Day 25

Today has been exceptionally busy. We drove over to Manly to pick up Paolo and then he and I went on to Sydney and Pitt Street Uniting Church. I would be our last Sunday there. I was beginning to feel sad about this.

The service was a recognition of ANZAC Day but also recognising the uncritical acceptance of war as a necessity rather than remembering the unnecessary loss of life on both sides. for me too there's remembering the importance of diplomacy and mediation. 70 % of the current world population have been destroyed in wars over the centuries of human existence. Mindless deaths. Mindless destruction to people and habitats. When will we grow up as humans and find a better way to resolve differences. Maybe there are other species, other cultures that can help us.

We sang a beautiful New Zealand hymn about ANZAC Day. Paolo and I were once agin made very welcome and I feel like part of this congregation after only 3 weeks. And they have a lot of integrity. Brian who sleeps on the steps of the church, a veteran of Iraq never recovered, has gone to Adelaide in this continuing bad weather. 

Paolo and I enjoyed tea and cake after the service said our farewells and left for home. 

Once home we had lunch and packed. We were both going by train to the Blue Mountains The rest of the family were following in the car. So we made our way to Central station in Sydney once again over the Sydney Harbour Bridge 

 and on to the train to Katoomba. The trains are double deckers.

On the train we met a civil engineer from India who explained to Paolo how the train was powered and a family from the Blue Mountains with their nanny. People got on and off with walking shoes and wooly hats ready for hiking. We went on to Katoomba having climbed higher and higher into the bush into a tree clad landscape with mountains in the distance, climpsing  a kangaroo foraging. At Katoomba we were happily met by the family, who went to Woolworths to buy provisions and on to our timbered cottage which is like a lodge.

It is much colder here despite having travelled towards the equator because of the height above sea level so fleeces and warm clothing have become necessary. The temperature will dip to 5 degrees and not rise above 13.