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Indian airline cracks the code to halving disembark times

A low-cost Indian airline has come up with a game-changing solution to get passengers off planes quicker during disembarking. A lot of planes rely on one door at the front of the plane to get travellers off the aircraft when they arrive at their destination. This often means passengers at the back of the plane have to let hundreds of others off the plane before they get the chance to disembark in an orderly fashion. To combat the wait, some airlines, including Virgin Australia and Qantas-owned Jetstar, regularly allow passengers to disembark from a set of stairs at the rear of the plane. But India’s largest carrier IndiGo has gone one step further and has introduced a third door for passengers to exit through. They have utilised the door in the middle of the plane, which is only ever used in an emergency, as another exit for passengers. The carrier reckons it could almost halve the time it takes to get passengers off the plane from up to 13 minutes to a mere seven minutes. “The new Three-Point Disembarkation process will be carried out from two forward and one rear exit ramp, making IndiGo the first airline to use this process,” an IndiGo spokesman told India’s <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/indigo-introduces-process-for-faster-de-boarding-of-passengers-101659598634339.html">Hindustan Times</a>. A video uploaded by Indian business journalist Sumit Chaturvedi shows the new process with passengers leaving an IndiGo Airbus A320 aircraft via the various ramps. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Indian carrier Indigo today introduced a new Three Point Disembarkation which it claims will enable its customers to exit the aircraft faster than before. The new process will be carried out from two forward and one rear exit ramp. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndiGo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndiGo</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ChhaviLeekha?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChhaviLeekha</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/IndiGo6E?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IndiGo6E</a> <a href="https://t.co/n7Xajg8dk0">pic.twitter.com/n7Xajg8dk0</a> — Sumit Chaturvedi (@joinsumit) <a href="https://twitter.com/joinsumit/status/1555098794609455104?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 4, 2022</a></blockquote> “An A320 aircraft usually takes around 13 minutes for its passengers to de-board the aircraft. However, the new process will make the drill faster and will reduce the disembarkation time from 13 minutes to seven minutes,” an IndiGo spokesman said. As well as being a major bonus for anxious passengers who are eager to make a swift exit from the plane, the changes could also greatly help the airline. The quicker passengers can leave the plane, the shorter the turnaround time to get it back in the air with more fare-paying passengers on board. Despite the revolutionary change exciting many, others are sceptical at the airline’s claims. Ben Schlappig of US aviation blog<a href="https://onemileatatime.com/news/indigo-deplaning-a320-three-doors/"> One Mile At A Time </a>questioned if all the claimed time savings would occur in real-life settings. “The process of actually getting out the door is one bottleneck, but I’d think that getting down the aisle is another thing that takes time, and that’s still an issue, even with a second door in the front.” Image credits: Getty Images

Travel Tips

5 Long (and Iconic) Train Trips

We track down some of the world's greatest rail journeys. 1. The Original Trans-Siberian Express Spanning 9288km of track, this is perhaps the most iconic of rail journeys and the longest passenger train route in the world. With an average speed of just 77km/h, the trip from Moscow to Vladivostok isn’t for those on a tight schedule – you’ll need to set aside a minimum 146 hours, 8 minutes (six and a bit days), and most journeys include stopovers. But for that investment you’ll cross multiple time zones and witness the breadth of Russia’s majestic terrain, from verdant woodlands, through mountains and desert, to grassy steppe. While itineraries vary, most journeys break at Irkutsk, one of the largest cities in Siberia, with ornately decorated 19th century buildings, just 70km from World Heritage-listed Lake Baikal. 2. The Canadian The trip from Toronto to Vancouver is a sleepy 83 hours long – but considering you’ll be winding through the steep and snow-capped Rocky Mountains and Canadian Shield forests, the pace suits anyone looking for relaxation, rest and peaceful views. Huge glass windows make the most of the scenery as the train wends its way across 4466km of Canada’s diverse landscape. 3. The Blue Train South Africa’s famous Blue Train spans 1600km of track linking Pretoria with Cape Town. More like a hotel on rails than a train, there are lounge carriages where passengers can mingle in comfort and some suites contain full-sized baths. High-tech additions like the driver’s eye camera view meet classic decor and a butler service. The journey takes 27 hours from start to finish and crosses some of the most diverse and picturesque scenery on the African continent. Don’t expect to feel the rush of wind through your hair though, as its average speed is just 57km/h. 4. The Indian Pacific Departing from Sydney, it takes about 70 hours for the Indian Pacific to traverse the Australian continent on its way to Perth. Stopping at the mining town of Broken Hill, Adelaide, and Kalgoorlie you’ll cover 4352km at an average speed of 85km/h. At that rate, you’ll catch the full glory of the sun setting across the horizon on the longest stretch of straight rail track in the world. Travel in spring for the best of Western Australia’s wildflowers. 5. Jinghu High Speed Rail For those who like their train travel to evoke the future rather than the past, China is calling. The showcase of China’s modern rail fleet was launched in 2012 and shaves 20 hours off the 1303km trip from Beijing to Shanghai, delivering passengers to their destination in five super-fast hours. It is currently the fastest long-distance passenger train in the world, reaching speeds of 300km/h. Train Facts Fastest passenger train The MagLev Chou Shinkanzen – a Japanese magnetic levitation train – broke the world speed record for a passenger train back in April. During a test run near Mt Fuji, this new breed of bullet train reached an incredible speed of 603km/h. The planned top speed in operation is 505km/h and it will ultimately connect Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka, with the first stage opening in 2027. Longest train journey The China-Europe Block Train travels 9977km from Yiwu to Madrid over 21 days. But train buffs who have made the Trans Siberian trip needn’t feel miffed, as this is a decidedly unglamorous freight service designed to cut up to two weeks off the sea freight time between the two cities. Longest and heaviest train Australian-based BHP Billiton intentionally set the record in 2001 over a 275km distance in Western Australia. The 7.35km-long train comprised 683 freight cars carrying iron ore and eight locomotives, distributed along its length. The total weight of the train was 99,735 tonnes. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/travel/train-journeys/5-Iconic-Train-Trips">Reader’s Digest</a> Images: Reader’s Digest

International Travel

Swimming With Whale Sharks

Snorkelling in the Indian Ocean just off Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia means blue infinity in every direction – but what’s that eerie pale oval approaching under the surface? Widening and narrowing and growing larger by the second, it resolves into the enormous gulping mouth of a whale shark. Stand by – or rather, swim by – for one of Australia’s grandest marine spectacles. Unsurpassed globally for regular, reliable and accessible whale shark encounters, World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Reef runs 260 km along Western Australia’s remote North West Cape, about 1300 km north of Perth. Every year – from April to July – these normally elusive filter-feeders arrive for an annual mass-spawning of coral, which, aided by fortuitous currents, turns the outer reef into a nutrient-rich soup of plankton and krill. A relatively recent addition to this prehistoric dinner engagement are gatecrashing, snorkelling Homo sapiens, drawn to feed their sense of wonder on sharing salt water with the largest of all shark species. The adventure begins on very dry land. Although flanked by vast tracts of water – Exmouth Gulf on one side, the Indian Ocean the other – North West Cape is an arid, baked wilderness bisected by the rocky heights of Cape Range, an extinct limestone reef from the region’s deeper past. Anchored off a lonely desert boat ramp 38 km from Exmouth township, the 17 m Draw Card is amid a tiny gaggle of whale-shark boats (there are eight Exmouth-based tour operators) ferrying their patrons aboard by inflatable Zodiac. First on the agenda is a morning snorkel on the reef, a handy acclimatisation and a superb experience in itself. Amid a kaleidoscope of colourful sea life, the crew’s two whale-shark ‘spotters’ – Ellece Nicholls and Emma Goodfellow – and videographer Meg Green, free-dive with mermaid-like agility, pointing out creatures of interest. Usual Ningaloo suspects include parrotfish in all hues of green and blue, frilly orange lionfish, giant clams, tawny nurse and leopard sharks, whitetip and blacktip reef sharks, barracuda and bull rays. The easily found sailfin catfish (small, black and fantailed) is one of 50 endemic species. The Draw Card cruises south through shallow turquoise waters, heading for one of only three navigable passages to the open ocean – soon revealed by a gap in the white line of offshore surf. The shark-spotting plane radios success and the deck ripples with excitement. As we power into position several kilometres out to sea, the 19 tourists aboard are divided into two snorkel groups and re-briefed on protocols – no touching, no duck-diving, keep 3 m clear of any whale shark (and 4 m from the tail). Whale-shark watching works for one simple reason. “They’re sun worshippers,” spotter and marine biologist Ellece Nicholls says. On clear days plankton rises to the light, attracting whale sharks to the surface where they linger to hoover up the bounty. The biggest enemy is heavy cloud cover, rarely a problem at Ningaloo. Think of it as a game of marine leap-frog. The boat stops ahead of a shark and the first snorkellers tag along as it passes, with the Zodiac deployed to aid any stragglers. Group two drops in further along the shark’s probable path. After the whale shark leaves its first escorts, the boat collects them and moves ahead of group two (now in shark conference) to repeat the process. Group one don fins and stride off the duckboard, looking for the spotter’s hand signal. Ellece points and faces go under – nothing. Then a casual over-shoulder, underwater glance reveals a blue-grey speckled bulk the size of a van. Veering before reaching us, the silent giant had almost slipped by unobserved behind our backs. Gentle titans Wondrous as it is, there’s no time to stop and wonder. Admiring a whale shark is not a passive activity. It’s time to snorkel as fast as humanly possible, which inevitably falls short of any whale shark in middle gear. But following its wake is unforgettable. The towering column of tail sweeps with effortless power, slowly shrinking and dissolving a gentle titan into the deep blue curtain of ocean ahead. Minutes later, adrift in the open sea, we regroup for pick-up. Ellece says we saw a juvenile male, “only” 4 m long but with a barrel-like girth. While 12-m whale sharks have been seen here, the typical Ningaloo visitor is a 4-7 m male. Far sooner than expected, we’re ready for another dip into his world. “This is what we call a blind drop,” Ellece says, meaning no-one knows exactly where the shark is. But in we go and there he is. Afterwards comes an unexpected bonus, a hefty green turtle flapping through the blue nearby, a marine bumblebee in flight. Leaving our teenage shark to another nearby boat – the industry here is amiably co-operative – we shift closer to the reef wall for whale shark number two. Here the seabed is dimly visible, with shadowy coral clusters far below, the length of a tall building away. Festooned with remoras and trailed by a retinue of golden trevallies, this slightly larger shark gives a clear view of its white-spotted, ridged back, the starlike pattern imitating sunlight dappling the surface. The day’s final shark is further out. Over the abyss again, a diffuse star of light beams from below, but it’s only a trick of the sun. Our largest (5 m-plus) specimen’s head-on approach is signalled by the flattened white oval of Exmouth’s biggest mouth. Dipping gently up and down, feeding at a leisurely cruising pace, it scoops invisible fare with every rise. From the corner of the sack-like maw, a much smaller eye watches its watchers keeping pace for those few precious minutes. Afterwards on deck, we’re treated to a topside view when it skirts the boat ahead of group two, its broad head emerging from the deep like a submarine milky way. Five swims with three individuals filled an hour of shark time (the maximum allowed). The exhilaration of eye contact with our planet’s biggest fish lingers throughout lunch and the post-shark reef snorkel. The lasting impression is one of great peace and beauty, the awe of approaching creation writ truly large. Endangered species Plenty of mystery accompanies this majesty. While Exmouth is a leading centre for tagging and research, the whale shark life-cycle remains largely unknown – and if they really do migrate north from Ningaloo to breed in Asian waters, as some experts contend, why do so many travel south along the reef? South is definitely the safer option for them right now, given their popularity as a soup garnish in several Asian countries – a single whale shark can fetch thousands of dollars for its fins. In March 2016 the species’ Red List conservation status was altered from vulnerable to endangered (a ‘very high’ risk of extinction). The example of Exmouth, however, gives hope that countries still slaughtering whale sharks will be inspired by the economics of ecotourism – and the sheer wonder of the creature itself – to spare the world’s biggest fish. For more info go to <a href="https://www.whalesharkdive.com/">www.whalesharkdive.com</a> or <a href="http://www.visitningaloo.com.au">www.visitningaloo.com.au</a> By David Levell Image: Reader’s Digest This article originally appeared on <a href="mailto:https://www.readersdigest.com.au/travel/activities/swimming-whale-sharks">Reader’s Digest</a>

