Overlander - but greener?

Wednesday: by train to Geelong. 'Australians', said Topsy, 'aren't really set up for trains'. She was right. This one was refurbished three years ago, but the decor is very 1970s and though (in Red Premier - i.e. First Class0 it's perfectly comfortable, with a lot of space between seats and so on, the tables aren't brilliant (mine is being held just about level by a 20p piece judiciously inserted under a hinge) and there is no power, no internet, none of the things that we now take for granted on dear old East Coast. And it's s-l-o-w! A journey of under 600 miles takes ten and a half hours - though come to think of it, Cross Country from Newcastle to Penzance isn't far different. But top speed can't be more than about 80 mph (everything is in km here, by the way) and often it's much, much slower. The comparison is with the Rocky Mountaineer, through the Canadian Rockies that I did three years ago: but there the terrain was much more interesting and there was a real attempt at a 'guided tour'. Here there is little commentary and what there is tends to be almost inaudible due to a strong Australian accent. They would do better to include a detailed map and a more frequent commentary on points of interest, or even just where we are and what goes on outside. There are miles and miles of plain dotted with trees and nothing much there: and I've not seen a vestige of either a kangaroo or a koala: what wildlife I have seen has been all birds, and most of them are magpies. So although we're comfortable and well looked after - well, reasonably well: I've just eaten a chicken sandwich, on soggy white bread though with a decent bit of salad, along with an exorbitantly expensive quarter bottle of wine - the journey is on the whole boring. The train company can't make up their mind if they are transport or experience, and it shows. As transport, I do wonder just how much carbon emissions I'm saving by not flying: these big diesels must be throwing out a good deal and there are only three passenger cars, of which ours at least is less than half full and I guess the others are too, as there weren't very big crowds at the station. A nice full, modern, efficient aeroplane might well be able to beat this, on a per passenger basis. And as an experience, I have to say so far disappointing: though we are not much over half way through the trip. I tell a lie, above: I was briefly connected to the internet, and without even asking! But this was only because we were in a township: as soo n as we left it went again. Ah well: try the next town!

I was met at Geelong by Judy, who took me back to her home and made me very welcome. We spent most of the evening chatting - she's a great talker, and has been doing some interesting work in Prison Ministry. She has a lovely cat, a bit Garfield-style, who was displaced by me from its usual place of repose, and ended up under Judy's duvet! However, it was only for one night. Thursday saw us setting off for Torquay - and even more riviera-like than the Devon one: this is where Frances and James live, in a beautiful modern house, a good example of Australian architecture. They have a wonderful piece of art in the garden made from corrugated iron, and some fine modern pictures in the house as well. It's been good to stay and talk - we had some deep conversation about Quaker beliefs and the differences between notions and 'the way', and where God came in (if anywhere). Today (Friday) we're off out to lunch, and then I'm taking the train again into Melbourne (about an hour's run) to go to the Meeting House for my next talk, also on Ministry. It promises to be an interesting few days.