After I got back from Hawaii, there were fireworks for New Year, then the cricket, not that I’m complaining, it’s always a busy time of year – a family time. I was having a look at the business pages one evening when the wife said look outside at that will ya? To be honest I …
Tag Archives: Australia
Melbournia
We spend the last several days of our visit in Melbourne. I had never been here before, and wasn’t sure what to expect. I was surprised at the size – even though it’s smaller than Sydney, it’s still enormous. Stayed at the Nunnery in Fitzroy, big city prices but a nice place, very convieniently located. …
The Man from Snowy River, and Quokkas
After returning to Perth, we’re tired and spend the day recovering from The Big Drive. Heading down to “Freo” we get an overpriced ticket for the ferry to Rottnest Island. It’s a great short trip and we get to see our first “Quokkas”. They actually do look like large, friendly rats . . . Then …
For the birds, and wave watching in Lancelin
We stay at the Kalabarri Motorcamp, which reminds me of Christmas holidays as a kid. More pelicans and galahs. We are turning into birdwatchers so decide to get serious and head down to Rainbow Jungle, an enormous local privately run aviary. The place is built around a series of enclosures where every parrot under creation …
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Stopping for Emus on the Coast Road
We have decided to head north from Perth to see some real Australia and I go down to Budget to get a rental car. I take the wheel of the V6 Magna and within a minute I have somehow got myself onto the southbound freeway out of town, and have also managed to lose my …
Wake up age 32, on a night train outside Perth
After three nights on the train, we arrive at Perth 9am on 20 July (my birthday). We are feeling a bit crumpled after our journey and head to Governor Robinson’s a small hostel in inner city Northbridge. It’s a great place, very sharp, clean and comfortable, well-priced and run by a friendly guy by the …
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Indian Pacific: 2 Dimensional Drift
The train pulls up in the middle of the plain. This is in theory a station called Watson. There is nothing but small grassy clumps and red soil. An aboriginal woman and her small child step down from the train together with a steward with their bags. I overhear their conversation at the door. She …
Indian Pacific: Plain Talking
The country outside Adelaide is initially greener than I imagined (no drifting sand dunes or camel trains yet.) However the ubiqitous red soil is there; and after some time you realize the landscape is impercetibly changing. The last distant low uplands slide away and the perspective is of a vast surrounding tabletop. Small scubby plants …
Indian Pacific: Ice on the tracks
It’s a strange sensation to wake up in a train carriage, especially when you are on the outskirts of Broken Hill. The previous night the train was delayed because of ice on the tracks in the Blue Mountains, not the kind of delay you expect in Australia. The hills are grey and ghostly in the …
Indian Pacific: Red Kangaroo or Gold Kangaroo?
We are travelling out of the endless Sydney suburbs. Out in the West there seems to be little of the flash cosmopolitan city and more of the dusty cramped bungalows and industrial sprawl. We are checking it all from the “Red Kangaroo” cars with the seats, not the bunks (i.e. we are in the cheap …
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Indian Pacific: What is your favourite choice of weapon?
On Saturday 17 July, we embarked on our overland train trip from Sydney to Perth. The journey really begins at Circular Quay station, where Julie breaks her tooth on a candy bar. Luckily it doesn’t seem to cause too much pain but is not a good omen for our 63 hour transcontinental journey that is …
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Victor Billot 