Sunday 25th September 2016
With a 3-day week-end coming up thanks to Labour Day being on Monday 3rd October, it was time to finally make the most of a long week-end and go explore somewhere. So, with two friends from beach volley-ball, Christina from Austria and Jon from London, we decided to go hike the 3-day hike from Victoria Falls Lookout to Blackheath station in the Blue Mountains.
It’s been a while since my 9-day hike in Torres del Paine in December 2015 and I am a bit rusty. I had given away my spork on the last day of the hike to a couple who had just broken their plastic one on the first day of their hike, I forgot my 500ml Nalgene bottle while bouldering in Amsterdam with my friend Daniela in January, I ruined my 3L Camelbak by deciding to clean it with bleach when back in Australia (what an idea, seriously) and it was time to get a new hiking pant as my one-pant for 6 months had experienced serious damage during the 6-month trip. Plus the ending of one of my trekking pole had gone missing.
So a 3-day hike preparation started by replacing or fixing the lost / damaged / given away items, which I have been doing slowly sporadically the past few weeks.
The rest of the preparation was more fun. Like gathering all the hiking gears, putting them on the bed and starting packing. I love that part. Deciding what goes in. And what will not make it. Trying to optimise the weight although everything always seems so ‘essential’. And the rest of the preparation was also the planning. Reading a lot about that specific hike. Ordering the topographic maps. Checking the train timetable. Figuring out how to get from Blackheath station to the start of the walk. Catching-up with Jon and Christina and discuss the plan.
Some resources about the 3-day hike from Victoria Falls Lookout to Blackheath Station:
http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/camping-and-accommodation/campgrounds/Acacia-Flat-campground
http://www.greeniesgonebush.com/
Pom explores 