Domestic Travel

"Just not fair": Ejected SCG fan denies racial abuse from stands

A cricket fan removed from the SCG on Sunday has spoken out in defence of the actions of fellow spectators. Cricket Australia and NSW Police have launched an investigation into alleged racial abuse from members of the SCG crowd against Indian players on the third and fourth days of the Sydney Test. On Sunday, Cricket Australia vowed to thoroughly investigate allegations of misbehaviour from the crowd, after two days of drama took away the attention from the close contest occurring on the field. The Indian team made an official complaint of racism after day three of the Test, and play was stopped for eight minutes after claims of more alleged abuse on day four. At least seven people from the crowd were asked to leave after Mohammed Siraj alerted teammates, to which the umpire then passed on the message to security and police. The Indian team claimed the crowd once again racially abused Siraj, but one of the men who was ejected has since spoken out to deny all of the allegations. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Witnesses insist there was no racist sledging at the <a href="https://twitter.com/scg?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SCG</a> yesterday and claim the accused spectators are the real victims. New video emerging on social media is only adding to the confusion. <a href="https://t.co/VsVpSNpKLZ">https://t.co/VsVpSNpKLZ</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AUSvIND?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AUSvIND</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/7NEWS?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#7NEWS</a> <a href="https://t.co/ryRcYPuCtd">pic.twitter.com/ryRcYPuCtd</a> — 7NEWS Sydney (@7NewsSydney) <a href="https://twitter.com/7NewsSydney/status/1348535532750401536?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2021</a></blockquote> A BCCI source told the Press Trust of India: “Siraj was referred to as ‘Brown Dog’ and ’Big Monkey’,” while The Times of India reported that “Bumrah and Siraj were called monkeys, w**ker and motherf**ker.” But Prateik Kelkar, who was sitting close to the main group of fans that are currently under investigation, says Siraj was not racially abused. “He (Siraj) turned around, flipped them the finger and then walked off to tell the umpire that he was racially abused,” Kelkar told 7NEWS on Monday. “But there wasn’t a single racist word said ... I would’ve said something myself. I’ve experienced racism in Australia.” Kelkar said he was removed from the SCG after trying to defend his fellow spectators to police. “We wanted to speak up because we saw they were getting pulled out and it was just not fair,” he said.

News

New video allegedly "proof" racist slur aimed at Indian star at SCG

Cricket chiefs and NSW police have launched an investigation into allegations of racial abuse towards the Indian team from parts of the crowd during the third Test, after six people were ejected and play halted for close to 10 minutes on Sunday. The International Cricket Council (ICC) probe followed Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah allegedly being targeted as they were on the field. Play was paused for the second time on Sunday when Siraj approached the umpire and pointed towards the crowd. The six men were immediately removed from the seats by police. “Siraj was referred to as ‘Brown Dog’ and ’Big Monkey’ both of which are racist slurs. The matter was immediately brought to the notice of on-field umpires. They were constantly abusing Bumrah too,” a BCCI source told the Press Trust of India. The Times of India newspaper said that the fans on Saturday had been drunk. “Bumrah and Siraj were called monkeys, w**ker and motherf**ker by the people almost throughout the time they were fielding,” it claimed. Footage showing the crowd chanting at Siraj has surfaced but it's unclear what was said. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Well this is some proof...... 🙄🙄🙄🙄<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvsAUS?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvsAUS</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/racism?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#racism</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AUSvINDtest?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AUSvINDtest</a> <a href="https://t.co/NL47ztRfOZ">pic.twitter.com/NL47ztRfOZ</a> — Rithvik Shetty (@Shetty10Rithvik) <a href="https://twitter.com/Shetty10Rithvik/status/1348271718947717120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2021</a></blockquote> While you can mainly hear people chanting "Siraj", some people claim they can hear racial abuse faintly in the background. According to Cricket Australia (CA) multiple people from the crowd had been questioned before being thrown out by police. “While we await the outcome of the investigation by NSW Police, CA has launched its own inquiry into the matter,” said CA’s head of integrity and security Sean Carroll, calling the episode “regrettable”. India captain Virat Kohli, who is missing the last three Tests of the four-match series for the birth of his first child, tweeted that such racist behaviour was “pathetic”. “Having gone through many incidents of really pathetic things said on the boundary Iines, this is the absolute peak of rowdy behaviour,” Kohli tweeted. “It’s sad to see this happen on the field. “The incident needs to be looked at with absolute urgency and seriousness and strict action against the offenders should set things straight for once.”

News

Impoverished Indian couple try to sell their two-month-old amid lockdown

With no work of money amid India’s lockdown, a migrant worker couple in Hyderabad tried to sell their two-month-old baby boy for Rs 22,000 (AUD$443). People took to Twitter to share the “horrific” news, discussing how the lockdown is pushing people to take drastic steps. It is reported that authorities arrested the couple Madan Kumar Singh, 32 and Saritha, 30, who migrated from Uttar Pradesh to Hyderabad, for work. The construction labourers who lost their jobs during the lockdown asked a woman named Seshu to help broker the deal. She was also taken into custody. The couple have two children and tried to sell the younger one. The first child is seven years old. Sharing the news report, tweep @Agrawal_Raj: “Now this. A new low being reached every day. While this too shall pass, scars and sorrow will remain forever. #migrants” According to PV Padmaja Reddy, Deputy Commissioner of Police of Balanagar, the child was “rescued and shifted to Sishu Vihar being run by the Women and Child Welfare Department,” reported hindustantimes.com. The report also stated that as per enquiries, the couple was “facing acute poverty conditions”. According to police the couple had thought they won’t be able to raise the second child due to their financial condition. However, the child’s mother told the police that her husband was an alcoholic, and was demanding money from her to buy liquor. The broker Seshu, allegedly helped them find a childless couple, who agreed to buy the child for Rs22,000 (AUD$443). The police said they received a tipoff, and managed to arrest Seshu as she was taking the child for a medical examination. Highlighting the miserable conditions faced by India’s migrant workers and other poor people in the country, @TheAmitLakhani tweeted: “Misery and sufferings all around. Just imagine, parents, selling off their child because of poverty.” However, @KhalidHMukadam said the reason could be, to ensure their baby didn’t starve: “[maybe] they were ensuring their child gets proper food and care…” Tweep @All4Dhananjay pointed out that the politicians, and lawmakers, were continuing to ignore the sufferings of the poor citizens. “Where has humanity died? Why don't local administration… ministers come out from there air-conditioned rooms, and assist the needy?”, he asked.

Travel Trouble

Rebuilding from the ashes of disaster: this is what Australia can learn from India

