Month: October 2019

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-10-05/massive-gastro-outbreak-on-the-indian-pacific-train/11576620

Wednesday 2 October 2019

We’ve paid an obscene amount of money to take the Indian Pacific from Sydney to Perth.  We knew we’d be spending a lot of time on it.  Due to depart Central Station at 1.20pm, we commenced the departure at 2.50pm.  This is a bit of an experiment this trip, according to Zeph, our guard, (probably referred to as a concierge in this class), because this is the longest train ever.  It has 38 carriages, which means that it doesn’t fit into Central so carriages have to be shunted on at Redfern and Clyde.  As I write this, it’s 4pm.  We are stationery at Clyde.  Clyde is 17kms from Central.  We’ve been on board for 2 ½ hours.  We are due in Perth on Saturday afternoon.  We may be there by Monday.  Perhaps.  No wifi on the train, so this blog will be posted when next we get signal.  All hail to the NBN.

Still at Clyde, we go up to the Lounge at 4.30 and started drinking.  Nothing else to do on the train!  Our new best friends, a Swedish couple celebrating their 25^th wedding anniversary are Lars (Larsh) and Aase (Arse-a). Finally, the train moves.  It’s 5.30pm. We weave our way up the Blue Mountains, just in time for nightfall.   We introduce the Swedes to Aussie wines (good list) dine with them,  and describe what they would see if it were daylight.  Before we make our way back to the cabin and the made up bed we are advised by the ebullient female crew that we are behind schedule (d’oh) by 3 hours and not able to partake in our previously booked Broken Hill tour.  However, we will be allowed off the train to stretch our legs on the platform.  Cherrie says no!  She’s gone looking for a leash.

We glimpse Bathurst as we turn in for the night.

It’s a long way to Perth.

Thursday 3 October

Awoke to red country.  Cherrie dons her complimentary dressing gown and proceeds to the little tea station down the corridor and makes us a cuppa.  Its 6am and we have no idea where we are.  A couple of hours east of Broken Hill.  We tried for Broken Hill last year, but only made the Swan one.

At 8am we pull into the station.  The train is too long for this very long platform so we are directed to a carriage up front to disembark.  And against all advice from many, disembark I do.  Carefully, and obediently.

We walk the length of the platform

and admire the cultural sites of this outback mining town

As we pull out of Broken Hill we spy a huge solar farm.  Panels as far as the eye can see

 

This is the first of many renewable energy farms, solar and wind, we see across SA 

Through red, rocky, rough country where the odd sheep is picking at dirt, into SA and lush cropping country.  Such a difference in a relatively short time.  We’ve eaten lunch, waved our Swedes off on their Barossa side trip from Two Wells (none sighted) and now en route to Adelaide, where everyone has to leave the train while the cars are serviced (wheels changed etc).  Disembark 3pm, embark 9-9.30pm.  We have chosen a tour of the SA Museum as our side trip, with dinner there.

Adelaide’s Gift

We are bussed to the Museum, where we undertake a fascinating tour of fossils, animals, Aboriginal artefacts etc, all of which had come from areas through which our train travels. It was a delight and our volunteer guide was great. Canapes and champagne (I use that term lightly) followed, and then upstairs to the Pacific Art Gallery for dinner and a lecture from a particularly dull scientist whose speciality is terrestrial invertebrates.  Don’t get me started.  I did ask one question, which was immediately dismissed.  Our scientist had spent some time in the Antarctic.  I have always pronounced it Ant-artcic but I have noticed recently that others pronounce it An-tartic.  His answer was that the Americans say ‘Anartic”.  Thanks Dr.

We are hurried back to the bus and arrive at the train terminal at 8.20pm.  Where we sit until 10pm.  Hopeless.  Back on board, Adelaide’s gift kicked in.  Apparently, there is a virus out of Adelaide which has occasionally made its way onto the Indian Pacific.  Novovirus.  It seems that I might have been the one to bring it back.  Without too much detail, it is a doozy.  Vomiting and diarrhoea all night.  6 hours straight.  I was in isolation all day Friday, which suited me fine.

Friday 4 October

With me laid low, I missed the two off board excursions today.  30 minutes in the town of Cook, population 4.  Men.  Not much in Cook,  40 degrees at 1pm.

An incentive to obey the rules of the 4 men.   Cook Jail

We’re now on the Nullabor.

Tonight is dinner under the stars at Rawlinna.  Cherrie says it was an amazing feat of logistics.   There are no platforms at Cook or Rawlinna, so all passengers are corralled to one of 4 doors to disembark. Train staff set up two long tables to seat the 250 passengers, white cloths, wine glasses, food cooked on the train and served on platters.  Roast lamb, potatoes, pumpkin, coleslaw and mint sauce.  Not many stars because of clouds, a sliver of moon and a nice experience.

Saturday 5 October

We’ve crossed the Nullabor and passed through Kalgoorlie in the dead of night.
Awake to marginal farming country with sand and salt.

I emerge from my bed to the restaurant for a cup of tea and half a piece of toast.  However, within minutes of breakfast, Cherrie falls ill.  The gift that keeps on giving has taken her hard too.  What a pair.  Not the beginning of the holiday we had planned, but at least we’ve got beyond Day 2.  Unlike the last attempt.  We both spend the day in bed, and our dear friend Watto (well, Watto to us, Christine to everyone else….her maiden name was Watson, see?) collects us from the train with bowls and towels at the ready. I am feeling more human now, Cherrie has a way to go.

The Indian Pacific is a fabulous journey with wonderful staff who have looked after us very well.  The train has been behind schedule most of the time, due to the extra carriages which have proven to be more of a challenge than anticipated I think.  The only criticism we can make is the time management, everything else great.  Regrettable that we missed half the trip due to illness but it could have been worse!  We are now tucked into a comfortable bed in Perth, with wifi at last and so a post.

To Broome on Monday.  No disasters planned.  Illness behind us.