Can you do the Ghan?

 

On the Ghansui

Star date 20250720.  She was massive, gleaming like a Jovian jewel, the monstrous machine pulsed excitement.

“Carriages A to D to the right, the rest of you to the left.” We struggled with our suitcases and Gucci bags along the gangway.

My pod N5. It was adequate. Having emptied my case there was enough room to swing a cat (Jovian or otherwise). The tablet instructed mealtimes for the next two days. I photostat the page before it was zapped.

We were in ten pods; there were two loos and two showers in the carriage. I sussed them out – suitable – but one Delhi belly and we’d stack up.

The “Matron” came along with the Ghan rules : nothing too arduous, just keep in line.

After stacking away my jewels I headed for the recreation lounge – 6 carriages on and there we could order booze. But not too much because the Clark Kent look alike invited us into the dining area -as set out in the boarding manual.

We are a motley crew – most are from the Silver Age, with a few noisy juveniles. Everyone is very chatty – I must have spoken to at least 10 people in the lounge as we waited to be seated for lunch -  we have different times when we’re seated, and the food is fine.

And we trundle along seeming getting nowhere having left Adelaide hours ago and I’m surprised to learn we’re on or near the coast at Port Augusta. As we head away from the Great Australian Bight and inland,  we talk and exchange tales of family, loved ones and pets. One woman from deepest, darkest Australia has the saddest demeanour I’ve ever encountered. She’s on her own going to meet up with her daughter and I learn her husband died of a heart attack at work. We’re joined by a woman from Tasmania – she came from London at the age of nine in 1965 – and we’re exchanging horror stories about pets and vet bills.

 7:15pm is dinner time and on the menu is kangaroo and a local fish plus a veggie option. The wine is ordered, and a lovely Chinese woman makes up our table of four. The wine is free, and flows and flows and we talk and talk as we jog along heading for our first stop Maria.

 While we are having dinner our pods were converted into sleeping units. There’s loads of storage space for your stuff, power points galore – vitally important for the phone, razor and laptop, and a nice little basin.

 I 

change into jimjams and sleep the sleep of the contented – except for two visits to the loo in the night. At 6 am we’re knocked up so we can see the sunrise at Maria. I take the opportunity to have a shower and general clean up, before joining those outside with a hot coffee and iPhones capturing the glory. We’re here ‘til 8 am and brunch is served between 10 am and 2 pm. We reach Alice Springs about 5 pm for off train experiences. I’ve booked for a cycling trip but have decided that at my age I best pass that up.