This year the opportunity presented itself, and we decided to do the trip while healthwise we were able to do so. So - here is an outline of our eight-day adventure:
DAY ONE:
On Sunday, July 3, some friends in our Over-50s Village took us down to the Hervey Bay coach terminal, where we caught the coack to Maryborough West ralway station. We caught the Tilt Train at around 11.50am en route to Brisbane. The train was one and a-half hours late by the time we arrive at Roma Street Station, Brisbane. We arived at 4.30pm.
From Roma Street station we walked with our luggage through Roma Street Parklands to our overnight accommodation on Spring Hill. We stayed at Soho Hotel, were we usually stay when we are travelling overseas and need overnight accommodation.
So we checked into the Soho, and after a break and refreshments we walked into Brisbane CBD and had a meal.
DAY TWO:
After a breakfast of toast, bacon and eggs and juice, which was included in the accommodation tariff, we walked back to the Roma Street station and caught the air train to the Brisbane domestic airport for our flight to Darwin.
We checked in to Jetstar with our luggage and before boarding time was called, we were advised that there had been a breach of security and flights would be delayed. We stood around for about an hour and a-half while about half dozen federal police arrived and we heard that they removed two people from the airport.
Eventually we went through security. A year or so ago I had a total knee replacement and every time I go through X-ray screening I set the alarms off. Eventually we boarded our flight which was late in departing. The aircraft used on the Brisbane to Darwin flight was an A-320. It was cattle class and we would never travel with Jetstar again unless is was an absolute emergency!
So, arriving late in Darwin we caught our shuttle coach to take us to the hotel.
A sign outside Darwin airport
It was a warm, balmy afternoon, with an almost cloudless sky. The coach took us to our accommodation, the SkyCity casino and hotel (five-star).
Driveway into the SkyCity complex
After check in and the concierge had taken our luggage to our room on the third floor, we refreshed ourselves and had a look around the complex.
The courtyard at SkyCity casino and hotel
A view of the fountain in the courtyard of SkyCity
After we settled into our room we then decided to go for a walk and find a restaurant for dinner. We walked down the road to Cullen Bay and a passer-by suggested we eat at the seafood restaurant on Cullen Bay, which was an all-you-can-eat restaurant.
We decided to have a look at the restaurant, and found that the menu included barramundi, steak, mornays etc so was suitable for Beryl, who cannot eat prawns. I had about 2 dozen oysters, the same amount of prawns and other seafood. The buffet was $38.50 each, not including alcohol.
A plateful of seafood, including prawns and oysters
DAY THREE
At 9am we caught the tourist hop on-hop off tour bus and during the day we saw the World War II oil storage facilities, the Museum and the Art Gallery.
The oil storage facilities were build by tunnelers for the purpose of storing oil during World War II. The tunnelers worked 24/7, but did not completed the project before the war was over. The facilities were used later by the Golden Fleece company, but there was a problem with water seeping into the tunnels and so it was closed down. The tunnels are now tourist attractions with photos and memorabilia from the World War II.
We were dropped off at our accommodation last afternoon and spent the rest of the day in the hotel, had a few drinks and a snack for dinner.
We went down to the beach, which was behind our accommodation and took some sunset shots.
We went down to the beach, which was behind our accommodation and took some sunset shots.
Sunset pics at Mindil Beach, behind SkyCity casino and hotel
DAY FOUR
We were picked up by coach at 8am and drove around picking up other tourists who were going to do The Ghan trip. When we arrived at the station The Ghan was already in the station. We were issued with our tickets and our berth was F9 and F10. We were then taken by coach to the carriage where our berth was located.
One of The Ghan locomotives
The Ghan at Darwin station
The Ghan, 32 passenger carriages and 850 metres long
Everyone was boarded and The Ghan commenced its journey at 10am. Shortly after we moved our attendant came and showed us the various features of our berth. We had two foldaway beds that was a three seater lounge during the day, toilet, and a shower. All meals were in the Queen Adelaide dining room, and there was a lounge with the bar at the end.
