Australian Trains by Julie and Jim - Julie & I have just returned from our month long tour which focused on riding six long distance trains, two steam trains, trollies, and the best dinner train (1927 Tramcar in Melbourne).
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Trains in Australia by Jim & Julie Nowell
http://www.trainweb.com/travelogues/2006/julie.html
Julie & I have just returned from our month long tour which focused on
riding six long distance trains, two steam trains, trollies, and the best
dinner train (1927 Tramcar in Melbourne). "Down Under" where: the moon
is upside down, public telephones have no phone books, there are numerous
drive in liquor stores (bottle shops), electrified trolly cars in the big
cities can take you anywhere, RV'ers are called Caravaners or "Grey
Nomads", their most used phrase is "no worries" (everything is ok - no
problem), cities are clean with a blend of the modern and many old iron
Victorian lace, wooded buildings like New Orleans, hour long TV shows
start on the half hour. We saw most areas except Perth and Tasmania.
Highlites: Our two day GHAN train ride in gold kangaroo class from Darwin
to Adelaide was the best we've experienced: gourmet food with the highest
level of service; snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef (which they say is
dieing) from Cape Tribulation: blue starfish, giant 3-4 foot clams, fish
and coral of all colors; rain forest of Kakadu where we saw aboriginal
rock art and "heaps" (another Aussie phrase) of crocodiles on two river
cruises; being in a bush camp to watch Kangaroos, Wallabies and
multicolored parrots; two very special days on Kangaroo Island (near
Adelaide) - sheep shearing; back country Eucalyptus Oil Distillery; walk
on the beach with Stellar sea lions who dive for food for three days then
come ashore and climb up to 1/2 of a mile up steep sand dunes to rest;
watched sheep(the "ladies" are smart enough to go to the same stall each
day) being milked at a dairy which makes cheese & yogurt; saw at night
the thirteen inch Fairy Penguins walk out of the ocean to their burrows
up steep hills; had a cave tour; observed Koalas sleeping high up in the
"Gum" (Eucalyptus) trees; went to Admirals Arch to look at the fur seals.
They say the best whale watching capital is in Hervey Bay and we agree.
The big guys swam right next to the boat eye balling us or rolling over
showing their white bellies and slapping their fins. The Sydney Harbor
was the largest and most beautiful we've seen with contrasting new high
rise condos and 200 year old stone structures along with the many types
of water craft: freighters, cruise liners, jet boats, sail boats, tourist
boats and the second (Hong Kong #1) most ferries which were all heavily
used.
Our memories are highlighted by the hospitable, friendly, carefree Aussie
people and all the close animal encounters. We were thankful for the
opportunity to visit with four of our Y's Men friends who we last saw
seven years ago. At one time we had thought of touring by RV down there,
but the distances are too great between attractions.
With the beautiful birds singing in our ears, we say G'Day!
Jim & Julie
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