We had enjoyed breakfast at the Winkiku Restaurant in the hotel yesterday and so we went back there again today. After breakfast, we finished packing and checked out. Reception had offered us a coutesy room where could sit and wait for our bus to the airport.
Annie waited in the coutesy room while Suzy, Paul and I walked to the lookout within the resort. This is a small hill in the middle of the ring of hotels from which you get a good view of Ayres Rock in the distance.
Security at the Conellan airport was tight. They claim to have very sensitive detection equipment because of a nearby US military establishment.
We landed on time in Sydney. Annie and Paul caught a taxi home whereas Suzy and I got a lift home with Steph. Cleo was very pleased to see us.
Sunday, 31 May 2009
Saturday, 30 May 2009
Day 8 - Saturday 30th May
We didn’t yet have any bookings for today and so we slept in and had breakfast in the Winkiku restaurant at the hotel. They had an impressive selection range for breakfast.
We had been unsure what to do today because the forecast was for more rain with the likelihood of thunderstorms. Although it was cold and overcast, there was no sign of either rain or thunderstorms and there were even some sunny breaks. When I logged onto my laptop later in the morning, the radar showed that the showers and storms were in the Alice Springs area rather than Uluru.
Suzy and Annie decided to book a 15-minute helicopter tour of Ayres rock. I decided that I would keep my feet on the ground and so I booked a trip to Ayres Rock so I could walk around the base of the rock. The pickup for the helicopter was at 12:15pm whereas my pickup was at 12:30pm.
Suzy and Annie enjoyed the helicopter flight but the 15 minute journey was only really enough just to get to the rock and back. It didn’t fly around the rock.
The Uluru Express that took me to and from the rock was a small van for only 12 people. She dropped me at the base of the climb and suggested that I walk anticlockwise because I had already done the Mala Walk. I walked about 40% of the way around the rock and then decided that I didn’t quite have enough time to get all the way around before the pickup time and so I retraced my steps to the pickup point.
I went well rugged up. The maximum temperature today was only 13C and the wind made it feel colder. Normally, I don't wear a jumper when I go walking in Sydney during the day. Today I wore three layers and gloves most of the time. I was regretting that I hadn't packed my beanie for this holiday.
When I got back to the hotel at about 4:30pm, Suzy told me that the Sounds of Silence dinner was cancelled again tonight because of the weather and she had booked instead to go to the Arnguli Grill at the nearby Desert Gardens Hotel.
We had been unsure what to do today because the forecast was for more rain with the likelihood of thunderstorms. Although it was cold and overcast, there was no sign of either rain or thunderstorms and there were even some sunny breaks. When I logged onto my laptop later in the morning, the radar showed that the showers and storms were in the Alice Springs area rather than Uluru.
Suzy and Annie decided to book a 15-minute helicopter tour of Ayres rock. I decided that I would keep my feet on the ground and so I booked a trip to Ayres Rock so I could walk around the base of the rock. The pickup for the helicopter was at 12:15pm whereas my pickup was at 12:30pm.
Suzy and Annie enjoyed the helicopter flight but the 15 minute journey was only really enough just to get to the rock and back. It didn’t fly around the rock.
The Uluru Express that took me to and from the rock was a small van for only 12 people. She dropped me at the base of the climb and suggested that I walk anticlockwise because I had already done the Mala Walk. I walked about 40% of the way around the rock and then decided that I didn’t quite have enough time to get all the way around before the pickup time and so I retraced my steps to the pickup point.
I went well rugged up. The maximum temperature today was only 13C and the wind made it feel colder. Normally, I don't wear a jumper when I go walking in Sydney during the day. Today I wore three layers and gloves most of the time. I was regretting that I hadn't packed my beanie for this holiday.
When I got back to the hotel at about 4:30pm, Suzy told me that the Sounds of Silence dinner was cancelled again tonight because of the weather and she had booked instead to go to the Arnguli Grill at the nearby Desert Gardens Hotel.
Friday, 29 May 2009
Day 7 - Friday 29th May
We’d booked a walk at Kings Canyon this morning. There are two walks available – one along the ridge tops and another along the creek bed. We decided that the rim walk would be too strenuous for me after my recent cardiac surgery and so we decided on the creek walk.
