Photo: New South Wales governor at church
July 16, 1978 Arrived in Sydney at 10:30 AM. Walked around the city and saw movie “1900”. Stayed at youth hostel.
July 17, 1978 I went to Pan Am and Qantas to change my airline ticket to Auckland. I expected a refund but had to pay an additional $25 due to Pan Ams mistake. I donated blood to the Red Cross. One nurse wondered that since things were opposite in the northern hemisphere, was California on the east coast of the US?
Later in the day I ran into Oregon Ken near the railroad station. He suggested I take a trip to Katoomba in the Blue Mountains. He was leaving Sydney and taking a job on a freighter headed for New York.
Photo: Blue Mountains at Katoomba
July 18, 1978 I took the train to Katoomba , an old tourist resort town in the Blue Mountains. I hiked to the waterfalls and followed a trail to the Ruined Castle, a rock structure on top a mountain. The trail was well marked except at the Landslide where I lost my bearings for about half an hour.
The resident warden at the Katoomba Youth Hostel was very helpful. I shared the bunkroom with a Japanese man who was touring Australia by bicycle. This was his 5th time biking the country.
Photo: Blue Mountains at Katoomba
Photo: Springwood Hostel
July 19, 1978 Took the train to Springwood. I hitchhiked to a hostel at Hawkesbury Lookout. I was the only one there. The hostel had gas lights, a stove and refrigerator. Water was available from rain tanks. A vast plain extended out from the lookout and I could see Sydney’s distant lights at night.
Photo: View from Hawkesbury Lookout
Photo: Sunrise at Hawkesbury Lookout
Photo: Jane, Hans & Helen
July 20, 1978 I ran to Agnes Banks and back, a total distance of 14 miles. I was hoping to run in an August marathon at Crater Lake, Oregon in the US. So this was a training run for me. In the afternoon I hiked in nearby woods, followed by an ice cold shower. Three Brisbane students: Jane, Helen & Hans also stayed the night.
July 21, 1978 The Queenslanders gave me a ride to the Springwood train station. I returned by train to Sydney. I went to an Italian restaurant with Alison, Phil’s sister. She lived in nearby Stanmore.
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