Connected Again At Last
We're been out of earshot for you blog fans for a few days while on the train and in Adelaide, so here are my notes for that time. Today is our last day in Adelaide -- going to the zoo just across the park from the hotel, then late this afternoon catching the train to perth.
Wednesday
Met Claire at the train station just as we walked in. She had to take the bus (two buses and a cab, actually) to get to Circular Quay and do an errand in the city. We had lots of time for coffee and a chat before we made our way to the platform to board the train. The sleepers for Red Kangaroo service are quite tiny but adequate. We settled and got moving, then went along to the lounge car, where we could see out both sides -- great views. After we left the city and outskirts (about an hour), we gradually ascended into the Blue Mountains, leaving the pouring rain behind, too, for forested steep countryside with houses and villages here and there. There are 10 tunnels through these mountains, according to the audio tour, but some are quite short. Several breathtaking panoramas go by -- you can see for miles in places. Just before it got dark, the train started downward out of the mountains, into hilly pasture land, still with lots of trees, then finally before we couldn't see any more, almost flat farmland.
The dining car offered several choices, plus wine and beer, from cheerful, friendly stewards -- I heard one singing as he went by. Other passengers were chatty and good natured.
Thursday
We woke about daybreak to see flat, scrubby land with patchy trees here and there and a few sheep. Easy to see clumps or pairs of kangaroos bouncing away plus a couple of emus.
We stopped in Broken Hill about 7 am, long enough to peruse the vendor stalls at the station (all white, mostly old women selling home-made or cheap goods). Then we went further on the recommendation of the steward to peek into the Palace Hotel, a large Victorian building that had seen better days on the main street -- wall to wall painted murals in the front foyer and up two levels of stairs. We bought sandwiches at a coffee shop and headed back to the train.
The rest of the day took us through everchanging landscape, some desert and farmland, some scruffy trees, all under brilliant sunshine. We saw hills in the distance and gradually caught up to them. Got into Adelaide about an hour and a half late, but our pleasant driver was waiting with his van. The hotel is comfy, but Internet access very expensive, so we may wait until the next opportunity. Had a yummy dinner this evening; Mom had kangaroo filet.
Friday
We were picked up early Friday morning (left our luggage there so we could travel light) and taken to the domestic air terminal. As we had lots of time, the driver took us through the main area of Adelaide, pointing out a few sights. Not much happening as it was Good Friday. We waited at the terminal, watching various other tourists and holidayers arrive, then boarded a small prop plane holding 19 of us for the 30 minute flight to Kangaroo Island. Our driver met us at Kingscote Airport on the island and we boarded a mini-bus for our guided tour.
Our first wildlife sighting: wallabees. Regrettably, they were roadkill. Once we reached the Flinders Chase National Park, we saw the carpark kangaroos -- they hang around hoping to be fed -- then started to see more roos and wallabees throughout the day. The island is small enough that we covered three exceptional spots on the coast as well as much of the inland area. Our lunch stop included a walk in the eucalyptus woods to see koalas. Lots of wallabees there, too, plus a tiny but spectacular blue wren. The koalas were introduced to the island and are eating too many trees, so there are debates about culling them. Clearly a problem with something so cute. Best stops for me today were the New Zealand fur seal colony at Admiral's Arch and Seal Bay, home of the second largest breeding colony of Australian sea lions. We're resting now at Kangaroo Island Lodge, flying out tomorrow to return to Adelaide.
Saturday
We spent the day seeing the city, including the beach at Glenelg, then had dinner with Mom's 5W friends in a suburb of North Adelaide. Great evening!