Summer in Australia - Day 24: The Blue Mountains

Before Sydney, we took one last inland detour towards the escarpment, and up into the famous Blue Mountains. Walking along the very green trails that hug the edge of the escarpment and pass beautiful waterfalls, it was not hard to see why this area has been a favorite weekend escape from Sydney for over a century. And, why "Blue"? It turns out that all the gum and eucalyptus tree oil in the air gives the mountains their characteristic color.