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Few of the world’s major metropolitan cities can lay claim to possessing over 1,000,000 hectares of World Heritage wilderness in their backyard, but the Blue Mountains are so near Sydney that a great many residents actually commute to Australia’s largest city every day. If you are taking the train from Katoomba, the largest town within the Blue Mountains, to Sydney’s Central Business District, you are able to be in the office before you’ve finished reading the morning paper. Traveling in the other direction is like being teleported into another dimension. One minute you’re in the bustling financial center of Sydney and suddenly you’re in the middle of an awe inspiring wilderness, staring across endless ranges of blue-green forests, down the dizzying face of the sheer 300 foot cliff face or up at the cascading waterfall. The Blue Mountains are an outdoor and adventure lover’s paradise. There are such a lot of trails crisscrossing the hills and canyons of these ranges that enthusiastic hikers (or bush walkers, as we say in Australia) can undoubtedly spend weeks exploring just those around Katoomba or neighboring Leura and never take the same trail twice. The cliffs of the Blue Mountains enjoy legendary status among rock climbers the world over and mountain bike lovers assemble there to enjoy the many winding trails which have been created just for his or her enjoyment. If you have never been to the Blue Mountains before, you’ll be able to see the best of them from Katoomba. Just walk or drive down the main street of town until you come to Echo Point and the famed Three Sisters. You could have probably seen these Sisters in pictures, since they have been photographed thousands of times before and been featured in numerous ad campaigns. You won’t be disappointed, though, when you “meet” the Sisters in person for the very first time. Only then will you really appreciate the sheer extent of the cliff faces and breadth of the scenery. If you are a climber, you will head straight for the Giant Staircase that takes you to the valley floor and head to the cliff faces, where you can tackle some of the hundreds of classic climbing routes that dot the area. Hikers, too, love to take this staircase and “go bush.” If you are looking to get away from it all but only have a day to do it in, by the time you’ve reached the bottom of the stairs you actually have gotten away from it all. Surrounded by nature at its best, from the valley floor the only signs of civilization you observe are the helpful signs which are posted inconspicuously along Federal Pass, which skirts the fringe of the cliffs between Katoomba and nearby Leura. After a day of hiking or climbing, the lazy or the exhausted might take the world’s steepest railway line up to the top of the cliffs and back to civilization. While it is easily possible to do all of this in a single day and be back in Sydney in time for bed, once you have arrived in the Blue Mountains, you won’t want to leave. Fortunately, finding a snug Katoomba Bed and Breakfast is easy. You can choose from among the many inexpensive backpackers hostels in town, a charming bed and breakfast or a cliffside motel. Katoomba residents are all outdoor lovers themselves and know how to look after weary hikers and climbers. Wander up Katoomba Street after dark and enjoy a hearty and well earned meal at one of the many cafes and restaurants that line the streets. You’ve earned it.
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