Sydney Day 2

I slept like a rock---I was so exhausted, I didn't get up until Breakfast was served at 7--we got cereal and toast at this hostel--yeah kind of lame---I found peanut butter so breakfast ended up being half-way decent then. Then it was off to the Blue Mountains. On the way there we stopped at Echo Point where we saw the three sisters (3 huge rock formations right next to each other) and saw the blue mountains from a distance with the fog peaking over the top. It was very chilly today---everyone wore tanks and shorts but hurried back to the bus to get jackets and pants---it stayed around 40 I want to say and felt even cooler by the mountains. It is said at this point, one can shout and it echos all around the mountains and back to the point.
We headed off to the blue mountains next where we took a train to the bottom--this was much like a roller coaster which has a straight vertical drop---it went very slow but the train was completely parallel to the tracks-in between walls of rocks-what a way to get to the bottom. Once we reached the bottom, Lyn showed us around on a trail hike through the rain forest--this path was paved and guard railed--nothing like Mount Warning---we saw tons of birds and millions of neat trees and branches---I thought Tarzan was going to swing by with such huge branches everywhere. After hiking around for about an hour, we made it to the end where a cable car picked us up and took us back to the top. The cable car was like the head of a monorail or air elevator I guess. We got to see the 3 sisters again and drove through some of the blue mountains---what a majestic sight from the top. There was even one point on the way that looks like we squeeze through the rocks---the driver made us hold our breath so we would make it. After getting to the top, we had a little time to shop and then were off to Katoomba---it was a little town close to the Blue Mountains. Lots of coffee shops, restaurants, and stores so I just walked around town, had my peanut and banana sandwich and then got back on the bus.
We were headed off to the famous Bondi Beach---unfortunately it was a tid bit nipply today so none of us got in the water. The beach was pretty empty too so we all just walked around the beach front shops and then headed back to the hostel. Everyone cleaned off and then some of us went to eat at the Great Southern Hotel Restaurant---I had delicious chicken parmigiana and steamed vegetables--mmm!! Then it was off to the Mardi Gras Gay pride parade. We had to walk around all the fences to get anywhere close---we ended having to push up to the front but I made it to the fence right before it started---we watched about 6 or 7 floats go by, lots of cross dressers, boas, bright colors, and short shorts!! It was a sight to see! Then it was off to some pubs---we went to two different dance clubs--the Scubar and the Side Bar which were close to the hostel. We saw tons of dressed up people--with masks, fairy wings, and boas on--it was a lot like halloween in the States. After leaving the bar, a few of us students decided to walk around town and check out Chinatown. As a joke, a few students and I decided to go into an "adult store" because there were so many of them in the town. And wow was it weird---everything was from the 1980's and looks dusty and had been sitting there forever----what an odd experience! We got a little lost trying to find the hostel but eventually found it and it was off to bed for me.