What are they doing casually walking along the track when the train is due any minute? "You going to Dubbo?" they asked. "The train is running 10 minutes late."
More impatient waiting ... then here it comes gliding in.
We passed through Bakers Swamp without noticing anything. Then reached our last dot on the map for this trip - Larras Lee and saw this. The roadside monument says: In Memory of WILLIAM LEE (1794 - 1870) of "Larras Lake" a pioneer of the sheep and cattle industry and first member for Roxburgh under responsible government (1856 - 1859). This stone was erected by his descendants. --- 1938 --- This is a repost from a few days ago. Thinking I would use this for this week’s Taphophile Tragics post I dug a little further into William Lee’s story, it’s a very colonial Australian one. William was born of convict parents, living his childhood years around the Sydney region. In his early 20s he was issued with some government cattle, recommended as a suitable settler and granted 134 acres at Kelso near Bathurst. He was one of the first in the area and did well. A few years later he was granted a ram and an inc...
Typical work gang: one guy holds the level; the rest provide advice.
ReplyDeleteI wish we had a good train system. It's criminal that we're so dependent on our cars. I hope you had a smooth trip.
ReplyDeleteJulie, you've seen this too often. Snerk!
That is the same house on the right as in your last picture? I found it very exotic with wooden walls and a metal roof.
ReplyDeleteAh, train systems in foreign countries are so interesting - I always try to use them when I am abroad, everything is totally different and yet the same (okay, it is not only cows and gargoyles but trains too ;-))
Haha, what Julie says: this seems to be the same everywhere in the world, :-)
Martina, I use trains when I am travelling overseas too ... I find it much more reassuring to travel on something that has clear labelled stopping points whereas buses wander all over the place and get me confused and worried.
ReplyDeletePaula, trains are not particularly prevalent in Australia. I am fortunate that we live where there is extended connection to the Sydney suburban train service. Longer intercity services tend to be used by backpackers and pensioners who get good travel concessions. They are not used by business people like the European trains.
We have a few iconic long distance train services ... the Indian Pacific which runs across the country east-west, the Ghan which runs North-south through the Red Centre, the Sunlander which runs up the tropical east coast. We will catch them one day ... if you are prepared to wait up to 16 years I will blog the trip.
East-West, South North - that sounds so good. Says the railwayman's daughter :-D
ReplyDeleteAha, in Australia buses wander all over the place ... I knew there must be something totally different on the other side of the world ;-)
Those long-distance rail lines sound fascinating. It must be a great way to see Australia. I think I will have to find my khaki shorts and pith helmet if I ever travel on the Indian Pacific.
ReplyDeleteAB and Martina ... grin!
ReplyDeleteYou may be interested to learn why the trains have these names:
Indian Pacific: the names of the two oceans it runs between, the Pacific on the east coast and the Indian on the west coast.
Ghan: After the Afghan (Ghan) camel trains that used to run the desert route before trains took over.
Sunlander: Because it runs into the sunny tropics.
Yes it would be a fantastic way to see Australia. I'd love to catch all of these trains .... one day.
Ha, today I saw a travel agency's ad: Indian Pacific 190 € p.P. ... I am not sure if it's a one way ticket and of course first you have to get to Australia somehow .... ;-)
ReplyDelete190€ = 310,9678 AUD :-)
Too good to be true ... I just checked it out
ReplyDelete$313 for back packers and students
$716 for day/night sitter
$1362 sleeper cabin
$2008 gold service.
All fares are one way. The trip leaves Saturday afternoon, arrives Tuesday morning ... so it also depends on how well you sleep sitting up ... I'm fine but my husband wouldn't sleep a wink.
Did I mention the term "wanderlust" before? uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh.hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, it was a students travel agency ;-)
So your husband has to go for the gold service, *g*.
Yes it would be gold all the way!
ReplyDeleteWe'd love to have you wander down under.