Time-Lapse Photography of Sunrise Over Mount Kinabalu

Structures materializing from nothingness, a flower unfolding its petals through the night, a butterfly’s metamorphosis from pupa to adult stage, the sky changing its hues while the sun rises and sets… where it is not feasible to run a video camera for a long period of time to capture these defining moments, there’s time-lapse photography.

I’ve always found this photographic technique fascinating for the photo-video it produces but have never found the motivation to try it until a stay at the beautiful Gaya Island Resort. Located on Pulau Gaya, the largest of 5 islets sitting off the northwestern coast of Kota Kinabalu City, the resort’s hillside villas offer a jaw-dropping view overlooking the South China Sea with the horizon rimmed by Kinabalu’s mountainous range. This awe-inspiring setting was the perfect muse to coax my first attempt at time-lapse photography because I wanted my first time to be special!

In this post, I’ll share my experience and tips on time-lapsing a sunrise in the hope that the information will be useful for anyone attempting this technique for the first time.

Equipment and Necessities :

- DSLR camera (ensure that your battery is fully charged)

- Tripod

- Cable release or remote control

- Torch light, drinking water, towel and insect repellent (if photographing close to nature)

Time-lapse photography involves 2 steps… The first step is acquiring the images and the second step is combining the photos to form a video clip.

Step 1 : Acquiring the Images

Before embarking on a time-lapse photography session, always find out what time is sunrise at the locale you are shooting and be there an hour early to recce, set up equipment and frame the shot. In Singapore, I am used to daybreak happening at around 6.15am but at Kota Kinabalu, the sky starts brightening from 5.30am!

4:30am. It’s pitch black during the wee hours so a torchlight is essential for knowing you are putting all the parts in the right places.

As it was very dark, it was hard to frame the scene and get the horizon straight. I used the city lights in the distance to gauge and frame my shot.

Camera Settings :

- Switch the camera’s lens focus to Manual and set it to infinity

- Use Aperture (‘A’) mode for the shoot and set F-number to 16 (F16)

- Set ISO to the minimal (the lowest for my DSLR is 200)

- Turn on remote control shooting mode (if you use a cable release to control your shutter, this step is not necessary)

- Switch on your patience if your DSLR doesn’t come with a built-in interval timer like Nikon D7000 (I’m using Nikon D90 so I stood by my camera the whole time to click the remote control to shoot)

My time-lapse photos were taken from Gaya Island Resort’s Kinabalu Villa number 852 from 5:00am to 7:00am.

5:41am. Witnessing the arrival of dawn is truly magical. The highest peak in the distance is Mount Kinabalu. Awesome!

Pano view of the scene in front of me at daybreak.

Timing the Time-Lapse Intervals

Math and I are eternal enemies so my mind went into screensaver mode the instant I tried understanding how to calculate my number of shots. Basically, you have to first determine how long you want your time-lapse video to be and decide on how many shots you want per second of your video.

For example, if I want a 10-second video with 24 photos per second, I’ll have to shoot 240 images. Shooting from 5 – 7am (7,200 seconds), the interval between my shots would be 30 seconds. Which means I’ll take 1 photo and 30 seconds later, take another. The shots continue until I reach 240 shots.

That’s a lot of calculating to do!

So I simplify. I just made it a point to take a shot every 15 seconds from 5-7am. It didn’t matter how many photos I got, I just combined them all into the time-lapse video. I wasn’t concerned with how long the video lasted either. I ended up with about 365 shots and a sunrise segment that lasted 38 seconds on the video at the end of this post.

6:17am. The fiery disc popped out from the mountainous horizon.

I had it easy with this time-lapse shoot as the location was at the balcony of our villa. During the 2-hour shooting process, a Macaque Monkey came to visit and 2 Oriental Piped Hornbills flew by while countless birds serenaded the dawn. The entire experience was pure magic!

Such a sense of accomplishment for not sleeping in and miss the rare opportunity to time-lapse this incredibly scenic sunrise.

