Ok well I have now left Perth. Enjoyed my last week visiting a few places I had missed and saying goodbye to all the friends I had made there including Megan, Brad, Casey and the Brandish Family. Also went back for high tea again at the C restaurant. Can't remember if I mentioned this but I went there when Danielle came to visit. Unfortunately I wasn't impressed and so complained (like my mother would!) as it had cost quite a bit but the service was bad, food was nothing special and I had asked for no nuts and instead got nut-tastic cakes instead!. They ended up giving us a free high tea so off we went back to the restaurant (minus Danielle who couldn't pop over from the UK for the weekend!) Although the service was marginally better we still waited ages for certain things. I did get a very special nut free stand full of different cakes to the others which were yum.

Anyway I packed up my little room, which was quite sad really and totted off to get my train. I always thought catching the train from Perth to Adelaide would be an experience….and that it certainly was..one I wish never to experience again!! The train itself was in fact really nice and about 20 carriages long. I had booked just the cheap seat but that reclines right back and you do get a lot of leg room. There are also showers on board that you can use and a catering cart that serves basic food. The train was also not full so meant we could spread out and have a few chairs. Unfortunately about 1 hour into the journey our carriage lost power and so neither the toilets or showers worked. We all got upgraded to the cabins and therefore ended up having my own cabin. Which although sounds nice it was in fact really cramped and I actually have no idea how you would fit two people in there. Plus if you were on the large size - there is not a hope in hell of you fitting in these cabins. Made me feel like I was in prison as it was so cramped. One bonus was that we got free use of this lounge area, which previously I would have had to pay $15 for.

I thought 2 days would be ok as surely there would be people to talk to……..it was like a OAP outing, walking sticks and all. Gee wizz what happened to the young backpackers that take this trip? They certainly were not on this train! The journey itself seemed endless and I really couldn't wait for it to end. We had 2 stops along the way where we had a chance to stretch our legs but one was at 11pm at night and I didn't really fancy walking around Kalgoorlie on my own. Kalgoorlie is a miners town full of brothels and skimpy bars - (Australian version of Hooters but they where just underwear!) so we were told not to walk around on our own and since all the OAPs were tucked in bed with their cocoa I just walked up and down the platform. Our next stop came on the border of Western Australia and Southern Australia in a place called Cook. Only 5 people live here - husband, wife, daughter and the in-laws. Their job is pretty much to service the trains that pass buy - refuelling and re-watering. They also sit on top of the cable for broadband and therefore probably have the best internet in Oz even though they are in the middle of nowhere. Believe it or not there was a gift shop here and well I have never seen the OAPs move so quickly. It was like there was going to be a shortage of tea towels in Adelaide and with all the handbags and walking sticks I only made it as far as the postcards!

What makes this journey so hard is that there is nothing to look at on the way as you drive through the Nullaborg - quite literally nothing - not even a tree in sight. There are meant to be camels there but I didn't see any wildlife at all. I was so glad to get off the train esp as I managed to get food poisoning on the last evening of the train.

After the train I made my way to Andy and Kelly's who are the son and daughter in law of one of my Mum's closest friends. They live in really nice part of Adelaide up in the hills and therefore lots of green space to walk Ronnie the dog. So nice to be staying in a house - easing me back into backpacking world gently. They have been really welcoming and nice to hear the welsh accent as well. Still not been 100% well all week so not seen as much of Adelaide as I hoped. But have managed to get into town and look around and visit the museum and the botanical gardens. A lot of people had told me that there is not much to do in Adelaide and with regards to the centre that is probably true. But there are lots of places outside of Adelaide which look interesting and hoping to see some of them when I go this weekend to stay with my friend Lauren who I met at uni in Canada. So I think the plan is to visit Mount Lofty and further up into Adelaide Hills and then to see the pandas in the zoo. Will be nice to catch up with Lauren as I think it was 2 years since I saw her last.

I am in Adelaide until next Wednesday when I join a bus to Alice Springs so my next blog I will try and do after my camping trip to Uluru - assuming I survive any snake and/or spiders I meet along the way.!!! I am not much of a camper having been spoilt with nice timeshare holidays growing up but I am sure I can survive 2 nights under the starts - quite literally as there is no tent!!!

Bye for now xxx