Day 3 Broken Hill to Hahndorf

"Morning has Broken.. 

Like the First Morning" 

and If you are awake at 6:30 am you were treated to an Outback Sunrise.

By 7:30 we were already in Broken Hill and at our first Off Train Experience for the day.

And what an experience it was!  

An interesting and amusing talk on using Native Ingredients from the Chef at the Tipsy Camel.

Followed by Bingo and a Floor show led by Broken Hill's very own Shelita and Amanda - 

What They could do in 6" Platforms and even higher hair was amazing.

(Kudos to Them for being SO glamourous at 7:00am!)

By 9:00 am we were back on Board and off to Breakfast. 

Will it be a Full Breakfast, Scrambled Eggs with Hot Smoked Trout or something lighter? Crumpets with Fresh Berries & Mascarpone!

Coffee, Tea Fresh Juice anyone?

With nowhere to stop between Broken Hill and Adelaide, you chat with other travellers, join in a hand of cards or learn to play UNO and watch the scenery go past while enjoying a Cocktail.  

Here is 2 Challenges for you.

1.  Ask the Bartender to make an LLB that looks like a 'Grown-up drink' 

2. Try drinking this on a moving train and not spill any!

* * *

Finally arriving in Adelaide we were transferred to Coaches for the 30 minute drive to Hahndorf. 

It is Australia's Oldest surviving German Settlement.

First Stop for Wine & Cheese Tasting at The Lane Vineyard.

And Finishing off the Day with Bavarian Hospitality at HAUS.

Bring a sense of Fun and a Very Big Appetite!

Between courses we were treated to some Fun Facts about Bavarian Culture and a Performance from Uber Oompah.

And, of course Stowaway Frog made some New Friends!

(FYI- the cocktail of choice for everyone this trip? Espresso Martini.) 

Day 2 - All Aboard

12:00 Check in  

Lanyards & Room Numbers with Refreshments in the Eternity Lounge at Sydney Train Station before boarding. 

And Mr. S. Frog asked if he could have his own Lanyard, seeing he was coming as an invited guest this time.

Coffee & Conversation was enjoyed in the Lounge while we spent the afternoon watching the Sydney Suburbs & Blue Mountains roll past.

DH and I choose to Dress for Dinner on the First Night,  

(Not a lot of guests do, but the Staff appreciate it.)

And Dinner did not disappoint. 

Three wonderful courses served in the Queen Adelaide Dining Car.

Earlier today, there were some issues with the power and when the Cabin lights dimmed, we thought 'Oh-no, Not again' but, 

when the Staff started singing we realised they had found out about our Anniversary.

A special Celebration Cake from the Chef and Crew.  

They definitely surprised us!

And Our Dining companions happily helped us enjoy the extra dessert!

When it was time to head back to Our Cabin, knowing freshly made beds waited for us and .. 

Oh this is different!

No Chocolate on the Pillow tonight. 

Everyone got a special first night Treat.  

Pillow Mist and Sleep-easy Tea!

From Melbourne to Perth via Sydney

The look on my DB's face as he tried to work out how or why we were going to Perth via Sydney was priceless. 

But if you want the full Coast to Coast experience of the Longest Train journey in Australia, you have to start at the Beginning.  

And THAT, for this trip is Sydney. 

Prelude:

I read recently that "Melbourne doesn't have any  Landmark Building that you get that 'must have' Tourist photo taken in front of."  * 

Sydney however, has the Harbour Bridge and Opera House.

So for the rest of our 'Arrival Day', Ice-cream in one hand and Camera in the other, we played Tourist.

Day 1.

I can't say that Sydney rolled out the Welcome Mat for us.  

More like a doormat with "Please Wipe your Feet" printed on it.

But who would have thought we needed to bring a brolly to Sunny Sydney?

So, instead of wandering the streets looking for more Iconic Photo ops, we spent most of the day at the Heritage Listed Queen Victoria Building. Opened in 1898 and Built in the Romanesque Revival Architectural Style.  

It certainly is beautiful.

Why stay so long?

Other than the rain, and a Coffee Meetup with an ex-work Colleague of DH's - I had forgotten to pack my belt, and spent all morning looking for one... heaven help if I had decided I also needed an Umbrella!

We did also Walk through Hyde Park and shelter in the Museum until they called time.

So, footsore and damp who was to argue with Hot Coffee and Chocolate drenched Waffles?
After all - We are on Holiday.

*Be warned - One day, I may just go out and take 'Selfies' in front of all OUR Iconic Landmarks!

Hello Autumn -

You have taken your time getting here....

Autumn's answer to Winter Puddles 

Must be Jumped in!

Anniversaries and Adventures ...

Since DH retired we have been using Our Wedding Anniversary as an excuse to have a Break from the demands of the everyday.

 

A time to go "Off-Grid", reset my Mental Health and honestly say "Sorry Mum - the phone doesn't work where we are going".

When DH insisted we go on that first trip on The Ghan - I have, I admit - been hooked on not having to do anything but turn up and decide what "Entrée, Main and Dessert" I want for Breakfast.

This Year marks our 45th Anniversary so we are returning to the Indian Pacific to do the Sydney to Perth Journey.

Can I do 10 Days in 10 Photos? - Save that for Instagram.

I am also not going to Backdate my Posts this year.

Catching up on our adventures in June!

This Post is - a bookmark - to remind me when I come back for my 'Year in Review' that we did do something during May.

Anniversaries, Adventures and ...

 And .. It's Mother's Day.

No time to Celebrate - I have to Pack for a very well needed Break.

When visiting my Mother - I had the Fun of seeing my DB trying to work out why we were flying to Sydney - when he thought we were going to Perth.  

Well you do, if you are going on the Indian Pacific Train!

No time to chat - Gotta Pack.  Nothing like leaving things to the last minute but in my defence - I was going to do that yesterday.

Anniversaries and Adventures and Saying Goodbye.

The Saying Goodbye bit came early this month with the sudden loss of a SIL. 

And the inevitable scramble to get everyone to the Funeral from all corners of the Country and Overseas.

Once again we sat in a service listening to stories about someone we realised we barely knew, even though she had been DH's SIL for nearly 50 years.

And afterwards, we caught up with Folk we hadn't seen in ages and introduced new members of the Family to their Great Aunts and Uncles and distant Cousins.  

Somehow we felt that Helen was there somewhere, making sure everything ran smoothly.

The dishes are done

Time to put your feet up

and Rest.