Sunday 4th November

After a light breakfast we checked out of our hotel and dropped off the hire car. We took a taxi to the station to check in for the Ghan train. This train goes from Adelaide to Darwin via Alice Springs. It's called the Ghan in honour of the pioneer cameleers who opened up the interior. Although they mainly came from the Middle East they were know as 'Afghans'. Our journey to Alice is 1559km and takes some 26 hours. We have our own compartment with 2 couchettes and a cubicle with fold down basin and toilet, and also a shower. Shortly after departure we had lunch in the Queen Adelaide restaurant as we were retracing the drive we made yesterday. The city rapidly gave way to the huge wheat fields and then the sparse red bush. From then in it was flat interminable bush with clusters of small shrubs broken by sparse trees. We sat for some of the time in the lounge car where we had drinks before supper in the dining car. When we returned to our compartment the bunks had been made up and we watched the sunset before turning in.