Blue Mountains in One Day: Hiking at New South Wales, Australia

Okay, here's the thing: I was never a fan of hiking. Back in college, we used to hike for our Ecology subjects, and it was stressful. I'd rather swim in an open ocean than climbing hills and mountains. After college, I climbed two mountains in the Philippines - Mount Pinatubo, and Osmeña Peak, but heck, these aren't one of the country's highest peaks. These two are just, you know, an easy-peasy climb.

Months before this trip, I originally planned to visit Canberra, the capital of Australia. I have read a lot of blogs about doing a day tour there, but government buildings and flower parks weren't really my thing. While searching for Plan B, I came across with Blue Mountains National Park. Since I was itching for a new adventure, I thought of giving it a try. Perhaps, it's about time to try new things while I'm still young.

First Day in Sydney, Australia

It was the longest flight I had experienced yet. Our flight to Sydney took off half past midnight (local time). Since it was a red-eye flight, almost everyone was sleeping soundly. I was lucky enough that no one was seated beside me; I had the entire row to myself! I carefully tucked my jacket to keep me warm and leaned on the cabin window. Then, I completely surrendered to a deep slumber.

I woke up to the sound of the trolley being pushed by the cabin crew. Groggy and feeling dry, I drank water with so much gusto and took a peek outside. The dawn was breaking - it was a symphony of pink, orange, and blue. We were still halfway to our destination. Then, it was starting to drive me nuts, frankly speaking. Five episodes of This Is Us didn't help. I became more anxious, well probably because of sleep deprivation.

Five minutes before eleven in the morning, the plane banked to the right. The deep blue waters of Botany Bay extends to infinity for quite some time until an unfamiliar landmass started to unfold. And there it was, Sydney. What used to be a settlement for prisoners in the early 18th century became one of the most livable cities in the world, and soon became my favorite city in the world.

To The Land of Oz: An Overview of Sydney, Australia

I was only ten when I first heard about Sydney, Australia. During that time, the city hosted Millenium Olympics, but I never paid attention to it. It wasn't until three years later when I encountered this city again, this time in the movie, Finding Nemo. I thought to myself why not visit this country. From then on, it became an obsession. I have begun reading fun facts about Australia - its unique flora and fauna, culture, food, and its accent.

Fast forward to 2017, I managed to find a cheap flight to the Land Down Under, and next thing I knew, I was already there!