Categories: holidays, interesting-sites
Date: 11 September 2007 03:57:24
I did have blog-worthy adventures indeed, as requested by Jack the Lass in the comments: several of them on the way up there.
Unordered: this is the farthest north in Oz I've been. Fraser Island was the farthest previously, and I'd only got there in March this year.
Tractor Girl: I do love travelling. And there is so much of Oz I am yet to see. Dates for England and Wales almost worked out: liaising with a friend.
Chas asked about rail gauges in Queensland: 1067 mm (3' 6"). They are narrow when compared to New South Wales and some places overseas. Though the sugar cane lines are narrower still. Three different gauges are in wide use in Australia, as the states decided themselves which ones they were to use without much thought for railway interaction between states.
I didn't get a chance to experience the tilt train. The first of the blog-worthy adventures: due to an electrical problem, our plane in Sydney taxied back to the terminal, and various boffins did various things in the cabin. We set off, forty-or-so minutes late, so I missed my connecting flight from Brisbane to Townsville. The next flight from Brisbane to Townsville wasn't until another five-and-a-bit hours, so there was no way I was going to make the train. Kudos upon kudos to Virgin Blue, however: not only did we get, as one would expect, vouchers for food, they also gave us a voucher for the full-price of our Sydney to Townsville flight [$160- in my case] to use at another time. And, as I was eager to get the train and not cause my cousin trouble, they hunted around for other carrier's flights: but there were none unfortunately. I was very impressed: I'm working out where to put my $160 to.
I decided -- to kill time -- to catch the Air Train to Brisbane. On the way out I saw one of the Air Force One planes on the tarmac. Brisbane was lovely, though a bit wet. On the way back to the airport, I experienced another adventure. At some point, the train managed to get on the wrong track and instead of heading to the airport it headed up north. I, non-Brisbane-resident-I-am, had no idea, but several locals in the carriage started talking and wondering what was up. We stopped at a station. The driver and companion got out and walked to the back of the train. We went back several kilometres. We stopped. The driver and companion walked through the train. Nothing was said by them. We went forwards again, this time turning off the main track and heading toward the airport. Nothing was said over the PA system. Ignorance may be bliss, I suppose.
The flight to Townsville was fun before it began. The two seats next to me were empty. I heard some talking between some passengers seated and some standing several rows ahead. It turned out the people sitting in 18 B and C should've been in 23 D and E. I'm not quite sure how you mix those up, but it appears you can.
My cousin had organised for a bus to take me from Townsville to Ingham: this bus generally meets the 16:45 flight from Brisbane. A very pleasant ride with the driver and two fellow passengers, one of whom was bringing his partner to meet his family. Townsville Airport is an interesting thing: houses literally back right on to it. You are driving out of the airport and all of a sudden you are in the midst of suburbia. An odd feeling.
Adventures in Ingham to follow...