Saturday 16th July - Afternoon - Scenic World

As the bus drove up into the Blue Mountains with the Horsburgh and East cars not far behind, Pres Horsburgh received the news that it had been decided that Joseph S needed to be admitted to hospital, and that he was going to be having surgery. Joseph had not improved overnight, and was kept behind from the Temple for observations. We were fortunate that Bro Thayer from Tuggeranong Ward, a "Doctor-in-training" had decided to stay at the Temple accommodation on the Friday night and was able to assist with confirming Bro Moir's belief that Joseph had symptoms consistent with appendicitis.

It was a bit of a race up the freeway into the Blue Mountains - the double booking at the Temple meant that we were running late. We all eventually arrived at Scenic World in Katoomba near 2:30PM. We were meant to be leaving here at 3PM - that wasn't going to be happening. We were also a bit concerned about how cold it was going to be in Katoomba, with forecasts of showers, and a maximum of 7 degrees.

Scenic World is a tourist centre built on the edge of the Blue Mountains - it features a number of different attractions. We had arranged for us to take the Scenic Railway down into the rainforest in the valley, take the Scenic Walkway through the rainforest, and then to take the Scenic Cableway back up out of the valley to the entrance on the cliif tops. Being our last stop on the Youth Conference, we had also planned to have a testimony meeting as well. Elissa had booked the Rainforest Room - down in the valley along the Scenic Walkway - for the testimony meeting. Pres Horsburgh advised however that this was open to the public, and may not be suitable. Scenic World had offered us the free use of their cinema to hold the testimony meeting instead. The scenery wouldn't be quite as pretty, but it would be private (and warm!). We milled into the entrance overlooking the valley below - the tourist shop got a good workout from the everybody as we waited.

Elissa did a head count of all the youth and leaders, came up with a number, and the tickets were bought ... the only problem being that the number was wrong. As we filed down into the Railway area, it became apparent that we were one ticket short. Pres Horsburgh volunteered to go back, get the extra ticket and came down next ride.

The Scenic Railway was scary and/or fun, depending on your point of view. It's a funicular railway, not a normal cabin/locomotive setup, and the carriages themselves were surrounded with mesh. Made it hard for the taller ones in the group - I couldn't sit up straight in the carriage, but had to have my head at an angle wedged in under the metal mesh. We soon found out why the mesh was above us as the train started and then dropped ... this is the steepest inclined railway in the world - 52º - less of a ride and more of a controlled drop. As a part of the drop, the train went through a pitch black tunnel. There was a mixture of screams, cheers and the "tough boys" chanting "Boring! Boring!" for humorous effect. 415 metres later we came to our stop, perched above the rainforest.

Here, the group got fragmented up along the Rainforest walk. Fenton was left behind to wait for Pres Horsburgh, as the others moved on through the lush undergrowth. I don't know what transpired at the dance the previous evening, but there were a few of the youth "pairing up" into couples along the walk ... ;)

After walking our way through the rainforest and arriving at the departure point for the Scenic Cableway, we waited for Pres H and Fenton. Knowing that they could be a while, one set of leaders and youth went off to check out the Rainforest Room to see if it was suitable for the meeting. The rest of the youth and leaders waited at the Scenic Cableway .... and waited .... and waited. And neither of the two missing groups returned ... Hmmmm . What to do? We decided that Elissa would take those that were there back up via the Cableway to the Cinema and start the testimony meeting, whilst I would wait behind.

(Almost) everyone packed onto the next Cableway car and then left., whilst I waited ... and waited. Eventually, just as the next Cableway car was about to arrive, and I to depart, all of the remaining youth and leaders arrived at the Cableway station. Off we proceeded, back up to Scenic World on the Cableway, on a much less scary trip than the way down.