As mentioned before in my post, we went for a road trip during Christmas with my parents and my brother’s family. It has been a hot summer this year, so it was a perfect escape from the heat to the mountains where the temperature is cooler than Sydney.
Katoomba
Our first stop was Blue Mountains in Katoomba. I have written about our previous trip here.
As it was a public holiday, there were lots of people there and families enjoying the long weekend. We were there for a while, took a few photos and decided to have lunch.
Being Christmas Day most of the restaurants were closed. We had researched and found out that there would be an Indian restaurant open nearby so we stopped there before heading on ahead.
Lunch was quick and OK. Then we headed back to road for another 100 km toward our next stop.
Oberon
Oberon is a small town around 180km from Sydney. The drive was pleasant with a lot of greenery and open spaces. The drive remained us our New Zealand trip as the landscape was so similar with small hillocks and lots of farms.
It was our first time in Oberon and we liked the tiny town.
Our hotel was clean and quiet and had a big garden at the front where the kids could run around.
After we reached the hotel, we rested for a while and went for a drive around the town. We went to a nearby park and to the Oberon damn. As it was summer, there were lots of flies at the damn but the park was fun with lots of flowers, a pond with ducks in it and a kid’s play area.
After a while we headed back to the hotel so we could have some rest for our trip the next day.
Jenolan Caves
Our destination for this trip was Jenolan Caves, “the most spectacular and most famous cave in Australia”.
Jenolan Caves is considered the world’s oldest known open cave system (aprox. 340 million years) the cave system counts more than 40 km of passages, and is still being explored. For now, 11 caves are open to visitors to enjoy the magnificent limestone formations of astonishing beauty.
The road from Oberon is very challenging with many unsighted tight, steep chicanes.
We booked the Imperial Cave tour (the easiest one as we had kids and elderly) for 11 am.
We wandered around until it was time for the tour. Our guide met us at the entrance of the cave and gave us some rules to follow while inside the cave. We were all excited including the kids.
The group contained many kids and very elderly people as well so we knew we would be alright.
The cave was cool but was perfect for summer. The entire path inside the caved was properly done so, we felt safe walking inside the cave. There were many stairs but they had a railing on the side for support.
It was a fun experience as the knowledgeable guide gave us the history and geography about the cave. It was so much interesting to see the entire natural formed limestone and their very interesting patterns.
The cave features include ‘The Sinkhole’, ‘Ridleys Shortcut’ (with a story on how it got its name), ‘Lot’s Wife’, the ‘Alabaster Column’ and the dramatic’ Crystal Cities’ which looks like an ancient fortress. And as its name suggests, the ‘Shawl Cave’ is filled with delightful cave shawls.
Halfway through the trip, Chhhori fell asleep. Not her fault as it was her nap time but I had to carry her for rest of the tour.
When the floor of the Imperial Cave was excavated in 1975, bones were discovered. The bones of a Tasmanian Devil (long extinct on the mainland) and a Wallaby are on display. As you walk through the cave, you can also see marine fossils embedded in the limestone roof and walls.
We felt that an hour was not so long when you were enjoying every minute and it was the end of our tour.
We had lunch at the cave café after the tour and we headed back home.
Take care everyone.
M from nepaliaustralian
XOXO
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