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The last email I think I got up to 2nd April so I shall start here with the 3rd, to put it into context we are in the Blue Mountains preparing for our walk in the Grose Valley ......
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The birds took much delight in singing in a loud fashion at 6am ! The kookaburras and other birds joining in the early morning chorus ! So it was up and about earlier than planned getting our stuff together for our walk. We used our new stove for the first time to help cook a fried brekkie and a cuppa. Once we had fuelled up our bellies we set off in the car to the lookout point over the Grose Valley where our walk was to begin. As we got out of the car to admire the view a blue haze descended obscurring the view a bit, but making it more magical. As we stood and watched this began to clear. After a quick toilet stop and a photo or two we set off on our walk. The views were clearing all the time and there were many lookout areas to stop at and admire the views. We took many pics of the views, some of which made my stomach flip with the dramatic drops ! We saw pulpit rock before heading off on a gravel track round to Perrys Point. It was from here that we started the steep descent into the valley below. The scenery was changing all of the time. From swamplands to tall forests and shrubland, it was superb. The way down was steep steps but having seen a few people walking back up the other way we were glad that we were going down ! As we got to the valley floor we arrived in the blue gum forest - which was spectacular. The trees are so tall and straight it was just a great sight to see. After a while longer we stopped at a campsite ground for lunch sitting on tree stumps or the grass, it was great to take the weight off our feet and our packs off of our backs. We tucked into a delicious lunch before getting back out on the trail.
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After a brief moment where we lost the trail we cracked on as we had a fair way to go and wanted to be back at a reasonable hour. We began to walk alongside a river which was very picturesque and very inviting given the fact that we were stinking hot and sweating like pigs. Then it was time to climb out of the valley. Shu and I got nattering so fell behind the boys, they would stopand wait for us, so it wasn\'t really a problem. Well that was until Shu and I came to a decision point in the path. There appeared to be 2 ways to go and although the right hand path looked more like the correct one, we wondered whether the boys would have taken the more adventurous left hand path. So Shu and I made a decision and the left path it was ! To begin with it was quite straight forward and we continued to walk up it. Not long after though we were using both hands and feet to pull us up an ever steepening cliffside ! I was ahead of Shula and at one point feared I was stuck, on sharing this fear with Shu she said in a very teacher like scary manner, `you are not stuck Mills`. That put that out of my mind and with some cunning thought on Shula\'s behalf and under her direction we skirted the tricky area and headed up further. By now it would have been worse to head back down than to continue up. Finally the boys on the correct path ahead of us could see us and cheer us on, helping with a final hand hold to get us back onto the path ! By the sounds of it we had managed to avoid a rather gruelling steep path, so in some ways ouhe hillside had been good. The mix of fear and adrenaline had made it seem much easier on our legs than it was !
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It wasn\'t far from here to a superb lookout point where we sat and took piccies. Then it was time to press on as we still had a bit of a walk around the top of the ridge to get back to the car. As we came up to another lookout point we realised a wedding reception was underway. It seemed a little surreal to stroll past in our sweaty hiking gear as they all milled about supping champers ! The views from the top were once again slightly concealed by cloud but it didn\'t spoil the rest of our walk. It did seem like a lot of uphill though when we thought we had done with all of that.
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Back at the campsite we enjoyed a guzzle of water followed swiftly by a beer before showering and ordering a cab to get us into town again for dinner. Another delicious dinner and many beers later we moved onto the drink slippery nipples - which were grand. It gave us the munchies though so Shu and I popped next door to get some choccie. This proved not to be quite enough so back at camp we opened up the chocolate nut and raisin mix. Shu and I desperately wanting the raisins. We waited and waited for a chocloate raisin to appear meanwhile munching nut after nut. Finally we had a couple of chocolate raisins before finishe packet ! Next time we vowed we would just buy chocolate raisins by themselves. After a teeth clean it was time for bed and a quick pray that the morning chorus would be later tomorrow !
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