The Queen Adelaide dining car, where we ate lunch, dinner and breakfast
After about an hour and a half travel luncheon was served in the dining car. The food was first class and the surroundings were luxurious. Food was included in our tour package, but we had to pay for our beverages. The beverages were reasonably priced.
About 2.30pm we arrived at Katherine, and we had the opportunity to take a whistle-stop tour. We decided to do a helicopter ride in the Katherin Gorge.
The helicopter on the right is the one we rode in
Part of the Katherine Gorge we flew over
Another view from the helicopter
A pic of the river that runs through the Katherine Gorge
Another pic of the river running through the Katherine Gorge taken from the helicopter
Proof that Beryl was in the helicopter
The helicopter ride was for 20 minutes and worth every ent of the cost. The coach eventually returned to take u8s back to The Ghan and around 5pm we started travelling again. After about 15 minutes the staff invited everyone to the lounge car and we were treated to nibbles and drinks as part of the official welcome to our trip on The Ghan.
This was followed almost immediately by dinner, which was another five star gourmet meal. After dinner, when we returned to our berths the beds had been made up. We got changed etc and retired to bed, tired after a very enjoyable day.
DAY FIVE
At Alice Springs station, waiting for transport to our accommodation
We were taken by coach to our accommodation. We are staying at the Crowne Plaza.
Our accommodation in Alice Springs
The Old Telegraph Station was interesting and was the site of the first telegraph that opened up the outback of Australia to the world. The station had old morse keys and other memorabilia that applied to the time of the station. The buildings had been set up as a period-style household. The station was later turned into a hostel for half-caste aboriginal kids. We wandered around the buildings, and saw the waterhole from which Alice Springs got its name.
The waterhole from which Alice Springs gets its name
A view of Alice Springs from Anzac Hill
Another view of Alice Springs from Anzac Hill. (Note The Ghan two-thirds up the pic)
Memorial at the top of Anzac Hill
Everywhere we travelled there were people coughing and sneezing. The airconditioning on The Ghan and the coaches were recirculating the air and there was no outside air coming into the vehicles. It was very hard to keep warm as there was a very cold wind blowing.
From Anzac Hill we went to the Old Ghan Museum and saw some memorabilia relating to the old Ghan when it was owned by the Commonwealth Railways and when the line went from Adelaide to Alice Springs.
We were returned to our accommodation, and after a shower we walked down to the Lasseter's Casino and Hotel, where we had a snack dinner. I am certainly starting to feel the onset of a lung infection and loss of appetite, which is one of the symptoms of CVID.
Awoke early this morning, and had a cereal breakfast. We had bought the containers of cereal and milk while we were at Todd Mall yesterday, and after breakfast we packed and made our way to reception where we were picked up by the AAT Kings Coach for the trip to Uluru. The coach arrived at 5am, and we were one of the first pick up points. After we had picked up other passengers at accommodation houses we proceeded toward the Stuart Highway and our long trip to Uluru.
After we had turned into Stuart Highway we proceeded down the highway until we came to a camel farm, where we stopped for breakfast. As we had earlier eaten breakfast, we had a look around the camel farm. There were a number of camels, as well as brumbies that were corralled there. Beryl ecided to have a camel ride, which cost $6 for about 5 mins on the camel. - well worth the money and inexpensive.
Beryl on a camel
Beryl about to ride the camel
The camels starting to run down the track
AAT Kings are an excellent tourist organisation to deal with. Their coaches are comfortable for the long distances to the tourist sites, the drivers are excellent and informative guides, and they handle the luggage in an expert manner.
Entrance to the tourist spots can be quite expensive, because apart from the cost of paying for the touri bus transport, there is the added cost to enter some of the tourist sites. For example, the hop on, hop off bus at Alice Springs cost $44 per sons, but there was a cost to enter the museums etc which could amount to a significant amount of money for the day. The cost of food was reasonable, but there were no alternatives.
