It's a steel and sparks epic, traversing Australia's sunburnt interior from Darwin to Adelaide.
Spanning 2979km, this is the longest north-south transcontinental train trip in the world.
The sheer dimensions of The Ghan command respect. My train was more than 700m long, comprising 26 carriages and over 400 passengers, with a 54-hour
journey ahead of us.
Ensconced in Gold Class, my compact, wood-panelled cabin housed an ensuite toilet, hand basin and shower, and a multi-functional comfy couch that converted into a snug bed at night.
Did I sleep well? You bet. There is a hypnotic percussion to the train which spirited me off to the land of nod with rhythmic ease.
An extra nice touch is being able to order a wake-up coffee, delivered to your bed at an appointed time, which you can enjoy while admiring the break of dawn across the Outback.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served in the exquisite Queen Adelaide restaurant car with military precision.
A choice of dishes is offered in each setting, and although The Ghan succeeds in delivering a fine dining experience, the quantity of food is adequate, without being plentiful. I noticed many passengers brought their own snacks to tide them through the
Pulling out from Darwin, day.the broad-leaf soft furnishings of the tropical Top End soon give way to the ochre-red desert sands and spinifex plains of the Outback.
Katherine heralds the stark terrain change and the train stops over in town for several hours, enabling passengers to stretch their legs and take in some sightseeing. The only other whistle stop is 24 hours later, in the Red Centre town of Alice Springs.
From Katherine, as the train cuts deeper into Australia's sprawling, empty interior, I witness my first Outback sunset - and it lives up to the hype.
Slumping ever lower on the horizon, the great orange orb turns an angry fireball red before disappearing out of view, leaving in its wake an ethereal haze of purple.
The passing natural pageant, from your window, is The Ghan's much-touted draw.
Burnished earth tones against a canvas of endless blue sky, interspersed with a smattering of ghost-white tree trunks, rugged ranges and low shrubs is the searing window painting that I will take from the train.
Is The Ghan the world's most scenically panoramic train trip? Not by a long shot. But it enhances your appreciation of Australia's immensity, her far-reaching horizons and her rich red and brown heart. And you'll enjoy trading tales over a beer at the bar on-board with your fellow travellers. The Ghan is a one-off experience certainly worth doing, but be sure to pack a generous frame of mind.
TOP TIPS
* Bookings on The Ghan rail service can be made in New Zealand through Rail Plus, which are expert sales agents for rail travel worldwide. Phone (09) 377 5415 www.railplus.co.nz
* For more details on The Ghan's schedule and whistle-stop tours in Katherine and Alice Springs go to Great Southern Rail's website. www.gsr.com.au.
* One commodity you can never be short of when sightseeing in Australia's Red Centre is water. Be sure to have plenty of bottled water on hand.
It's a steel and sparks epic, traversing Australia's sunburnt interior from Darwin to Adelaide.
Spanning 2979km, this is the longest north-south transcontinental train trip in the world.
The sheer dimensions of The Ghan command respect. My train was more than 700m long, comprising 26 carriages and over 400 passengers, with a 54-hour
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