There were two benefits of opting for the creek walk. Because it was shorter, we could sleep in and we got a hot breakfast rather than just a continental breakfast. The walk was going to be too uneven for Annie and so she had decided to do a helicopter tour of Kings Canyon instead.
Harry was our tour guide for the walk. He took us in one of APT’s 4WD buses on the 30 minute trip to Kings Canyon. The walk took about an hour.
We left the Wilderness Resort before noon, stopped briefly at the Kings Creek Station to buy take-away sandwiches for lunch and headed off on the drive back to the Ayres Rock Resort.
We stopped for a break at Curtin Springs which is about 80km from the Ayres Rock Resort. It soon became obvious why the tour buses don’t bother stopping here. It didn’t look its best because of the large puddles and mud in the parking area. However, it didn’t get much better. The most interesting feature was a tame emu that was sitting beside the petrol bowsers when we arrived and later got up to wander around the parking area.
We arrived at the hotel at about 3:15pm. For dinner we caught the shuttle bus to go to the Bough Restaurant at the Outback Pioneer Hotel. They offered a buffet dinner in a warm, dry location.
There were two benefits of opting for the creek walk. Because it was shorter, we could sleep in and we got a hot breakfast rather than just a continental breakfast. The walk was going to be too uneven for Annie and so she had decided to do a helicopter tour of Kings Canyon instead.
Harry was our tour guide for the walk. He took us in one of APT’s 4WD buses on the 30 minute trip to Kings Canyon. The walk took about an hour.
We left the Wilderness Resort before noon, stopped briefly at the Kings Creek Station to buy take-away sandwiches for lunch and headed off on the drive back to the Ayres Rock Resort.
We stopped for a break at Curtin Springs which is about 80km from the Ayres Rock Resort. It soon became obvious why the tour buses don’t bother stopping here. It didn’t look its best because of the large puddles and mud in the parking area. However, it didn’t get much better. The most interesting feature was a tame emu that was sitting beside the petrol bowsers when we arrived and later got up to wander around the parking area.
We arrived at the hotel at about 3:15pm. For dinner we caught the shuttle bus to go to the Bough Restaurant at the Outback Pioneer Hotel. They offered a buffet dinner in a warm, dry location.
Thursday, 28 May 2009
Day 6 - Thursday 28th May
We had another early start today because we were going to view the sunrise over Ayres Rock and so we had the alarm set for 5am. They were still forecasting rain for the next few days and a maximum today of only 15C. When we left, it was 12C and so the early morning temperature wasn’t as cold as it could have been.
The bus arrived at the hotel on time at 6am and drove us into the national park to a special area set aside to watch the sunrise. There were a few light showers but it held off most of the time we were waiting for the sunrise. As we waited, the rock changed colour but, because of the overcast sky, we did not see the sun.
Next, the bus took up to Kata Tjuta (the Olgas) – about 30 minutes away. There we went for a walk into the Walpa Gorge. It was a stony path that was a little slippery because of the showers and there was strong wind blowing down through the gorge. At the end, there was a viewing platform giving a good view back through the gorge. There is another walk at the Olgas called Valley of the Winds Walk but we found the Walpa Gorge Walk was windy enough.
We got back to the hotel at about 10:30am, packed up, checked out, picked up the hire car and had lunch. We set off on the 300km drive to Kings Canyon at 12:15pm, stopping a couple of times to take photos along the way.
As we got close to Kings Canyon, we stopped at Kings Creek Station to get petrol and coffee. When we headed off again, we missed the turn-off to the Kings Canyon Wilderness Resort. We thought it was close to the Kings Canyon Resort but it turned out that it is close to Kings Creek Station where we had stopped for petrol and so we had to double back about 40km.
We only drove past the Kings Canyon Resort but it didn’t look very impressive. We were glad that we’d booked at the Wilderness Lodge.
The Wilderness Resort is run by APT as a joint venture with Kings Creek Station. It consists of large tented cabins each with air conditioning, ensuite bathroom, 240V power and a double bed. Luxury camping. It is currently managed by Linda and Harry who we had met a couple of years ago on our holiday with APT in the Kimberleys because they were managing one of the camps up there at the time.
