So... Katoomba is a bit trying on the tourism end...

Both Karl and I want to leave rather critical reviews of Central Blue Mountains Backpackers on hostels.com because it's probably the worst hostel we've stayed in. If I come back, I'll definitely try the Flying Fox of check out the YHAs a bit close to the trail heads. It was just so sterile feeling and noisy and just pretty unfriendly, especially compared to Tassie. It's brand new and the showers were cold! I'd rather have a bit of dirt if it means more character! (Hasn't there always been something charming about the PigPen character in Charlie Brown?)

The walks... you start at the top, get down to the bottom of the valley, and then hike back up at the end! We climbed down the Golden Staircase and headed off to Ruined Castle (that really looked like a ruined castle in the evening sunlight once we'd crossed to the other side of the valley!) It was really a pile of rocks that Karl scampered up like a giddy schoolboy. That walk was beautiful until the crowds of people rolled in after lunch. We abandoned the rocks to start traversing the perimeter of the valley -- a trek that ultimately carried us about 13 km and up 902 steps!

We took the Landslide Pass which met the Scenic Railway and Forest boardwalk. We immediately snapped out of enchantment when faced with such ridiculous crowds-- tourists with countless cameras, rude kids who just jumped in front of signs we were reading, ceaseless chatter and screaming. All this from the people who were too lazy to walk into the valley themselves and had to take the darn railway down. (I'd like to take this opportunity to thank my father for instilling in me the reclusiveness that I've come to associate with nature... thanks Dad) Needless to say, we got out of there quick and resumed our comfortable trek that consisted of meandering both in words and steps- we took our time, checking out views and sharing our thoughts on things. It's funny how the wilderness brings out true humanity. Fits right in with the book I'm reading now, Wild at Heart...

The walk culminated with the arrival at the Giant Staircase, a massive construction that climbed 700 or so metres directly up a cliff face. As I said, it had 902 steps and we made it up, commenting tht, at last we will feel tired at the end of the day.

Ending at the Three Sisters, a major Aboriginal landmark, we exited the valley only to meet some friendly folk frm the Sydney Universities-- several guys we'd met at the hostel the night before. They directed us home and we walked it-- making the walking total for the day somewhere around 15 or 16 kilometers.

We stopped for a 6-pack of Boag's Draught, cooked a massive chicken, rice and french fries meal, and spent the night chatting with our new friends from Sydney. Funny blokes! Excited that maybe I'll see them again.

Met a couple from France who were sharing our room. They were on a round the world adventure (South America to New Zealand to Australia, from AU to India and then Nepal!) We got the feeling that they're not so impressed by Sydney and the Blue Mountains-- they, like us, want to get off the beaten path (they want to go on overnight bushwalks, even!) and really detest this overly touristy stuff. Sometimes it seems that Australians milk their attractions so much that they cease to be magical and inviting. I guess that's my only real complaint about this place, that they don't do a good job with the tourism industry even though it's so huge.