Step 2 : Creating a Time-Lapse Video

After capturing all the images, the next challenge is to combine them all into a video. There are quite a few options with Lightroom providing a pain-free way to do the job, but since I don’t have that program, I went with Photoshop to batch process the photos for a lower resolution and Windows Movie Maker to string the shots into a video.

It is necessary to batch process the photos first to shrink their file sizes before importing them into Windows Movie Maker to cut down on processing time. In Windows Movie Maker, I set the animation duration between photos to 0.07 seconds, add in a title, music, ending message and voila! I have my first time-lapse video! Hope you’ll enjoy it…

Rustic Serendipity at Pengerang

Spontaneity ruled Good Friday 2013 as Siow Har or I made an unplanned trip to Pengerang. It was 3 years ago (also on Good Friday) that we first discovered the Malaysian coastal town famous for its lobster dishes and had wanted to revisit ever since.

Although we’ve been to Pengerang before, what we intended to do this time round bordered on madness. We wanted to cycle from Sungai Rengit (the chief township in Pengerang) to Desaru, which is 30km away, and back. Total distance : 60km.

The distance we decided to cover may be a yawn to seasoned cyclists but for leisure paddlers like us who don’t own a bike and cycled only when the moon turned blue, 60km is a killer.

But we did it anyway without worrying thinking too much into or understanding fully what that amount of cycling can do to us. We learnt the hard (and long) way that long-distance cycling is not something to be spontaneous about but requires careful research, more so than regular holiday sightseeing.

Packed for an adventure of the unexpected. Our Pengerang trip began with an hour’s bumboat ride from Singapore Changi Point Ferry Terminal to Tanjung Pengelih Ferry Terminal. The bumboat’s retro imprints felt like time had stood still.

We didn’t reach our destination, missing by about another 5-6km, but it was a personal feat nonetheless. Our return cycling tour covered a total distance of about 50km and we took 7 hours due to the many photo stops we made along the way.

That’s the great thing about being the masters of our own journey, we had control over when to stop and were able to explore many places off the usual tourist track. And also discovered parts of our bodies we never knew existed if not for the strains and cramps we endured under such an extreme physical expedition.

I will post up more info, tips and details about the experience later over at Explore Life Lah!. For now, this post will capture snapshots from the rustic-scenic ride and beautiful encounters along the way!

Leaping with energy on reaching Sungai Rengit, the chief township of Pengerang, This photo was taken in front of a small sea-facing Chinese temple off the main road.

Rode warrior! Golden wheat fields and an unbroken chain of balmy coconut trees accompanied our ride on the right while to the left, sand quarrying had defaced mother nature.

Small girl with big bag against a long road and monster trucks. I take my hats off to Siow Har who completed the rigorous trip carrying a backpack that could’ve easily weighed 10kg. We were given a lot of dust facials as cars and industrial vehicles whipped up clouds of smog as they passed us by.

Saw 2 abandoned godowns and decided to check them out. Glad we did because the aura of neglect made for a splendid bask on camera.

Relishing a chance to get upclose with the padi fields carpeting Pergerang’s countryside.

Siow Har fell off her bike and while we checked for injuries (thankfully it was just a bruise), we also surveyed the surrounding burnt field and saw these dandelions ready to seed. I’ve never seen a dandelion in the wild before.

Statuesque trees lined our route with numerous picturesque moments.

Every so often while travelling in a car or coach, such beautiful sceneries sweep past in the blink of an eye. Riding a bike, I am able to savour nature at my own pace and retain its beauty in my SD card.

When we first rode past this scene, it was high tide. On our way back, the waters have receded and revealed a web of mangroves that led to a single treeling rising above the waves.

Took a rest stop at Punggai Beach and hiding in the shade to cool off my badly burnt knees and shin. My chicken legs are proof that I hardly cycle.

