Hey mates,

As already spoilered in my last entry, the next trip was heading to the Blue Mountains, where I was about to meet a friend from Noosa.
Our Plan was it to do the six-foot-track from Katoomba to the Jenolan Caves. But when we arrived in Katoomba and got ourselves a Map of the route we decided to start at the Caves because then we wouldn't have to walk a very long part uphill but coud walk downhill.
The Track is approximitly 50km's long and usually done in three days. There are various campsites along the Track, with not much provided but a Toilet and a place to put up a tent. Everything you might need you have to take with you, that includes of course a tent, sleeping bags, food for three days, cloth to change and for every conditions and pills to clean the water, since there is no clean water along the way. As you can see it's not like climbing the Mount Everest, but since it was the first walk for the two of us, which was longer than a normal daytour, it was still an adventure and a tough tour. Everything included everyone of us had to carry something around 17-22kg (I would guess).

We drove with the bus to the Jenolan Caves, what was a total rip-off since we had to pay 35$ (and that was with student discount!) for a 1 1/2 hour drive. But anyway we arrived there around 11am and started our walk after having a short look at the Devils Chamber. The start was actual pretty tough, since it was going uphill very steep and for a quite long time (at least it felt like it was :D). The rest ofour tour for the day was flat and easy to walk and we had some time to configure our Backpacks as good as possible. Around 3pm we reached our campground for the night after having our lunch in the middle of the forest. To our suprise, most of the first part was a 4wd accesable road and therefore quite comfortable to walk on. But anyway - Part 1 was done, we reached the campground pretty early, but we also just did 10km's on the first day, so there was much more to come on the next two days. At the beginning we shared the campground only with some wild Kangeroos, who probably appreciated the moan lawn that much that they even sharing there area with humans (normally Kangeroos in the wild are quite shy). Later the day there were a few groups of other Trekkers comming to the Campground, but they all started at Katoomba and therefor it was there last stay before finishing their walk. We shared some experience with them and went to bed very early to get up at 6am on the next day. It turned out to be freezing cold in the night - it was that cold that I felt my blood going from the feets and hands to the upper body... I think it was the first time in my life I was happy to get up at 6am in the morning and don't had to lay longer in sleeping bag, which didn't do a very good job so far :D.

After this very cold first night we got up at 6am and went for our breakfast: Oats with hot milk - Something I definitly don't like, but it gave enough energy for the upcoming tour.
We left the Campground at 7:50am and decided we will make our way to the Cox-River-Campground, which was 21km away. The first 10km were mostly on flat ground or slightly downhill, then there was a section which went pretty steep downhill, what was definitly better than walking it up but still a challenge since we had to carry around quite alot of stuff.
Next to come was a part were we had to cross 4 small creeks after another, which made it neccasariy to walk barefoo for about 500m. I really enjoy walking barefoot, but to walk barefoot with almost 20kg on your back and through a creek with a lot of stones on the ground it is indeed a bit uncomfortable, but anyway it was fun and a bit challenging. More or less just around the next corner we reached the Cox River campground and of course Cox River, what turned out to be a really lovely little river flowing through a gorgeous scenery.
Since it was just around 2pm and only 9km to the next campground we decided to keep on walking so we wouldn't have to walk that much on the last day, where there were some steep uphill sections waiting for us.
Walking along the river we could watch a bicylist carrying his bike over his head through the river trying to avoid that it gets wet while he was standing in the water breast high :D.
Just 700m after the campground we walked around a corner to be frightend by splashing water and loud noise, having a closer look it turned out to be a Goanna, which was at least 1,2m big and climbed up a tree at an enourmes speed. Not less frightend we had to walk by this tree, knowing that these reptiles aren't aggressive but will bite if threatend. Happy to pass this tree we continued climbing the steps that were really strenouos after the distance we already left behind us.

The next highlight of the walk was just about to come - a suspension bridge over Cox River, which was only be allowed to be walked over by one person a time. If you weren't to busy to keep the balance on the bridge one was rewarded with extraordinary views on Cox River.
After the crossing we had our lunch at the water side with some other german trekkers, we knew from the first campground. Even here in the middle of nowhere there are Germans all over the place... :D. After our lunch, relaxing in the sun and dangling our feet in the water we headed for the last 7-8kms for the day.
To make it not to easy, the last section for the day was mainly uphill and therefore really challenged us. But it was more than worth, since we got rewarded with beautiful views over the whole area of the Blue Mountains National Park and looking towards the big walls that seem to spread out of the territory, it was great.
We also walked past some vineyards and over lovely meadows, it was really a feeling of perfect freedom and still you could completly forget all the bad things that happen all the time all over the world. It was as if the time would stand still for three days :).
To access the campground for our last night, we needed to walk something about 1km along a road, since it was a bit further away from the six foot track. Arriving there we did 30km at only one day, were tired, exhausted and had pain in our shoulders and therefor more than happy to finally arrive at our destination for the night. And somehow it seemed if someone wanted to reward our achievement and send a british couple that provided us with two cold beers each - a beer never tasted that good :D. The rest of the night we spend with putting up our tent, rewarded ourself with a dinner and went to bed early - luckily it wasn't as cold as in the night before and therefore we really could get some restful sleep. We again got up at 6am enjoyed our breakfast (this time I ate bread with hazelnut cream, so it really wasn't to bad), packed our stuff and started early. The first 4kms of the 10kms we had to walk today were very easy and on flat ground. We passed a kangeroo and cattle farm (poor tasty skippies) and then were confronted with the uphill section for the day. The almost european looking forest we walked through so far turned slowely into a rainforest type as we made our way up. Just before the last section - the steps - we heared a waterfall not to far away and were reminded that the two other germans told us, that we definitly need to see this waterfall, since it was possible to walk behind it, take a shower under it and enjoy it's beauty after all. So we left our backpacks at the track and climbed over a few rocks to stand in front of this massive waterfall. The two other germans than catched up with us and we spend almost an hour, walking around and behind the waterfall, taking pictures and taking the coldest shower I had in my life it was great fun :). The last part though wasn't - since we already were a bit tiered after the 47kms we did so far, it was really hard to climb this steps that were hammered into the stone. But of course we made it up, needed to walk another kilometre uphill to finally reach the end of the walk. On the one hand side you feel utterly happy that you reached your destination and your aim, but on the other hand side you had just a great time and experience that you want to continue walking :D. We left our hiking sticks for further hikers and made our way back to Katoomba along the highway, what was another 2km. After having gorgeous weather all the time, it started to rain when we reached Katoomba.
All the more we were happy to sit in front of the fire place in our hostel, exchanged the pictures we made, threw a coin, who could keep the map, devided the rest of our supplies and then I said goodbye to catch the train back to Woy Woy.

It was definitly one of the best and most remarkable trips I did in Australia and it was more than worth doing it. I would definitly recommand to do something like this to everyone, who is at least slighlty interested in nature and phisacally fit enough. Since there are great walking tracks all over the world you don't even have to go to Australia to do it ;).

Special greetings and many thanks to Jan, who did the walk with me and sponsored his tent (and also carried it all the time) and made this trip as good as it was - thank you :)

And of course also greetings to all of you followers, I know I didn't provide you with a lot of stuff to read in the last weeks, but I hope this story will keep you busy for some time :D. Go out and explore the nature!