A key question facing us all after Australia’s <a href="https://theconversation.com/some-say-weve-seen-bushfires-worse-than-this-before-but-theyre-ignoring-a-few-key-facts-129391">unprecedented bushfires</a> is how will we do reconstruction differently? We need to ensure our rebuilding and recovery efforts make us safer, protect our environment and improve our ability to cope with future disasters. Australia could learn from the innovative approach India adopted in 2001 after the nation’s <a href="https://www.in.undp.org/content/india/en/home/library/environment_energy/from-relief-to-Recovery.html">second-most-devastating earthquake</a>. The quake in Gujarat state <a href="https://www.in.undp.org/content/india/en/home/library/environment_energy/from-relief-to-Recovery.html">killed 20,000 people</a>, injured 300,000 and destroyed or damaged a million homes. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0263786317301618">My research</a> has identified two elements that were particularly important for the recovery of the devastated communities. First, India set up a recovery taskforce operating not just at a national level but at state, local and community levels. Second, community-based recovery coordination hubs were an informal but highly effective innovation. Rebuilding for resilience Scholars and international agencies such as the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (<a href="https://www.undrr.org/">UNDRR</a>) have promoted post-disaster reconstruction as a window of opportunity to build resilience. By that, they mean we not only rebuild physical structures – homes, schools, roads – to be safer than before, but we also revive local businesses, heal communities and restore ecosystems to be better prepared for the next bushfires or other disasters. This is easier said than done. Reconstruction is a highly complex and lengthy process. Two key challenges, among others, are a lack of long-term commitment past initial reconstruction and a failure to collaborate effectively between sectors. Reconstruction programs require a balancing of competing demands. The desire for speedy rebuilding must be weighed against considerations of long-term challenges such as climate change adaptation and environmental sustainability. There will always be diverse views on such issues. For example, planners may suggest people should not be allowed to rebuild in areas at high risk of bushfires. Residents may wish to rebuild due to their connection to the land or community. Such differences in opinion are not necessarily a hindrance. As discussed below, managing such differences well can lead to innovative solutions. What can we learn from India’s experience? The 2001 Gujarat earthquake was declared a national calamity. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0263786317301618">My research</a> examined post-disaster reconstruction processes that influenced community recovery – physical, social and economic. The findings from Gujarat 13 years after the quake were then compared with recovery processes seven years after the devastating <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Bihar_flood">2008 Kosi River floods</a> in the Indian state of Bihar. Of my key findings, two are most relevant to Australia right now. India’s government set up a special recovery taskforce within a week of the earthquake. The taskforce was established at federal, state, local and community level, either by nominating an existing institution (such as the magistrate’s court) or by establishing a new authority. The Australian government has set up a <a href="https://www.bushfirerecovery.gov.au/">National Bushfire Recovery Agency</a>, committing A$2 billion to help people who lost their homes and businesses rebuild their communities. While Australia effectively has a special taskforce at federal and state level (such as the <a href="https://www.vic.gov.au/bushfire-recovery-victoria">Bushfire Recovery Victoria</a> agency), we need it at local and community levels too. Moreover, no such agency exists at state level in New South Wales. Without such a decentralised setup, it will be hard to maintain focus and set the clear priorities that local communities need for seamless recovery. Second, India’s recovery coordination hub at community level was an innovative solution to meet the need of listening to diverse views, channelling information and coordinating various agencies. A district-wide consortium of civil society organisations in Gujarat established Setu Kendra – literally meaning bridging centres or hubs. These hubs were set up informally in 2001. Each hub comprised a local community member, social worker, building professional, financial expert and lawyer. They met regularly after the earthquake to pass on information and discuss solution. Bushfire Recovery Victoria has <a href="https://www.vic.gov.au/community-recovery-package#community-recovery-hubs-15-million">committed A$15 million</a> for setting up community recovery hubs, but it remains to be seen how these are modelled and managed. The community hubs in India have had many benefits. The main one was that the community trusted the information the people in the hub provided, which countered misinformation. A side effect of community engagement in this hub was their emotional recovery. These hubs also managed to influence major changes in recovery policy. Reconstruction shifted from being government-driven to community-driven and owner-driven. This was mainly possible due to the Setu Kendras acting as a two-way conduit for information and opinions. Community members were able to raise their concerns with government in a way that got heard, and visa versa. Due to the success of coordination hubs in Gujarat after 2001, the state government of Bihar adopted the model in 2008. It set up one hub per 4,000 houses. In Gujarat, these hubs continued for more than 13 years. The UN agency for human settlements, UN-Habitat, <a href="https://www.in.undp.org/content/india/en/home/library/environment_energy/from-relief-to-Recovery.html">notes</a> these community hubs as an innovation worth replicating. We in Australia are at a point when we need to create such hubs to bring together researchers, scientists, practitioners, government and community members. They need to have an open conversation about their challenges, values and priorities, to be able to negotiate and plan our way forward. Australia needs a marriage between government leadership and innovation by grassroots community organisations to produce a well-planned recovery program that helps us achieve a resilient future. Written by Mittul Vahanvati. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/rebuilding-from-the-ashes-of-disaster-this-is-what-australia-can-learn-from-india-130385">The Conversation.</a>

Caring

An unforgettable journey across Australia on the Indian Pacific

There has never been a better time to experience the famous Indian Pacific with the exclusive Flash Sale at Discover Australia Holidays and savings up to 33% across their range of popular <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.discoveraustralia.com.au/holiday-packages/train/indian-pacific/?utm_medium=referrer&utm_source=OverSixty&utm_campaign=Indian_Pacific_Flash_Sale_2019" target="_blank">Indian Pacific</a> packages. Experience the adventure that spans Australia and epitomises the stylish romance of luxury rail. This iconic 4-day expedition between Sydney and Perth takes you through the kaleidoscope of Australian landscapes, including the dramatic Blue Mountains, historic outback Broken Hill, rugged Flinders Ranges, South Australia's rolling green hills, Adelaide, the expansive Nullarbor Plain, the red goldfields of Kalgoorlie, the golden wheatbelt and fertile Avon Valley. Relax in stylish luxury in the spectacular Queen Adelaide restaurant car and mingle with fellow adventurers in the Outback Explorer lounge car. The all-inclusive Indian Pacific packages range from a short-break to Perth or Adelaide right up to epic adventures that combine the train with extensive luxury coach touring, a 4-day cruise on the Murray River or ocean cruises. And right now, they are all available at incredible <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.discoveraustralia.com.au/holiday-packages/train/indian-pacific/?utm_medium=referrer&utm_source=OverSixty&utm_campaign=Indian_Pacific_Flash_Sale_2019" target="_blank">Flash Sale</a> prices at Discover Australia Holidays. Indian Pacific to Perth Short Break This 6-day holiday is a really affordable way to experience this remarkable train journey. After a memorable three nights and four days onboard the famous Indian Pacific from Sydney, discover the remarkable transformation of Perth over recent years with a 2-night short break in this beautiful city. You’ll enjoy the comfort of your private cabin with ensuite. Experience the included off-train training and activities, such as Broken Hill, Barossa, Adelaide, Cook and Rawlinna. Savour the delicious food and wines matching the destinations you pass through. This all-inclusive 6-day holiday includes all meals aboard the train, all off-train experiences, all flights, Perth Hotel and personalised transfers. And right now, you can book the <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.discoveraustralia.com.au/holiday-packages/indian-pacific-perth-short-break-mp140.html?utm_medium=referrer&utm_source=OverSixty&utm_campaign=Indian_Pacific_Flash_Sale_2019" target="_blank">Indian Pacific to Perth Short Break</a> from $2426, a saving of 33%. It’s only available from Discover Australia Holidays, with limited availability on selected travel dates between July 2019 and March 2020. The Indian Pacific Journey Your transcontinental adventure begins in Sydney. Prepare for a journey of contrasts, from lush vineyards to vast goldmines, majestic mountains to the vast expanse of the Nullarbor, from cities of four million to ghost towns of four. Relax in the privacy of your air-conditioned private cabin or head to the Outback Explorer Lounge and enjoy a welcome drink in the company of other passengers. <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0a7iq3r6Yxc"></iframe></div> As the train winds through the breathtaking Blue Mountains, explore the comforts of life onboard, get acquainted with your cabin and fellow travellers. After settling in, savour your first meal – a regionally-inspired dinner paired with all-inclusive fine wines and beverages. After dinner, join fellow guests for a late-night drink or head back to your cabin for your first night onboard. You arrive in the ‘Silver City’ of Broken Hill as the next day begins, where you embark on a morning of Off Train Excursions to discover the mining history and artistic culture of this unique town where the streets are wide and there’s a pub on every corner. Explore this historic outback mining town where BHP Billiton has its origins and visit the Pro Hart Gallery and learn about one of Australia's most iconic artists. Back onboard the Indian Pacific breakfast awaits as you then continue your journey deep into South Australia. Lunch is served onboard as the Indian Pacific enters the southern tip of the spectacular and ancient Flinders Ranges. Arriving in the city of Adelaide in the afternoon, you have the choice of a tour of the city, a visit to the world-famous Barossa Valley or McLaren Vale wine regions (seasonal), or a trip to the beautiful Adelaide Hills featuring the culinary delights of Hahndorf. The first light of dawn illuminates the vast and remote emptiness of the Nullarbor as your train carries you through the longest single stretch of railway line in the world. You’ll awake to the seemingly endless expanse of the Nullarbor Plain to enjoy a scrumptious breakfast. This evening, your sense of wonder will be ignited as the train stops for you to enjoy the tranquillity of an unforgettable dinner under the brilliant desert stars in the remote and beautiful Rawlinna. Breakfast is served as you glide through the mild skies and cool green vales of the Avon Valley on your way to Perth, arriving after an onboard lunch. As you approach your final destination, Perth, you've just completed an unforgettable adventure on one of the world's greatest railway journeys. Compare Indian Pacific Holiday Options Whatever Indian Pacific holiday you are looking for, you’ll find the perfect train adventure at Discover Australia Holidays. Specialising in train holidays, they have more than 40 all-inclusive Indian Pacific options to choose from. Right now, you can save up to 33% with Flash Sale prices across the <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.discoveraustralia.com.au/holiday-packages/train/indian-pacific/?utm_medium=referrer&utm_source=OverSixty&utm_campaign=Indian_Pacific_Flash_Sale_2019" target="_blank">full range</a> – exclusive to Discover Australia Holidays. But hurry, they’re selling out fast. This is sponsored content brought to you in conjunction with <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.discoveraustralia.com.au/holiday-packages/train/indian-pacific/" target="_blank">Discover Australia Holidays</a>.

Domestic Travel

Easy butter chicken with rice and naan

Craving a hearty meal for dinner but don’t know what to make? There’s nothing better than digging into a plate of butter chicken. The aromatic flavours and spices not only prove why this dish is a favourite, but it’s also simple to whip up. Serves 4 Prep 15 mins Cooking time 35 mins Ingredients <ul> <li>1⁄4 cup Greek yoghurt</li> <li>1⁄4 cup butter chicken paste or tandoori paste</li> <li>1 tsp ground cumin</li> <li>1⁄2 tsp ground ginger</li> <li>1kg chicken thigh fillets, trimmed, cut in half crossways</li> <li>1⁄4 cup Ghee or vegetable oil</li> <li>2 brown onions, peeled, halved, thinly sliced</li> <li>2 cups tomato passata sauce</li> <li>300ml thickened cream</li> <li>1 tsp white sugar</li> <li>Steamed rice, toasted naan bread, coriander to serve</li> </ul> Method <ol> <li>Combine yoghurt, paste, cumin, and ginger in a large bowl. Add chicken, stir until well coated.</li> <li>Heat half the ghee/ oil in a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken in batches, turning occasionally, for 3 minutes, or until browned. Remove to a clean plate.</li> <li>Reduce heat to medium, add onions and remaining ghee / oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes, or until onion is soft. Return chicken to pan with passata, cream and sugar. Bring to simmer. Simmer, uncovered for 20 minutes, or until sauce is thickens and chicken is cooked through.</li> <li>Serve butter chicken with rice, naan bread and coriander.</li> </ol> Tip: If you can’t find butter chicken paste you can use tandoori paste, it’s a little spicier. Tip: Ghee is clarified butter; you will find it in jars in the international section of the supermarket. Once opened store in the fridge. Use it in place of butter when working with filo pastry or cooking pancakes. Tip: Toast naan bread in a large dry frying pan over a medium-high heat or wrapped in foil in a hot oven. Recipe and image courtesy of <a href="https://www.australianonions.com.au/australian-onion-recipes/butter-chicken-with-rice-and-naan/#t5k5EYIe2pqhvj1R.97">Australian Onions</a>.

