The Ghan

Sunday 3 September

Marion kindly drove us to the station where the train, split into two halves because it's too long for the platform, was waiting. They joined it up just before we left. A lovely welcome from the young train staff and much excitement as we boarded and checked our cabins. We are in Carriage A the last passenger carriage of the train. The only thing behind us is the luggage and possibly the staff quarters. We walk, or rather weave, through 4 more carriages to get to the lounge and then dining cars. The train is about a kilometre long.
Rob, Judy and I all squeezed into Rob's cabin until Paige, our carriage attendant, had gone through the housekeeping information. From the moment she saw her cabin Judy was excited about going to bed and she looked forward to it all day.
We had a late lunch in the Queen Adelaide dining car and spent the rest of the afternoon in the lounge car - much more spacious than our cabins, which are tiny!
Scenic highlights were kilometres of beautiful wind turbines along a ridge near Snowtown and the Flinders Ranges. We stopped for a while in Port Augusta and then it was on into the night as we enjoyed a pre-dinner drink followed by a delicious meal.
At last it was time for bed and Judy popped on her PJs and climbed in with a big grin on her face.