The approach road leading into the Jenolan Caves tourist centre is quite magnificent in itself. It looks as if someone has ripped a giant gash in the side of the mountain, and then built a road throuhg it.

Before embarking on one of the main guided tours, most visitors explore the nearby Pirate's Cove, which is suitably evocative.

The Guided Tours themselves are absolutely superb. There is a good range to choose from, and all are well-conducted, easy to enjoy, safe, informative and thrilling. Peter Rodgers and I had time to take two tours, and if time has allowed I would probably have gone on all of them. The Jenolan Caves are more than a match for any writer, poet, artist or fantasist. This is truly a world apart, a subterranean lair of shapes and formations, contours and colours that do not exist elsewhere. Witnessing these grand, solemn fireworks in stone, created from infinite time in endless darkness, one can only marvel at their feral architecture and slightly menacing permanence.

(Special thanks to Alynda Brown and her sister, who did much to make this trip to the Caves happen, and to make it such a success.)

This was my favourite formation. I dubbed it the 'Eagle', because it reminded me of Eagle Point on the Grand Canyon (see below).

And finally, just for the person who thinks they have seen everything, may I point out that they sometimes hold cello concerts inside the Caves. Funny, you'd think the caves would be more suited to... wait for it... rock music!! (Thank you, thank you, yes, comedy is alive and well on the internet.)