The Ghan

The Ghan has been on the bucket list for quite a few years. It travels from Darwin almost 3000 kms over 4 days to Adelaide. The train takes its name from the Afghans (and Indians) who initially came to Australia to manage camels and help expeditions such as Burke and Wells and later the construction of the communications line and subsequent railway. Aussies with their penchant for nicknames shortened the name to Ghan.

The length of train varies to suit passenger numbers and ours weighed in at almost 1 Km, suffice to say a bit too long for some station platforms.

We had adjoining cabins which were pretty spacious with a 3 seater couch. Plenty to explore and see what does what – certainly kept Robin happy while we waited for take off.

Our first stop was for a bit of lunch in the Adelaide restaurant. Suffice to say the food throughout the journey was fabulous (a cruise on rails) and with no shortage of alcohol included as part of the package. The end result 2 Kgs in 3 nights – but what a way to  put it on!

To overcome the need for platforms, stairs were provided so you could step down to ground level.

We had three main points of call during the journey the first of which was to Katherine Gorge. It has been quite a few years since we were here and apart from the upgrade to trails the first difference was a huge colony of bats (flying foxes). The temperature was in the high 30s and they were flapping around to keep cool as well as taking trips to the river for a drink.

Although the plan was to dip their beaks into the water sometimes they hit the water a little harder than necessary and caused quite a splash. None of this activity went unnoticed by a local crocodile although he was clearly frustrated by the lack of action close to him. However, I suspect as a patient predator he would have scored a meal later in the day. Not that bat has quite the appeal of our Ghan meals.

The water level was reasonable so we were able to travel through two of the gorges. The walk to the lower gorge has been much improved and was an easy stroll compared to our 2006 school trip experience which required a bit of clambering over rocks. Just as well given the heat and our less athletic walking abilities.

The gorges remain spectacular especially in the low afternoon light. 

They also seem to go on forever… 

Our return to the Ghan was greeted with cooled hand towels and a drink before we returned to our cabins for a shower and change of clothes so we were suitably attired for pre-dinner drinks while we waited for our dinner table.

We then travelled overnight and arrived in Alice Springs for our next late (much appreciated) morning trip to a Desert Park. The weather was again quite hot so the emus decided to have a splash in a water hole.

The visit included an informative bird show which was rather different to anything we have seen previously. The birds appeared and returned to the bush rather than a handler (or so it seemed). First up was a Willie Wagtail. Actually he was not part of the show but an interloper keen on some food. He also tried to steal the limelight on a few occasions by singing from the top of his voice while sitting in the rafters and competing with what the handler was saying.

The first of the trained display was a Magpie that dutifully swooped and landed wherever requested. At the end the handler pointed and the bird flew away into the bush.

Next up was a a Snowy Owl that appeared from a hollowed out tree and flew in to see us (well more likely to collect food.) It is just brilliant how quiet owls are compared to the other birds.

We then had a a very swift Kestrel – too fast to get a good picture in flight. Stationary he has some great colours.

The Ghan attendees were then asked to stay in our place while others left and we were then treated to a training session. This was when it became apparent that there were other handlers in the bush sending off and receiving the birds. They had a buzzard that had somewhat lost the plot. He flew in from a distance but his pace was so leisurely that a Kestrel (which was wild and not part of the show) dived in and stole the food.

The bemused buzzard did not seem to believe that the food meant for him was gone.

Still he was rewarded during his piece de resistance. Presented with a (mock) Emu egg he got a stone and dropped it hard onto the shell. This required several attempts until the shell gave way and enabled access to the juicy morsel which was inside. (The amount of food inside a real egg would have kept him going for several days.)

After a brief revival back on the train we were off on our second trip to an open air dinner at the Alice Springs Telegraph office. Quite a spectacular location with old buildings, outside heaters and camel rides. 

The meal was brilliant and we were entertained by a great band delivering a range of music appropriate to the setting including songs from Red Gum. The intermission included a very entertaining astronomer which as we could see the night sky (unlike Uluru) was much more interesting. The full moon also added to the spectacle.

Another 1000 kms overnight and we stopped at Manguri

which really is in the middle of nowhere…….

but actually an hour by bus from Copper Pedy. This is the opal centre of the world with a unique environment. The town is surrounded by an estimated 1M drillings most of which would have been unsuccessful. It really is a bit of a moonscape. Opal fever is also in decline as the population is now about 1800 whereas a couple of decades ago it was ten times that. It seems the younger generation do not seem to keen on this as a lifestyle.

We lunched in an underground mine now devoted to tourism.

After grabbing a (non-compulsory) hard hat we could explore the tunnels and listen to a very funny old timer tell his tales.

Several long tables set up in purpose drilled halls made for a unique dining experience. It was also easy to hear as the adjoining table was in a different hall several metres through the unexcavated wall.

After lunch we proceeded to an underground house. Not much noise, natural light or fluctuation in temperature to disturb your sleep here.

Our third underground stop was to the Serbian Orthodox church. It is one of four churches. Spending so much time underground presumably gives more than the usual amount of time for reflection. Although quite simple, the carefully drilled ceiling, colour of varying rock veins and lit timber alter gave a real warmth to the space.

