It's almost a week since we arrived in
Australia and, in some ways much has happened and much hasn't. We've
been in the 'burbs all week, laid low with viruses for a few days,
but also running about the city on the excellent railway network
doing essential chores like getting Medicare cards and drivers
licenses. Although Australia is very much a developed nation, the
city – and suburbs – have a much different feel to Canada or the
USA. For starters, the country is highly multi-cultural with good
representation of all kinds of nationalities. Secondly, small shops
rule and big box stores are virtually unknown. There are some large
department stores clustered together in a few big malls, but,
otherwise, there is just a plethora of small shops selling a variety
of items. It feels almost like a third world country walking down
the main street of any suburb in Sydney because of the diversity of
stores. Thirdly, there are so many workers – every small train
station has half a dozen people working there, where in Canada there
would be none. We are staying with my Mother who lives right by the
cemetery (beautiful walking) and there has to be 50 people employed
in the place.
Today we actually got out into the
Australian bush and did a nice short walk from Heathcote train
station to Waterfall train station through the Royal National Park.
That's another thing that is nice about Sydney, you can access all
kinds of National Parks and reserves via public transit. Our walk
took us along the Karloo Track to Karloo Pool (a small waterhole on
what I presume is the Karloo River) and on to Uloola Falls – which
was a small and rather unimpressive (if you come from Canada) trickle
over a 15 metre high sandstone cliff. From Uloola Falls we took
Uloola Track out to Waterfall train station. This section of the
walk was less enjoyable as it was all on a fire trail. Not too hot
today but I imagine this section of the track would be baking in
summer.
Our next major goal is to buy a vehicle
and we start on that tomorrow.
Doug on a small sandstone bluff overlooking
the Royal National Park
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