Food & Wine

One of the world's biggest airlines collapses

India’s Jet Airways has finally collapsed after months of speculation. The once iconic airline has been struggling for months to stay in business and the announcement follows weeks of questions over the fate of the airline. Jet Airways has failed to secure emergency funding from India’s banks and is suspending all flights. The collapse of Jet Airways is the biggest in India since the failure of Kingfisher Airlines back in 2012. The blow is massive to the Indian aviation industry, as demand soars for services. However, airlines are struggling to keep the prices low. Jet Airways explained in a statement their sadness. "This has been a very difficult decision but without interim funding, the airline is simply unable to conduct flight operations," Jet Airways said in statement. "Above all, the airline would like to express its sincere gratitude to all its employees and stakeholders that have stood by the company in these trying times." The airline was informed late on Tuesday by a range of lenders that are led by the government-run State Bank of India that the airline would not be receiving more funds. Passengers are being informed about the closure of the airline via email and text messages and are able to claim a refund. The airline’s operations had shrunk to 40 flights on 5 aircraft on Tuesday, before the closure was announced. However, the banks are continuing to search for a private investor to buy 75 per cent of the airline. The deadline for bids is May 10th.

Travel Trouble

“I can’t breathe”: Serena Williams forced to retire after terrifying health scare

Serena Williams has been forced to retire from her third-round match at Indian Wells Masters after a frightening health scare that left her with “extreme dizziness". The 23-time Grand Slam Champion won the first three games of her highly anticipated clash with Garbine Muguruza in the California desert. She took the court for the second set, but soon complained of feeling ill as the match continued. She lost the next six games and decided to call it a day when she was trailing 3-6 0-1. Tournament organisers took to Twitter to explain the 37-year-old was suffering from a “viral illness". <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> Feel better soon! Serena Williams' third round retirement was due to viral illness.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BNPPO19?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BNPPO19</a> <a href="https://t.co/mpBNT0snHu">pic.twitter.com/mpBNT0snHu</a> — BNP Paribas Open (@BNPPARIBASOPEN) <a href="https://twitter.com/BNPPARIBASOPEN/status/1104886929403785216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2019</a></blockquote> “I’ve never seen her like that,” one commentator said. “It’s so, so rare that she ever retires from a tennis match.” The tournament was the sixth time Williams and Muguruza came face-to-face on court. The last two clashes were grand slam finals which saw Williams winning at Wimbledon in 2015 and Muguruza taking home the 2016 French Open crown. "We've played many times and it's always super-tough, super-exciting," said Muguruza, who is a former world number one like Williams. "I wish I'm going to see her soon and [she's] feeling better." Williams explained in a statement, “Before the match, I did not feel great, and then it just got worse with every second; extreme dizziness and extreme fatigue. “By the score, it might have looked like I started well, but I was not feeling at all well physically. “I will focus on getting better and start preparing for Miami.”

Body

Spice it up: Indian curried yellow split pea and coconut soup

Korma curry powders are milder than many other Indian spice mixes, so this is a great way to introduce aromatic food to your family. Add less if your loved ones are still getting used to spiciness. Ingredients: <ul> <li>2 tablespoons olive oil</li> <li>2 brown onions, finely diced</li> <li>3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced</li> <li>1 leek, white part only, washed, thinly sliced</li> <li>1 carrot, diced</li> <li>1–3 tablespoons korma curry powder</li> <li>660 g yellow split peas, rinsed</li> <li>2 litres good-quality vegetable stock</li> <li>300 ml coconut milk</li> <li>45 g baby spinach leaves</li> <li>juice of 2 limes, or to taste</li> <li>1 long red chilli, thinly sliced diagonally </li> <li>Greek-style yoghurt and coriander (cilantro) leaves, to serve</li> </ul> Directions: <ol> <li>Heat the olive oil in the insert pan of a slow cooker or a frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, leek and carrot and sauté for five to seven minutes, or until tender. Add the curry powder and stir for 30 seconds, or until aromatic.</li> <li>Return the insert pan, if using, to the slow cooker, or transfer the vegetable mixture to the slow cooker. Add the split peas and stock. Cover and cook on high for three and a half hours, or until the split peas are very tender.</li> <li>Stir the coconut milk through. Purée the mixture to a rough consistency, using a stick blender, food processor or blender, leaving some of the soup un-puréed if desired. (You may need to add a little extra coconut milk to reach your desired consistency.) Stir in the spinach and lime juice, to taste. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.</li> <li>Ladle into bowls and serve topped with chilli, yoghurt and coriander.</li> </ol> Images and recipes from Slow Cooker Vegetarian by Katy Holder, Murdoch Books, RRP $29.99. Photography by Alan Benson. Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/recipes/indian-curried-yellow-split-pea-and-coconut-soup.aspx">Wyza.com.au</a>.

Food & Wine

Farewell Indian Pacific – now I’m addicted to train travel

Justine Tyerman completes a four-part series about her journey on the famous trans-continental Indian Pacific train from Perth to Sydney. On day 4 of her epic 4352km, three-night, four-day trip from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean, Justine goes hiking in the spectacular Blue Mountains, and soon after she disembarks in Sydney, she already has the next train trip lined up… My last day on the Indian Pacific trip from Perth to Sydney was spent off the train amid the stunning landscape of the Blue Mountains National Park, 80kms inland from Sydney. In fact, it was here at Katoomba Station that we said our fond farewells to the Indian Pacific train and many of the passengers who continued direct to Sydney. The rest of us caught a commuter train to the city later in the day where we were reunited with our luggage. Desperate for some exercise after days of sitting and consuming alarming quantities of delicious food, I chose to do a hike rather than the Scenic World attractions at Katoomba, a series of thrilling experiences I can highly recommend from an earlier trip with my family. The Prince Henry cliff track between Katoomba and Echo Point was a two-hour guided hike with Blue Mountains Guides, Mark and Dylan, a couple of awesome, funny and extremely knowledgeable guys who love showing visitors around their ‘backyard’ – the Blue Mountains UNESCO World Heritage area, part of the Blue Mountains National Park. The park covers an area of 267,954-hectares, an uplifted sedimentary plateau, 1215 metres above sea level at its highest point. Like most patriotic Kiwis, I am reluctant to rave about Australian scenery but the Blue Mountains are an exception - the Katoomba Cascades and Wentworth Falls, sheer cliffs and sandstone escarpments hundreds of metres high and the beautiful forested Jamison Valley are jaw-dropping. <img style="width: 500px; height:375px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820352/1-the-iconic-three-sisters-rock-formation-glowing-in-the-winter-sun.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/0c1a9912b00e4093b0b226af6c91e2d9" /> The iconic Three Sisters rock formation glowing in the winter sun. At Echo Point, the famous Three Sisters rock formation was bathed in sunshine. A few years ago, we scaled the perpendicular stone and steel steps of the Giant Stairway to a platform cut into the ‘tummy’ of the first sister. Standing 922m, 918m and 906m tall, the Three Sisters are a truly astonishing sight especially on a clear winter day when the blueness of the Blue Mountains is at its most vivid. Geology tells us the sisters were formed by erosion of the sandstone over many millennia by the wind, rain and rivers which are gradually breaking down the cliffs surrounding the Jamison Valley. However, I prefer the Aboriginal legend which tells of three beautiful sisters - Meehni, Wimlah and Gunnedoo - who lived in the valley as members of the Katoomba tribe. They fell in love with three men from a neighbouring tribe (the Nepean tribe), but marriage was forbidden by tribal law. The brothers were unhappy about this and decided to use force to capture the sisters. A major tribal battle ensued, and the sisters were turned to stone by an elder in order to protect them, but he was killed in the fighting and no one else could turn them back. Meanwhile, at Scenic World, our fellow train passengers plummeted 310 metres down the world's steepest scenic railway through a natural rock tunnel to an old coal mining site, hiked through a Jurassic forest on the valley floor exploring relics of the 1880s mining era, glided back up the sheer cliff face to the top of the plateau in a huge 84-person cable car and then took a ride in the glass-bottomed ‘Skyway’, 270 dizzying metres above the Jamison Valley and the Katoomba Falls. Adrenalin-pumping stuff! <img style="width: 0px; height:0px;" src="/nothing.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/272be71415e24cca81d47cc430e4e976" /><img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820353/image_.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/272be71415e24cca81d47cc430e4e976" /> The Katoomba escarpment overlooking the spectacular Blue Mountains and Jamison Valley. After a delicious lunch at Katoomba and a few toasts to our outstanding Indian Pacific experience, I boarded an ordinary train back to Sydney, feeling quite bereft. No more cosy cabin, convivial Outback Explorer Lounge or five-star Queen Adelaide restaurant just down the hall. To prolong the magic, I read all the literature I had been storing up for when I got bored on the Indian Pacific... which never happened. The history of train travel across Australia is a fascinating read. In 1917, after decades of debate between Australian states, a coast-to-coast rail line was completed. However the track was made up of three rail gauges which necessitated a different train for each section of line. As a consequence, passengers from Sydney to Perth had to change trains five times to complete their journey. It was not until 1969 that a standard gauge railway line from Sydney to Perth was completed. A competition was then held to find an appropriate name for the transcontinental train. Henry Roach’s ‘Indian Pacific’ was chosen as the winner because it perfectly expressed how the rail track joins the Indian Ocean in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. On February 23, 1970, the newly-christened Indian Pacific departed from Sydney’s Central Station on its first unbroken journey across the continent. Four days later, a cheering crowd of 10,000 welcomed the train at East Perth Railway Station. In 1983, the Crystal Brook to Adelaide line was converted to standard gauge allowing the Indian Pacific to operate via Adelaide. In 1996, the ‘Tea and Sugar Train’ between Port Augusta and Forrest ceased operation after 80 years. In its heyday, the train visited 47 communities on a weekly basis to deliver food, mail and other supplies. Every fortnight, a doctor, dentist and social worker would also travel on the train. In 2000, the Indian Pacific carried the Olympic flame from Kalgoorlie to Port Augusta as part of the Sydney Olympics Torch Relay. In 2020, the Indian Pacific will celebrate 50 years of service. What a grand occasion that will be. I also read up on statistics about the Indian Pacific. Some were mindboggling… the train carries 3000 litres of water for each carriage and churns through 58 litres of diesel per trip, not to mention 22,000 bottles of wine, 30,000 litres of milk and 37,000 servings of lamb rack, the most popular dish, per year. In total, 715,000 dishes are served in the Queen Adelaide and Platinum Club restaurants each year. Thirty crew look after up to 300 passengers in Platinum and Gold Service, both all-inclusive of onboard meals, beverages and off-train excursions. Platinum Service guests dine in the Platinum Club with flexible dining options for both intimate dinners and large groups. Platinum Service cabins feature day lounges that convert to either double or twin beds by night and en suites equipped with a full-size shower and Appelles toiletries. Platinum passengers have complimentary private transfers to and from the terminal, in-cabin morning tea and optional in-cabin breakfast. Gold Service guests dine in the Queen Adelaide Restaurants and have access to the Outback Explorer Lounges, the social hub of the train, serving Australian wines, beers and spirits. Gold Service twin cabins are equipped with three-seater day lounges that convert to upper and lower sleeping berths at night and compact en suite facilities with Appelles toiletries. Both classes enjoy cabin steward service, in-cabin music and journey commentaries. <img style="width: 375px; height:500px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820355/image_.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/1c3a77219e0f4abd83191704c1ec5e4c" /> Saying goodbye to the Indian Pacific train at Katoomba Station. The average Indian Pacific train length is 731 metres weighing 1390 tonnes, pulled by one diesel electric GE 7FDL-16 locomotive from Perth to Adelaide and two from Adelaide to Sydney to handle the mountainous terrain. Annually the Indian Pacific covers 452,608kms, the equivalent of travelling around the world eleven times. The logo on the carriages is the wedge-tailed eagle, Australia’s largest eagle. Its massive 2.3m wingspan is a metaphor for the journey that spans a continent. It was a strange sensation to disembark at Sydney’s bustling Central Station and farewell my NAMs who were by this time OAMs (Old Aussie Mates). It took some time for the ground to stop swaying beneath my feet and for me to re-engage my brain and take charge of my life again. The traffic, people, high-rise buildings, asphalt, noise and neon lights jangled at my senses and I wanted to take refuge back on the Indian Pacific. The four-day trip was blissfully easy and shamelessly self-indulgent – no meals to cook, housework to do, laundry to wash, gardens to weed, lawns to mow, deadlines to meet or decisions about which direction to take. It’s the most leisurely, stress-free, luxurious way to travel for people of all ages – family groups, friends, couples, the young, the not-so-young and the in-betweens. I could just imagine the fun a group of friends or family would have on such a trip. I can also see how a long-haul train journey like this leads to another . . . and another . . . It’s addictive. I certainly haven’t got the Aussie Outback out of my system yet. In fact just the other day, I contacted Rail Plus and booked The Ghan, another epic trans-Australian train journey, this time from Darwin to Adelaide. Then there’s the Trans-Siberian, the Orient Express, the Silk Road and the Grand Train Tour of Switzerland… the possibilities are endless, and oh so tantalising. Read Justine’s account of <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/domestic-travel/what-it-s-like-travelling-across-australia-on-board-the-indian-pacific">Day 1</a>, <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/domestic-travel/on-board-the-indian-pacific-the-magic-of-the-nullarbor">Day 2</a> and <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/domestic-travel/indian-pacific-off-train-excursions-highlight-of-train-journey">Day 3</a> of the Indian Pacific. Justine Tyerman was a guest of Rail Plus and Great Southern Rail. * The <a href="https://www.railplus.co.nz/australia-by-rail/australias-great-train-journeys/indian-pacific/itinerary.htm">Indian Pacific</a> is a four-day, three-night 4,352km, 65-hour journey from Sydney on the Pacific Ocean to Perth on the Indian Ocean and vice versa operated twice a week by Great Southern Rail; and is one of many great train journeys offered by Rail Plus. * Visit <a href="https://www.railplus.co.nz/great-train-journeys/">Rail Plus</a> for more info on this and other epic train adventures around the world: or call 09 377 5415

