The Other "Grand Canyon"

On Friday, Pete and I took an evening train from Sydney’s Central Station to Katoomba, a small town just a few hours west, nestled on the edge of the “Grand Canyon” among the Blue Mountains. Our hostel had advertised itself as “deluxe,” though what that actually meant we weren’t sure, given that it was one of the cheaper accommodations available. It was spacious and much of the interior had been redone in 2005, so it was quite spiffy-looking, but what the ad hadn’t mentioned was that it was some kind of converted hospital. The high ceilings, industrial kitchen, and roomy dining area were all nice on paper, but the atmosphere, as Pete reluctantly pointed out, was something straight out of The Shining.

Saturday morning we woke up early, packed a lunch and put on our hiking shoes. It was only a 2k walk to Echo Point, the main entrance to the walking tracks leading down into the canyon. We got a map and followed the throng of Japanese tourists down a cement-paved walkway. At first we were worried that we’d fallen for a glossed-over version of the natural world—conveniently wheelchair accessible and kid-tested to be complaint-free. But as we meandered farther along, elbowing our way onto the lookout platform, we realized that we’d be descending into a canyon steep enough to weed out the frail and faint of heart.

Here’s Pete standing in front of the Three Sisters, three rock pillars that form one of the main visual attractions of the Blue Mountains. You can only see them from the other side of the canyon, so I opted for this shot of Pete mocking the stereotypical pose of a Japanese tourist (the peace sign).


A series of ladders and natural stone and wood steps stretched down into the bottom of the canyon for over a kilometer. This required steady legs, and in some cases, holding on to the railing on either side.

After reaching the bottom of the canyon we were surrounded by dense rainforest—and the occasional intrepid tourist. The sound of the cicadas was so freakishly loud that I took a short video to share the noise with you.


We followed the trail for a few kilometers, stopping for a snack and some views of Katoomba Falls. At this point my camera batteries were dead, so you’ll have to wait for Pete’s photos of all the good stuff. Eventually we made our way back up the canyon on the loop trail, facing another set of natural and unnatural stairs, feeling the burn. I guess we’re not quite in the shape we were in while working on the farm in Hawaii. It felt great to take in the fresh mountain air and expansive vistas after having been cooped up in Sydney for two weeks.

Our day ended with a nap, home-cooked bean burritos, and a spectacular pink-and-purple sunset. Exhaustion and satisfaction, while sometimes opposites, are definitely members of the same family.