Blue Mountains | Travel Diary

Happy Monday! I love that I'm finally able to say that and mean it. I've never truly had that feeling before except when I've been on holiday.
So far, being a digital nomad sort of does feel like being on a holiday so I suppose that's why Monday's are pretty rad now. This Monday is even better because we're going on a road trip! It's just a mini overnight one, but Ollie and I want to check out the coastal towns to the north of Sydney. It looks like there are some pretty epic beaches along the way and I can't wait to put my feet in that sand! Fingers crossed we get some good weather. It's been a little unpredictable lately and I really can't tell by the forecast what it's actually going to be like. We went to the Blue Mountains yesterday and it said it would be sunny and 20 degrees Celsius, but it was all a lie. I wore multiple layers and was still freeeeeezing cold. I feel like I'm still cold from it today!

After we had visited the mountains, Ollie's mom asked me whether they were what I had expected and it took me a second to think about it, but it definitely wasn't. I'm used to seeing mountains from below (unless I've hiked them or gone up the gondola), but at the Blue Mountains you seem to take them in from above. It almost has the feeling of a canyon rather than a mountain range and I know it's all about the perspective. Our mountains at home are so high that trees can't grow at the top, but it's also not every often that you would make it up to that point. You would usually drive very high into the mountains but once you get to a certain point they aren't driveable anymore. When we first arrived, I actually couldn't tell that we were even in the mountains because I was expecting to look around and see the peaks jutting up around us, but I quickly realized that the beauty of this place is seen from above. I could look down into those mountain ranges for hours, trying to see people walking amongst the trails and birds flying just above the trees.

Apparently, the mountains are called "Blue" because they actually look blue from Sydney. They're covered in Eucalyptus trees and in the hot sun, they discharge a mist of eucalyptus oil from their leaves which makes a blue haze around the mountains. It's meant to only be visible on a very warm day, but I feel like you can see it in these photos. What do you think?

Ollie's mom was taking part in a 15 km hike throughout the mountains and so we decided to make a day of it and check out the views while she trekked away. We went to The Three Sisters lookout point, checked out the Scenic World, which has trams, a train and a bunch of nature walks throughout, then explored through the cascades which had some really pretty waterfalls.

We got up super early (4am!!) and headed there for a 7:30 start time. It was actually the perfect time to start exploring up there because once the crowds hit, it gets BUSY. The buses started rolling in around 9am and then it's pretty much game over. We managed to have the Three Sisters to ourselves for about 30 minutes before the crowds arrived and it was quite magical. I would love to have more time one day and go for the walk around this area. It looks incredible and easily seems like the best way to see the place.

The Scenic World was also very touristy but the trams and train looked like a lot of fun. They go right into the bushes and the railway is said to be the steepest in the world. It's won a ton of awards and I'm feeling a little FOMO for not taking part, but we only had a short time there and it was $40 to enter. If we had the whole day, I think it would have been worth it, but not for such a short amount of time. Maybe next time!

The Cascades were really beautiful and even though there were quite a few people hiking through the trails, there were moments that you could sneak a spot alone and feel like you had the place to yourself. Ollie was able to set up his tripod and get a few beautiful pictures of the falls before a group came and stood right in front of him to start taking group shots. The same went for the shot of me below -- I think we got 5 shots in before a group came by and took over the scene. You take what you can get in these moments!

I've never been the hugest fan of touristy spots. I feel that the crowds ruin the magic of the place, but I'm happy that we were able to experience it when we did. I think getting there early was such a blessing -- even if we were moaning about it as we were leaving the house at 5 am. I have a feeling this place would be the best in the winter when no one else is around. It would be cold, but you would have it all to yourself.

I hope you have an amazing week! xoxo

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