Late morning we had our first view of Kata Tjuta, formerly known as The Olgas.
A pics of some of the domes at Kata Tjuta
Some termite hills taken as we drove down the highway
As the driver explained some of the flora and fauna of the desert it became obvious to us how fragile the environment was after millions of years of adaptation and change. The driver mentioned the thoudans of camels released into the desert after the camel trains ceased and trucks started carting freight. The wild camels had now become pests. The same would also be true of the wild horses that roam the desert. Eventually we had our first glimpse of Uluru.
Our first glimpse of Uluru from the coach
We continued our drive by coach to our accommodation. The accommodation is 20 kilometres from Uluru, and the complex is named Ayers Rock Resort. There are a number of hotels and a camping ground in the area, and the area is called Yulara. We will be accommodated at the Outback Pioneer Hotel and Lodge.
When we arrived we checked in, and then walked down to the shopping centre in the middle or the hotel complex to try to purchase some cereal for breakfast tomorrow, as we have a very early start back to Alice Springs.
There was no cereal left in the supermarket so we bought some sandwiches and returned to the Outback Pioneer were we had our sandwiches and went to the bar fro a drink.
We are going on a coach to Kata Tjuta and the coach will pick us up at 2.30pm. The coach was full and the woman who had been coughing and sneezing during the journey across from Alice Springs was again on board and coughing and sneezing. My lung infection is getting worse, and I am feeling quite ill.
Pic to prove I really was at Kata Tjuta
Starting the walk at Kata Tjuta
There was an opportunity to walk along the floor of the gorge in Kata Tjuta, but I was feeling quite ill and only walked about 100 metres.
Another pic of Kata Tjuta
The walk along the bottom of the gorge at Kata Tjuta
After everyone returned from the walk, be headed toward Uluru to have wine and nibbles, and view the sunset view of Uluru. When we arrived at the viewing area, a table had been laid with white table clothes and red, white wine, lemonade and nibbles (which consisted of an assortment of nuts in a plastic disposable cup.
I took a number of photos of Uluru, too many to place on this blog but I will put up a couple to show the various shades of the rock as the sun was setting.
Not a good picture - taken an old lady who was also viewing the sunset - but a proof we were at Uluru
A pic taken about 40 minutes before sunset
I was feeling so ill that I was shaking with the cold, even though I had a pullover, jeans and a jacket on.
Notice the reflection of the cloud on the rock
A pic taken at approximately 5.50pm. Sunset was scheduled for 6.10pm.
The sun is almost set and the last of the light is reflecting on Uluru
After the sun had set and Uluru was shrouded in darkness we boarded our coaches to return to our accommodation. Over the past few days we have been carrying bottles of water, and we were able to top these up from chilled water carried on the coaches.
We were back at our accommodation about 7pm, and Beryl had a barbecue dinner in the dining area of our accommodation. Beryl chose barramundi and I barbecued it for her. The other choices were crocodile, kangaroo, and steak. There was also salad available and a bread and butter pudding for dessert. I was feeling very unwell, so I passed on dinner. I did not even have a beer or wine. I went back to our room and had a hot bath. It has been a very long day.
DAY SEVEN
We were picked up from our accommodation at 5am by AAT Kings. We are on our way to Alice Springs, but first we will visit Kings Canyon. About two and a-half hours after we left our hotel, we stopped for breakfast. Beryl and I had bacon, eggs and toast (for a change). We have the opportunity to either walk the rim of the Kings Canyon or walk along the creek bed of the canyon. Obviously we are not able to climb the many steps on the face of the canyon, and we chose to walk along the creek bed.
Some of the ridges of Kings Canyon - millions of years old.
