Planes, Trains and Automobiles - and a boat or two

[JessicaTam]

I am heading to Tassie later in the month for a bit of 4WDing. (Automobiles - check!)

So, I thought, what is the most convoluted way of getting there? I know I have to take the ferry to get across Bass Strait, but how to get to the ferry terminal at the Port of Melbourne? (Boats - check!).

Fortunately, discussion with a friend - who has joined me on a previous "why fly direct" trip* - led to a booking on the Ghan. (Trains - big tick!) Except the timing of ADL-DRW didn't work, so DRW-ADL it is. Now how to get to DRW? The simplest way was for us to drive to ADL and then fly to DRW from there. Trust me, that is simple - as we are not going via ASP - or anywhere else for that matter! So that ticks off the planes too.

Incidentally, until this afternoon there was also a quick overnight trip to SYD booked before driving to ADL in the mix as well. But that has fallen through, so I will just have to work with what I've got.

I am still a few weeks out from departing, so anything could still happen. And with much of the trip being away from civilisation, updates might be limited by the availability of phone service. Actually, to be honest, with the weather the way it's been, travel on the Ghan might be limited by the availability of train tracks!

I am still working on getting home, so maybe BNE or OOL to mix it up?

*LHR-FRA-BLR-CLB-SIN-HKG-SYD-AKL just to fly LH F for starters.

 

[JessicaTam]

In case you are wondering where I might be heading in Tassie - here are some tracks that might be familiar to some:

Sandy Cape Track
Balfour Track
Climies Track
Ring River "Road" and Montezuma Falls Track

They are some of the gnarliest 4wding in Tassie; set to challenge any off roader.

Bring.
It.
On.

 

[bPeteb]

I am heading to Tassie later in the month for a bit of 4WDing. (Automobiles - check!)

So, I thought, what is the most convoluted way of getting there? I know I have to take the ferry to get across Bass Strait, but how to get to the ferry terminal at the Port of Melbourne? (Boats - check!).

Fortunately, discussion with a friend - who has joined me on a previous "why fly direct" trip* - led to a booking on the Ghan. (Trains - big tick!) Except the timing of ADL-DRW didn't work, so DRW-ADL it is. Now how to get to DRW? The simplest way was for us to drive to ADL and then fly to DRW from there. Trust me, that is simple - as we are not going via ASP - or anywhere else for that matter! So that ticks off the planes too.

Incidentally, until this afternoon there was also a quick overnight trip to SYD booked before driving to ADL in the mix as well. But that has fallen through, so I will just have to work with what I've got.

I am still a few weeks out from departing, so anything could still happen. And with much of the trip being away from civilisation, updates might be limited by the availability of phone service. Actually, to be honest, with the weather the way it's been, travel on the Ghan might be limited by the availability of train tracks!

I am still working on getting home, so maybe BNE or OOL to mix it up?

*LHR-FRA-BLR-CLB-SIN-HKG-SYD-AKL just to fly LH F for starters.

Oi! What do you think you’re doing JT? Stealing my clearly copywrit trip report thread title We’re in Tassie again as I type. What to call my trip report now?

 

[Hvr]

What to call my trip report now?

A suggestion:
"I met the mod in Tas. "

 

[JessicaTam]

And to keep things interesting, the drive to ADL has now been replaced with a flight. Which means I get bumped from row 1.

The prep is all done. I just need to pack.

 

[Buzzard]

I like the sound of that LH F trip.

 

[RooFlyer]

A few interesting drives there - the ones in the NW have been on the edge of controversy recently. Not to mention the wettest summer we've had in some time:



I might wave to you from the other side of Montezuma Falls. Am leading a walking party in by track on the other side, starting at Williamsford in the coming weeks.

And on the Ring River 'track' I see you'll go over Confidence Saddle - its on the Renison mine lease and part of the area where I did my uni Honours geology project. Take a little side trip north there to Pine Hill - the view is great, and its snake central in Tassie

You might find this useful: https://maps.thelist.tas.gov.au/listmap/app/list/map Choose topo, TasMap or a good one is Hillshade Grey as the 'BaseMap'. Happy driving (your Ring river area ):

 

[JessicaTam]

Well I had better start the trip report as I started the trip a week ago!

The drive to ADL is now a filght. A visit with friends and then an Alliance flight to DRW. The upgrade didn't come though for that one, but the front row of Y was just as good (well, almost!).

But I digress...

The housesitter turned up on Friday so plenty of time to show him how to work the stereo system! I made my way to MEL and parked up the car in the long term car-park. I checked in to the top floor of the Park Royal and Lyn turned up soon after. The Park Royal is looking very run down. Carpet fraying at the edges - and the middle. I left the hotel a list of faults when I checked out. The duty manager did say that a full floor-by-floor refurb will start in March.

I paid an extra $12 for the room to include breakfast and it was worth it. A good spread at the buffet, although no barista coffee. But that is what the lounge is for.

Fortunately I had a good breakfast as our flight MEL-ADL had no special meal loaded.


The current QF J special meal offering.

We caught the bus to my friends' house and sat back and enjoyed the serenity. The next day the flight to DRW was late afternoon so we did the touristy thing and visited Hahndorf.

