What can I say about the Greater Blue Mountains? Well, they were there, tantalizingly shrouded in the fog when I visited in June of 2012. Eucalyptus trees lined the bluffs above the Jamison Valley on my hike from Echo Point to the famed Three Sisters rock formation, and a host of invisible birds announced their presence from the valley floor below. The Three Sisters revealed themselves at the last moment as an almost Avatar-like landscape of rock islands floating in the clouds, making the bridge crossing over the fog-covered chasm a rather surreal experience. Although I found the scenic viewpoints pretty useless during my visit, the experience of a natural wilderness revealing itself with each step into the unknown was pretty amazing. The Blue Mountains are only an hour or two west of Sydney, but they felt a world away, and I can only imagine what the park is like with better weather. The town of Katoomba, gateway to Echo Point and the Three Sisters, was pleasant and reason enough for me to return. And I'll have to make my way back if I ever have hope to see the vistas promised in all the travel literature.

Logistics: The Greater Blue Mountains are approximately one to two hours west of Sydney, depending on traffic; there are many trails near the base town of Katoomba.