We didn’t reach the more popular and touristy Desaru Beach but we found our spot on the quieter Punggai Beach about 15km away. It is not about settling for the next best thing, but appreciating where we’ve arrived at for getting anywhere required a lot of effort. Often, we’re too focused on arriving at our goal and missed being grateful for the minor successes along the way.

There were 3 things against us on the road trip – the scorching sun, state of mind and our bodies. The heat was relentless and coming face-to-face with a long winding road that stretches endlessly into the horizon was a test on determination. I’ve wanted to turn back a couple of times but pressed on. Not looking ahead and just focusing on my front wheel helped keep the mind from being overwhelmed. But alas, the body has its limits. Our legs were cramping so badly, especially after conquering a slope, to the point that I can feel every part of my leg muscles. Thank goodness we had Tiger Balm!

This was the last point we got to before turning back. Desaru should be under 10km away but it was already 4pm and we were worried that our ride back may coincide with nightfall. We didn’t want to risk being roadkill as the country roads lacked street lamps. After this shot, we cycled the 24km back to Sungai Rengit. *Pant*

Pointing to where we cycled to on a map at Tanjung Pengelih Ferry Terminal. Sungai Rengit is at the lower tip of the light green map and Desaru is where the figure of a swimmer is above my finger.

It had been one tough ride from Sungai Rengit but an awesome adventure! Will definitely attempt it again and make it to Desaru the next time!

Related Post : Pengerang – A Cycling Tour from Sugai Rengit to Desaru

Day 365 : Sexpressionists

I almost didn’t recognise them with their clothes on. LOL. It was surreal to chance upon Alvin and Vivian in front of Lot 10, Kuala Lumpur. The infamous famous Malaysian couple was interviewing people on the street about sex for an upcoming documentary on Alvivi Youtube channel.

Having gone through the whole media frenzy about their now defunct sex blog, Sumptuous Erotica, it’s great to see that they treat the debacle and critics as water off a fduck’s bareback. Then again, if one dares to post personal nude photos, genitalia close-ups and love-making videos in a public blog for all to see, especially in this conservative part of the world, what else is there that one could not stand up to? This couple has balls!

Losing his prestigious ASEAN scholarship to read law at the National University of Singapore (NUS), Alvin and Vivian are now back in Kuala Lumpur and living together. They tried to pitch a reality show about sex in Asia but of course, no studios dared to take them on and wanted them to steer away from the whole sex thing if collaborations are to be considered. Kinda like telling McDonald’s to not sell hamburgers because they are not health food. But Alvivi decided not to receive media castration and armed with their own camera and tripod, set up an interview point at the busiest shopping district in Kuala Lumpur, and got people thinking about their views about sex.

They asked if I would like to be interviewed but I was in a hurry to collect my lugguage from the hotel before heading to the airport. Besides, I won’t have much to say about sex for I hardly have any! My cobwebs are legendary amongst friends.

In the States, Sex and the City is a huge hit, in Asia, it got the couple into big shit. Meeting them was a sexciting surprise as I felt like I know them already from their nude photos and headlining news stories. Alvivi came across as sincere and personable in our brief chat and I think their self-confidence and guts are uber sexy!

Whatever the future holds for Alvin and Vivian, I wish them well and may they have a rewarding life together. Lights, camera, mirror, shoot and shoot!

Day 364 : Last Trip of 2012

A last minute decision to accompany a friend who badly needed a break brought me back to Kuala Lumpur a second time after I’d sworn it out of my travel destination in June this year. I’m so used to the place by now that I actually fell asleep instead of heading out to the clubs on a Saturday night. The roar has left this party animal.

Day 358 : Rustic Backwaters of Batam

Explored a little around the coastal backwaters of the hotel we stayed in (Pacific Palace Hotel) and found the shore to be littered with floatsam and jetsam. Whiffs of rancid stink waved past my nose, breathing became something of a Fear Factor challenge. The poverty of infrastructure choking to keep up with commercialisation is apparent.

