Dreams do come true…if you save $2 a day, you would have saved $730 in a year…think about where you could go on vacation with that amount of money. Just $2 a day! If you forego your $5 lunch per day, you will have $1,825 in a year.
Last summer because of the above lessons, we were able to travel to Australia. While I spent some time with my dear Australian friend, Amanda and her little boy, the children and my husband climbed the Sydney Harbour Bridge…that was a dream for them.
We tried to pack them all in…see all…do all that we could.
Next on the list was train travel. The only time we had was a day train ride from Sydney Central Station to Melbourne Southern Cross Station. It was a cheap form of transportation for us and an opportunity to see the countryside.
The fare for children 15 years and below traveling with an adult was AUD1 for each destination. Less than a $1 per child! The journey for the four of us was less than AUD200 for first class. Country Link runs promotional fares on a regular basis. Check to find out if you are in luck for a bargain!
When you travel by train, there is really not much hassle of check in bags and security procedures. Take a cab from your hotel to the train station, which is usually in city center. The rest are just like taking a local train from your city to another city. You don’t have to pay for airport transfers…but of course it takes longer to arrive at your destination.
Rail Passes are also available with Country Link. All travel passes are available for overseas visitors and limited to local Australians. There is also a price difference depending on where you purchase the rail pass. Rail passes are cheaper if you purchase them in your home country.
The day train from Sydney to Melbourne takes about 11 hours 14 minutes while the night trip is slightly shorter 10 hours 55 minutes. You have a choice of a sleeper for night travel or regular seats.
Our day trip takes us through little Australian towns, green pastureland with hundreds of sheep, farm houses and empty vast land. When you are hungry, you can always go to the dining car for a meal at a reasonable price.
One memorable train trip that I took in Australia was on The Ghan…a trip that is over 25 hours from Adelaide, Southern Australia to Alice Springs in the Outback, Northern Territory. The train’s final destination is Darwin.
This is considered one of the most fascinating train trips in the world. The Ghan got its name from Afghan cameleers over eighty years ago that traveled in the desert of Australia on camels. Yes, you can ride the camels in the outback.
The journey starts on broad daylight at 12:20pm in Adelaide and as you sit back and relax you began to see the changing scenery in each passing hour. It is like your geography book coming alive…first you leave the city and move on the plains of Southern Australia. There are scenes of sheep, wine country, pastureland and an occasional glimpse of small railway towns. As the hour passes, the view of Flinders Ranges appears before your eyes…mountains in the distance and plains in clear view.
The daylight affords you to see more of Australia’s semi-desert and scrub and as the night approaches your distant land becomes flat and plain…After a great night sleep on your luxurious sleeper, you open your blinds and look out the window…red earth and cobalt skies.
You cross the imaginary lines of your map and finally at 1:45pm the next day, you are in the town of Alice Springs, Outback Australia. The air is dry and hot. It is the hot desert! You see more Aborigines and flies in this area. Make sure you get an Australian Traditional Cork Style Bush Hat to keep flies away from your face and to protect yourself from the sun.
Here is my boomerang made in the outback…she is engraving her name.
Travel takes an imagination in your mind to an experience in your life. It broadens your scope. The next time if you are buying another black dress…think about how you can put that money away for a journey…to another land…IT IS POSSIBLE!
Have a great summer adventure! Do you have a travel story to share? Tell us about it.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Excellent info! Train travel may take a bit longer but as you point out it has so many benefits! Great for families!
I travel to Australia more than 15 years back but never on a train. Thank you Claudia for your sharing and information
Claudia thanks for sharing, people will benefit greatly from this way of traveling…it is more interesting than the flight, as you can enjoy the beautiful views.
Great travel tips and story about Australia, Claudia. What a great way to see the land down under than by train. Sitting back, relaxing and taking in all of the scenery is the real way to see the country, relax and be able to enjoy it. Our travel story is about visiting our daughter and new granddaughter in Cork, Ireland. You can read it here: http://carlastransportservices.com/preconceived-ideas-auto-transport-irish-castles
Thanks for sharing yet another travel story with us. We love the adventure, travel tips and your expertise in traveling the world.