Some of the flora and gums along the creek bed
The signage at the entrance to Kings Canyon
Another sign at the entrance to Kings Canyon (note the hat)
Another sign at Kings Canyon
We were unable to go too far along the crek walk, because at the end of the creek bed was the traditional owners' sacred men's grounds.We walked back to thecoach park and had a cup of coffee, and then were driven to the Kings Canyon resort, where we were able to buy lunch (at our own expense) either at the cafe or at the adjoining Shell service station. Beryl and I bought a pie and a pastie at the Shell service station, and were also able to purchase small containers of cereal for breakfast back at our hotel in Alice Springs tomorrow morning. We also purchased some cup of soup for dinner tonight. Unfortunately we were unable to buy milk - they were out of stock - but decided to see what eventuated as the day progressed.
At around 2pm those who were returning to Alice Sprngs were boarded on an AAT Kings coach, along with our luggage, for the six hour trip to Alice Springs. The lady who was always coughing and sneezing was also on board. I was getting increasing more ill, but was able to keep going - particularly as we were now on a coach and able to sleep most of the trip.
Beryl and me about to board the coach for the trip back to Alice Springs
We headed back to Alice Springs, but stopped at around 4.30pm at Erldunna for refreshments. We were there about 20 minutes. We were able to uy a beer, and Beryl a vodka cruiser. We also purchased a carton of milk for our cereals tomorrow.
When we were about an hour out of Alice Springs we slowed down and crossed the bridge over the Finke River. We were able to take a photo through the coach window of the river. This river is regarded as one of the oldest in the world, and surprisingly had a little water in it.
The Finke River - regarded as one of the oldest rivers in the world
We arrived back at Crowne Plaza at 7pm and checked back in. After arriving at our room we boiled the jug and had a cup of soup for dinner. We were very tired and went to bed early. We have a aiport shuttle pick up about 9.45am tomorrow.
DAY EIGHT
This morning we had our cereal breakfast, bought from the Shell service station at Kings Canyon resort, and the milk purchased from the roadhouse at Erldunna yesterday. We then packed and made our way down to reception and checked out.
We waited outside for a few minutes until the airport shuttle arrived to take us to Alice Springs airport. We are flying by Qantas. Although we arrived with plenty of time to check in, there was one long queue and eventually a customer service person had to bring those travelling to Brisbane to a check in line where we checked in our luggage and got our boarding pass.
Again my knee replacement set the security x ray machine alarms going, so this took a few minutes while the security people checked me out. Beryl tried to get acup of coffee but the service was so slow that, although she had paid for the coffee, she had to forego it as our flight was being called. Our trip back to Brisbane was uneventful and it was good to land on time at Brisbane airport.
We caught the airtrain from Brisbane domestic airport to Roma Street (using our senior go-card to pay the fare) and walked, with our luggage, through Roma Street parklands to the Solo Hotel on Wickham Terrace.
After we had checked in, we walked down to the Metropolitan Hotel and had dinner in their restaurant. Beryl had lamb shanks and I had an Asian dish. We returned to our hotel and were in bed, asleep, quite promptly.
DAY NINE:
After we had showered and packed, we went down to the hotel's restaurant for breakfast. Breakfast was included in the tariff ($128 per night). The meal was bacon, eggs and toast but I ordered toast, butter and vegemite. I am not feeling at all well and know I have a lung infection and particularly pneumoccocal pneumonia. I rang my doctor's office and have made an appointment for tomorrow (Tesuday) morning at 9.30am.
We walked back to Roma Street station with our luggage, and checked the luggage through to Hervey Bay. We are travelling on the tilt train to Maryborough West and then by coach to the transit centre at Stocklands. The titl left on time and the trip was comfortable. When we were dropped off at Stocklands, we caught a cab and arrived at our home by 4.30pm.
It was then the task of unpacking and getting settle dback into our own home.
Conclusion: The trip was a wonderful experience. It was expensive but worth every cent. I have taken over 100 photos and these are in an album on facebook, and also in a folder on the computer. None of the pictures that have been uploaded into this blog are to be used by any other person, unless with agreement.
No comments:
Post a Comment