Day 357 : A Batam Hopover

Popped over to Batam for the weekend and the first thing that friends said when they heard I’m going is that I must be a sex tourist. This unflattering image is the result of many middle-aged taxi uncles keeping mistresses on the neighbouring Indonesian island just a 45-minute boat ride away. I used to hear stories like that in the past but I’m not sure if it is still true now that internet porn is widespread.

The last time I was in Batam was more than 2 years ago and although that place has little places of interest to offer, in my opinion, it’s a nice weekend getaway for a change of scenery. Took this photo of a boy playing in a muddy pool during one of our stops. When he saw me pointing my Casio EX-ZR1000 at him, he immediately smiled and did a James Bond pose.

And just like that, Batam became interesting for me. I’m glad I haven’t lost the ability to delight in simple joys

Day 316 : Perdana Botanical Gardens

While I appreciate the vibrancy of every city I visit, I also like to sniff out scenic parks and gardens to give urbanity some rest. Close encounters with native flora and fauna really refreshes the spirit. I even enjoy that sweaty, sticky feeling after a satisfying hike that clears the mind and fills my camera’s memory card.

My hunt for nature in Kuala Lumpur brought me to Perdana Botanical Gardens today. Due to the consistent wet weather, I almost didn’t make it here during this trip if not for my very hospitable KL friend who made a stop en route to Publicka.

Previously known as Kuala Lumpur Lake Gardens and renamed to Perdana Botanical Gardens in the middle of 2011, the sprawling naturescape is the city’s first ever large-scale park project. Due to its massive size, the garden has various entrances. Since my interest lies in catching sight of mousedeers, we took the entrance behind the Tun Abdual Razak Memorial which leads right to the deer enclosure.

The main building of the Tun Abdul Razak Memorial was under renovation so all I saw was rumble and debris.

Walking down a long flight of stairs behind the memorial’s main building leads to an enclosure that houses deers and mousedeers. I poked my Casio Exilim compact camera through the fence to snap their pics. I should’ve brought some treats along to get them to come to me.

Perdana Botanical Gardens seem in need of rejuvenation to relief it of neglected landscaping and get a spruce with more perennial flowering plants.

One of the few flowering shrubs I came across at the Tun Abdul Razak section of Perdana Botancial Gardens. Colourful blooms were lacking in the garden’s overbearing green.

Felt so wintry with the grey weather and this unpossessive tree. Unpossessive because it had no leaves.

The garden got it’s previous name due to this huge man-made lake within the park.

Light was very diffused with the coming rain so I decided to use the Sunset Mode on my Casio EX-ZR200 which applies a warm filter to the scenery to add some colour.

We didn’t spend a long time at Perdana Botanical Gardens although I would’ve loved to stay longer to check out the Orchid and Hibiscus Gardens as well. Within walking proximity to the city garden are the KL Bird Park and Butterfly Park as well as the Islam Art Museum and KL Planetarium that spots a mini Stonehenge replica. Will definintely come back again to check out these sights the next time I return to KL again.

Day 315 : That Changing Yellow Frame

The National Geographic store at Kuala Lumpur is my must visit place whenever I’m in the city. Really love checking out the latest prints within the yellow frames.

The collection this time revolved around water critters but most of the shots were blurred so I only have these 2 photos that are usable. Here are 2 other series of Nat Geo KL pics I took within this year too…

Day 035 : Frame Me (Feb 2012)

Day 099 : Chilling with Nat Geo (Apr 2012)

I crapped a prawn!

Day 314 : Off to Kuala Lumpur

After being robbed of my mobile phone in Kuala Lumpur in June this year, I was determined not to ever visit again but a friend needed help with marketing his newly established business venture there so I made a trip. With travel insurance bought this time.

Took the midnight Transtar coach (S$37.00) there and am pleasantly surprised by how ultra luxurious it was! The coach departed from Golden Mile Complex at 11:45pm and arrived at 4:00am in Kuala Lumpur.

