20100905 onto the Indian Pacific at Adelaide

( Map Link ) (Picture Link – O) (Picture Link – D)

Up early, into the dining room for breakfast (bacon and eggs again). Then back to the room to pack for the train trip. We judiciously chose things to go into the little cases which we will take on board. The large suitcases will be checked into the “luggage van” and be inaccessible until we reclaim them in Perth.

Then out onto the A20 to Adelaide. We chose to enter the city itself since we had plenty of time. We wandered up and down a few streets until I happened to see the symbol for the railroad station. We turned in and parked, then examined the station. The train “The Ghan” was being serviced prior to departure for Alice Springs and Darwin in the north. We looked at the “Train Shop” to see what we might buy later. We watched the check-in process. Convinced we would have no trouble, we left.

Out of the Adelaide tourist brochure, we picked a place in the hills east of town to see, named the Cleland Conservation Park on Mount Lofty. We took the M1 southeast out of town into the hills and turned out for the Park. We drove along the ridge, then down into a small valley where the park's wildlife center was found.

We bought tickets and animal food, then went into the park proper. While we were studying the paths available, a small animal hopped out. It looked something like a very large rat, but it hopped. It was friendly, since it hopped straight to us. A park person came along so we asked, “What is that?” He told us it was a potoroo, and quite harmless. Then we wandered out into the first of several fenced areas.

The first contained a mess of damp kangaroos (did I mention that it started raining again?). Two or three were hungry enough to hop to us to be fed. We fed them and took the obligatory pictures. Then we found the wombat center – they were intelligent enough to be holed up in caves with windows through which we could view them. Pictures.

Then more kangaroos, some emus, rock-wallabies, and the tasmanian devils (appropriately ugly and ill-disposed (one hissed at the other as we stood there)). The cold and wet drove us back into the center, then out to the car.

We drove to the airport to turn in the car. Then we took a Sky-Link bus back to the train station, loftily named “Adelaide Parklands Terminal”. We checked in without problem and had something to drink. Then the Indian Pacific came in from Sydney and Broken Hill. Took pictures. The thing seems to be 100 cars long but must be less. It has two mammoth engines towing it. Dolores says she saw our car (“E”) just ahead of the lounge, which is just ahead of the dining car – that sounds perfect to me.

So now we're waiting for the train to be serviced and to board.... more later.

We boarded and were directed to our small cabin. Furnishings included a three-seat couch facing forward with let-down bunk bed over it, and a tiny room adjoining. In the tiny room the toilet could be let down or the sink could be pulled down for use. The whole tiny room can be used for a shower. There is enough storage space in the cabin in two shallow closets for hanging garments. Our carry-ons can be stowed over the shower room and under the couch. All-in-all, quite cozy but sufficient for our needs for two nights and a day.

We were instructed by staff in the use of the various implements and switches, and the timing of things was explained, by our passenger assistance person.

Then we went to the lounge while the first dinner seating went to the dining car. We pulled up glasses of wine. A group of ten including us began chatting across the aisle. We each told our first names and then started telling stories and learning about each other. We're the only Americans on board, it seems, but many of the crowd are going west for the wildflowers and other touring. Two couples we talked with have their cars on board and will drive back to New South Wales, where they live.

Then Leanne, a supervisor, came in to give the introductory talk. Champange was distributed as she went through some statistics. We have 28 “carriages” including three auto-carriers. There are 98 passengers including us in the Gold Service, and somewhat under 200 in all levels of service. When you think of the expense of running this train and seeing it's supported by only 200, one can see why the cost of passage is quite high.

The single engine towing this train is of Australian manufacture and is rated at 4,000 horsepower. Two of them are required to get over the hills from Sydney to Adelaide, but only one from Adelaide west due to the flat topography. The train will travel, we are told, at speeds up to 115 km/hour but the normal speed will be 60 to 80 for passenger comfort.

After a lot of talk, our seating for dinner was called. We sat randomly, not in assigned spaces. Dinner was quite nice – we had a little more wine, I had antipasto and a chicken breast then a cheese tray – Dolores had soup, ocean trout (salmon), and flan.

Then we were told our cabin person would wake us at 0600 with coffee to start the new day. It was already nearing 2300, so we returned to the cabin. After a lot of stumbling around and trying to find things in the carry-on, we went to bed. I ascended into the upper bunk via a tiny narrow ladder and Dolores took the lower, formerly the couch. The upper reminded me of my submarine days. The train rocked us to sleep.


20100906 on the Indian Pacific to Perth

(Map Link) (Picture Link – O)
(Video Link - Fields and Hot-Air Balloon)(18 mB)
(Video Link - Nullarbor Plain)(38 mB)
(Video Link - Cook SA)(42 mB)


I awoke at 0600 with Dolores scratching my arm to get me going. She'd been up since 0400 to watch the stars. We managed to get dressed without killing either of us, and did the things needed to be ready for the day. Jade brought coffee to us. The sun was just starting to rise behind the train and slightly to the right of it. For a change, the sky is blue and no rain is in sight.

We took a few pictures out the windows of the 10-15' tall scrub brush we were passing through, then went to the lounge to take pictures from there. Some of last night's group came in as well, so we chatted about our trip plans and things Australian. The sun came up and we could see the what little there was to see.

Suddenly, the terrain changed to be quite flat. The ground cover became somewhat sparse and only a couple of feet high. An occasional ten-foot-high tree could be seen. Then a train announcement was made to the effect that we had just entered the Nullarbor (“No Trees” in Latin) Plain.

The other seating went to breakfast as we continued talking and having fun. Then it was our turn for breakfast, which we took with Norm and his wife. We did our eggs, bacon, and toast with juice and coffee. The announcement then was made that we were entering Cook, South Australia, population seven. Cook is a re-fueling stop on the transcontinental rail line and has no other purpose. It is found just after (west of) the start of the world's longest straight railroad line, some 477 km on a tangent.

The train stopped and we all got out to stretch our legs. Dolores took off to take pictures of tiny desert flowers. I went ahead and shot a few pictures of the engine and cars of the train. Then I visited the tiny store in Cook to buy a couple of small souvenirs. The day was bright and sunny, but cool at 15*C with a slight breeze out of the north.

Then we got underway once more. Now we're a half-hour out of Cook and watching the Nullarbour pass by. The sheer expanse of the plain is stunning. A tree just went past. More later ….

Later. We went on westward, and stopped a few times to meet opposing traffic. We met the eastbound Indian Pacific and took pictures (video) of it as it departed for Adelaide – then we departed for Perth. We had a good lunch with another Australian couple, with lots of talk and comparisons, then settled in to view the tremendous, flat, open, spectacular, Nullarbor Plain.

Eventually we were told we were leaving the Nullarbor Plain, and the vegitation started increasing. But it got dark and we were called to dinner, which we took with Dex & Wanda and had more fun conversation. I hope these folks realize they're giving us a real education.

We went off to bed early, since we were facing another early rising and train departure. Great, great, day.