Our last stop on this tour was a huge vista called the Breakaways (because they look like they have broken away from the nearby higher escarpment). 

This is real Mad Max territory – colourful desolation.

With our last exploration completed it was time for dinner. We had opted for the latest evening meal sitting so we did not have to vacate the tables and could linger longer. This being the last night we pushed the boundaries and were the last to leave as none of us really wanted this last train dinner to end. 

Uluru and Kata Tjuta (Ayers Rock and the Olgas) and a spell in Darwin

After a mere 6 days in Australia (two of which were in Sydney) we were off again. Cousin Pam and Robin had flown in and we met up with them in Uluru. Although this is supposed to be a desert we had 3 days of rain and pretty cold weather. Here is one of the rare shots of the rock in sunshine.

Tours were largely based on sunrises and sunsets. After a 4:30 start our first tour was to a waterhole and caves at Uluru. The rain meant the sunset was not visible but as a result we did see some rare features such as waterfalls.

It also meant that there were some great contrasting colours.

Our guide took us to a large cave with a great view one way

and a range of aboriginal paintings the other. The paintings tell stories and comprise a number of repeated symbols. A U is a person sitting (as this is the shape they leave in the sand). If it is  accompanied with a line it is a woman with their digging stick. A man has a boomerang (curved line). The crown looking design was of hair sometimes interwoven with grass and used as a pad for carrying items on a woman’s head. Larger versions were used as belts for the men.

The rain meant that water holes started to fill quickly and then overflow to their lower counterparts. Rain is really the main erosion mechanism so changes to the rock surface are small.

The rocks are sacred to Aborigines and there are many dream time stories. Two rocks in this photo represent a bad man who was killed by an irate woman. At the top right you can see his closed eyes and the spear gashes that preceded his death. At the bottom left can be seen the head of the woman represented as a snake with the boulders behind being the snake’s body.

Here are a couple of woman in a more recognisable form. One of the evenings was a Sounds of Silence dinner under the stars which was preceded by some champagne and canapes. (Helen’s dress was bought to show off a necklace made of beads by friend Sue.)

The sunset over the Olgas was brilliant thanks in large part to the clouds

As is got dark we made our way from the viewing platform to the open air restaurant. The glow of lights (and heaters) were warming.

As we ate a large array of foods including some tasty kangaroo we were treated to the unique and on this occasion melodic sounds of a didgeridoo.

Our second sunrise tour was to Kata Tjuta (the Olgas). As we travelled through heavy rain and thunderstorms the benefit of a 4:30 start was once more a pretty questionable decision! The focus of this tour was geology rather than dreamtime. Both Uluru and Kata Tjuta formations were formed by sedimentary rocks uplifting and the surrounding land slowly eroding away. The Olgas are made of larger cemented rocks and boulders whereas Uluru comprises more sandy particles. The shear sides of the Olgas is awesome and as we walked into a gorge we were rather subsumed into the landscape.

Most of the walk was relatively straightforward although there was a steep section where some scrambling was required.

The view from the top of a large mound between two walls was magnificent albeit difficult to capture the size and depth in a shot.

As we returned a short shower changed the orange rock to a glistening wet silver.

A major reason for our travels was an evening to see the “Field of Lights”. This was cancelled due to wet weather on each of the evenings and we could not change our booking. We eventually managed to book a pre-sunrise tour which meant a third day starting at 4:30. (Not quite the experience Helen was looking for.) Mind you the lights were impressive albeit very difficult to pick up with a camera. Even with a tripod and timed exposure the lights would blow in the wind. So here is the best one.

Certainly the size of the field was enormous with some 5000 lights ("frosted-glass spheres") occupying an area greater than 4 football pitches. Quite a spectacle. The designer (Bruce Munro) has undertaken similar work elsewhere in the world but this 12 month show is the largest in terms of area and number of lights.

We travelled round the base and this is the point where you can climb to the top which I did with some children from Melba High school (where Helen was Principal) way back in 2006.

As dawn broke we were treated to a quite unusual view of the rock covered in cloud. More unusual but probably not as attractive as being in sun.

We then headed to Darwin for warm weather and evening activities. We started at the Mendil markets for a bite to eat on the beach while watching the sun set. There were a couple of interesting shows. The first was some whip cracking – noisy and exhausting. 

The relative quite of the beach helped with the tranquil sunset. Jonathan Livingstone seagull is alive and well. Flying to the sun and

returning.

As evening set in a second show started up. Drums, four didgeridoos and lots of energy make for a really great sound.

Being Darwin where warm weather is the norm we decided for our second night on a deckchair movie theatre where we watched Atomic Blonde. The food, drink and atmosphere were great and the movie was at least action packed so Helen’s normal habit of nodding off was thwarted.

Our third activity was an evening sunset cruise with prawns and wine. Fabulous. 

Rather than another sunset shot here is rather a reflective glow of the sun.

Our vessel had several previous uses before tourism trips including pearl hunting. Her conversion to tourism has been attractively done.