Check these pics out...

[Phalanx]

No, I'm not pimping the Australian tourism market...just thought you guys might like to see some of this stuff.
Here's hoping the multiple attachments work...
Just some pics we took on our trip/hike to/through the Blue Mountains,in my state (NSW), Australia.
The camera isn't the best but I think we got a few good shots.
So basically the area is a bit of a tourist thing, with a few quiet areas...this wasn't one of them, but
hey we has a tourist with us, so, there we were.
This place, or rather the feature there is called the "three sisters", which are basically just 3 "about the same size"
rock formations right next to eachother. I'm sure there's gotta be some aboriginal tale about 'em, but I don't know it.
Anyhows, there's this "walk" (info here http://infobluemountains.net.au/history/giant.htm ), which is yknow, the "thing" to do there,
well one of a few anyhows. You descend this BIG ol' staircase, most carved into the rock AGES ago, some metal updates here and there.
It's a nice mixture of dry "bushland" to tropical/subtropical rainforest type areas.
We were lucky enough to have a light storm when we got to the bottom, got some refreshing rain...which was great because this walk, on anything but a cold day
is some HOT work.
To skip from the beggining you saw on the page above, to the end, I got to ride back up on the front (towards the bottom) of THIS
http://infobluemountains.net.au/rail/ksr/Default.htm
THING, well...the page speaks accurately for it. Pretty daunting. Pretty fucking daunting...but we survived it.

So, onto the pics WE took along the way.

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f43/BJA1981/Waterfall.jpg
This was a view from one of the lowest points we explored. Pretty magnificent.

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f43/BJA1981/UpperCanopy.jpg
This area here is pretty protected, as you can see, largely untouched. All tropical underneath.

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f43/BJA1981/TheRain.jpg
This one's an early shot we got of the oncoming light storm, before we started.

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f43/BJA1981/MRange.jpg
Just some big rock, eh?

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f43/BJA1981/LowerCanopy.jpg
Just a nice shot taken from about 2/3 of the way down, bit wetter/more tropical down here.

...More to come...

[Phalanx]

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f43/BJA1981/Lizard.jpg
Saw this cute 'lil guy towards the beggining of the walk. Totally unscared of anybody, I guess he's used to the people?
Even stopped to eat a bug in front of us, before calmly jumping down, walking across a few feet, and heading off.
Thinking about getting a better setup, and maybe getting a few of these guys.

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f43/BJA1981/featherflower.jpg
Unusual flower. So fine...like it was made of velvet...the thing was like a feather.

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f43/BJA1981/EmptyTree.jpg
The place is full of ancient trees, some have died along the way or been struck by lightening or burned. In my experience, alotta snakes set up shop in these things.

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f43/BJA1981/Catepillar.jpg
Ha, just a caterpillar we saw at the lower levels on a steel handrail.

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f43/BJA1981/3sistersatdistance.jpg
This here's the main attraction,the 3 sisters, taken from a distance. I quite liked the shot.

...so, that brings us to the end of the tour.
A good day, a hot day, and my legs now feel like they're made of lead.
Hope you enjoyed the show.

- B.

[newb]

Nice pics Cheebs. Really like the first one with the waterfall.....that should be on a postcard.

That flower doesn't look real.....very cool

[illdojo]

Killer pics Cheebs. I dig the 3 sisters shot.
I hope to travel to Australia one day. **crosses fingers**

[neverending]

Beautiful!

[Disease]

Is that the first time you have been up there?

[Phalanx]

Is that the first time you have been up there?
On that walk, yes. To the BM'S in general, no...my dad used to live in katoomba.
Been quite a few years though.

[ManchestrMorgue]

Excellent pictures there mate, gives a great feel for the area.

There are some amazing natural attractions in the Blue Mountains. I love mountain bike riding along the Oaks trail from Woodford to Glenbrook - some amazingly picturesque spots, aboriginal sites, etc. Especially this time of the year, the flannel flowers are usually out.

[Disease]

plenty of mushrooms grow up there as well...

[hammerfan]

Awesome pics, Cheeb. I really like the purple flower. Makes me want to go to Australia very bad! I had listed Australia as one of the places I wanted to be stationed when I first joined the Air Force - of course, I get upstate New York!

[ChronoGrl]

Those are gorgeous... I love the lizard...

I've only been to the Eastern coast of Queensland, though I thought it was so beautiful... Hoping to get back there maybe next year. :)