The Blue Mountains

It took us about 2 hours, once we finished our shopping excursion in Sydney, to get to the Blue mountains. It was mid-afternoon at that point and after sitting all day the day before and running errands and driving all morning, we were ready for a hike! Our first hike was Wentworth Falls.

Heading down the to Wentworth Falls. All of the hikes in the Blue Mountains were "reverse", we started out along the tablelands between the "canyons" then hiked down for the first part of the hike and then back up.



These falls were just a warm up to some breathtaking falls later in the trip.


If you look closely, you can make out a few sulphur-crested cockatoos nestled among the rocks. Jacqui was the first to spot them. We found out later that we would see them everywhere, including downtown Leura (a town nearby) and in Sydney.

The trails in Blue Mountain National Park (and really in all of the parks in New South Wales) were extremely well maintained!


We stopped a visitor center in Katoomba, just as they were closing to find a caravan park. Our first night in the campervan, we successfully cooked on our gas stove and set up the beds. It was a bit of an eye-opener to see just how small of a space we could sleep, cook, and travel in...

We awoke the next morning to a flock of king parrots in the tree next to our camper! We were all pretty excited. Then, we packed up and after a stop in the little town of Leura for coffee and calls back to the US.

Chatting with Nonni and Gramma and Grandpa.

We started our hike down the giant staircase, past the 3 sisters through a valley and back to the car.
The view at the start of the hike.


Heading down the Giant Stairs.

Linda Falls.




A fern grotto on the hike back up.


We found a playground on the way to the next campsite (just before it started raining) for the girls to play around on. Then a dirt road for about 10 km (the distance makes a lot more sense after you've been in Australia for at least a few days...)

Next time...the rest of the Blue Mountains and on to Jenolan Caves.

Our arrival - Down Under

Well, we had a great 3 weeks in Australia. I'll attempt to get all of our adventures updated here, but it will definitely take some time!

We flew from Honolulu to Sydney on Qantas, which is a nine and a half hour flight. Qantas took good care of us, though with 2 meals, snacks, free drinks, hot chocolate, and tea (nothing like our interisland or mainland flights, that is for sure...

Gabbi and Jacqui entertaining themselves in the Honolulu airport.

It was Gabbi and Jacqui's first trip across the equator and the international date line! Since we crossed the dateline, we arrived on Monday after leaving Honolulu Sunday morning. We arrived too late in the afternoon to pick up our campervan, so we stayed in an inexpensive hotel near the airport...it worked (for one night). We were awake bright and early on Tuesday and walked to the rental company and picked up our transportation and home for the next 2 weeks!

After picking up our luggage at the hotel, we headed off to find a supermarket. So, we were driving through Sydney on the wrong side of the road in an oversized vehicle, with the steering wheel on the "wrong" side of the car, the blinker and windshield wiper levers switched. Woo hoo! We were off.

Our luxury accommodations.

After a rather confusing trip to the natural foods market that Danielle had found on-line (produce by the kilogram?, how much is the Australian dollar worth? what the heck is a sultana? or a capsicum?) we were headed to the Blue Mountains to the west of Sydney.

Congolese Dance Camp Maui

Showing some bootie!!

This past weekend (Friday to Monday night), I went (by myself) to Maui for Congolese (African) Dance Camp. Since I started dancing with the dance crew in May, I've been hearing about these camps and how amazing they are. Well, these stories were not at all exaggerated. It was AWESOME!!! I had a blast. We had two 2-hour dance classes a day, and there were two 1.5 hour drumming classes offered per day as well. I took every dance class as well as 3 drumming classes. It was great to learn how to drum, as I can see how it could help me with my dance.

Myself, Dhira, Marcia, Felica and Elasalina shared a car together on the trip to camp. The camp was at a YMCA camp in Eastern Maui, right on the coast. It is on the road to Hana, which is a crazy windy road that could make even the strongest bellies feel nautious. Dhira was our driver and did a fantastic job. However, I took a ride with my friend Chris to Hana (which I had never been to) on Saturday, and he drove "as the locals do"...winding pretty fast around the corners. I almost lost my lunch!!! But it was great to venture out and do some sight seeing. Hana is the "wet side" of the island and just gorgeous! I managed a quick dip in the not so warm ocean, as well as a freezing pool in a river.

This was a waterfall we saw on the way to Hana

Me groovin' down the line.

The O'ahu Posse

This crew is so much fun. Before this camp, I hadn't had much of an opportunity to hang out with them because I am always going off to do something with my family after dance class. So it was great to hang out with them, and get to know them. They are downright hilarious. I spent the entire weekend laughing. It was totally therapuetic. It was also such a treat to have all my meals cooked for me and with no dishes to do!! Absolutely blissful!!!

The drumming crew jammin'

Most of the dance teachers were either at one time from the Congo, or their families, but they now live in France. Many did not speak English, but the languages of dance and drumming are universal. They were so professional and fantastic dancers. They also shared such an infectious love of the culture. I just loved their energy.

Dhira, Marcia and myself on the campus

These are recent pictures of the girls during their African Dance Class, learning how to play the drums.

Jacqui getting some drumming lessons during her African Dance/Drum class

Gabbi playing the dunun drum.