ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME JOURNEY
All aboard Australia’s historic Ghan
How do you respond to a friend’s request that you celebrate her 60th birthday on the historic Ghan train from Adelaide to Darwin? You jump on board!
The train follows the original 2,979 km camel route used by explorers and settlers venturing from South Australia through the Outback to the Northern Territory.
The name, a shortened version of the tongue-in-cheek “Afghan Express,” is an homage to the original camel drivers. The track was completed in phases beginning in 1878 with the final leg to Darwin being completed in 2004. The retired dromedaries were turned loose in the desert where they continue to thrive in the wild.
The charm of the train comes from its stainless steel-clad carriages, which were designed in the 1960s and exude the retro vibe of a vintage Airstream trailer. In the dining car, which was outfitted with white tablecloths and etched glass partitions, we were offered a choice of three-course meals featuring local cuisine, including a crocodile sausage that was surprisingly palatable.
The cabins, panelled with mahogany, were cosy and the seating converted into two comfortable berths. The lounge car offered free drinks of choice and became the place for carousing with fellow travellers.
Most of the passengers were Australians, including a group of five couples celebrating a 50th birthday. Our dining companions were a retired doctor who had spent much of her professional life in Papua New Guinea, and her American friend, an anthropologist, who had published over 40 books. We enjoyed their company so much we met up with them for dinner in Darwin after the train trip ended.
The trip included several offtrain excursions, including a sunrise bonfire in the Outback. We elected to take a hike in Alice Springs despite the 41 C midday heat and managed to survive, as did the less risk-averse bunch who took a helicopter tour of Uluru.
Near the town of Katherine we took a boat trip up the gorge where we saw native petroglyphs, giant fruit bats, towering termite mounds and a croc lazing on the river bank.
Most of our time was spent on the train as it chugged over the vast plains of red earth dotted here and there with verdant tufts of foliage. The trip is about 48 hours and involves two nights on the train.
This was a once in a lifetime trip, befitting the occasion. All aboard!