Day 2 - Marla

970 km North West of Adelaide and 402 km South of Alice Springs.

Where the Oodnadatta Track meets the Stuart Highway

This is Marla.

There is no Platform or Fancy Rail Station - We get off in the predawn chill, trudge towards blazing Fires - Hot Coffee and warm food, all provided by someone who was up a long time before we were.

We are stopping 2 km Out of Town 

to Watch the Sun Rise.

Some chose to Walk the Length of the Train to take that all important Photo of The Ghan Engine.

It was a VERY Long Train

So Others just chose to stay warm and Photobomb every shot they could!

Back on Board as we threaded our way back to our Cabin we got a Peek as to what Dining in Platinum was Like.

(I think I prefer the ambience of the The Queen Adelaide Car.) 

10:00 am We are advised that "We are about to cross into the Northern Territory. If you look out of the Right side of the Train you will see the Border marker."

You would think they could have put it a little closer to the Trainline...

The next Point of Interest was The Iron Man Sculpture- 

Built by Railway workers to mark the laying of the Millionth Concrete Sleeper on the Tarcoola - Alice Springs Rail Line.

By 1:15 we were rolling ito Alice Springs

1,500 km from either Adelaide or Darwin It is the Heart, The Soul, The Centre of Australia.

Why a Camel?

*Originally dubbed the Afghan Express, The Ghan train was named for the pioneering cameleers who blazed a permanent trail into the Red Centre of Australia more than 150 years ago; the original Ghan line following the route of explorer John MacDouall Stuart.

It is here we disembark and head off to our "Off Train Experience" ... 

We chose the Desert Park - 

Our Guides for the Day kept us amused with Stories of the Park. Informing us of its History and the Animals that call it home.

We wandered through the Paths and were educated about the Indigenous Flora - What was good to Eat or to Relieve a Stuffy Nose.

But the REAL reason I wanted to come was to see The Bird Show.

We watched the Australian Black-Breasted Buzzard break "Emu Eggs" with a Stone.  

And Learned that this innate behaviour and not a learned trick.

We Saw Owls and Kites and even some cheeky Locals that were not part of the Show.

And then The Beautiful Wedge Tail Eagle -

Giving me the Photographs that justified packing my 35mm Canon and Telephoto Lens.

With our Tour over it was then back to the Station and Collect our Luggage and say not Goodbye to The Ghan but "See you in a Week!"

*Source: Australia's legendary rail journey - The Ghan