After settling in, Suzy and I decided to make the 2km walk along a sandy track through the bush to Kings Creek Station. On the walk, we saw an American family who had been on our bus trip. At dinner, we met other people who had also been on the bus.
Because of the showers, we had pre-dinner drinks on the veranda of the main building rather than out in the open around the camp fire. Linda, Harry and their two staff (Colin and Lisa) produced an excellent dinner for us in the dining area inside the main building. After dinner, there were enough breaks in the cloud for Colin to point out the Southern Cross and other stars – mainly for the benefit of overseas guests.
The bus arrived at the hotel on time at 6am and drove us into the national park to a special area set aside to watch the sunrise. There were a few light showers but it held off most of the time we were waiting for the sunrise. As we waited, the rock changed colour but, because of the overcast sky, we did not see the sun.
Next, the bus took up to Kata Tjuta (the Olgas) – about 30 minutes away. There we went for a walk into the Walpa Gorge. It was a stony path that was a little slippery because of the showers and there was strong wind blowing down through the gorge. At the end, there was a viewing platform giving a good view back through the gorge. There is another walk at the Olgas called Valley of the Winds Walk but we found the Walpa Gorge Walk was windy enough.
We got back to the hotel at about 10:30am, packed up, checked out, picked up the hire car and had lunch. We set off on the 300km drive to Kings Canyon at 12:15pm, stopping a couple of times to take photos along the way.
As we got close to Kings Canyon, we stopped at Kings Creek Station to get petrol and coffee. When we headed off again, we missed the turn-off to the Kings Canyon Wilderness Resort. We thought it was close to the Kings Canyon Resort but it turned out that it is close to Kings Creek Station where we had stopped for petrol and so we had to double back about 40km.
We only drove past the Kings Canyon Resort but it didn’t look very impressive. We were glad that we’d booked at the Wilderness Lodge.
The Wilderness Resort is run by APT as a joint venture with Kings Creek Station. It consists of large tented cabins each with air conditioning, ensuite bathroom, 240V power and a double bed. Luxury camping. It is currently managed by Linda and Harry who we had met a couple of years ago on our holiday with APT in the Kimberleys because they were managing one of the camps up there at the time.
After settling in, Suzy and I decided to make the 2km walk along a sandy track through the bush to Kings Creek Station. On the walk, we saw an American family who had been on our bus trip. At dinner, we met other people who had also been on the bus.
Because of the showers, we had pre-dinner drinks on the veranda of the main building rather than out in the open around the camp fire. Linda, Harry and their two staff (Colin and Lisa) produced an excellent dinner for us in the dining area inside the main building. After dinner, there were enough breaks in the cloud for Colin to point out the Southern Cross and other stars – mainly for the benefit of overseas guests.
Wednesday, 27 May 2009
Day 5 - Wednesday 27th May
We had an early pickup today and so we had set the alarm for 5am and checked out from the hotel before 6am so we could go to breakfast at the earliest time at 6am. The APT bus arrived at 7am to pick us up for the 450km trip to Ayres Rock.
The first stop on the journey was about an hour later at a camel farm. None of us took up the option to ride a camel but we did take photos of the camels and llamas.
As we drove towards Ayres Rock, we passed through a series of showers. Along the way, we stopped again at a roadhouse and then at a viewing stop to take photos of Mount Connor which is another outcrop formed at the same time as Ayres Rock and the Olgas. The rain cleared enough just at the right time so we could see Mount Connor.
We reached the Ayres Rock Resort at about 12:30, checked in and had lunch at one of the cafes in the complex ready for our afternoon pickup at 2:15pm.
The first stop was at the cultural centre inside the Uluru national park. Next we walked to a waterhole next to the rock followed by a walk along Mala Walk next to the rock.
The last stop on the tour was the sunset drinks. There was no rain this afternoon but it was still overcast and so we didn’t see the sun let alone sunset. However, we enjoyed the APT wine, cheese and bikkies. We also had the opportunity to chat to other people on the tour who had come from all over Australia plus overseas visitors.