Domestic Travel

Indian Pacific: Off-train excursions highlight of train journey

Justine Tyerman continues her journey on the famous trans-continental Indian Pacific train from Perth to Sydney. On Day 3 of her epic 4352km, three-night, four-day trip across Australia, she visits the South Australian capital of Adelaide, learns the tragic story of two early explorers and meets a couple of drag queens… The Indian Pacific was cruising sedately into Adelaide when I woke up on day 3 of my train journey across Australia from Perth to Sydney. Before boarding coaches to explore the city, we farewelled barman Brendan, hostess Nikki, dining room manager Mario and others who had looked after us so well since boarding in Perth. They were taking a break before heading north on the Ghan and we picked up a new crew for the Adelaide to Sydney leg of the journey. I managed to have a quick chat to Brendan before disembarking. He was such a delightful, gregarious fellow, and a whiz at making cocktails so it came as a surprise to find he’d only been behind the bar since April. Prior to this, he was studying for his masters in social work at Flinders University and before that he was teaching maths and science to years 7-10 and in Townsville. He enjoyed teaching and study but loves his new job. “On the train, I work with wonderful, caring, talented people and brilliant guests who are always seeking fun, happiness and good times,” said Brendan. “It’s great being involved in creating fun memories for guests and new friends in what is really a unique atmosphere, and watching passengers build relationships with each other. Everyone arrives as strangers and leaves as friends. “I work on the Ghan as well as the Indian Pacific so I get to see Australia and explore fantastic, scenic places. It’s an awesome job,” he said. “I’ll see you on the Ghan in September,” I said as I thanked him, hopped off the train and onto our smart tour bus. He thought I was kidding! <img style="width: 500px; height: 333.33333333333337px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820238/1-the-famous-adelaide-oval.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/3dbecbc48cae4166af281a0335135969" /> The famous Adelaide Oval. Australia’s capital of festivals and the arts, Adelaide is a most attractive, well-designed city encircled by beautiful parks. Historic buildings like St Peters Cathedral have been carefully-preserved and the lovely River Torrens adds a tranquil feel to the busy metropolis. After an informative bus tour of the city and the option of exploring Adelaide’s fresh produce market, we enjoyed a lavish breakfast at the famous Adelaide Oval. The cricket buffs amongst us were frothing at the mouth with excitement. I watched a team of groundsmen meticulously grooming and conditioning the grass in preparation for the season ahead and envisaged the stands full of excited fans. No disrespect to lovely Adelaide but after two days in the Outback, I felt oddly resentful at the intrusion of civilisation into my bubble. I breathed a sigh of relief when we returned to the Indian Pacific and I snuggled into my cabin, waiting for the next phase of the trip through South Australia and New South Wales. Travelling north though the state’s green and gold fruit-bowl with vast windfarms on the horizon, we skirted the fringes of the Barossa Valley, a world-class wine-growing area famous for its shiraz. Passengers on the Sydney to Perth trip can take a tour of the region’s world-class boutique wineries and dine at a vineyard. I envied my NAMs (new Aussie mates) who were doing the journey both ways. We zipped through settlements rich in history like Peterborough in the wheat-lands, population about 1500. The rail line through Peterborough was once the busiest single track of railway in the world. A huge number of trains loaded with freight and ore, and the Ghan carrying passengers to and from Darwin, all passed through the town. A record was achieved in 1923 with 102 trains in a 24-hour period. An original 1880s Y Class locomotive sits alongside the track as a reminder of the steam-driven era. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820240/image_.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/6af1109e83294bef84d3f5cbdd31e9d9" /> The Indian Pacific near Port Augusta with the Flinders Ranges in the background. The cuisine on board the train was outstanding every day but lunch on day 3 was exceptional – a chicken salad with pistachio, currants, red onion, lemon rocket, pearl couscous topped with mint yoghurt dressing followed by rhubarb parfait with figs, honey ricotta ice-cream and praline. The Vasse Felix Filius chardonnay from Margaret River was a superb accompaniment, along with a lively political debate with a couple of retired school teachers. The landscape here was not as relentlessly flat as the Nullarbor and featured a few mulga trees and an undulating horizon. Somewhere near the Outback town of Manna Hill, home to about 66 people, I spotted a few kangaroos, emus and something that looked like a camel shimmering in the distance… but no one else saw it so it may have been a mirage. After lunch, my NAMs drew my attention to a plaque on the wall in the Outback Lounge. It told the tragic story of explorers Robert O’Hara Burke and William John Wills who set off in 1860 with the objective of crossing Australia from Melbourne in the south, to the Gulf of Carpentaria in the north, a distance of 3250 kilometres. At the time there was much fervour for epic journeys of exploration. Most of the inland of Australia had not been explored by non-indigenous people and was largely unknown to European settlers. <img style="width: 500px; height: 333.33333333333337px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820241/3-passengers-enjoying-drinks-and-listening-to-mattie-in-the-outback-explorer-lounge-before-the-dancing-began.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/feab4d21e80549a6ada044b71caa131b" /> Passengers enjoying drinks and listening to Mattie in the Outback Explorer Lounge… before the dancing began. The expedition team of 15 men, 26 camels, 26 horses, many wagons, 6 tonnes of firewood and enough food for two years left Melbourne on August 20, 1860 amid much fanfare. Bad weather, poor roads and broken-down wagons meant they made slow progress at first. Burke took an advanced party on to Coopers Creek and waited for the majority of the supplies to follow under the supervision of William Wright. But Burke was a man with a mission in a hurry to get to the Gulf of Carpentaria. So he departed with Wills, John King and Charles Gray on December 16 leaving most of the stores behind with four men who were instructed to wait three months until they returned. A diary note on March 28 1861 documented that salt water marshes stopped the explorers from reaching the open ocean at the gulf so they began the retreat just short of their destination. The return trip was plagued by delays and monsoon rains and the death of Gray from scurvy, apparently because the lime juice had been left behind. When they reached Cooper Creek on April 21, 1861, they found the camp had been abandoned just hours earlier. Wright had never arrived with the main supplies but some stores had been buried in a box under a tree marked with the word ‘DIG’. Rather than try to catch up with the rest of the party, Burke decided to make for Mount Hopeless. A relief party was sent to the site but did not find a note left by Burke. With their provisions and strength failing, Burke and Wills died in late June 1861. In September 1861, a search party found the Irish soldier John King living with Aboriginal people who had fed and sheltered him. The remains of Burke and Wills were discovered and returned to Melbourne for a public funeral in January 1863. At some point in the afternoon, the Indian Pacific crossed the path of their doomed expedition. Looking at the unforgiving landscape, I shuddered to think of the men perishing out there in the wilderness. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820242/image_.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/312416c22e61499e8a0043e7be5ea9c8" /> The Indian Pacific near Broken Hill at dawn. Just as I was about to slip into my customary post-prandial reverie, our guitarist Mattie started tuning up in the lounge. In no time, his ‘fan club’ were singing and dancing in the aisle like a bunch of teenagers at a rock concert. Before I joined them in the ‘mush pit’, I stood at the end of the carriage and looked around the animated faces of my fellow passengers and NAMs who just three short days ago, were strangers to each other. Quite apart from the extraordinary landscapes we witnessed, the trip is an exceptionally social experience – a veritable party on rails with exquisite cuisine and cocktails included. It was hugely enjoyable even without close friends but with a carriage load of old mates, it would be quite a celebration. A great way to mark a 60th… or even an 80th as some of our fellow passengers were doing. <img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="/nothing.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/1f42c0143dbb4c2baabab412b3f05874" /><img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="/nothing.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/27625e741e2843349a0257e74f8af661" /><img style="width: 500px; height: 333.75670335873554px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820244/5-the-miners-memorial-at-broken-hill-an-off-train-excursion-for-those-travelling-from-sydney-to-perth.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/27625e741e2843349a0257e74f8af661" /> The Miners Memorial at Broken Hill, an off-train excursion for those travelling from Sydney to Perth. When we crossed into New South Wales, we lost a few hours and pulled into Broken Hill in darkness. Like many Outback towns, Broken Hill was built on precious metals. In 1883, silver, lead and zinc were discovered here, deposits that proved to be the largest and richest in the world. Broken Hill, known as ‘Silver City’, holds the distinction of being Australia’s oldest mining city. It’s also the base for the legendary Royal Flying Doctor Service and School of the Air. The choices of off-train excursions at Broken Hill had me in a dither. I could opt for culture at the regional art gallery and the world’s largest acrylic painting by local artist Ando, or attend a live drag queen show. When I discovered that the cult movie Priscilla, Queen of the Desert was filmed right there at the Palace Hotel in Broken Hill in 1994, it was no contest. ‘The Main Drag’, starring the brash and brassy Shelita and Christina, was hugely entertaining. The high-energy, up-tempo show totally blew me away and had the audience singing, clapping and participating in no time. The glitzy, sequinned costumes, garish wigs and make-up worn by the two strapping local lads, one an accountant and the other a teacher by day, were hilariously OTT - their eyelashes were so long and thick, I’m surprised they could see at all and their stilettos were so high, they were like stilts. From the moment Shelita and Christina sashayed onto the stage with a couple of dancers, they wowed the audience. Their opening remarks set the outrageous tone for the show: “Welcome to the Main Drag! Firstly there are some simple rules of engagement. Flash photography is strictly… mandatory! “Do we look gorgeous? Do we look beautiful? Do we look sexy? Well drink up! The more you drink, the prettier we look! Oh come on, you have to spend a lot of money to look as cheap as this.” With scenes from Priscilla projected on the wall above the stage, the girls sang well-known hits from the movie like ‘I will survive,’ ‘Hey, big spender’ and ‘I love the nightlife’ to the delight of the audience. <img style="width: 363.6191915375897px; height: 500px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820245/6-justine-with-shelita-and-christina-after-the-main-drag-show-at-the-palace-hotel-in-broken-hill.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/70fb0e2a729d406697002fe62e3fdda9" /> Justine with Shelita and Christina after the Main Drag show at the Palace Hotel in Broken Hill. After the show, I had a look around the grand old Palace Hotel. It’s an icon in its own right with grandiose murals on the walls and ceilings including a copy of Botticelli's Venus – quite surreal with a disco ball lighting effect. Dinner that evening was divine – as usual, there were three or four choices at each course which was always the hardest decision of the day. The lamb shoulder slow cooked in honey and black vinegar looked very tempting but I opted for carrot and coriander soup to leave room for the Hunter Valley beef fillet with Pacific oyster sabayon sauce, and blood orange meringue tart with wild berry salsa. The tart had a handmade chocolate pastry case. It was dreamy. The 80th birthday party celebrations continued in the lounge long after I retired. Such energy! Read Justine’s account of <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/domestic-travel/what-it-s-like-travelling-across-australia-on-board-the-indian-pacific">Day 1</a> and <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/domestic-travel/on-board-the-indian-pacific-the-magic-of-the-nullarbor">Day 2</a> of the Indian Pacific. To be continued… Look out for the final part of the Indian Pacific travel series next Wednesday. Justine Tyerman was a guest of Rail Plus and Great Southern Rail. * The Indian Pacific is a four-day, three-night 4,352km, 65-hour journey from Sydney to Perth and vice versa operated twice a week by Great Southern Rail. <a href="https://www.railplus.co.nz/australia-by-rail/australias-great-train-journeys/indian-pacific/itinerary.htm">Find more information here. </a><a href="https://www.railplus.co.nz/australia-by-rail/australias-great-train-journeys/indian-pacific/itinerary.htm"></a>

