Something was spread for sure.
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Blue mountains are great in winter. Wishing all TANites a Happy New Year!
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Great in summer too.
Gotta say Katoomba is a bit scruffy. It could do with a spruce up. Not sure why itās like that as itās not far from Sydney and has plenty going for it. It might be that most people just do a day trip from the city and donāt spend much money in the hotels and restaurants.
Try Blackheath or some of the other smaller towns (canāt remember names). We had a lovely honeymoon (in winter) there. I think Katoomba has a fair number of squeezed out of sydneysiders hence the āscruffinessā. The wealthier towns with weekenders and farms etc grew a bit further along the train line.
Yeah, I know Blackheath and Leura etc. They are more prosperous looking. Katoomba has quite a few empty shops and run down looking properties. Not sure why.
Iām not complaining, weāre in the best place in Katoomba, but itās a bit sad that the town feels neglected.
Covid killed the backpacker trade for a few years, probably affected the local businesses quite yard especially with costs rising across the board. I was in the Blue Mountains for a few days during my travels. I loved that eucalypt smell.
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Travelling up to Katoomba from the 'gong was a very regular occurrence when I was a kid. I remember every time weād come up weād visit this guy with a model railway in his back garden. Iām not sure where but I can literally picture the entrance to his his property and even where the railway line went.
2 decades later and Katoomba was where my wife found out she was pregnant with our first child.
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Backpackers as customers donāt spend much. Theyāre good as cheap labour, but thereās a large pool of that not far away in the Western Suburbs.
I think the main problem is that the affluent Sydneysiders donāt stay long enough to pump large sums into the economy.
We had a great time there. Probably my sixth or seventh visit to Las MontaƱas Azules.
I made $28,000AUD during my time there and spent all of that plus $10k moreā¦
Just in case anyone is missing homeā¦ @1:45 + 3:09 
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Going on a road trip up the coast to Byron Bay at the end of the month. Forster, Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour, Yamba etc.
I mention it to:
1, See if anyoneās got any tips, and
2, Make you jealous.
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Make sure to stop off in Nimbin, it is a legal requirement for everyone going to Byron Bay 
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Have you asked the people there whether they want you there?
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Has that been an issue for you? Iām not intending to do any stand up ācomedyā along the way. That may be where you went wrong.
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Thanks. It looks like itās full of hippies.
Australia has been fortunate so far that my wind of comedy hasnāt swept in yet
No need to do stand up comedy, just show em your posts on TAN, thatāll make em laugh 
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Iāll have you know that my posts are considered serious and thought provoking and are often quoted by Nobel prize winners and the like.