...Has anyone ever been on or thought about taking the trip on the Indian Pacific.. from Perth to Sydney or visa versa?..i went on it in the early 70's with my parents and have great memories of travelling across the Nullabor..it took three days then and was probably a whole lot cheaper!..i think it's quite expensive now, but well worth the experience..i hope to do it in the future with my OH and family..
worst 2 days of my life
glad we got off at adelaide
no sleep for 2 nights,toilets broke down and leaked everywhere
food was garbage
my advice is pay extra and get a sleeper
I read about this in Bill Bryson Down Under,(great book if anyone gets the chance to read it). I think he'd recommend going first class too! I seem to remember he split the journey by getting off at Broken Hill and travelling around the outback for a few days, and then picking up the next train.
It's something I fancy doing one day, but more the sort of thing we'd do when the kids are older and left home, can't imagine they'd enjoy it too much.
Hubby and myself did the journey from Perth to Adelaide last October while on holiday in Australia. Well worth paying extra to go first class, we thought the food and the service were excellent. Looking forward in the near future to doing more of the great Australian rail trips.
I'd do any of the journeys, but ONLY if I could do them first class and for the Experience rather than as a means of getitng from A to B.
The one exception that I know of is Malaysia. Don't hoof round Malaysia by train because you won't see a thing that is worth seeing.
In Malaysia, use the long distance bus. If the driver has been at the ganja and/or the arrack and is running amok as a result (I was on one where this happened) it can certainly be said to Enrich The Experience, even though it might also have the effect of Shortening One's Life.
Fortunately (for me alone, anyway) I survived. You'd have to ask my rellies whether they think it worthwhile......
Cheers
Gill
Last edited by Gollywobbler : 26-01-2008 at 07:17 PM.
We made the trip on the Indian Pacific a few years back and as has been said already, Gold Kangaroo (first class), is the only way to go. I really don't think I could endure 3 days sat in a seat. We stopped at Kalgoorlie and visited the gold mines, then a brief ; but very hot ; stop at Cook on the Nullarbor Plain. We then stopped at Adelaide and had a tour of the city, before rumbling onto Broken Hill, where there is a side trip to visit a silver mine ; but we decided one mine was enough on the journey, and had a visit downtown around the shops instead. After that stop it was on through the night to wake up and enjoy breakfast as we passed through the Blue Mountains. The food was excellent, a match for any top restaurant we have dined in, and the sleeper cabins were comfortable enough, although my wife wasn't too impressed with the shower-cum-toilet arrangement........it didn't bother me in the slightest.
There is a running commentary of the passing countryside that you can listen to in your cabin, which was ideal for falling asleep listening to it. I must admit I did sleep quite a lot on the journey.
I'm glad we made the effort to travel on the IP, but I doubt I would hurry back to do it again.
I read about this in Bill Bryson Down Under,(great book if anyone gets the chance to read it). I think he'd recommend going first class too! I seem to remember he split the journey by getting off at Broken Hill and travelling around the outback for a few days, and then picking up the next train.
It's something I fancy doing one day, but more the sort of thing we'd do when the kids are older and left home, can't imagine they'd enjoy it too much.
Bec x
Ya know Becky..I so want to retrace Bill Brysons footsteps one day..what an adventure!!
Jo x
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Now come along, Eric! Fess up! I recall a thread in which you informed us that one of your children was conceived on a train....
Was this the Indian Pacific, I wonder?
Cheers
Gill
You certainly have a good memory Gill, but no it wasn't the Indian Pacific. It was in fact an overnight sleeper from Glasgow to London, not quite so romantic, but we were a good deal younger back then and we no doubt thought that it was. We may well have had re-run on the Indian Pacific............but I can't say
Eric.
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