I may have introduced Lyn to an SA delicacy at Otto's Bakery!


Note only one Kitchener bun left on the shelf.

Again no special meal on the flight to DRW. So some extra cheese and biscuits and some J wine was all I could 'enjoy'.

I spoke to BA and made sure that my profile was accurate - and it was. So the blame sits with QF. I let my fingers do the walking and have hopefully manually set up my return ADL-MEL.

Storms in ADL delayed the flight to DRW by about 20-30 minutes, but the pilot made up the difference. We grabbed a cab to the HH DRW and were soon tucked up in bed.

 

[drron]

Well I had better start the trip report as I started the trip a week ago!

The drive to ADL is now a filght. A visit with friends and then an Alliance flight to DRW. The upgrade didn't come though for that one, but the front row of Y was just as good (well, almost!).

But I digress...

The housesitter turned up on Friday so plenty of time to show him how to work the stereo system! I made my way to MEL and parked up the car in the long term car-park. I checked in to the top floor of the Park Royal and Lyn turned up soon after. The Park Royal is looking very run down. Carpet fraying at the edges - and the middle. I left the hotel a list of faults when I checked out. The duty manager did say that a full floor-by-floor refurb will start in March.

I paid an extra $12 for the room to include breakfast and it was worth it. A good spread at the buffet, although no barista coffee. But hat is what the lounge is for.

Fortunately I had a good breakfast as our flight MEL-ADL had no special meal loaded.

View attachment 272980
The current QF J special meal offering.

We caught the bus to my friends' house and sat back and enjoyed the serenity. The next day the flight to DRW was late afternoon so we did the touristy thing and visited Hahndorf.

I may have introduced Lyn to an SA delicacy!

View attachment 272979
Note only one Kitchener bun left on the shelf.

Again no special meal on the flight to DRW. So some extra cheese and biscuits and some J wine was all I could 'enjoy'.

I spoke to BA and made sure that my profile was accurate - and it was. So the blame sits with QF. I let my fingers do the walking and have hopefully manually set up my return ADL-MEL.

Storms in ADL delayed the flight to DRW by about 20-30 minutes, but the pilot made up the difference. We grabbed a cab to the HH DRW and were soon tucked up in bed.

I think AJ is arguing again with BA. On my flight on QF last weekend I got moved backwards from Row 5 that I checked in to to row 8. I had my BA gold number in the booking.

 

[JessicaTam]

HH DRW have taken towel art to a whole new level:

 

[JessicaTam]

I enjoyed the stay in DRW. We were there for two nights and spent the middle day wandering DRW and staying out of the heat and humidity as much as possible. The HH is in the CBD so easy to get around.

The DRW HH has its exec lounge open during the day, but the soft drink fridge is locked. Apparently due to COVID?

Breakfast was excellent, with cooked to order eggs.

The booking with the Ghan (in Gold service) included a pickup from the HH to the station. There were Ghan staff in the hotel foyer checking that guests had had a recent RAT and had no symptoms. There was a bit of a wait for the bus, but we got to the station in good time. I had requested earlier that the two single cabins we had booked were accorss the hall from each other. It was not until the final check-in at the station that someone was actually able to action it!

The cabin is compact with not much more room than the bed when it is folded down. There is a little hand basin and cupboards are drawers to unpack into. The 16 single cabins have 2 toilets at one end of the carriage, and 2 showers/toilets at the other. With about 10 pax in the carriage I never had to wait for a shower.


Day and night mode.

The trip itself will have to wait until I am back in phone range. Feel free to ask any Ghan related questions I will attempt to fit the answers around the report itself.

 

[RooFlyer]

The trip itself will have to wait until I am back in phone range. Feel free to ask any Ghan related questions I will attempt to fit the answers around the report itself.

That's a l-o-o-o-o-ng Ghan trip!

 

[Major]

It's still choofing along

 

[love_the_life]

I enjoyed the stay in DRW. We were there for two nights and spent the middle day wandering DRW and staying out of the heat and humidity as much as possible. The HH is in the CBD so easy to get around.

The DRW HH has its exec lounge open during the day, but the soft drink fridge is locked. Apparently due to COVID?

Breakfast was excellent, with cooked to order eggs.

The booking with the Ghan (in Gold service) included a pickup from the HH to the station. There were Ghan staff in the hotel foyer checking that guests had had a recent RAT and had no symptoms. There was a bit of a wait for the bus, but we got to the station in good time. I had requested earlier that the two single cabins we had booked were accorss the hall from each other. It was not until the final check-in at the station that someone was actually able to action it!

The cabin is compact with not much more room than the bed when it is folded down. There is a little hand basin and cupboards are drawers to unpack into. The 16 single cabins have 2 toilets at one end of the carriage, and 2 showers/toilets at the other. With about 10 pax in the carriage I never had to wait for a shower.

View attachment 272997View attachment 272998
Day and night mode.

The trip itself will have to wait until I am back in phone range. Feel free to ask any Ghan related questions I will attempt to fit the answers around the report itself.

I have only been in a twin Gold which has lower and upper beds and bathroom - compact as well.

 

[JessicaTam]

I will get back to this - promise! Week 9 of COVID and counting.