Hot Tip

When in Sydney, do as Sydneysiders do and head for the Blue Mountains. This gathering of gorges, gum trees and cliffs, named after the mist that rises from the area's eucalyptus trees, is 65 km from Sydney (a two-hour train journey from Central station, or a two- to three-hour drive depending on how often you stop to view the scenery). The visitors' centers along the Great Western Highway offer excellent vantage points and local guidebooks for prospective bushwalkers. The town of Katoomba--home to the truly awesome Three Sisters rock formation and an array of guesthouses, gift shops, restaurants and good hiking trails--is a hill station long favored by city folks escaping the summer heat. It now has an added attraction: the annual Blue Mountains folk festival, which began in 1996. This year's shindig (Feb. 26-28) boasts 50 concerts by top musicians from Australia and around the world. If toe tapping and banjo playing are too tame for your taste, sign up for a bush-survival course at a local mountaineering school.

R E L A T E D   L I N K S
More Blue Mountains travel information at http://www.mountains.com.au and http://www.bluemountains.au.com