Domestic Travel

On board the Indian Pacific: The magic of the Nullarbor

Justine Tyerman continues her journey on the famous trans-continental Indian Pacific train from Perth to Sydney. On Day 2 of her epic 4352km, three-night, four-day trip from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean, she hears and sees ghosts… When hostess Nikki knocked on my cabin door at 5.40am on Day 2 of my Indian Pacific train journey across Australia, I seriously regretted agreeing to such an early call on a chilly winter morning. But then I squinted through a slit in the venetian blinds and witnessed a magical sight - dawn on the Nullarbor Plain. Suddenly wide awake, I leapt from my cosy bed, pulled on every merino and down thing I could find in my case, and bolted down the corridor, hooking my camera strap on the cabin door handle in my haste and almost decapitating myself. The train had stopped at the Outback settlement of Rawlinna for a sunrise breakfast and the early birds among my fellow passengers were already outside, huddled around a series of open fires burning brightly in half drums. Our onboard entertainer Mattie was playing a lively rendition of the Indian Pacific theme song: From the waters of the western sea to the eastern ocean sand, the Indian Pacific spans the land… and Nikki was carrying huge trays of delicious bacon and egg sliders, vegemite pinwheels and hot drinks around the hungry masses. I’ve never seen food consumed with such speed and gusto. <img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820118/image_.jpg?width=500&height=281.25" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/078cc2a215f044289e1e87ec913e52f1" /> Caption: A farm house belonging to Rawlinna Station, Australia's largest sheep station. Rawlinna is home to the largest sheep station in Australia - the 2.5m-acre Rawlinna Station, established in 1962, runs 70,000 sheep. It’s a popular disembarkation spot for jackaroos and jillaroos, young novices looking for experience on Outback farms. With a slider and pinwheel in hand, I took the opportunity to get some much-needed exercise and walked to the tail end of the Indian Pacific, 700 metres away, talking photos of the sunrise from every angle I could think of - including under the train and between the wheels. I’d love to have been an eagle, like the emblem on the carriages, soaring high above the train to get an aerial perspective of the long silver streak against the red earth. A drone would have done the trick! On the Nullarbor, there are virtually no trees and the horizon is dead flat… or ever so slightly curved. The word is derived from the Latin ‘nullus’ meaning nothing or none, and ‘arbor’ meaning tree. Known to the Aboriginal people as ‘Oondiri’ meaning ‘the waterless’, the Nullarbor was created about 25 million years old when it emerged from the sea. The plain is staggering in size covering an area of nearly 20 million hectares, twice the size of England. <img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820117/image_.jpg?width=500&height=281.25" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/eff378dabcf9456ab869bc9ebcb66e05" /> Caption: I was mesmerised by the landscape of the Nullarbor. For a Kiwi accustomed to landscapes crowded with hills and mountains, the sight of a flat horizon was literally unbelievable. I was staggered by the austerity of the straight line illuminated by the glow of the dawn. It’s the polar opposite of train travel in Switzerland. There the landscape is demanding, constantly yelling ‘Look at me, Look at me’ – you dare not blink let alone go to the bathroom for fear of missing something spectacular. Here there is an absence of anything to focus on. The vast terracotta landscape is scattered with stubbly grey-green vegetation and white rocks as far as the eye can see. The nothingness is soothing. Back onboard, I stayed in my cabin for a while, gazing out the window, hypnotised by the wilderness. The rocking motion and the landscape flickering by was incredibly relaxing and soporific. It gave my busy brain the time and space to wander, drift and range free. It was such a novelty. Nowhere have I experienced such nothing-to-do-ness. There was no wifi and only sporadic internet signal which turned out to be a blessing. There were times when I switched my phone off completely which would have been unheard of at home. No computer, no housework, no laundry, no cooking, no gardening, no deadlines… it was sheer bliss. <img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820116/image_.jpg?width=500&height=281.25" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/a1f0e10d2d3f401686e676b9054c41f2" /> The Indian Pacific streaking across the Outback. I also relished the absence of choices. The days were entirely mapped out for me. I didn’t have to navigate or make decisions about what direction to take. I could not possibly get lost on this trip. It seemed to lower my heart rate and allow me to quieten the incessant voices in my head. A feeling of great peace enveloped me. I became so accustomed to the lack of visual stimuli, I nearly leapt out of my skin when I spotted emus and kangaroos fleeing the noisy intrusion of the train. Apparently some camels appeared while I was snoozing- I was quite annoyed with myself for having nodded off. Having missed the camel sighting, I was egged on by my new Aussie mates (NAMs) to sample them for lunch instead. They no doubt thought I’d baulk at the idea but the camel tagine with coconut rice and coriander was very tasty and surprisingly tender. The wild berry, mint and natural yoghurt parfait sprinkled with almond and hazelnut crumble was pretty good too. Mid-afternoon on the second day of our journey, we stopped to take on water and fuel at Cook, population four, in the middle of the Nullarbor. Cook is seriously remote – it’s 1138 km from Adelaide, 1523 km from Perth and 100 km on an unsealed track to the closest major road, the Eyre Highway. The nearest town is Ceduna, a five-hour drive and the local doctor is at Port Augusta, a 12-hour drive. Once a thriving town of 200 residents, Cook is now a ghost town, its school, hospital, tennis courts, swimming pool, golf course, shops and houses lying eerily quiet and empty. Small service settlements like Cook were established 30km apart on most remote sections of track on Nullarbor to support the trans-Australia rail link, completed in 1917. But the town effectively closed down in 1997 when the railway was privatised. As the population dwindled, Aussie humour still prevailed with signs like: ‘If you’re Crook, come to Cook’ and ‘Our hospital needs your help. Get sick.’ There’s a long-drop with ‘EFTPOS Here’ written on the corrugated iron wall and ‘Deposits Only’ beside the wooden toilet seat. <img style="width: 333.3333333333333px; height:500px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820115/image_.jpg?width=333.3333333333333&height=500" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/3f75c4d30a944f628cab7a71621ef994" /> Caption: A sign near the abandoned hospital at Cook - 'Our hospital needs your help. Get sick.’ The town’s twin jail cells were a sobering sight. Built to hold the unlawful or unruly until the next train transported them out, the buildings were matching ‘his’ and her ‘cells’ with a small barred window at the top and a peephole in the padlocked door. With summer temperatures reaching 49 degrees C, imagine the heat inside those corrugated iron boxes. I doubt there was much recidivism! Many of the buildings were condemned so we were warned to steer clear of them. I tried to visualise children running around in the school grounds and the residents playing tennis, golf and swimming in the pool but all I could see and hear were faint shadows and echoes… ghosts perhaps? Others ventured into the desert but over lunch one of my NAMs pointed out the window at the scrub and mentioned the words ‘taipan’ and ‘lots’ in the same sentence so I stuck to the track. The residents were obviously an optimistic bunch. In 1982, volunteers planted 600 saplings in ‘The Greening of Cook’ campaign. A few survived, a testament to their endeavours, and are now the tallest trees on the Nullarbor. <img style="width: 0px; height:0px;" src="/nothing.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/afadd04e036643c8816b67d06379e017" /><img style="width: 299.9669093315685px; height:500px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820114/image_.jpg?width=299.9669093315685&height=500" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/afadd04e036643c8816b67d06379e017" /> Caption: Justine at Cook on the Nullarbor Plain. Cook is located on the longest stretch of straight train track in the world – there are no corners for 478 km from Loongana in Western Australia to Ooldea in South Australia. When the train finally came to a slight bend in the track by late afternoon, I peered out the window and could just make out the tail-end carriage. After Cook, there was even less vegetation but I never once felt tempted to pick up my book. I was contented to chat in the lounge with my NAMs or daydream in my cabin. That’s one of the wonderful aspects about train travel. You can choose to socialise or not as you please. Some passengers enjoyed the solitude and privacy of their cabins while others frequented the lounge and bar from dawn until well after dark. I also enjoyed listening to the stories broadcast on my cabin radio and reading about the colourful characters associated with the history of the train. Daisy Bates was one such person. An Irish immigrant who arrived in the country in 1882, she lived in a tent in Western and South Australia working tirelessly as an advocate for Aboriginal rights against the assimilation policy of the day. Dressed in a long Victorian gown, boots, veil and gloves, she was known as the Great White Queen of the Never Never, and spent 40 years documenting Aboriginal culture, history, beliefs and customs. Daisy lived for a time at the railway siding at Ooldea and died at the grand old age of 91. When the Aboriginal people first encountered the steam train at Ooldea, they thought it was great white snake carrying wicked spirits. <img style="width: 0px; height:0px;" src="/nothing.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/54afe32d91df4f44a54e8850f489d763" /><img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820113/image_.jpg?width=500&height=281.25" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/85da58e3ed0c4a61a3637960f7c57006" /> Caption: Sunset in the desert. What an awesome sight. People-watching was another of my favourite pastimes. A couple of mysterious chaps caught my eye. They looked like secret agents in a spy movie and would have fitted well in an Agatha Christie thriller. By dusk, the landscape had changed to undulating red sand dunes dotted with ragged, wind-sculpted gum trees. I watched as the dying sun flickered behind the gums and sank below the horizon. A knock on my door from one of my NAMs signalled it was high time I joined them in the lounge where Mattie was leading a lively singalong session. Barman Brendan was so busy mixing cocktails, his hands were a blur. Dinner was another delicious feast with three or four choices for each of the three courses – the highlight for me was the spicy Asian dumplings entrée, one of my all-time favourite dishes. We trundled on sedately through the night at an average speed of 85km/h with a top speed of 115km/h. The swaying motion was enough to make me feel mildly wobbly whenever I disembarked on terra firma but was a wonderful sedative at bedtime. Train travel is great therapy for insomniacs. Read Justine’s account of <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/domestic-travel/what-it-s-like-travelling-across-australia-on-board-the-indian-pacific">Day 1 on the Indian Pacific</a>. To be continued… Look out for the next part of the Indian Pacific travel series next Wednesday. Justine Tyerman was a guest of Rail Plus and Great Southern Rail. * The Indian Pacific is a four-day, three-night 4,352km, 65-hour journey from Sydney to Perth and vice versa operated twice a week by Great Southern Rail. <a href="https://www.railplus.co.nz/australia-by-rail/australias-great-train-journeys/indian-pacific/itinerary.htm">Find more information here. </a>