Back at the resort, we went to the supermarket to buy food for breakfast and then had dinner at a nearby bistro.
The first stop on the journey was about an hour later at a camel farm. None of us took up the option to ride a camel but we did take photos of the camels and llamas.
As we drove towards Ayres Rock, we passed through a series of showers. Along the way, we stopped again at a roadhouse and then at a viewing stop to take photos of Mount Connor which is another outcrop formed at the same time as Ayres Rock and the Olgas. The rain cleared enough just at the right time so we could see Mount Connor.
We reached the Ayres Rock Resort at about 12:30, checked in and had lunch at one of the cafes in the complex ready for our afternoon pickup at 2:15pm.
The first stop was at the cultural centre inside the Uluru national park. Next we walked to a waterhole next to the rock followed by a walk along Mala Walk next to the rock.
The last stop on the tour was the sunset drinks. There was no rain this afternoon but it was still overcast and so we didn’t see the sun let alone sunset. However, we enjoyed the APT wine, cheese and bikkies. We also had the opportunity to chat to other people on the tour who had come from all over Australia plus overseas visitors.
Back at the resort, we went to the supermarket to buy food for breakfast and then had dinner at a nearby bistro.
Tuesday, 26 May 2009
Day 4 - Tuesday 26th May
We had breakfast in the hotel bistro at 7:30am. After breakfast, Annie went back to her room for a rest while Suzy, Paul and I drove to Anzac Hill. The weather was surprisingly mild. They were forecasting a maximum of 21C and when we set out at 8:30am, it was overcast and only 11C.
Anzac Hill is a hill on the northern edge of the town centre. At the top, there is a war memorial with a 360 degree view of the town and its surrounds. Once again, we bumped into the two couples from the Ghan that we'd bumped into last night and at breakfast this morning. We took some photos from the hill but didn't stay there long because it was quite chilly.
We left the hotel again at 9:30 with all four of us on board. The first stop was Simpsons Gap which about 20km west of Alice Springs along Larapinta Drive. From the car park there was an easy 10 minutes walk along a dry creek bed to Simpsons Gap. It is called a gap because it is break in the West Macdonnell Ranges which provides easy access on foot to the other side of the ranges. There is a small pond at the base of the towering red cliffs on either side.
Next on the agenda was Standley Chasm which is about 50km west of Alice Springs. This time the walk was harder and Annie was only able to get part of the way. The chasm consists of a passage about 5m wide between sheer vertical walls.
We were told that it was best to see it at about midday because at that time the sun shines directly down into the chasm and so our timing for the day was focussed on getting there soon after 11:30am. Although there was still some high cloud, we did manage to get pictures of the sun directly overhead lighting up the chasm.
The final stop on our outing was Alice Springs Desert Park. It was another of the places that the car rental company had suggested we go. He'd told us that David Attenborough thinks it's the best nature reserve in the world.
After lunch in the cafe, he took off on foot to see the park. Well, three of us went on foot whereas Paul hired a small golf-cart type vehicle for Annie to get around.
It has very good exhibits along the paths including several avaries. With some avaries, you look at the birds through windows or wire mesh but for others you walk into the avary.
We visited the Nocturnal House which is a building with subdued lighting so they can show you animals that normally only come out at night. At 3pm, we went to the exhibition centre to see a very professional film about the outback.
Perhaps the highlight of the visit was the next show we went to - namely, the Nature Theatre. Here there was a semi-circular grandstand with the Macdonnell ranges in the foreground. One of the rangers gave us a fascinating talk about the native bird life. As she talked, the birds she was talking about appeared right on cue to swoop in and take the food she was offering. We took lots of photos as the birds flew past in front of us and above us.
We drove back to the hotel where I dropped off the other three and then took the car back to the car rental company. I enjoyed the walk back to the hotel on both sides of the Todd River.
For dinner, we walked to the casino which is only about 300m down the street from our hotel and had a nice meal at the bistro.
Anzac Hill is a hill on the northern edge of the town centre. At the top, there is a war memorial with a 360 degree view of the town and its surrounds. Once again, we bumped into the two couples from the Ghan that we'd bumped into last night and at breakfast this morning. We took some photos from the hill but didn't stay there long because it was quite chilly.
