The Ghan Train Outback Australia

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March 25 We Ride The Ghan

We thoroughly enjoyed our twenty-four ride on the Ghan train. The train runs between Darwin in the north to Adelaide in the south of Australia. We joined the train in Alice Springs. It is probably similar to riding the Orient Express, quite elegant. There were 38 cars that day so the train needed three extra 'power vans'. Barry and I had our own personal stateroom. Very functional. There was one huge picture window and one sofa to sit on. Facing the sofa were two tiny closets and the bathroom. The sink and toilet both folded into the wall when not in use! The shower used the whole space - it was about the size of the bathroom in our trailer at home.
We were encouraged to walk from car to car and that was a trick. We had a late dinner seating so whenever the dinner dong sounded we made our way through three cars to the dining room, bouncing and lurching all the way. There was also a bar/lounge car we could go to sit in. The hallways outside the staterooms are extremely narrow and it was a bit challenging squeezing past people who were walking the opposite direction!

Dinner was served at fancy tables and the food was excellent. Sleeping was a bit of a challenge too. The sofa had been made into twin bunks when we got back from dinner. Barry expected to fall asleep to the gentle sway he remembered from the ship. But the beds faced sideways in the train, not bow to stern, and he found the motion strange. I found a night-light in the middle of the night and was quite pleased with myself until I heard gentle knocking on our door - I had triggered the emergency switch and the nightman had come to see if we were alright!

As for riding through the outback, it wasn't coloured red like normal but very green! The ground was quite green all the way from Alice Springs to southern Australia. We passed rivers that were quite full, especially the Pinky River. We were told it rarely runs with water. The rain storms that hit recently really made the green grasses grow quickly. Part of the reason we didn't see kangaroos was because they have so much food now they don't need to eat grass near the train tracks.

We spent three days in Adelaide, two wandering around the town. It's a reasonably-sized town and easy to walk around. I love food/craft markets (like Granville St. Market) and we found one near Chinatown. The grapes are delicious, newly ripe here.

On our last day we took a tour to Kangaroo Island which is about 200 km. long and 100 km. wide, off the coast of Adelaide. We met a couple from Adelaide who told us it was a MUST to do. We'd go again because it was worth it but it was a horribly long day of sitting in a bus. We left at 6:15 and didn't get home till 10:30. A catamaran took us over to the island and a tour guide drove us for hours. Much of the island is farm land, the rest is a national park and animal sanctuary. It poured with rain for a couple of hours but we managed to see different kinds of sea lions from only a few feet away, we enjoyed a Birds Of Prey show put on by a cousin of Steve Irwin and saw exceptionally beautiful rock outcroppings. Near the end the bus driver let us all off and told us to walk along a pathway, looking up into the trees. There were several koalas, sound asleep in the branches of gum (eucalyptus) trees. One suddenly woke up and climbed down a ways to have a look at us. There was a movement close to Barry and me and a wallaby ambled past. Obviously they're used to tourists. We didn't walk near the kangaroos but they barely looked over at us as the bus drove slowly past them.

The island is amazingly beautiful and really worth seeing. I'd suggest you stay on the island in a B&B or camp and see it over a few days.

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Comments

[Eric]

I enjoyed your Outback post. It reminded me of my time there. My blog is looking for some good travel photos. If you have time, check us out at dirty-hippies.blogspot.com Continued fun on your travels, Eric

[Jaye]

Have fun for me
Oh, I love going to markets too! Your train trip brought back wonderful memories of Don and I travelling from Edmonton to the east coast in a suite with our two tiny daughters (car and labrador retriever in a freight car)! Don's in Halifax, Connors are midway through their Kaui trip. The sun is shining and the trees are leafing out. I'm busy with CoalWatch, and am heading off for a swim now. Your trip sounds amazing! Love to you both. Jaye

[Smithy]

Pinky River?? You mean the Finke River.