It was an odd time to arrive at the Malaysian capital but the lower cost (the same coach would cost about double if travelling by slots other than midnight) and skipping traffic jams made up for the early arrival. May this trip be a safe one…

Day 297 : Goodbye Sydney

It has been six fantabulous days in Sydney and it’s time to Scoot home. I still can’t get over the fact that I paid only S$297.17 for a return ticket with 15kg check-in lugguage from Singapore to Sydney. *Pat on my back* for acting fast when the budget airline ran a special promotion for its fares.

Perhaps one day, I may need only a one way ticket to Sydney.

Day 296 : Art Making Waves at Bondi Beach

Sun, sea, sand, and… goose pimples. The ball of lava in the sky may be turned on, but the nautical fan at Bondi Beach was switched on at full blast, bringing on a cold front that made my skeleton wish it wasn’t in my body. Chilled to the bones and fingers starting to feel like they didn’t belong to me had me missing the honesty of Singapore’s weather. When the sun is out, it is hot.

I came to the beach today because I visited 12 years ago and wanted to come back again to refresh my memory. As winter hasn’t retired entirely and it was a Monday, the beach was practically deserted.

My main objective was to bum by the beach but since it was too cold to lose even a strand of hair, I decided to focus on my second purpose of coming here… and that’s to check out the 16th annual outdoor coastal art exhibition, Sculpture by the Sea. The exhibition runs from 18 Oct – 4 Nov 2012.

Energetic aquamarine waves put up quite a show, such a pity that the beach had no audience for the lively waters.

Photo of Bondi Beach taken in year 2000. The sand was tan perfect but the seawater almost turned me into a popsicle.

Play time in 2000. Too bad I didn’t get to swim in the sea this time round.

All wrapped up like a chunky mango in 2012. The thin windbreaker, berms and slippers were a terrible choice as my fingers and toes were numbed to the point that I felt I couldn’t snap any more photos or walk any further after about an hour capturing the works of Sculpture by the Sea.

Sculpture : Ghost Net Corcodile.

Sculptures : Dream Stone (front), Mirador (right, back).

Sculpture : Stationary Shape.

Sculpture : Upside Down Again.

Sculpture : Sea Nest.

Sculpture : Gregarious.

Sculpture : I Am So Sorry.

Sculpture : The Optimist.

Sculpture : View TM.

Despite the biting cold, I had a great time checking out the numerous sculptures. Many were beautiful, some were really creative and amusing, while a few had me baffled about their artistic quality.

I would have gladly fought the cold and stayed longer on the 2km exhibition trail from Bondi to Tamarama Beach but rain came in shortly after I shot the ViewTM photo. If I get the chance again, I would definitely come back to photograph future editions of Sculpture by the Sea. The free public event is definitely worth braving the cold for!

Related Post : Sydney – Sculpture by the Sea 2012

Day 295 : Rocking the Sydney Arts Scene

Following yesterday’s tantalising time of sea coast hopping, today was a somewhat cultural experience of Sydney with a leisurely browse through the Museum of Contemporary Art, The Rocks weekend market and stroll to Pylon Lookout for an elevated appreciation of Circular Quay. It’s wonderful that there are so many things to see within close walking distance.

The Museum of Contemporary Art had me kinda scratching my head because it felt more art gallery, not so much museum. Then again, I wasn’t sure what to expect since ‘contemporary’ defies definition and seems a very inclusive concept. I think trying to historicised the contemporary movement in art like a museum would is an abstract artform in itself.

When it’s the weekends, one of the not-to-be-missed outing would be to visit The Rocks and its weekend market brimming with creativity. This is definitely the place to hunt for some unusual gifts, but be prepared to thin the wallet or lighten that purse.

Passing through The Rocks weekend market, the next natural path to follow would be that which leads to Pylon Lookout. Guarding the passage across Sydney Bridge, the two watch towers offer an aerial view of the surrounding area but I think only one of them grants public access at a fee of A$15.00.