We left the hotel again at 9:30 with all four of us on board. The first stop was Simpsons Gap which about 20km west of Alice Springs along Larapinta Drive. From the car park there was an easy 10 minutes walk along a dry creek bed to Simpsons Gap. It is called a gap because it is break in the West Macdonnell Ranges which provides easy access on foot to the other side of the ranges. There is a small pond at the base of the towering red cliffs on either side.
Next on the agenda was Standley Chasm which is about 50km west of Alice Springs. This time the walk was harder and Annie was only able to get part of the way. The chasm consists of a passage about 5m wide between sheer vertical walls.
We were told that it was best to see it at about midday because at that time the sun shines directly down into the chasm and so our timing for the day was focussed on getting there soon after 11:30am. Although there was still some high cloud, we did manage to get pictures of the sun directly overhead lighting up the chasm.
The final stop on our outing was Alice Springs Desert Park. It was another of the places that the car rental company had suggested we go. He'd told us that David Attenborough thinks it's the best nature reserve in the world.
After lunch in the cafe, he took off on foot to see the park. Well, three of us went on foot whereas Paul hired a small golf-cart type vehicle for Annie to get around.
It has very good exhibits along the paths including several avaries. With some avaries, you look at the birds through windows or wire mesh but for others you walk into the avary.
We visited the Nocturnal House which is a building with subdued lighting so they can show you animals that normally only come out at night. At 3pm, we went to the exhibition centre to see a very professional film about the outback.
Perhaps the highlight of the visit was the next show we went to - namely, the Nature Theatre. Here there was a semi-circular grandstand with the Macdonnell ranges in the foreground. One of the rangers gave us a fascinating talk about the native bird life. As she talked, the birds she was talking about appeared right on cue to swoop in and take the food she was offering. We took lots of photos as the birds flew past in front of us and above us.
We drove back to the hotel where I dropped off the other three and then took the car back to the car rental company. I enjoyed the walk back to the hotel on both sides of the Todd River.
For dinner, we walked to the casino which is only about 300m down the street from our hotel and had a nice meal at the bistro.
Monday, 25 May 2009
Day 3 - Monday 25th May
We could hear people stirring at about 6am because the first breakfast started at 7am. We’d opted for the second sitting so we could sleep in.
When we opened the blinds in our cabin at about 7:15am, we were in the outback and the sun was just rising over the horizon. Although the sky was clear, it had been raining overnight and so the red soil was a darker colour than usual.
Prior to breakfast, we joined Annie and Paul in the lounge area for coffee. By breakfast time at 8:30, we were feeling quite hungry and looking forward to a good feed. As were finishing breakfast at about 9:30, we crossed the border between South Australia and the Northern Territory. The sky had changed from clear blue to high cloud. Later in the morning, it was back to clear blue.
Back in our cabin, we listened to a recording by the late Bud Tingwell giving a commentary on the journey from Adelaide to Alice Springs.
The train must have been running ahead of schedule because they started calling people for breakfast at 11:30am. We were in the second sitting and it was a rush to finish our lunch in time before we reached Alice Springs.
The shuttle bus took us to the Crowne Plaza Hotel which is on the other side of the Todd River from the town centre. As you might expect, the Todd River was completely dry.
We'd been thinking about the places we wanted to visit around Alice Springs. There are various tours you can take but we decided to hire a car to give us flexibility to go where we wanted when we wanted. Easier said than done. Avis was closed in the city, Budget had no cars and Hertz didn't answer the phone. Avis and Budget might have had cars at the airport but we had no way to get there and their opening hours didn't suit us.
We found a brochure for a local hire company. They were great because they not only had cars available but they came to the hotel to pick us up and gave us lots of advice on what to visit and where to go for dinner. This was an example of excellent small business service versus large company indifference.
We drove into town and walked down Todd Mall. A few blocks away, I visited Book City who used to be one of my customers for DuoSoft.
