 41 of us all headed from Sydney to the touristy RUGGED OUTBACK ready to take on all that three-days of bush walking had to throw at us. Waaaaaay too much happened over the weekend to sum up in writing – so I’ll sum it up in point form instead.

Day 1 (Friday):

• 5 am wake up due to mum’s insistent texting. Finish packing up bag. Eat breakfast (oatmeal, cinnamon and apple). Meet up with classmates who live in building. Leave to catch train.
• Arrive at 7:30am. Lots of time to relax. Catch train and leave station at 8:18am on the dot. Catch up on sleep for two hours. Arrive in Katoomba.
• Meet up with instructors. Hop on the bus driven by Bill the bus driver. Drive to start of bushwalk.
• Disembark from bus. Head down the Furber Steps and walk our way through the cliff track. We’re greeted by a challenge – to squeeze through a tiny hole in the side of some rock.
• Continue bushwalking. Take a break for lunch. Continue on and take a moment to listen to the bell birds. Bell birds? Yup. They ACTUALY sound like bells. Hike up 900 steps (nothing compared to the tower challenge!) to be greeted by the infamous Three Sisters. Group selfie-session. Finish bush walk for some more selfies and some food shopping at Coles.

• Arrive at our cabins in Megalong Valley. Cook dinner with new cabin mates. Campfire vibes and deep discussion. Head to bed ready for the next day.

Day 2 (Saturday):

• Wake up. Eggs and bacon for breakfast. Get on bus and begin the day’s adventure.
• Drive to Evan’s lookout. begin our decent into the valley – The Grand Canyon, carved from million years of ocean and water flow. Out. Standing
• Hike down. And down. And down some more. Take a snack break. Some flat walking, find a shelter, tai chi by the river, self-reflection by Junction Rock. Lunch break by the sound of rushing water. Mentally prepare for the trek back out of the valley.
• 2 hours of uphill walking. Steps, steps, and more steps. Burning thighs and calves. Greeted by a spectacular waterfall (30 metres or more!) for a quick break. Begin the steps again.
• Finish hike. Greeted by a human tunnel and cheering from the first group – the absolute BEST way to finish off any long day of bush walking.
• Back on bus. Drive back. Cook dinner (taco night!) and debrief in cabin 6.
• Campfire classroom session. Didgeridoo-playing. I am thankful for my cabin mates. I am thankful for my home. Sleep.

Day 3 (Sunday):

• Wake up. Eggs and bacon. Clean up cabin. On the bus. Arrive at Wentworth Falls. Debrief and maps. Head out on hike.
• Mist everywhere. Waterfalls galore. Cliffs and lush rain forest. Snap a few pictures of Wentworth Falls. Lunch while we wait for Jake to return.

• Finish walk. Back on bus. Bittersweet goodbyes, back to Central Station. Home.

HAPPINESS. If there was one word to sum up my weekend experience, it would be utter happiness. That was 1. The most bush walking I’ve been able to do since I arrived and 2. The closest difficulty to home’s mountainous trails. Not only that, but I have never bonded so much with a group of girls in a three-day span (SHOUT OUT TO MY CABIN 6 GIRLS <3). All-in-all, I would say that I was a very happy camper  this weekend. Literally.

 

Much love,

 

Steph