Remember my mates Adele and Rosie?

Wow... 54 hours is quite a train journey!  The Ghan was an amazing train trip from Darwin (Northern Territory) all the way down to Adelaide (South Australia).  So if any of you were wondering why I hadn't blogged in a couple of days, it's cause I've been on a train!  One of the coolest things about the long journey was seeing the scenery change so dramatically, from dry brown desert, to the red center, to the green lush sheep fields of the south!  Some of the other highlights included seeing the sun rise and set while on one of Australia's epoch trains, reading my wonderfully insightful book about Australia (In a Sunburned Country, Bill Bryson), and the "Whistle Stop Tours" in the outback communities of Katherine and Alice Springs.  I got to see the Katherine Gorge after a beautiful hike, and also got an individual tour of Aboriginal sacred sites, dreamtime stories, rock art, and a tour of an Aboriginal indigenous art gallery.  The great part about the guy giving me the tour (I was the only one from the train who chose this option) was that it was one-on-one so I learned a great deal about the history, spirituality, strong traditional beliefs, and culture.  The man's grandmother also had done some of the most famous art in the gallery and his grandfather wrote a very important book about being part of the lost generation that was in the local bookstore.  He gave me my first lesson on the differences between Aboriginal people for whom this was their original territory and those for whom it wasn't (the homeless, darker people on the streets).  He also invited me back to teach at the school for Aboriginal children (they have the fastest school buses in Australia because they have to pick up students from the 'rural' which could be up to 150kms away!), he guaranteed me a job!  Hmmmm....

Anyway, you remember the crazy girl who wrote on my blog shortly after my arrival in Sydney, Adele?  Well she picked me up from the train station cause I'm in her hometown now.  She and Rosie showed me the town this afternoon and I'm currently in her house using her computer!  She and her family are so kind and welcoming!  Her parents are staying at their beach house tonight, and told be to just make myself at home.  A long hot shower without flip flops (or thongs as they're so lovingly referred to here) was WONDERFUL!  2.5 days on a train without a shower is bit long!  SO, while Adele and Rosie are at work for a couple of hours, I decided to make some dinner... lets just say I never did find the plates (I ate on a paper towel), I spilled Parmesan cheese crumbs ALL over the kitchen floor, and fully enjoyed my egg, ham, cheese, tomato, avocado wrap! :)

Tonight I will be taking the tram down to Rosie's neck of the woods while Adele is at a 21st (birthday party) and she will show me the beach area where she lives.  Tomorrow it's more sightseeing around Adelaide and the EARLY Sunday morning it's off to New Zealand! :)

I sincerely hope all is well with y'all!  Write me a comment and let me know, or just email!

Love ya, Kate