Bushwalking in the Blue Mountains
the small town, it was packed wall to wall with people. A guy played the keyboard and sang, which added to the energetic ambiance. A young couple shared our table. They were from England, but living in Sydney. A few beers later we were making plans to drive across the Outback with them.
"We'll need a 4wheel drive, plenty of water and a radio in case we get lost in the desert," I remember someone saying. We exchanged email addresses to make the trek through the Outback.
The next day, we caught up on some much needed sleep. When we woke, the kitchen table was set and the owner, wearing a white apron, was ready to prepare breakfast. On the counter were jars full of cereals and a plate of fresh sliced fruit.
As I helped myself to some cereal, the owner said, "What would you like me to cook you for breakfast? An omelet?" "I'll just have cereal thanks," I replied scooping some NutriGrain into a bowl. "Are you sure? I can make whatever you want," he insisted. "No, this is fine." "How about coffee?" he urged, holding up a fresh pot. "Sure, Jeff will take some. I'd love tea." "Would Jeff like me to cook breakfast for him?" he asked. "No, he'll just have toast please," I said.
Disappointed he couldn't show off his culinary skills to us., he popped some bread into the toaster. We lounged around the lodge then headed into town for lunch. There was a pizza place off the main street. Pizza hit the spot. Strolling the streets, we looked in shop windows and saw lots of vintage clothing. Jeff found an expedition company offering mountain biking and abseiling (rappelling) tours. At the end of the day we had a cup of tea at a café. It struck me as odd they were playing Christmas carols when it was warm outside. But it was October and Christmas was just around the corner. The thought of my friends and family back home carving pumpkins seemed odd, while we were in shorts and t-shirts enjoying the sunshine.
On our last night at the lodge the owner, who was a gourmet chef, invited us to eat dinner at the lodge with another couple. The four-course meal started with soup, followed by an appetizer. My main course was a medley of vegetables and rice. Dessert was a homemade fruit sorbet. The other couple was from Sydney
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