Train, plane and automobiles

It was always going to be tight getting from the train to our flight. Upon waking from yet another night of disruption we woke to the wonderful news blasting out of the speaker next to the ear that we were running somewhat late. One and half hours. So we had previously forsaken the opportunity to go on a very (already paid for) expensive bus/cable cars tour of the Blue Mountains in order to catch the plane on time, only to miss it regardless. Instead we got to spend the morning fretting about flights, costs, timing etc. Compounded by as soon as we hit confirm on the alternative carrier our rather loud PA announcer advised that we were stopped due to a medical emergency and we were waiting at a local station for an ambulance. And so another change to flights was needed.

The train is mostly empty as we traced the very windy tracks with gullies and tunnels interrupting our comms and trees blocking snippets of the grandiose scenery glimpsed as we crawled down to the burbs. I guess we can say we've seen both Broken Hill and the Blue Mountains but haven't actually been there.... and the opposite for Kalgoorlie. We were due to arrive at central station 3 hours ahead of the folks that got off to take the tour. Suspect they'll now beat us there. Interestingly with all the delays we only arrived 1 hour late. With no updates the whole scenario was a bit mysterious. The biggest problem with the silver beast is that in being over 1km long there is no platform that can wholely contain it. It needs be broken up into 3 pieces in order to get into Sydney Central and the break up happens 20 mins away. So platinum arrived about 1 hour ahead of us. Straight into a taxi off to the airport in hardly anytime at all and Kirsty from Jetstar happily plonked us back on the 3 pm flight. Stuff Virgin who wanted to charge exorbitant fees for the change. So after a day of stress worrying about getting home we ended up only being an hour later than original intent.

Eildon is still full and glowing majestically in the afternoon sun. Extraordinary number of people trying to leave town as we were coming in. Must be something wrong with the place for all these waiting/milling throngs to suffer the ignominy of T4 which continues to impress with its ability to show how not to be customer friendly. A quick bus ride to collect the cleaned car and the girl in the console showing a new route through the salubrious back streets of the Carlton gardens to avoid the traffic was great. Needless to say the pooch was rapped to see us.