The day of rest

Time for a break today - a restful read by a nearby waterfall, I thought. It's ten minutes by train from Katoomba, where I'm staying, then a gentle trail between Wentworth Falls station and the falls themselves. Easy.

Ha! Much more homework was required. The falls are spectacular. And HUGE. Not at all the sort of trickling waterfall you can curl up alongside in the grass with a book. And, since it's been a beautiful sunny Sunday, rather a lot of Sydney has driven the hour it takes to get here, so me reading anywhere on the narrow tracks would have been very anti-social.

I came across this fall - above and part of the water supply for the main falls - and loved the light and the plants. When I reached the top of the main falls, I stood just metres from where the water plunges over the rock edge, and was awed again. I had to walk a bit further to a viewpoint. Then to another viewpoint further round. Then I discovered that after the water has crashed onto rocks far below it gushes a little further then plunges another 100 metres so I just had to walk to the viewpoint that gave me a better view of the lower falls. (Here is someone else's shot of what they're like.) Then I wanted to see them from the other side. Then a bit lower. Then a bit higher. Some of these walks involved steep steps, others were along wet tracks cut into the cliff-face that dripped water and sprouted ferns. On several occasions I had to hold onto trees to keep from slipping. Oh, but worth it!

Three-and-a-half hours later I got to the picnic spot and dug out my book. Perhaps I'll take it easier tomorrow. Perhaps.

Backblip: The kindness of strangers