There are few things you review that can be called 'experiences of a life-time', but this is one of…read morethem. From Perth to Sydney via Adelaide, this is a three day, 2,900 mile (4,600 km) epic featuring mountains, outback towns, kangaroos, silver and gold mines, and desert. Huge great horizons of desert.
My other half thought I was mad, of course. What? You're paying more than four times the cost of a flight, for a three day journey you could fly in four hours?. But that's not the point. How else can you experience the vastness of this continent on a three week trip, and read a novel or two, all in one go? And acquire a natty complimentary wash-bag decorated with aboriginal art? (Which, I might add, I am still using).
I boarded at Perth's East Station, finding my sleeping compartment in one of its fifteen (!) carriages. I shared a cabin - which was very compact indeed. These have now been upgraded, though there will always be be limitations on the space. But then, you're only sleeping here, and there are roomy and comfortable lounge, bar and restaurant cars.
Note: Do not, under any circumstances, go for the 'Daynighter' reclining seat, as all you get is a seat, and access to a shared shower. It might be cheap, but after three days it'll make the 22hr flight to Australia seem like paradise.
After clearing the sprawling Perth suburbs, the train heads 400 miles east to Kalgoorlie, home to one of the largest open-cast gold mines on the planet. The trains stops here for an hour or two to load on cars and provisions, and on some runs they offer a night-time tour of the town by bus if you want it. It's well worth it the mine (300m deep, 1.5km wide and 4km long) is undeniably impressive, but not nearly as impressive as seeing the tarts waving to the bus in the red light district (presumably essential given that miners outnumber the local female population by an order of magnitude).
Our woman bus driver was very matter-of-fact and defensive of them: We're right proud of our girls here in Kalgoorlie Boulder. They're kept real clean and the local GP gives them a health check every month. Without them, all our local girls would be up the duff. And this all said in a voice betraying a 60-a-day habit of Navy Rough-Cut Extra Tar. Priceless.
After an excellent dinner in the Dining Car - wonderful fruit salads - and a restful night's sleep, comes dawn over the Nullarbor Plain. One of the hottest and driest places on the planet, and four times the size of Belgium, Nullarbor is bad Latin for 'no trees'. The train makes a beeline straight across it literally including longest piece of dead-straight track in the world, all 297 miles (478km) of it. (Geeks, ahoy!). Crossing this vast expanse takes a whole day at 70 mph, an astonishing experience. You are well advised to bring some good books.
The train makes one short stop on the way, to refuel at the desolate and isolated railway town of Cook. Now almost a ghost town (it has a resident population of around four), this place regularly experiences temperatures of over 50C (now you know why Aussie beer is always served chilled).
After another few hours, you enter South Australia's bushlands. Cue kangaroos (no-one tells you they are nocturnal, though, as you try to photograph them) and dusty outback towns, before settling into the wine country of South Australia and, after another night, its lovely, leafy capital, Adelaide.
The train then strikes north, towards the picturesque silver-mining town of Broken Hill, famously portrayed in the film 'Priscilla, Queen of the Desert'. Depending on the schedule, you can take advantage of an hour or so to stroll into Broken Hill, and visit the famous 'Mario's Palace' hotel with its murals, featured in 'Priscilla'.
Another another night's kip, and you awake to the spectacular scenery of the Blue Mountains, named after the blue-tinted mist caused by plant oils evaporating from the eucalyptus forest. (And it really is pale blue). A few hours later, and you arrive at journey's end at Sydney's splendidly grand City Terminal, a suitably impressive gateway to this most iconic of cities.
Facts: it is expensive, but then this is the trip of a lifetime. To get the Gold Service with access to a lounge car and full board (drinks extra), you need to pay upwards of £800, depending on the exchange rate. The Red Service with a cabin and access to a snack bar only is around £650 (NB No meals are included in Red Service, so factor that in). Once you've experienced the enormity of the country, you will need a good book and MP3 to while away the time, and take advantage of the tours and opportunities to get off the train and stretch your legs.
I booked through at Trailfinders in Kensington, who were very knowledgeable and helpful, and packages are available, so it's worth asking. You can book directly via the web-site. Bear in mind that booking ahead is a necessity.
