Australia: First Views

Wednesday was spent with a bunch of organisation stuff. I managed to get my tax file number (TFN) relatively fast, as the whole business could be settled online. After that I looked online for SIM Cards that I could use for my mobile phone. I found one online, but instead of waiting I looked for a local sales office if they had any prepaid cards and got a walk through Springwood at the same time. Spotted a long goods train on the track whilst walking to Springwood which was being pulled by three engines. Ran in to a bunch of political advertisers, as the elections for New South Wales are coming up soon. They didn't bother me and I got a SIM card at the local retailer store.

Walked back and spent a bit more time gathering information online about banking accounts and use of the SIM card I had just bought.

In the evening we watched a film until late in the night. I eventually fell asleep after midnight. No spiders or similar had got me last night, so the paranoia had subsided more or less (wasn't really there to begin with).

Thursday I woke up very early in the morning and laid in bed for something like three hours before I got up and said goodbye to Leanne, who was running of to work. Iain had already left, something had happened weather wise in the night, and Angus was still in bed, similar to what Daniel would be doing. I visited the bank and got all my stuff dealt with. Decided to do it in person and not online as my status as working holidaymaker is a bit complicated in the systems. Some visitors to the bank were a bit weird. A dog is normal, walking in with a parrot on your shoulder is not. The old lady who owned it could of at least put on an eye patch.

After getting that sorted out I dragged Angus out for a “short” walk along the Sassafras Gully Walk, which is a trail through the bush behind their house. Whilst walking down in to a valley we would occasionally hear strange noises here and there only to stop and spot nothing. We spotted the carcase or shed skin of a huge spider, but I don't know what type. Also we got entangled in loads of cobwebs of spiders I don't even want to know about. Fortunately we didn't meet any lethal ones. Angus also saw and pointed out a lyrebird (that bird that can copy nearly any sound, including a chainsaw) but I only saw a shadow race across the path in front of us and something rushing of in to the bush. We climbed out eventually after stopping at a waterfall and had traversed approximately 300 metres in altitude. Not bad for a place I considered not on par with the Alps until much later. We where near to his mums house, so we swung by Katherin and said hi to her. We had a small snack and then ended up driving to Brendan, his wife Maddy and his son Nicholas. I slept in the back of the car for most of the way with Joey, the dog. After saying hi to Brendan and family we took a walk through the higher up ground where they lived (about 850 metres above sea level, more the air condition what I am used to). Walking along we saw/heard some more lyrebirds and ended up walking to the edge of a huge canyon, Grose Valley. Spent a whole while there for some photos and went to another location after that for some more stunning views.

After that back to Brendan, Maddy and Nicholas's house to say goodbye and drove back with the sun just setting. After Katherin getting ready for work and dropping us of at the end of Crane Steet we walked back to Iains place. Spotted the moon for the first time on the way and was surprised at that is was being shined on the wrong way round. Not upside down but just the opposite side to normal was white and the other black.

Met Iain at home, had some dinner and then went to bed.

Stunning views of the Grose Valley today.

Walking track of Sassafras Gully Walk at GPSies.