Scenic Routes: Taking A Moment To Look Around When Driving
Recently, we flew into Sydney and had need to spend a few days to catch up with family. As we were staying in northern Sydney for a few days, we had some time between gatherings to get out and about and enjoy the sights. One of the days, we had to drive from Glenhaven up to the Hunter Valley, which is situated well north of Sydney towards Newcastle (as some of you know if you happen to live there). Wow, the Hunter Valley is a stunning place showcasing some stunning skyscapes and rolling hills around Cessnock.
Before we set off to our northern destination, we dialled up the best route with no tolls to pay on Google Maps. To our delight, we were sent on a beautiful drive through Galston Gorge. Except for a brief excursion into the Blue Mountains, up to this point we had only been travelling within Sydney itself and had little experience of any roads travelled less by the general public. This little beauty, which only kept us off the Pacific Motorway for 45 minutes or so, took us through an amazing forest with a few narrow bridges that had us skipping over steep ravines with little streams well below. Some of the turns in the road had to be taken at 5 km/h, such was the sharpness of the change in angle and the steep terrain. What a magical experience, and all of this just moments from Sydney’s urban hustle.
Another special part of the trip involved our brief look at the Blue Mountains National Park, where we travelled on the main route through Bullaburra and out to Wentworth Falls. Here we went for a decently lengthy couple of walks, one of which had us being awed by the beauty of the natural waterfalls. Some other great views of the Blue Mountains occurred as we were coming back on the homeward journey towards Sydney just as the sun was setting in all of its golden glory, carpeting the Blue Mountain forest canopy in a glowing yellow.
It got me to thinking of how easily some of those special moments are easily missed in the business of life. We could have chosen to stay in Sydney’s confines rather than take the trip south, and these adventures confirmed to me how I need to keep taking the time to enjoy the beautiful nature that’s around our home base, as well as going a little further afield when I travel somewhere new. Or maybe drive instead of fly, if time permits!
We don’t always have to travel long distances in our cars to find a magical experience in nature, where the birds are happily singing, the waterfall or river is still bubbling, and we can again discover that there isn’t that much wrong with the world after all – at least out here. Even inside our boxes of glass and steel with all the climate control, ambient lighting and connectivity, perhaps its time that we rediscovered what’s outside the bubble for a little bit. Take the scenic route, whether it’s suggested by Google Maps or not. Open the windows and smell the bush. Switch off the music and hear the crows and cockatoos squawking and screeching. If you’re the passenger, put the device down and indulge in an old-fashioned game of I Spy.
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