Since I only had a few days left before I was due to fly to Cairns, and I had pretty much done all there is to see and do in Sydney, I decided to catch the train to Katoomba in the Blue Mountains. (You may recognise them from a music video by The Darkness). Loads of companies offer shuttle bus tours, mostly for just one day, but after some investigation I decided it would be cheaper and actually easier if I did it by myself. The train journey was ok, I slept most of it thanks to the monontony of stop-starting at about 250 provincial stations along the way. The YHA hostel there has won numerous awards and is cheap at only 25 bucks a night. I was in an eight person dorm which was cool and after a quick home-made meal I went 'walkabout'. Trekking down a path towards the area's mpst famous spot, The Three Sisters, I saw loads of different wildlife and, when finally reaching the aforementioned sight, decided to see 'what was down these steps'. I missed the sign that read 'Steep Steps - Experienced Walkers Only, No Entry After 4:30pm'. Having drank all my water, I embarked down the said steps. They went on and on and on and were literally hugging the mountain side - several hundred metres up. After a while I was flagging, and with no end in sight, nor a decent view to boot, I decided to turn back and count the steps up. 600 later I was back at the top dying from exhaustion, it was in the thirties again, and I was much in need of a drink. This is when I rediscovered the joys of ginger beer, one swift bottle later and I was trekking back to the hostel via the local hypermarket for a bottle of the brown stuff. I cracking meal (no pasta in sight) lead to a power nap and a night laying around the huge sofa area in the hostel reading, eating cookies and drinking ginger beer. 'This is the life' I thought.

Monday was all about a birthday treat, from myself to myself. I was off canyoning. Now for those who have no idea what this is, then basically you and a group of fellow adventure fools don wetsuits and then march down a gorge jumping and sliding into rock pools and having a blast. The morning focused on abseiling down a couple of rock faces before a hearty lunch and then to the canyon. More steps loomed, which brought back horrible memories of the previous day, and then, as if by magic, we were in a secluded part of the canyon starting our adventure. The tip is to stay at the back and take pictures and look at the fabulous views on offer, after only a few minutes of stumbling through knee-high cold river water came the first jump, backwards. You had to go backwards just to be sure that if you did hit the rock you were diving over then your rucsac would take the blunt of the impact. It was cracking, the jump that is, not my back. The shock of landing in the water and going under brought you up gasping for air, it was flipping freezing. You then had to scramble out over slippery rocks making you look like a new-born calf. Several jumps and slides later and we were at the final descent, a thirty metre abseil down a waterfall. I was one of the last to go and it was such a good experience. The water pelted onto your helmet, you hands and feet were slipping all over the place, if you were unlucky, like me, you kissed the rock face before a free fall into a rock pool. Awesome, and well worth doing. The day rounded off a lovely meal with more ginger beer and a night chatting to a couple of tourists from America. Whilst getting washed and brushing my teeth before bed, in to the huge male bathroom came a French guy,
acknowledged me, went in to a shower cubicle and proceeded to start singing, seemingly oblivious to the fact that I was there. I was in hysterics.

Tuesday was my birthday and so we went out for a picnic near The Three Sisters. Strawberries and chocolate, accompanied by doritos and water, idyllic. We went along the face of the mountains to the water fall and the steepest railway in the world. We went up it backwards, 55 degree angle up through the mountain tunnel was an experience to say the least. On the night we played cards and went for a lovely chinese meal. One great birthday! (thanks to all those who sent messages!)

Wednesday we headed back to Sydney, and I made the most of the facilities in the hostel by doing some much needed washing and then purchased my Greyhound ticket for the East Coast. We also made our third and final trip to Pancakes on the Rocks, it was emotional, before meeting up with some Sydneysider friends.

That leads me nicely up to today, Thursday. I flew from Sydney this morning to Cairns where I am now. Went for a stroll around the town this afternoon and first impressions are that it's ok but a little too keen to promote everything to the backpacker. Not a lot of character and no beach! Instead there is a lagoon which sounds like it's a good idea as on the front page of the local newspaper is a story about a police officer being attacked by a croc whilst snorkellng. It clamped it's mouth round his head and shoulders and took him out to deeper water. He survived thanks to his wife in a motor boat. With this in mind, I have (stupidly?) booked a snorkelling trip out to the Barrier Reef for Saturday. I also get twenty minutes diving time and about five hours in total out in the Pacific. Should be awesome.

The plan for Sunday/Monday is an overnight stay at Cape Tribulation north of Cairns where the rainforest meets the ocean. It'ssupposedly beautiful so that's something else to look forward to.

Well, that's about it, hope you enjoyed the read and you are still awake. I sincerely hope the weather where you are is ok, here it is in the thirties and the humidity is unbearable. Air-con is a must. Have a great time and all the best.

James