For dinner, we took the advice of the car hire company and had dinner at the Thai restaurant in our hotel. He said it 's the best restaurant in town. When we were having pre-dinner drinks, we bumped into two couples who had been on the Ghan with us from Adelaide.
When we opened the blinds in our cabin at about 7:15am, we were in the outback and the sun was just rising over the horizon. Although the sky was clear, it had been raining overnight and so the red soil was a darker colour than usual.
Prior to breakfast, we joined Annie and Paul in the lounge area for coffee. By breakfast time at 8:30, we were feeling quite hungry and looking forward to a good feed. As were finishing breakfast at about 9:30, we crossed the border between South Australia and the Northern Territory. The sky had changed from clear blue to high cloud. Later in the morning, it was back to clear blue.
Back in our cabin, we listened to a recording by the late Bud Tingwell giving a commentary on the journey from Adelaide to Alice Springs.
The train must have been running ahead of schedule because they started calling people for breakfast at 11:30am. We were in the second sitting and it was a rush to finish our lunch in time before we reached Alice Springs.
The shuttle bus took us to the Crowne Plaza Hotel which is on the other side of the Todd River from the town centre. As you might expect, the Todd River was completely dry.
We'd been thinking about the places we wanted to visit around Alice Springs. There are various tours you can take but we decided to hire a car to give us flexibility to go where we wanted when we wanted. Easier said than done. Avis was closed in the city, Budget had no cars and Hertz didn't answer the phone. Avis and Budget might have had cars at the airport but we had no way to get there and their opening hours didn't suit us.
We found a brochure for a local hire company. They were great because they not only had cars available but they came to the hotel to pick us up and gave us lots of advice on what to visit and where to go for dinner. This was an example of excellent small business service versus large company indifference.
We drove into town and walked down Todd Mall. A few blocks away, I visited Book City who used to be one of my customers for DuoSoft.
For dinner, we took the advice of the car hire company and had dinner at the Thai restaurant in our hotel. He said it 's the best restaurant in town. When we were having pre-dinner drinks, we bumped into two couples who had been on the Ghan with us from Adelaide.
Sunday, 24 May 2009
Day 2 - Sunday 24th May
When we woke, it was quite wet outside. Dave had suggested that we have breakfast at a café on East Terrace called East Terrace Continental. Because of the weather, we decided to catch a taxi.
At the café, they asked us if we had a booking (which we didn’t) but they gave us a table that had been reserved for someone else later - on the assurance that we only wanted a quick breakfast. It was easy to see why Dave had suggested this cafe because it was a good location across the road from the park and had a great atmosphere. It’s obviously a trendy place to go for breakfast because it was packed by the time we left at about 9:30am.
We walked back to our hotel – down Rundle Street to Mount William Street. We were too early for the Rundle Street Markets.
At 11am, we caught a taxi from the hotel to the Parkland railway terminal to catch the Ghan to Alice Springs. Annie and Paul arrived about half an hour later than us because they got caught in a traffic jam behind a convoy. They’d stayed overnight with Annie’s sister (Helen) and her husband (John). John is a local travel agent and he had organised all our holiday bookings for us (except for the flights).
The train left on time at 12:20pm. Today, the Ghan consisted of 29 carriages including two locomotives – a total length of about 700m. Our cabin consisted of a lounge big enough for three people plus a very small ensuite bathroom. At night the lounge folds down to form one bunk bed and there in another bunk bed that folds drown from the wall above the lounge.
The entire train is nicely air-conditioned with double-glazed windows to keep out the heat and cold. The dining car was two carriages away along a very narrow corridor next to the cabins. The lounge and bar was in the next cabin after the dining car.
Because of the number of people on the train, they weren’t able to accommodate everyone in the dining car at the same time and they divided us into two sittings. We opted for the late sitting so we could have a drink in the bar before lunch.
It was very pleasant sitting in the bar and the dining car sipping on a drink, eating a nice lunch, chatting with Annie and Paul and watching the world go by in the window next to us. In the bar, they gave us complementary champagne and cake to celebrate the Ghan’s 80th birthday. Annie and Suzy were fully expecting Inspector Poirot to walk in at any moment.
