Australia 2025

Day 19- Joining the Indian-Pacific

The big day has arrived and a big feature of our trip - the Indian-Pacific train from Perth to Adelaide over three days.

The morning was spent with final packing up, but after breakfast, we wisely headed for a 30 minute gym trip as this was likely to be our last opportunity for a few days. The Adina is a bit on the grubby side but it does have an excellent gym.

Having showered and made a final check over in which Yorkshire Jon forgot his sherry from the Swan Valley winery, we left our luggage at the hotel and headed out to Perth's shopping area for a final time - I was interested in the second-hand bookshop in London Court but arriving there, found it shut. Typical. Somethings translate well between England and Australia and shops is one of them.

Jon suggested a walk to a cycle shop he wanted to look at and despite the heat and a mile out of town, off we trots and I didn't put any sunscreen on, so I had this dash between trees to catch the shade - must have looked a prize dickhead but I didn't care.

The bike shop found, but not having found what YJ wanted, we walked to The Lucky Shag for the last time to watch the thirds days play. Australia confirmed their massive lead and our bowling is basically tripe.

After a substantial lunch, we decide to check-in at the train early so we return to collect our luggage and catch the train to East Perth for nearby Elizabeth Quay. This is complicated by the fact that there is a big Christmas parade on (in 38 degrees !!) so we have a more difficult navigation and crowded train to contend with.

Once at East Perth, the main event really begins as the platform is crowded with punters like us. The train is 34 coaches long and doesn't fit on the platform!

We check-in and are given some wine and some nibbles whilst waiting to board which happens in a relaxed manner. We are told to board at the rear of the train - Gold not Gold Premium or Platinum mark you, we're only cheap luxury tourists - and proceed to coach B which is predictably at the back of the train. Our cabin is quite small; it's about the same as the one from Berlin to Moscow which I did on another trip - and our attendant explains how it's going to work bed-wise and also the shower etc.

The train is really a throwback to another era - 1970's actually - and its faded glory is especially noticeable in the lounge and Queen Adelaide dining car. I keep expecting Hercule Poirot to walk in any moment!

We set off and we watch the outskirts of Perth pass into the outback of Western Australia and as the light fades, we walk to the lounge for pre-drinks for dinner. Dinner was a luxury meal as served in a 5-star hotel and three course consumed with more wine. There's a theme here that's not hard to detect - free booze! The fellow passengers are pleasant enough, especially Grant and Isla from Dundee. Grant fosters Guide Dogs so there's quite a conversation about that. Isla just chips in with sarcasm mainly aimed at Grant which is quite funny to observe.

After a chat for post-dinner drinks, we retire to the cabin, which has been made up for the evening as in the top bunk has been set down and the beds made. Considering it's not the smoothest ride, I do sleep quite well even though the train sways a lot as the 1970's suspension system is not up to modern standards. It also stops in passing loops as it's a single line track so has to let in a long freight train every now and then which explains why it takes 3 days to get from Perth to Adelaide and then Sydney. Australian freight trains are as long as other North American and Russian ones, so the rush of them passing at speed takes a bit of getting used to (again).

The interrupted sleep is not good for tomorrow's outing to "The Big Pit"; we have to be off the train at 5.30. Good heavens!