The Blue Mountains

"Today I am going to set history straight" is the first thing our guide said to us this morning when we got on the bus to the blue mountains. Half asleep ( i am not used to 6am get-ups anymore) i was looking around the bus for someone not japanese and not twice my age. Luckily three girls from the hostel I was staying in last week where sat near the back. Us four being the only British on the bus we where told that it wasnt us he hated but the British in general, very comforting. Our very outspoken guide took us into the middle of the Blue Mountains where we got to see the most amazing views and gorgeous waterfalls. The stairs down, locally nicknamed as 'the heartattack stairway', definitely lived up to its name. After almost killing myself walking down over 2000 slippery and very steep steps we had to climb them right back up. The elderly Japanese lady made us wait half an hour as she very very slowly almost crawled her way up the stairs. How she survived the afternoon walk aswell is a complete mystery to me.
After having another history lesson in the bus, about how badly the british treated the Aborignals and took all the credit while the Chinese where the first in Australia, we stopped for lunch. Sat in a little park eating dried out bread and melted brownies our rude, yet interesting guide told us his story. He is a 55 year old man who has gone through 2 marriages and multiple girlfriends leaving him with plenty of children of which he knows only two. One of these started doing drugs. So he grabbed her out of her house, put her in a van and lived in the outback with her for 6 months because "well theres no access to drugs there". This is where his love from travelling through the wildernis came from and he has now been a tourguide for over 25 years throughout the whole world. He has multiple houses in Australia but chooses to live in his campervan when not doing tours. He has had multiple fistfights with customers for badmouthing the Aboriginals and "wont hesitate to do that again". Good to know.
Proving once again how interesting and different peoples lives and opinions can be when you meet people travelling. Like having braintumors removed at the age of 14, moving to London to marry at 17, surviving off only dried fruit and water and not being able to fly home because you lost all your money on an emergency spine operation. Must think up some good stories myself or it wont be worth me ever speaking to anyone.
Continuing up the Blue Mountains we arrived at the three sisters (and little Dave). The three massive rocks (with their mini brother rock) that belong in an Aboriginal childrens story teaching us that if you dont behave you shall be turned into stone by your father. This time the walk was luckily only down through steep forests and caves. All 25 of us shouting Aborignal greetings echoed through the valley so loudly the group of schoolchildren below got scared. 
Going back up we got the 'steepest railway in the world'. Well I can tell you, it is very steep! Youre just sat on a slightly wonky bench with a huge cage over you. Facing backwards youre looking straight down the mountain clinging onto your bag. I had my camera loose on my knee and it flew into the guys head sat in front of me, oops!
Once back at the top of the mountain it was time to go back to Sydney. In a deep 2 hour buscoma it was bye nature and hello again concrete. How amazing a job as tourguide would be!