When we reached Port Augusta station at about 5pm, the train had to stop three times in succession to let people on and off because the train was far too long for the platform. We spent the next couple of hours reading in our cabin before joining Annie and Paul in the lounge for a pre-dinner drink.
After dinner, we went returned to our cabins to find that the staff had folded down the bunk beds for us and we went straight to bed.
At the café, they asked us if we had a booking (which we didn’t) but they gave us a table that had been reserved for someone else later - on the assurance that we only wanted a quick breakfast. It was easy to see why Dave had suggested this cafe because it was a good location across the road from the park and had a great atmosphere. It’s obviously a trendy place to go for breakfast because it was packed by the time we left at about 9:30am.
We walked back to our hotel – down Rundle Street to Mount William Street. We were too early for the Rundle Street Markets.
At 11am, we caught a taxi from the hotel to the Parkland railway terminal to catch the Ghan to Alice Springs. Annie and Paul arrived about half an hour later than us because they got caught in a traffic jam behind a convoy. They’d stayed overnight with Annie’s sister (Helen) and her husband (John). John is a local travel agent and he had organised all our holiday bookings for us (except for the flights).
The train left on time at 12:20pm. Today, the Ghan consisted of 29 carriages including two locomotives – a total length of about 700m. Our cabin consisted of a lounge big enough for three people plus a very small ensuite bathroom. At night the lounge folds down to form one bunk bed and there in another bunk bed that folds drown from the wall above the lounge.
The entire train is nicely air-conditioned with double-glazed windows to keep out the heat and cold. The dining car was two carriages away along a very narrow corridor next to the cabins. The lounge and bar was in the next cabin after the dining car.
Because of the number of people on the train, they weren’t able to accommodate everyone in the dining car at the same time and they divided us into two sittings. We opted for the late sitting so we could have a drink in the bar before lunch.
It was very pleasant sitting in the bar and the dining car sipping on a drink, eating a nice lunch, chatting with Annie and Paul and watching the world go by in the window next to us. In the bar, they gave us complementary champagne and cake to celebrate the Ghan’s 80th birthday. Annie and Suzy were fully expecting Inspector Poirot to walk in at any moment.
When we reached Port Augusta station at about 5pm, the train had to stop three times in succession to let people on and off because the train was far too long for the platform. We spent the next couple of hours reading in our cabin before joining Annie and Paul in the lounge for a pre-dinner drink.
After dinner, we went returned to our cabins to find that the staff had folded down the bunk beds for us and we went straight to bed.
Saturday, 23 May 2009
Day 1 - Saturday 23rd May
We’d booked the taxi for 7:45am to take us to the airport. He arrived ten minutes early and we had a very quick run arriving at the T2 domestic terminal at about 8:15am. We’d allowed plenty of time at the airport in case there were long queues but this wasn’t a problem either. So we had lots of time to sit and relax before taking off.
Adelaide airport was quite impressive. Apparently the terminal is only a few years old – it’s clean, modern, spacious and efficient. Dave had offered to pick us up from the airport. He arrived while we were at the baggage carousel and it took no time at all to get to his car because the cark park is right outside the terminal door.
Dave had dropped Judy at the markets in the city before he came to collect us. The markets are right next door to the Hilton Hotel where were booked for the night. Luckily our room was ready for us and so we could drop our bags in our room. The room was on the fifth floor on the corner of the building and so we had a good view of the city in several directions. I’d joined the Hilton Honors club last year and so this probably helped in getting a good room.
We soon went downstairs to meet Dave and Judy in the markets. It was certainly good to see them both. We’d seen Dave last year on one of his business trips to Sydney but we hadn’t seen Judy for about 25 years. We’d probably only seen her a couple of times since we left uni.
They drove us back to their house at Stirling in the Adelaide Hills. There is a freeway from the city to Stirling and so it only took about 20 minutes. The setting for their is beautiful – 2 acres of tall trees that were losing their leaves in preparation for winter. They have a lovely two storey house with large windows looking out onto their gardens and their tennis court.
After coffee and cake, they drove us to two nearby wineries in the Adelaide Hills area – Nepenthe and Harndorf Hill for cellar door wine tastings. At the first winery, we had a late lunch consisting of platters that the winery had prepared plus a bottle of their finest red.
