6th June 2015

I slept as snug as a bug in a rug until Jamie climbed down from his lofty perch at 8 a.m. We’ve agreed to alternate the sleeping arrangements, and I couldn’t help but feel smug as Jamie grumbled about his freezing, cramped night. The ground was frosty this morning, but once again, the sky was blue, and the sun offered a welcome warmth.

After a breakfast of coffee and muesli, I took a shower while Jamie packed everything away for today’s journey. There’s no forgetting the essentials: unplugging the electricity cables from the external mains, emptying the water bucket beneath the sink’s downpipe by the front wheel, securing all drawers and the fridge door, along with a dozen other tasks. Neglect just one, and you’ll soon hear it as soon as you set off!

Before long, we had the SatNav programmed for the Jenolan Cave System, with Jamie taking the wheel. We rejoined the M4, heading deeper into the Blue Mountains. Already at a considerable elevation, we were about to climb even higher.

After around 20 miles, we turned off the main road onto a picturesque minor road leading to the caves. The landscape at first brought to mind the rolling hills of Wyoming or, on a much smaller scale, the Lincolnshire Wolds. The undulating green grasslands were dotted with stands of eucalyptus, giving the scene a distinctly Australian feel.

As we neared our destination, the road climbed steeply, and the scenery shifted dramatically to dense forest and towering cliffs, with wooded valleys far below. The road itself narrowed to barely the width of our vehicle in places, but thankfully, we encountered very little traffic.

To pass the time, we played ‘spot the kangaroo or wallaby’. Much to Jamie’s irritation, as the passenger, I managed to spot the live ones in the forests and fields, while he only saw the unfortunate casualties by the roadside, and there were plenty of those!

Arriving at the caves via a spectacular entry that passed through part of the cave system itself was an experience in its own right. With the tunnel wide enough for only one vehicle, we had to proceed carefully, headlights on and full attention required.

It’s a long weekend here, so the place was already bustling. Despite our early arrival, there wasn’t a single parking space available, so we improvised and created one. With six cave systems to choose from, we opted for the one that sounded most appealing and purchased our tickets at the office.

We had about 45 minutes to spare before our guided tour began, so we strolled down to the Blue Pool. Apparently, platypuses can be spotted there, but all we saw were tourists and a few ducks.

At the designated time, we joined our guide and a sizeable group to explore the caves. The Aussies certainly take their Health and Safety seriously; every step, walkway, handrail, and light was in excellent condition, even along the challenging route we took.

Inside, we saw the classic formations you’d expect: straws, stalactites, stalagmites, and shawls. But there were also several features I’d never seen before, all thoroughly explained by our guide. It was a fascinating experience and well worth the visit.

The tour lasted just over an hour, and afterwards, we explored another cave system that was free to access and unguided. Though simpler, it was still well worth visiting.

Next, we set off on a trail that wound through a mountain valley high above the caves. It was a peaceful walk, with only the occasional passerby, and after a mile or so, we had the place entirely to ourselves. The forest was alive with sound, a rather strange symphony of calls, as the local birds, particularly the kookaburras, made their presence loudly known.

We spotted several bowerbirds rummaging through the undergrowth and startled a couple of kangaroos or wallabies as they crossed our path. We’re not quite sure how to tell the two apart. We know one is supposed to be bigger, but we’ve seen them in every shade of brown, grey, and even nearly black in this valley, and all manner of sizes. Until we figure it out, I’ve decided to call them ‘Kangawallies’!

We retraced our steps back to the caves and then to ‘Shiela’. After a brief pause in the van, Jamie tucked into a three-day-old bolognese straight from the fridge, while I opted for a packet of crisps. Suitably “refreshed,” we set off on our return journey.

On the way back, we stopped at the historic settlement of Hartington. It was a quaint and quiet place, consisting of little more than a courthouse, a church, an inn, a few houses, and a blacksmith’s shop selling Celtic-themed ornaments. We enjoyed a quick drink of cider at an Aboriginal art gallery before continuing on our way.

We made another stop at the Edge Cinema to buy tickets for tonight’s film and take advantage of their free WiFi. Back at the campsite, Jamie had a shower while I got started on this blog. Being a ‘Long weekend,’ the site was bustling, with vehicles still arriving as we hooked up the van to the utilities.

For dinner, we ventured to a Chinese restaurant on the outskirts of town. Despite being quite busy, they managed to find us a table. The food was good, although Jamie dismissed it as “too pretentious”, later admitting it was tasty.

Afterwards, we headed back to the cinema to watch ‘San Andreas’. While waiting for the film to start, we once again made use of the free WiFi. Though it was Saturday night during a holiday, apart from the staff, we seemed to be the only people in the lobby, and there were very few in the auditorium.  Where were the Aussies? Surely they don’t all go to bed early?

After the film, it was straight to bed, as Jamie is ambitiously aiming for a 6 a.m. start tomorrow for our 9.5-hour drive to Byron Bay. We’ll see how that goes!