May 25,26,27, 2012

May 25, 2012.
The waiting is finally over, Roxanne has had the baby at 8:20PM a boy who they have named Storm. They will be home tomorrow from Port Lincoln and will be in the transferred back to the hospital in Cowell for several days so will get to see the baby before I leave. the weather has not been that good for the last few days and have only been able to go for one long bike ride. It has  been raining and windy so have just been exploring the town and visiting.
 

May 27, 2012.

On the bus from Cowell to Port Augusta to catch the Ghan. On arrival at the train station in Port Augusta there was no one there and no place to stow ones luggage as I have a four hour wait for the train. Find out from the tourist information center a five minute walk away that there will be no one there until the train arrives. No one to tell you that the train is going to be one hour late, one good thing it is not cold. One boarding the train was told that I would be greeted and shown to my compartment and given a welcome glass of bubbly- no such luck. Also have discovered that I have been over charged for my ticket and now have to try and get a refund. Dinner was very good, had good company and stimulating conversation. The compartment is very small and a large person would not have room to turn around. The train needs renovations, the compartment can do with some repairs.

So far the Ghan has not been good value for the money spent. That said one can sit back and look at the scenery and not worry about driving . 

May 28, 2012

On the train until just after one today, waiting for the call that my breakfast sitting. Blue skies and warmer weather upon arrival in Alice Springs, will stay over night and then pick up my rental car and start the drive to Darwin. Have eight day to get there and it is only 1500 K. Breakfast was very good but they serve far too much food at each meal and it seem that you just finish one meal and they are calling you for another. Breakfast was at 8:30 and we are having lunch at 12:45, this may be because we have a four hour stop at Alice Springs and most of the passengers are doing some activities here such as a camel ride, site seeing or just walking about the town. I am getting off here and do not have any activities planned but will be going for a walk about this afternoon after I check into my hotel. Have to find where I pick up the car in the morning.

Photos from the train

May 25,26,27, 2012

May 25, 2012.
The waiting is finally over, Roxanne has had the baby at 8:20PM a boy who they have named Storm. They will be home tomorrow from Port Lincoln and will be in the transferred back to the hospital in Cowell for several days so will get to see the baby before I leave. the weather has not been that good for the last few days and have only been able to go for one long bike ride. It has  been raining and windy so have just been exploring the town and visiting.
 

May 27, 2012.

On the bus from Cowell to Port Augusta to catch the Ghan. On arrival at the train station in Port Augusta there was no one there and no place to stow ones luggage as I have a four hour wait for the train. Find out from the tourist information center a five minute walk away that there will be no one there until the train arrives. No one to tell you that the train is going to be one hour late, one good thing it is not cold. One boarding the train was told that I would be greeted and shown to my compartment and given a welcome glass of bubbly- no such luck. Also have discovered that I have been over charged for my ticket and now have to try and get a refund. Dinner was very good, had good company and stimulating conversation. The compartment is very small and a large person would not have room to turn around. The train needs renovations, the compartment can do with some repairs.

So far the Ghan has not been good value for the money spent. That said one can sit back and look at the scenery and not worry about driving . 

May 28, 2012

On the train until just after one today, waiting for the call that my breakfast sitting. Blue skies and warmer weather upon arrival in Alice Springs, will stay over night and then pick up my rental car and start the drive to Darwin. Have eight day to get there and it is only 1500 K. Breakfast was very good but they serve far too much food at each meal and it seem that you just finish one meal and they are calling you for another. Breakfast was at 8:30 and we are having lunch at 12:45, this may be because we have a four hour stop at Alice Springs and most of the passengers are doing some activities here such as a camel ride, site seeing or just walking about the town. I am getting off here and do not have any activities planned but will be going for a walk about this afternoon after I check into my hotel. Have to find where I pick up the car in the morning.

Photos from the train

May 20, 21, 22, 2012

May 20, 21, 22, 2012

Bus ride Cowell, takes 7 hours but that includes several stops along the way and a 45 minute stop in Port Augusta for lunch.  Arrived Cowell on the Ayre Peninsula, a small town of just over 2000 people. The main industry is fishing, agriculture and oyster farming.   The Ayre Peninsula is where the outback meets the sea,  and this exactly what happens as the farms go right down to the sea cliffs and the scenery  is absolutely beautiful.

Staying here for six days - waiting for the birth, my cousins daughter is due during my visit and hopefully I will be here for the blessed event.

Went down the coast today to see some of the beaches, the wind was blowing quite strongly and we were blasted by the sand.  Have taken a few photos but the sand was getting into everything so had to leave.  On the way home the wind was causing large dust storms as it whipped across the fields, there has not been any rain for the past couple of months and things are starting to get very dry.

It started raining this afternoon so hopefully the fields will get a good wetting and the crops that have just been planted will start to grow before it drys up again.

on the way to Cowell

Cowell from the pier

Old building on the main street of Cowell

Ayre Peninsula

This beautiful old stone  farm building has been abandoned but still remains on the farm.

May 20, 21, 22, 2012

May 20, 21, 22, 2012

Bus ride Cowell, takes 7 hours but that includes several stops along the way and a 45 minute stop in Port Augusta for lunch.  Arrived Cowell on the Ayre Peninsula, a small town of just over 2000 people. The main industry is fishing, agriculture and oyster farming.   The Ayre Peninsula is where the outback meets the sea,  and this exactly what happens as the farms go right down to the sea cliffs and the scenery  is absolutely beautiful.

Staying here for six days - waiting for the birth, my cousins daughter is due during my visit and hopefully I will be here for the blessed event.

Went down the coast today to see some of the beaches, the wind was blowing quite strongly and we were blasted by the sand.  Have taken a few photos but the sand was getting into everything so had to leave.  On the way home the wind was causing large dust storms as it whipped across the fields, there has not been any rain for the past couple of months and things are starting to get very dry.

It started raining this afternoon so hopefully the fields will get a good wetting and the crops that have just been planted will start to grow before it drys up again.

on the way to Cowell

Cowell from the pier

Old building on the main street of Cowell

Ayre Peninsula

This beautiful old stone  farm building has been abandoned but still remains on the farm.

May 18, 2012

Flew over to Adelaide today, very small plane but flight was good, meet at the airport by a friend and will stay here for a couple days.   Ron has driven my around the city, very beautiful, wide streets, lots of parks and flowers.   Also have driven out to Murray Bridge about 70 km. out side the city for the afternoon. Weather here has been very nice, sunny but cool in the evening. 

Some of the old houses and buildings in Adelaide

A tree that has many initials carved in it

Murray Bridge

the Murray River

The Hayward House in Adelaide - Carrick Hill

Gardens at Hayward House

Have booked my trip to Cowell May 21, 2012, going by bus, have had a time trying to get connections to the rural areas of South Australia. Was going to go on the 20th but there is no bus on Sunday to get to the town where the ferry leaves to go to Cowell, and so have to go on the 21st.