today was a free day, so people did a variety of activities.  The schedule item was the Darwin walk at Wentworth Falls some people did that walk while others participated in other hikes or went shopping.  The following is my day:

We started the day with a leasurely breakfast, the laundry was then done so it could dry on the line during the day.  Our goal for the day was to attend sites in the Lithgow area as a possible future a day trip for another exchange. First we visited at historic Presbyterian Church in Bowenfels. We then went into Lithgow to see the Hoskinn Memorial church and its beautiful grounds.  Our next stop was small homes used by the Welsh miners at the vale of Clwydd.  The site of the original steelworks in Australia was next.  Part of the old blast furnace building is there with several signs explaining its history.  We stopped at the pagoda sandstone outcroppings and took a short hike.  After a stop at the post office and the chemist in Lithgow, we returned home for lunch.  Following lunch it was back to nature and Hassan Walls Reserve at Bracey Lookout with expansive views and vistas of the area.  

Packing for a Friday flight was the next tas.  Items were placed in suitcases and weighed on scales.  

The day ended with the farewell dinner at the grand new hotel in Wentworth Falls.  Dinner was a choice of chicken or salmon with a desert of cheesecake or chocolate mousse.  Each ED gave a talk about our week together.  After dessert Richard Bird gave some comparisons of Australia and America.  We then had two teams play a game making five letter words with five cards each containing two letters.  The players had to arrange themselves in order as the Bigfoot story was read by Helen Flach.  We each received a card with a photo of ourselves with our hosts and another whole group photo.  The evening ended with a whole group holding hands in a circle of peace and singing.

By Nancy Sillwell