I can see clearly now the rain has gone

The rain continued to plague our visit to Sydney, as M took us out to explore the local area including a  redeveloped area of warehouse conversions housing, shops, cafes, microbrewery & an intriguing space that had axe throwing. Two targets marked out on a wall made from old palates, with a flimsy rail sectioning the area off, whilst axes are thrown at the target (or not). Something different for a stag do I guess but I can't see it passing Health and Safety regulations in England. It did seem quite popular though  - as well as very dangerous!Thankfully the rain held off in the evening as we travelled into the centre of Sydney to join the huge crowds on the streets to celebrate Mardi Gras. It was as you would expect, colourful, bright & loud but a very chilled out vibe. Everyone seemed well prepared with small stools to stand on so we walked along, to try to find a good vantage point. We stood with a small group who cheered & clapped everyone as they went past. Not one derogatory comment or criticism – just encouragement particularly for those in the procession who were running out of energy. A really lovely atmosphere.
The following morning we were up early & heading to the Blue Mountains. The weather wasn't great but we were hoping to catch a break when we got there. M our guide, an optimist & big fan of the Mountains, enthused about the views  we hoped we would get the chance to see if the clouds were kind enough to step aside. Our first stop was Jelly Bean lake – a great spot for an early morning swim, however not on this morning. The water looked cold, dark and uninviting so we remained fully clothed. Next we drove to the start of the under cliff /over cliff trail which, as its name suggests, skirts along the edge – almost too close at times, but gives great views across the huge expanse of mountains & valleys. The weather cleared long enough for us to see the great views but quickly closed in again. Then after a cup of tea & cake we drove to the three sisters – 3 towers of rock which spur off from the land they are attached to. M told us that he and E had climbed up & camped on the top of one of the sisters & tabseiled down when they first came of Australia but this is no longer permitted as the rocks are deemed sacred by the Aborigines. We did however climb down a very steep set of steps to stand under a ridge on the first sister which gave us some idea of how much of a challenge that must have been. They are a great sight to see but I was more taken back by the views across the whole area – for as far as the clouds would allow me to see there were mountains. Stunning. As was the very brief glimpse we had of the area known as the Grand Canyon, before the clouds moved across like a set of curtains & shut out our view. Sadly the sun did not allow the blue of the mountains to shine & let us see it in its famous colour,  but it was still definitely worth the trip. On the journey back to Sydney we did a brief detour so M could show us his beehive. He has a friend who shares his interest & provides the space for keeping the hive which produces some very tasty honey. I observed from the safety of the garage but Mr L got v close (too close for a man in shorts & no protective clothing). Thankfully no stings. Back at the house, we joined M&E & their invited friends for a lovely afternoon  dinner in the garden for our final evening in their home & in Sydney . Great food & great company. M&E had been fabulously generous with their home & their time & made us feel so welcome. Sydney had not been at all what we expected. It's still retains so much character. In parts it reminded us of Brighton, but fresher – a bit less jaded (no offence) & we both really took to the place. The following morning we were back on the road & back in a Camper van. But this time it was different. We were relocating van from Sydney to Melbourne for $1 per day plus they paid for our fuel. We were given 3 days to do it I'm but we had opted to extend the trip by a further day for an extra $75. We weren't sure what type of van it would be so we were very pleased to find it had a built in cooker, microwave & you could stand up in it!  How the other live. Our route would take us along the coast which meant we had to cover over 1100kms. Sounds pretty straight forward .