I didn’t go on the Pylon lookout because the weather was very grey today and I didn’t want to spend money to go up for washout shots. Even without ascending the heights of Pylong Lookout, Sydney Bridge offered a sweeping vantage of Circular Quay.

We ended our day pretty early and I got time to head for a jog near my friends’ place (where I have been graciously allowed to stay) before dinner. They directed me to run around Victoria Park and I was pleasantly delighted to learn that the University of Sydney is within the park grounds.

I wanted to jog to burn those mega doses of Australian carbs I’ve been enjoying. But it ended up as a photography session with my phone cam instead. I should just ditch all imaging gadgets at home the next time I go jogging.

From afar, I saw this imposing castle-like building that looked like a fantasy came to life.

I thought it’s some exclusive country club but it turned out to be the campus of the University of Sydney!

Passing through the tunnel of time.

It’s Hogwarts! So very Harry Porter-ish.

Modern wing of the uni.

A rich velvety crimson sunset wrapped up the day. It’s unusual to be jogging while on vacation, but it made me feel so much more a part of this amazing Australian city. Totally loving every moment here!

Day 294 : Coast to Coast Sydney

It’s the weekend and a gorgeous one that would lure any turtle out of its shell for a suntan. I had the good fortune of my friends’ company and not only did they play chauffeur for the day, they put the play in the day.

Our excursion started with dim sum brunch at Sydney Fish Market followed by a drive to La Perouse then Watsons Bay and a peek-a-boo of a nudist beach. The coastlines around Sydney are just so fascinating!

View of Anzac Bridge from Sydney Fish Market. It is a bridge to mark the bilateral relations between Australia and New Zealand.

Year 2000 photo taken at Sydney Fish Market’s outdoor dining area.

Crabsolutely mouth-watering seafood at the Fish Market. The lobsters looked like they belonged in my stomach but didn’t get a chance to feed on them this trip. Maybe the next time.

Playing with food in 2000.

Pano view of La Perouse with a 19th century customs tower on the left.

Bridge linking mainland to Bare Island Fort, Botany Bay.

Watsons Bay.

Plunging cliffs and crashing waves… simply masjestic!

There’s a nudist beach called Lady Jane Beach on Watsons Bay and we took a hike to have a look. Along the way, we encountered this tree stump shaped like a person’s behind. Oooh… it feels so firm! LOL

That’s the small patch of secluded beach popular with nudists and gawking tourists.

Did some voyeurism of our own and wow… this guy caught a huge sea cucumber between his legs!

Checking out Lady Jane Beach in 2000. Being Singaporean, of course I don’t have the balls to go nude. That was then. But now, well, I think not having a tanline is kinda hot.

Catching the sunset at Camp Cove is awesome.

If I were to migrate to Sydney, the city’s seafronts would be one of my key reasons to settle here. I’m so in love with the easily accessible beaches and the open culture. Time to start finding out what it takes to stay longer down under!

Day 293 : Walkabout Sydney

Beautiful weather today with bright sunshine and just the right amount of cold for a comfortable walk around Circular Quay. So armed with my cameras and a huge smile inside, I set off to remember the famous Sydney waterfront and uncovered a lot more than I did 12 years ago…

Leaving my crib for this trip. My friends from Sydney have kindly put me up at their apartment at Dangar Place. It is in the neighbourhood known as Chippendale off a street called Abercrombie.

On the way to Central Railway Station, a 7-minute walk from Dangar Place.

Riding the railway in year 2000.

Station with a view!

What better way to complement the grand view of Circular Quay than with fresh fish and chips and creamy shrimp salad? Well, it’s a bad way actually. As soon as I walked onto the quay holding this, the seagulls came. Before long, one of them took a dive at my food and I can’t tell if the white cream on my salad was not mixed with birdie poo. Lunch, which cost A$14.50, was ruined!