Domestic Travel

What it’s like travelling across Australia on board the Indian Pacific

Justine Tyerman travels on the famous transcontinental Indian Pacific train from Perth to Sydney and never once picks up the book she took… in case she got bored. She shares a day-by-day account of the 4352km, three-night, four-day journey from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. Day 1 I arrived at East Perth train station ridiculously early in order to absorb the full sensory experience of the pre-boarding ritual. I was in a high state of excitement and I was not the only one. A few other early birds and train buffs were wandering along the platform, gazing at the sleek, silver Indian Pacific with radiant expressions on their faces. Some had dreamed of doing this epic transcontinental train journey for years, I later discovered. I found myself peeking through the venetian blinds at what was to be my home for the next four days, sussing out my fellow passengers, taking selfies with the eagle emblem on the side of the carriages, marvelling at the power of a locomotive that could pull the 700m, 28-carriage train weighing 1300 tonnes, and chatting-up a platform guard to take photos for me in the no-go zone – at the business end of the train. <img style="width: 0px; height:0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7819999/1-the-beast-that-pulls-the-indian-pacific-700m-28-carriages-1300-tonnes.jpg?width=0&height=0" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/3ff2e82ab5614552889fcfdb6913f697" /><img style="width: 0px; height:0px;" src="/nothing.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/a9b3da2bbaad424b9fcfe827101df377" /><img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820000/image_.jpg?width=500&height=281.25" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/a9b3da2bbaad424b9fcfe827101df377" /> The beast that pulls the Indian Pacific - 700m, 28 carriages, 1300 tonnes. Photo mission accomplished, strains of Morningtown Ride drew me back down to the platform to where morning tea and entertainment were being provided by Great Southern Rail who operate the Indian Pacific, the Ghan and the Overland. Matthew, a talented guitarist and born entertainer, was playing train-themed songs including a catchy, toe-tapping Slim Dusty number written about the Indian Pacific: From the waters of the western sea to the eastern ocean sand, the Indian Pacific spans the land… Matthew became a great favourite with the passengers who inhabited our end of the train. He entertained us daily, on and off the train. <img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820001/image_.jpg?width=500&height=281.25" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/162acf1891a34d869e0486aac6aa3288" /> Matthew, aka Mattie, entertaining us in the Outback Explorer Lounge. On the dot of 10am, we were welcomed aboard and shown to our cabins by hostess Nikki. My Gold Class twin cabin with ensuite was supremely comfortable, all the more so because I was a solo traveller with all the space to myself. I stowed my small suitcase under the couch that converted to a luxurious bed at night, and sat with my heart pounding, pulse racing, anticipating the magical moment when the train would set off on the 4352km journey from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. She spans Australia from coast-to-coast like the wedge-tail eagle, Australia’s largest bird of prey, that we often saw soaring over the vast desert on wings 2.3m wide. Hence the emblem on the carriages… and the Slim Dusty song. <img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820002/image_.jpg?width=500&height=281.25" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/8928de0b662849e09f71a7cca4f81dcd" /> Here's my lovely, spacious Gold Service cabin by day. We pulled away so smoothly I hardly knew we were moving. I gasped and a tear or two rolled down my cheek as the rocking motion began and I settled back to watch the landscape unfold. Once we had cleared Perth city and suburbs, we wound our way through the beautiful green Avon Valley with rivers fringed by gum trees. The occasional kangaroo hopped into view but hopped away again before my camera captured him. Over lunch in the classically-decorated Queen Adelaide Restaurant which looked as though it had been plucked straight from the Orient Express, we trundled past a lovely lake with a strange pinky hue and vast wheat lands dotted with giant silos. Apparently they are prone to spontaneous combustion, one of my new Aussie mates (henceforth known as ‘NAMs’) informed me. <img style="width: 0px; height:0px;" src="/nothing.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/2b0906a346894c779717c8f335740d34" /><img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820003/image_.jpg?width=500&height=281.25" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/2b0906a346894c779717c8f335740d34" /> The West Australia wheat lands stretched for miles. Another NAM pointed out a pipeline running alongside the train track and explained the tragic story of C.Y. O’Connor, a visionary engineer who wanted to bring water to the arid goldfields of Kalgoorlie. He suffered such ridicule over his ambitious project, he committed suicide in 1902, less than a year before the water reached its destination and transformed the lives of all who lived there. I heard many fascinating stories over the next few days, some from my NAMs and others over Radio Indian Pacific that was broadcast to the cabins along with a commentary. The tales of adventure, heroism, triumph and tragedy added great colour and personality to the journey. My fine plans to eat and drink in moderation over the next four days disappeared out the window the minute I sat down to our first lunch and tried the succulent Fremantle jewfish with tartare sauce. “It’s only four days,” I rationalised as I tucked into a dessert of cherry clafoutis. “Yes, I’d love another bubbly,” I found myself saying to Nikki who was also our waitress. The bubbles matched my effervescent mood! I love train travel. Back in my cabin, the combined effects of the lulling motion of the train and a large midday lunch with bubbles defeated another of my fine plans – to write while travelling. <img style="width: 0px; height:0px;" src="/nothing.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/d14ca664c0314336b05d5db54e97000e" /><img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820004/image_.jpg?width=500&height=281.25" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/d14ca664c0314336b05d5db54e97000e" /> I was mesmerised by the reflection of the train against the red earth. Mesmerised by the reflection of the train on the red earth and the huge Aussie sun flickering behind the gum trees, I nodded off for half an hour, seated upright, glasses perched on my nose and iPad open on my lap. I awoke with a heck of a jolt as a freight train thundered past us in the opposite direction while we were on a siding, just in time to witness a dazzling sunset over the desert. The atmosphere relaxed considerably over drinks and canapes in the Outback Explorer Lounge. Barman Brendan was in hot demand pouring bubbly and beer and mixing some pretty impressive cocktails. Matthew, who by now was known as Mattie, livened up the jovial mood even more with country and western favourites that started up a spirited singalong. After dinner – a delicious pulled pork salad entree followed by a main course of tender braised beef and a cheese board – we disembarked at Kalgoorlie-Boulder on the western fringe of Nullarbor Plain for our first off-train excursion. Irishman Paddy Hannan discovered gold near here in June 1893 and sparked one of the biggest gold rushes in Australian history. Within a week of Hannan’s find, 1400 prospectors flooded the region which became known as The Golden Mile, among the richest gold deposits in the world. We watched an entertaining re-enactment of Paddy’s story performed by a couple of talented local actors. <img style="width: 0px; height:0px;" src="/nothing.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/953c405dca604a8899a1f15abcc0a0df" /><img style="width: 500px; height:500px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820005/image_.jpg?width=500&height=500" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/953c405dca604a8899a1f15abcc0a0df" /> I looked like a dwarf beside the tyre of a giant 793C haul truck at Kalgoorlie. Today, the town is home to 31,000 residents home and the massive 3.6km wide, 512m deep Super Pit gold mine, the world’s largest single open-cut mining operation. The pit operates around the clock and is expected to do so until 2029. We went to the rim of the floodlit pit and watched the giant 793C haul trucks slowly grinding their way to the top. Fully laden at 376.49 tonnes, the truck’s top speed is 11kmh. It takes an hour to get from bottom of mine to top and back down again. I looked like a dwarf standing beside one of the truck tyres, worth an eye-watering $30,000 each. And even more minuscule when I climbed the ladder to the cab. The 793C stands a whopping 6.43m high, 7.51m wide and 12.87m long. It was a chilly evening so snuggling down in my comfy bed with highest quality linen, a warm duvet and a profusion of soft pillows was heavenly. With the rocking of the train, I was asleep in no time . . . and awake again rather early. To be continued… Look out for the next part of the Indian Pacific travel series next Wednesday. Justine Tyerman was a guest of Rail Plus and Great Southern Rail. * The Indian Pacific is a four-day, three night 4,352km, 65-hour journey from Sydney to Perth and vice versa operated twice a week by Great Southern Rail. <a href="https://www.railplus.co.nz/australia-by-rail/australias-great-train-journeys/indian-pacific/itinerary.htm">Find more information here</a>.