Dave and Judy have two daughters (Kate and Emma) and one son (Michael). Kate now lives only a block away from them. Emma lives in Melbourne whereas Michael lives in another suburb of Adelaide. Michael is getting married in December and the reception is to be held at Dave and Judy’s house.
Kate and her husband (Mark) have two young children (Lucy and Jack). Soon after we got back to Dave and Judy’s house, Kate and family arrived together with two other families. There were about eight young kids altogether.
In the front yard, they have a small fire pit. The plan was for the kids to toast marsh mellows in the pit. The kids loved it. Dave introduced me to everyone as the best man at his wedding (many years ago).
Before it got dark, Dave and Judy took Suzy and me for a 50-minute walk around the streets of Stirling with the two youngest kids in a double pram.
Judy had bought salmon at the markets for dinner. She cooked a beautiful meal and Dave opened a couple of the best bottles of red from his cellar. We learned more about their family and travels. Over the years, they have holidayed all over the world including Europe, South America and the Himilayas.
Judy has never been a big drinker and so she drove us back to our hotel at about 10pm.
It had been a fabulous opportunity to see Dave and Judy and catch up with them after so much time – far too long. When we were at uni, Judy was a stunning blue-eyed blond and she is still a stunning blue-eyed blond. She seems to get a lot of exercise because she is in great shape.
Adelaide airport was quite impressive. Apparently the terminal is only a few years old – it’s clean, modern, spacious and efficient. Dave had offered to pick us up from the airport. He arrived while we were at the baggage carousel and it took no time at all to get to his car because the cark park is right outside the terminal door.
Dave had dropped Judy at the markets in the city before he came to collect us. The markets are right next door to the Hilton Hotel where were booked for the night. Luckily our room was ready for us and so we could drop our bags in our room. The room was on the fifth floor on the corner of the building and so we had a good view of the city in several directions. I’d joined the Hilton Honors club last year and so this probably helped in getting a good room.
We soon went downstairs to meet Dave and Judy in the markets. It was certainly good to see them both. We’d seen Dave last year on one of his business trips to Sydney but we hadn’t seen Judy for about 25 years. We’d probably only seen her a couple of times since we left uni.
They drove us back to their house at Stirling in the Adelaide Hills. There is a freeway from the city to Stirling and so it only took about 20 minutes. The setting for their is beautiful – 2 acres of tall trees that were losing their leaves in preparation for winter. They have a lovely two storey house with large windows looking out onto their gardens and their tennis court.
After coffee and cake, they drove us to two nearby wineries in the Adelaide Hills area – Nepenthe and Harndorf Hill for cellar door wine tastings. At the first winery, we had a late lunch consisting of platters that the winery had prepared plus a bottle of their finest red.
Dave and Judy have two daughters (Kate and Emma) and one son (Michael). Kate now lives only a block away from them. Emma lives in Melbourne whereas Michael lives in another suburb of Adelaide. Michael is getting married in December and the reception is to be held at Dave and Judy’s house.
Kate and her husband (Mark) have two young children (Lucy and Jack). Soon after we got back to Dave and Judy’s house, Kate and family arrived together with two other families. There were about eight young kids altogether.
In the front yard, they have a small fire pit. The plan was for the kids to toast marsh mellows in the pit. The kids loved it. Dave introduced me to everyone as the best man at his wedding (many years ago).
Before it got dark, Dave and Judy took Suzy and me for a 50-minute walk around the streets of Stirling with the two youngest kids in a double pram.
Judy had bought salmon at the markets for dinner. She cooked a beautiful meal and Dave opened a couple of the best bottles of red from his cellar. We learned more about their family and travels. Over the years, they have holidayed all over the world including Europe, South America and the Himilayas.
Judy has never been a big drinker and so she drove us back to our hotel at about 10pm.
It had been a fabulous opportunity to see Dave and Judy and catch up with them after so much time – far too long. When we were at uni, Judy was a stunning blue-eyed blond and she is still a stunning blue-eyed blond. She seems to get a lot of exercise because she is in great shape.
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