Leaving Alice Springs

Golfers in Alice Springs

Outside our room is a Golf Course that is rated the 10th rated Desert Golf Course in the world. It certainly stayed busy until dark last night and beginning early this morning. In Sydney we mostly saw golfers walking and pulling their bags. Here they all seem to be riding in golf carts- bet the extremely hot weather makes a golf cart seem more inviting.

Today we travel to the train station in Alice Springs to board The Ghan for a 24-hour trip to Adelaide. Originally called the Afghan Express, the name, The Ghan, was inspired by the pioneering Afghan cameleers who blazed a permanent trail into the Red Centre of Australia 150 years ago carrying the supplies for the first men building the telegraph lines. The Ghan’s emblem is an Afghan on a camel in recognition of their efforts in opening up the inhospitable interior to the rest of Australia.

The original Ghan line followed the route of explorer John MacDouall Stuart. However this old route often encountered extreme conditions like flash flooding and intense heat. As well as termite damage, the tracks were savaged by fire and flood. Flash flooding, when the normal parched riverbeds spilled out onto the low-lying desert plains, frequently washed away the track completely. Service was often irregular. Legend has it The Old Ghan was once stranded for two weeks in one spot and the engine driver shot wild goats to feed the passengers. Hope that doesn’t happen to us!

In 1980, The Old Ghan rail track was abandoned in favor of a new standard gauge rail line built with termite proof concrete railroad ties further to the west to avoid the potential flooding and other problems encountered with the old route. In this day of extreme weather, we noticed a warning on the website that the train traveling north on Tuesday the 8th had to stop in the town of Katherine and drive passengers to Darwin by coach. Those traveling this direction were taken yesterday from Darwin by coach to Katherine to board the train. All this is because of modern day floods. We think we’ll not be affected at all.

The Ghan

We had a terrific dinner at the Thai restaurant in the Crown Plaza and we also had a very tasty breakfast. So we are off to the train station to meet our ride. More tomorrow for we won't have internet aboard the train but will as soon as we get to Adelaide!