Trains & Boats & Planes, well Trains and Planes

2010-05-17T00:41:00.000-07:00

I was fortunate enough to get to travel back to Australia recently and I consciously made a decision to include as much rail travel in my holiday. Now I must say that this was more like a working holiday than just a leisurely retreat back home and my rail travel was all concentrated in the latter part of this working holiday. Rather than have family pick me up after my flight into Sydney airport from the Gold Coast I chose to take the train into Central.

Now it is a long time since I was a teenager waiting for trains to take me home after a long day at my first job in the centre of Sydney. When the luxury of just getting into a space warmer than the platform was to be savoured, a seat to relax and read was mostly just a dream. The rickitty red rattlers of those days have now been replaced by a sleeker carriage, one with molded cloth seats. No longer are you in danger of sliding into the person next to you, as you were when all the seats were platforms covered in the minimum of cushioning topped with the latest in shiny vinyl leatherette.

So, determined to enjoy and savour every opportunity to travel by train, we landed in Sydney and "took the train" now called Airport Link to Central Railway Station. Now this was probably not the most cost effective way to travel as the trip from the airport was not cheap and with three of us, a cab would have probably worked out a better economic alternative, but not with the same atmosphere. Now I say not cheap as the Ringgit against the Australian Dollar is not doing too well so it was about RM45 per person (AUD15) one way. The trip into the city from the airport takes about 15 minutes and trains run very frequently.

The train does more than service just the Airport to Central Route so there are commuters on this train as well as those travelling to and from the Airport. I would like to say here that the provision for those travelling with lots of luggage is not as well thought out as our KLIA Express. Luckily I just had a carry on and my computer bag. The seating configuration is also somewhat strange to me, three seats on one side of the aisle, and two on the other. Some travellers took all three seats, two of them taken up with their luggage, others just left their luggage in the aisle, which was not a good option for other travellers.

We were also travelling in a non peak hour period too, I would probably not use this service during peak hour and if I had a lot of luggage. There are no porters available and no trolleys for your heavy luggage so if you are travelling extensively and have a lot of luggage this short train journey is not for the feint hearted. There are lifts to and from the platforms, but I did see a number of older couples struggling.

As it had been so long since I travelled on a train in Sydney I forgot that could have got a ticket straight to St. Peters Station which was our destination, so after arriving at Central we detrained. Now do you detrain, I know you deplane but do you still disembark or is that just for ships? Well we got off the train, went down stairs out through the automatic turnstiles and bought tickets for St Peters Station, back up the stairs and onto the platform next door. I will continue my trip in the next blog.

Hope you enjoy the photos and please send me information about your train travel, I love to hear about other peoples experiences and journeys.

Railway Tourism 2010 Soft Launch

2010-02-04T19:37:00.000-08:00

Soft Launch Railway Tourism 2010

The soft launch of the newest Tourism product from Glenreagh Sdn Bhd will be on 9th February at the Seri Pacific Hotel in Jalan Putra.

Now we know that all little boys love trains, well big boys love them too. Not just boys, for women love the romance that is kindled in our minds when we think of train travel. Those of us who belong to the older generations remember momentous train journeys in our lives.

My first memory of trains is a mixture of the five wooden jigsaw puzzles with pictures of the "Flying Scotsman" which came out on rainy days to amuse us when we could not go outside to play and the first steam train journey I can remember from Wyong to Sydney to visit the Royal Easter Show. Both of these events happened in the 1950s, when trains had windows which opened and you could put your head out the windows and feel the rush of the wind on your face. You also had to watch out for flying cinders. But the sounds, the sights and the smells, as I write this all come rushing back. Mother dressed "to the nines" in her high heels and me in my best velvet dress. The train was packed and Mother spoke to the conductor and he arranged for us to move into a private compartment, which was also a sleeper compartment with it's own shiny stainless steel washbasin. Wood panelling and leather, brass racks for the luggage, and the conducter tipping his hat and saying, "hope you remember me in your will" and Mother giving him a tip of ten shillings. Now it is interesting as I think back, I cannot remember the Royal Easter Show, but I remember the train.

My last train journey was from Sungei Petani to HattYai in Thailand, last year. Now the train was not lined with wood and there was no brass in site but it was wonderful to sit with my husband and just watch, watch the scenery and watch others on the train.

Yes I love trains, and I am very excited about this new conference. Please leave me stories about your train journeys I would love to share your memories.

For those who want to remember the Flying Scotsman here is a link to bring back that nostalgic feeling