Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Highs and Lows of Our Australian Adventure

Highs:

     Sunset and sunrise on Uluru (Ayers Rock).  The bus pulls in, set up a table with wine and snacks (or coffee) provides a folding stool, and you can watch the moment-by-moment color changes of the rock.

    
 Ride on the Ghan train from Adelaide to Alice Springs.  This is definitely a railroad adventure.  The entire ride takes two-and-a-half days from the bottom to the top of Australia.  We did 24 hours, stopping at Alice Springs.  The train is quite luxurious, with comfortable compartments and delicious meals, beautifully served.  The scenery was a thrill to me, and we met fascinating people, all Australian.  Visiting this part of their country was an adventure for them too.

     Amazing plants, animals and rock formations in the outback.



  
  A wonderful performance of The Marriage of Figaro at the Sydney Opera House.  This is the view from one of the lobbies.


Lows:

   My husband's worsening cough, which finally required an unscheduled visit to the clinic on the cattle station where we were staying.  We walked in with no money or ID, received excellent, immediate, and free care, and two prescription medications.  He had to take it easy for the rest of the trip, resisting every inch of the way.

   After a wonderful flight from Australia on Quantas, we had a cancelled flight from LA to Chicago that meant we were rerouted through Dallas, left there two hours late, and then of course had a major luggage mix-up in Chicago.   Arrival: six hours late.  That's probably par for the course these days.

   It's good to be home!  Now if I could sleep more than an hour at a time...

12 comments:

Libby Fife said...

So glad you are back in one piece! Sorry about your husband's cough though.

The scenery looks beautiful. I was reminded of Bill Bryson's book, In a Sunburned Country. He recounts just the very trip that you took.

Frances Arnold said...

So glad that you enjoyed your trip to Oz. You got to see many parts that we never visited, and we lived there for 6 years!!!

jenclair said...

I've always wanted to visit Australia. Sounds as if the trip was worth the long flight (which really intimidates me).

Hope your husband has recovered from his cough...such a drag on a special vacation like this.

Rian said...

Sounds wonderful. I am no stranger to sick husbands on holiday, so I feel your angst there. Everytime I see the words "Alice Springs" I am reminded of Priscilla Queen of the Desert. I take it you had no giant silver high heel shoe on your train.

Barbara Strobel Lardon said...

It is so exciting to see the photos of your trip.

Glad to hear you got back safely and hope your husband is doing fine.

By the way, I think your Hoffman Challenge is wonderful.

Unknown said...

Marvelous photos!

floribunda said...

welcome home -- and what a great trip! I'd love to get to the middle of the country one of these days as a side trip when I'm vising my sis in Tasmania... Hope your husband's feeling better now.

Barbara C said...

What beautiful photos. It seems that even the low part of your trip had a bright side. It's more than a little shocking how other countries have figured out the healthcare issue while we're still mired in our dysfunctional system. I'm glad your husband's illness wasn't serious enough to cut your trip short. Welcome home.

Joyce said...

We went to Uluru a few years ago and absolutely loved it. Great photos.

The Calico Cat said...

My name is jealousy...

Moonlit Goddess said...

Love the photos! I'm so jealous. That's high on my "must visit someday" list.

Glad your hubby is feeling better.

McIrish Annie said...

That is a trip that is on my bucket list! Looks fabulous but I'm sure it is good to be home.

Liked your Hoffman challenge. Congrats on being part of the traveling show!