The drive here from Brisbane took a couple of hours, and we travelled through some lovely countryside, the views from the Lamington plateau were fantastic. The last bit of the drive was through pretty impenetrable-looking rain-forest, with precipitous drops at the side of the narrow road, and we were expecting the hotel, O'Reilly's Rain-forest Retreat, to be a quiet and reclusive place, a bit 'new-age ecolodge', a bit 'feng-shui rain-forest'! So it was a bit of a...

We arrived in Brisbane last night, after making our escape from Ayres Rock, not a moment too soon, because it seems they've had a severe weather warning related to the cyclone, we could have been stuck there, the horror, the horror.. But, we're glad to be here 'cos Brisbane is great! Another handsome city, everyone we meet really pleasant and friendly, I love 'straya! Went on the City-Sights Bus Tour, very good, the view over Brisbane from Mount Coot-Tha was ve...

A very early start for Sunrise at The Rock. We pre-ordered a boxed breakfast (a big rip-off!) and collected it in reception at 0455hrs! A loopy posh English women spotted our box, 'what's in that box' she barked, 'breakfast' we replied, 'where's mine? Why haven't I got one?' she wanted to know, b*****ed if I know, I said (I didn't say that, I just thought it), I think she thought we were her 'staff' and should sort it out, now! Do one, yer daft old bat! The sunr...

We really enjoyed The Ghan, it was a great experience, and now we're looking forward to the overnight trains in Vietnam and Canada! We got to Alice Springs, it was raining but it was still really hot, it felt weird, like being in the shower with your clothes on! Alice (everyone calls it Alice) didn't look good as we transferred from the train to the hotel, but we were only there for one night, then we were off to Ayres Rock. The hotel was ok, but it did have a ...

So, The Ghan! We're probably not the youngest people on here, but it feels like it! Sal reckons it's like a retirement home on wheels! The routine consists of looking out of windows for kangaroo's and emu's, then going to the dining car for another meal! We sussed out pretty early how to turn the piped music off, we didn't really want '60s MOR hits for 24 hours solid! The scenery has changed from farmland just outside Adelaide, to bush, and now to outback. The...