Voyassitude

You know there’s a fun, unforgettable day ahead when your tour group randomly starts singing Sweet Caroline while on a bus heading to the paradisiac Blue Mountains in Australia. From the British to the Taiwanese, the Spanish girl, a few Australians of course, Turkish and Zimbabweans also present, and this Colombian tourist included, the tour group for that Saturday exploration of the Blue Mountains is an amalgamation of cultures, backgrounds and experiences, all united in the excitement and vibrancy of a chill morning that looks promising as soon as the bus makes its way through the Sydney streets coated in sun and impregnated with an air of absolute freedom.

 Right from the beginning, as you sit in the bus and exchange greetings and anecdotes with fellow travelers, you can sense this is not your typical, generic tour meant to simply check top sights off a bucket list. Trent makes sure of that when he introduces himself through the bus speaker, his eyes on the road and his hands on the wheel, but his words about the adventure ahead rippling and creating big expectations in each and all of us adventurers seeking to confirm if the Blue Mountains are really as majestic as everyone says.

Trent started his company tour five years ago with the clear goal of providing a unique experience that incorporates not just a view from afar but immersive hikes and energetic walks through hills, forests, and pathways leading to spectacular waterfalls with the power of taking your breath away. Leaning more towards dynamic, active people willing to sweat and get their shoes dirty, Trent admits that this might not be a tour for everyone, but those who do take it hardly regret it because every stop, every hike and every moment throughout the day seems even better than the last.

Even while driving he makes sure there is not a dull moment in this tour he is so passionate about. Dividing the group in two, he starts a trivia game meant to test your knowledge of Australian dialect, foods, and traditions, the front and back groups chatting and whispering possible answers, wrong or right replies not as important as the fun you experience while also learning a thing or two about the lovely Aussies down under. When the game is over music comes next and, with a tour group mostly dominated by British youngsters, it comes as no surprise that when they request to share their playlist, Sweet Caroline reverberates through the speakers, sending the fifteen or so travelers that day into an epic singalong that could only be equaled in Dublin or London pubs.

But there is magic beyond the bus too, of course; it lies there in Katoomba, it rains from the Wentworth Falls, it emanates from the Three Sisters rock formation that awes with its splendor and captivates with its story. Yes, each stop is indeed better than the last, because as the day progresses and you feel closer to the mystic atmosphere of the place that surrounds you, it intoxicates you and plants its roots deep inside you, forever connecting you to that spot, that time and that space you live and create in the middle of the Australian wilderness. Whether you’re alone or with someone else, there is always a chance for immaculate silence, moments of utter tranquility where all you can hear is the pure sound of a forest, the eternal flow of a waterfall and your own steps as you go deeper and deeper into the heart of the Blue Mountains. But those people you’re traveling with also appear when you need to verbalize the amazement of what you’re experiencing, a new friendship or a fleeting tour mate right by your side to share the pure joy of being exactly where you are.

Because Trent truly takes care of all possible details, once the demanding hike to the waterfalls is over he rewards you with a lovely lunch before moving on to the final stops of the day, one of them exclusively meant to gaze and possibly pet some of those lovely yet noisy white cockatoos with their magnificent yellow crests.

It is supposed to be a twelve hour tour and clocks might agree with that, but in reality it feels like a longer experience, not because of the exhaustion but because of the meaningful, special occasions spread throughout the day. Needless to say, I was extra lucky because in addition to the spectacular sights, I was fortunate enough to meet some extraordinary people that made my last Saturday in Australia a memorable experience that still puts a smile on my face and nostalgia in my chest.