Sydney and Homeward Bound

I hadn't been to Coogee during my visit, so on the day my overnight sleeper train was to depart, I caught the 373 bus to Coogee, and it was a splendid day, with it being quite busy at the beach. I bought some lunch and sat around for a good while passing people entertained me. Why aren't all these people at work, I so often think.

Rather than go straight back to my hotel, I caught the 370 bus to Randwick and the L2 tram back to the city, and walked back from the Town Hall stop.

I slowly packed my things. Why, with nothing more than I brought, doesn't everything fit back into a case like it did when I initially packed! I then took a second shower for the day, a very leisurely shower, even though there are showers on the train, they are awkward.

My train departure time was about 8.40pm, with hotel checkout time arranged for 6.00pm. I went down to the Thai restaurant below, and consumed a large bowl of seafood tom yum, with a couple of fish cakes on the side. The train has a buffet for light food, but an evening meal is not included with the travel. With me was half a sandwich as a snack and there would be a light breakfast delivered in the morning. 

I prefer Coogee to the famous Bondi, with the bus stop closer to the beach, less crowded, especially on the bus, and there is good seating for 'those who need them', like me. 

With my case in the correct place on the bus, it was a quick trip down to Central, where my train was waiting, although I couldn't board immediately as the cleaners hadn't finished. 

Central was looking grand in the evening light. The information said to arrive half an hour before departure time. I was there in good time but certainly not the ridiculous half an hour. All you do is step on to the train. That doesn't take half an hour. My ticket was never checked at any point. 

The train is old, built in 1982 and replacements have been ordered and are arriving, but it is not yet known if there will be a sleeper car. Given it is often booked out, that would be a terrible mistake, in my view. But, perhaps I should wait until I had made this trip before deciding on that.

If the train looks familiar to people in England, it is based on the old InterCity 125, which can travel at 125mph/200km/h. The train was modified for Australian conditions, better air conditioning, with lower gearing to climb the steep slopes of the Southern Tableland, so it can't travel at 200km/h, but regardless, it is limited to 160km/h.

It has of course been renovated since 1982 and first appearances pleased my eyes.

It had one powerpoint for the use of cleaners. There was a warning that it could possibly fry any device plugged into the socket. One light switch was for the main lighting, and the other for a night light.

This flimsy table lifted out and and an extension was dropped into this socket. It swung about quite a bit with the train movement and was kind of annoying, however with its lip at the edge it was probably a safer place to put drink than where I used, resulting in a minor catastrophe. 

I would describe the train as somewhat old world stylish. I think the carriages were very well made. 

The man in the next room to me was also a sole occupant of a double cabin. He was blind. with his seeing eye dog accompanying him. I heard the staff escorting him off and back onto the train at a station for no doubt a call of nature for the dog. 

The cost of the trip was more than flying, but what price can you put on comfort with little stress. The fare was calculated by buying a first class ticket, then an add on for the sleeper, and in my case that was double because I bought the upper bunk for Ray as he expressed he would have liked to use the train, and then a pensioner discount was applied. Last year after we took the day train to Sydney, Ray wanted to return by sleeper train. I said no, as he had complained about the day train on the way up and we would have lost our already paid airfares back. I really wish I hadn't said no. He always slept well and he would have enjoyed the trip. At times I don't like myself for being so sensible and cautious. Had I only have known what would happen the following month.

So, the drink catastrophe; I bought two glasses of red wine from the bar and took them back to my room, one for my aforementioned companion. I drank the first one and put the second one on  the window ledge, where it sat quite happily for quite some time. The window ledge seemed safer than the moving table, but it wasn't. Staff knocked and turned my seating into a very comfortable bed. I then against the regulations, took a bottle of scotch from my suitcase and poured a large glass and then sat that on the window ledge. The train was very quiet and smooth, and the two glasses didn't move on the ledge, until they did. The train lurched and down fell the red wine, thankfully landing on a towel on the floor. Before I could grab it, then my scotch fell down too, also onto the towel. There would no hiding the smell from staff but hopefully they would just think it was wine. I poured another glass of scotch, then staff knocked again to take the breakfast order. I put my scotch into a cupboard before opening the door, and staff noticed the spillage, took the towel away and brought me a fresh one. 

Phone reception is very patchy, so I had downloaded something to watch on my tablet as I ate my half sandwich and half a packet of potato chips (crisps) I'd bought ten days earlier. Whatever chemical was in them, had kept them crisp. 

I shared a bathroom with the blind man. I hoped his aim was good in spite of his vision. A drop down sink and toilet, with a shower, which I didn't use. I had showered a few hours before I boarded and would do so once I was home.

I went to sleep just after 11 and slept very well. As I discovered when we caught the day train to Adelaide some years ago, Victorian train tracks are rougher than those in both South Australia and New South Wales. I think I half woke to some rough Victorian tracks once over the state border, but no big deal.

I can't remember what time I woke but I saw Seymour Station and a VLine country train. Breakfast was delivered some time after 6.00.  

The train arrived on time into Melbourne Southern Cross at about 8.00am and with a feeling of being in an unreal situation, I walked to William Street, my case in tow and my backpack over my shoulder, along with office workers going to work, and caught the 58 tram home. No stress. I am in Melbourne where I know my way around and how things work, so no concentration was required. Jass cautiously greeted me at the door, and after I showered, Phyllis and Kosov woke to give me a welcome home hug. 

Would I do it again, oh yes. While the fare does cost, I didn't have the cost of transport to Sydney airport, around $20 by usurious airport gate pricing, nor the cost from Melbourne airport to home by cab, around $80. I did have to pay a bit extra for the late hotel checkout, and if I travelled from Melbourne to Sydney, an early hotel check in, so maybe it is around the same.  

I will write a brief summary of the whole trip in the goodness of time.