Checking out Circular Quay in 2000.

Didn’t see this crane fountain that I took a photo with in 2000 during this recent trip. Guess the birds took off. UPADTE : Made a boo-boo. The crane fountain is still in Darling Harbour and NOT at Circular Quay. Thanks to Fern who shared with me in the comment section of this post. I’m such a muddlehead.

Photo of Sydney Bridge taken in year 2000.

Sydney Bridge taken in 2012 with a feathered friend. This is one of my favourite photos on this trip. Not perfect framing, but a perfect moment with the seagull looking into my phone cam.

Didn’t get to see Sydney Opera House upclose in 2000.

Taken in 2000 with Pentax. It’s a film camera back then.

Finally got a chance to see the iconic building that means Australia.

Reflection of Circular Quay off a glass side of the Opera House.

Me in 2012. Some things never change. I just realised from the year 2000 photos I dug up for this blog entry that caps and waistpouches are my fashion staples.

Moving on from the Opera House, I crossed over to the adjourning Royal Botanic Gardens. It’s a really picturesque place.

The historical Government House within the Gardens’ grounds.

Art Gallery of New South Wales just outside the Gardens.

They are not sisters and more than just good friends. You get the drift…

St. Mary’s Cathedral. No photography inside though. Quite a pity coz the interior has great potential to be photogenic.

A French fountain at Hyde Park. The park is right opposite the cathedral.

Retracing the steps of my Circular Quay visit 12 years ago and leaving new footprints on my Sydney trail this trip made for an amazing day. I took this vacation alone. I felt I wanted to just be by myself. And I’m glad I didn’t bore me

Day 292 : Blue Mountains Day Trip

Booked myself on a day trip and it brought me to Featherdale Wildlife Park, Blue Mountains, and Jenolan Caves. Total cost of the outing was A$39.50 (transport) + A$106.50 (entrance fees + lunch + other charges).

But it was worth it. My favourite was getting upclose with koalas and wallabies and feeding them. They are just SO FREAKING CUTE!

Blue Mountains was a little disappointing though, but Jenolan Caves was fascinating. The trip was, as with all guided tours, very rush but the real downer was the 3-hour minibus ride back into the city without any toilet breaks. My bladder was ready to burst by the second hour. Such a torture!

The day trip last from 8am – 7pm. It can be booked through one of the many tour agencies at Sydney’s Chinatown, which is near Central Railway Station.

So tempted to grab one home as a pet! The smaller species of kangeroo like the ones in this photo is known as wallaby.

Grey and greedy.

Red-coated wallaby that reminded of a very big rat.

Featherdale Wildlife Park has a collection of native reptiles on display. Look! This thorny lizard has made friends with a Carpet Python.

Blue Mountains is one of the major attractions in Sydney but I found it to be kind of a whole lot of nothing. We only got to see The Three Sisters from the Katoomba Echo Point’s vantage and took a series of short Cableway, Railway and walking tours.

Taking the Railway up a steep ascend which provided quite some thrills as rocks and vegetatian rush past on both sides and overhead.

Sculptures depicting the locale’s aboriginal tribe at play can be found at the main entrance to Blue Mountains’ visitor centre.

I think it would be best to explore the nakedness of Blue Mountains on a self-drive trip.

After lunch, we took another hour’s ride to arrive at Jenolan Caves. Saw this beautiful lizard sunning itself on the rocks and was absolutely thrilled by the possibly of a close encounter with wildlife.

Jenolan Caves consists of a series of magnificent limestone cave systems that are the oldest open caves in the world.

A gallery of cascading stalactites and curious stalagmites stand as the souvenirs of time.

Weaving like the laced tussles of a flamenco dancer’s skirt, this collection of stalactites overhead in one of the cave chambers is simply captivating!

My favourite speleothem formation is this striking cloth-like stalactite affectionately referred to as the “Guide’s Hankerchief”.