Domestic Travel

Indian roast chicken and pumpkin soup with garlic croutons

Nadia Lim’s Indian roast chicken and pumpkin soup with garlic croutons is the perfect recipe to warm you up on a cold winter’s night. Serves: Five Ingredients: <ul> <li>400g pumpkin, peeled and diced 1-2cm</li> <li>400g orange kumara, peeled and diced 1-2cm</li> <li>3 teaspoons curry spice mix</li> <li>600g skinless, boneless chicken thighs</li> <li>1 leek</li> <li>1 brown onion</li> <li>1 carrot</li> <li>3 teaspoons curry spice mix</li> <li>4 cups chicken stock</li> <li>2 cups water</li> <li>1/2 cup coconut cream (shake well before opening)</li> <li>1 teaspoon runny honey</li> <li>1/2 teaspoon salt</li> </ul> Garlic croutons <ul> <li>3-4 garlic pita breads (store-bought)</li> </ul> To serve (optional) <ul> <li>1-2 tablespoons coconut cream</li> <li>3 tablespoons coriander leaves</li> </ul> Curry spice mix <ul> <li>4 teaspoons mild curry powder</li> <li>2 teaspoons garam marsala</li> <li>1 teaspoon ground ginger</li> </ul> Method: <ol> <li>Preheat oven to 230°C. Line two oven trays with baking paper.</li> <li>Toss pumpkin, kumara, first measure of curry spice mix and olive oil on first prepared tray. Pat chicken dry, place on top of vegetables then season chicken and vegetables with salt. Roast for 15 minutes, until kumara is tender and chicken is cooked.</li> <li>Turn chicken halfway to ensure even cooking.</li> <li>While chicken and vegetables cook, finely dice leek and onion and grate carrot. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pot on high heat.</li> <li>Cook leek, onion and carrot with a pinch of salt for about five minutes, or until soft.</li> <li>Add remaining curry spice mix and cook for one minute, until fragrant. Add stock, water, first measure of coconut cream and honey to pot with veggies and bring to the boil. Remove chicken from tray, set aside and keep warm. Add roasted pumpkin, kumara and salt to pot and simmer for 5 minutes.</li> <li>While soup simmers, cut pita breads into 2-3cm squares.</li> <li>Place on second prepared tray and bake for 5-6 minutes, or until golden brown and crunchy.</li> <li>Use two forks or clean hands to shred chicken into thin strips. Mash, blend or use a stick mixer to blitz soup until smooth, then season to taste with salt and pepper.</li> <li>To serve, divide soup between bowls and top with shredded chicken and garlic croutons. Garnish with a drizzle of coconut cream and a sprinkle of coriander leaves (if using).</li> </ol> Mmm, doesn’t that sound delicious! What’s your favourite type of soup? Written by Nadia Lim. First appeared on <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank">Stuff.co.nz</a>. Have you ordered your copy of the Over60 cookbook, The Way Mum Made It, yet? Featuring 178 delicious tried-and-true recipes from you, the Over60 community, and your favourites that have appeared on the Over60 website, <a href="https://shop.abc.net.au/products/way-mum-made-it-pbk" target="_blank">head to the abcshop.com.au to order your copy now</a>.

Food & Wine

Indian hotel refuses room to single female traveller

A woman was left stranded in a foreign country when a hotel refused to let her check-in because she was a single female. Nupur Saraswat is a spoken word artist and travelled to the city of Hyderabad in Southern India for a performance when she was told by her hotel that “single ladies” were not allowed to stay there. Nupur wrote a Facebook post explaining how she had been left stranded by Hotel Deccan Erragadda despite the fact they had already confirmed her online booking. <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fnupur.saraswat%2Fposts%2F1536952229690614&width=500" width="500" height="739" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true"></iframe> “Somehow they decided I was safer on the streets than in the hotel. Funny huh, how patriarchy works?” she said. Nupur encouraged others to share her status and her post has currently been shared over 1700 times and ‘liked’ by over 3000 people. “So here’s my sincere plea — share this post. Make a scene ... Let them know that women travel solo now and we won’t stay indoors ‘for the sake of our own safety’,” she wrote. According to Hotel Deccan Erragadda’s policies “locals and unmarried couples” are also forbidden from staying. Nupur booked to stay at the hotel through third-party booking website Goibibo. The hotel-booking site has apologised for the incident, refunded her booking and offered her a complimentary stay in a different hotel for the duration of her time in Hyderabad. Goibibo has said in a blog post that it takes these issues “very seriously” and that it has delisted Hotel Deccan Erragadda from its site pending an investigation. Hotel Deccan Erragadda gave a statement to Goibibo that said it is “not against” solo female travellers staying at the hotel but it is a policy in response to police advice that the area is not “right” for single women. “As per local police interaction we don’t give rooms to single women and unmarried couples,” the statement read. Nupur said that when she booked the hotel the details of their policy were not understood. However, she believes the policy itself is not acceptable. “But, of course, there are also those who have tried to silence this by asking, ‘Why are you making a fuss if it’s clearly stated in the policy?'" “Well, I am making a fuss because I am not ready to settle. I am not ready to live in the fear of my safety anymore. I am not ready to have an entire system push me around until I ‘find a man to travel with’. I AM NOT READY TO BE CHAPERONED,” she wrote.

Accommodation

Tandoori prawns with spinach and dill sambal

Take your tastebuds to India with this delicious and flavoursome tandoori barbecued prawns with spinach and dill sambal. Serves: 6 to 8, as part of a shared meal Ingredients: For the spinach and dill sambal <ul> <li>1 bunch spinach, washed</li> <li>3 tablespoons dill, finely chopped</li> <li>250 g plain yoghurt</li> <li>2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed to a paste</li> <li>2 tablespoons mint, finely chopped</li> <li>salt and pepper, to taste</li> </ul> For the tandoori prawns <ul> <li>60 ml vegetable oil</li> <li>1 large green chilli, deseeded and chopped</li> <li>2 teaspoons ginger, peeled and roughly chopped</li> <li>2 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped</li> <li>1/2 teaspoon garam masala</li> <li>1 teaspoon ground cumin</li> <li>1 tablespoon tikka or tandoori paste (store bought)</li> <li>2 tablespoons plain yoghurt</li> <li>18 green king prawns, peeled and deveined (your choice if you want to keep the heads and/or tails on the prawns)</li> </ul> Method: For the spinach and dill sambal <ol> <li>Place the washed spinach in a pot and cook until just wilted. You should not need any water. When cool, squeeze out excess moisture and chop finely.</li> <li>Place the chopped spinach in a bowl with the remaining ingredients and mix well to combine.</li> </ol> For the tandoori prawns <ol> <li>Combine all the ingredients, except the prawns, in a mortar and pound to a smooth paste.</li> <li>Place prawns in a shallow bowl. Add the paste and coat well. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.</li> <li>Preheat a lightly oiled chargrill plate or barbecue to medium. Cook the prawns for 3–5 minutes, turning a few times.</li> <li>Transfer to serving platter and serve with the spinach and dill sambal.</li> </ol> Hot tip: Garam masala, a popular Indian powder mix, is often addedto a dish at a late stage of cooking as a flavouring agent. Itcan be bought at supermarkets and Asian grocery stores. <img width="199" height="226" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/34314/spirit-house_frontcover_hr_199x226.jpg" alt="Spirit House _frontcover _HR (3)" style="float: right;"/> Recipe courtesy of Spirit House The Cookbook by Helen Brierty & Annette Fear, published by <a href="http://www.newhollandpublishers.com/" target="_blank">New Holland Publishers</a>, RRP $49.99, available from all good bookstores or online. Have you ordered your copy of the Over60 cookbook, The Way Mum Made It, yet? Featuring 175 delicious tried-and-true recipes from you, the Over60 community, and your favourites that have appeared on the Over60 website, <a href="https://shop.abc.net.au/products/way-mum-made-it-pbk" target="_blank">head to the abcshop.com.au to order your copy now</a>.

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Tandoori prawns with spinach and dill sambal

Our Partners

News

Shop

Catalogues

Newspaper

Contests

Entertainment

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Property

Compare

Games

Information

Keep up to date

Search

Indian airline cracks the code to halving disembark times

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"Just not fair": Ejected SCG fan denies racial abuse from stands

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Indian hotel refuses room to single female traveller

Tandoori prawns with spinach and dill sambal

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