"The Age" reviewer gave this movie three stars and said it was the only genuinely funny movie that Arnold Schwarzenegger had ever made, so that was good enough to give it a go.
Although a fan of the movies that Arnie made as part of the Terminator franchise, I haven't seen many of his other movies. This one marks his return to the silver screen following his term as "The Gubernator" (Governor of California).
This film is a action adventure in the tradition of the "Spaghetti Western", but it isn't afraid to laugh at itself and pay homage to the "bigger than Ben Hur" tradition of Hollywood blockbusters where good takes on evil. In this example small town values of honesty, integrity and caring for each other come up against an amoral drug lord with seemingly limitless resources. The "little people" manage to do what the FBI is unable to do.
Schwarzenegger plays a middle-aged small town sheriff who left an illustrious career in LA behind him after losing a lot of colleagues in a shoot-out. He is kind, patient, dedicated, thorough and professional, and provides a good role model for his two young deputies (male and female) and his Hispanic senior deputy.
After the drug lord masterminds an improbable escape from custody, he drives south from Las Vegas in a hotted up car with a traitorous female FBI agent as a "hostage". There are some pretty crazy road trip and car chase scenes in which law enforcement comes off a distinct second-best. However, things change when the roadshow arrives in Somerton County. Although the young male deputy who was dreaming of a more exciting future sadly perishes, others are drafted, including an eccentric local who conveniently owns a firearms museum. After a firefight in the main street and an even crazier car chase in a corn field, in a scene reminiscent of "High Noon" Arnie and the drug lord meet on a newly constructed bridge that he needs to cross in order to escape into Mexico. Fisticuffs follow but Arnie prevails and brings the handcuffed fugitive back into town and hands him over to the Feds.
There are some nice touches which could be interpreted as tributes to Arnie's past career as a cyborg - he twice pulls a nasty sharp object out of his leg and keeps going and on the bridge, in response to the ever-escalating offer of a bribe, says "my honour is not for sale". He is also willing to acknowledge the impact of advancing years.
All key members of the supporting cast put in a solid performance. The bad guys all seem slightly unhinged, the Feds are predictable, and the small town heroes look out for each other and come across as genuine. There is plenty of humour along the way and despite the odds (and resources) being well and truly stacked against them, the viewer is willing the good guys to win.
This is an enjoyable and entertaining movie (but definitely not one for the squeamish). Schwarzenegger puts in a fine performance as someone who cares and is willing to fight for what he believes in. He shows a certain humanity and vulnerability, and perhaps his experiences in politics and the unravelling of his personal life have made him a better man with a greater ability to connect with "the little people". Perhaps there will be more good work to come.
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Movie Reviews: "Life of Pi" (3D) and "How to Train your Dragon"
Life of Pi (3D)
I was initially reluctant to go and see this movie directed by Ang Lee ("Who wants to watch two hours of a tiger in a boat?") but went along as friends were keen. Particularly in 3D, the cinematography is stunning, as are the special effects (including a very realistic and progressively emaciated Bengal Tiger). Apparently filmed in a wave tank in Taiwan, the water ranged from being whipped up into a fearful storm strong enough to sink a cargo ship through glassy still reflecting the sky and the stars to clear and luminescent at night. As well as the tiger, a zebra, hyena and orangutan end up on the boat, and we see fish, sharks, dolphins, jelly fish and a massive whale in the water. Some scenes dissolve into the kind of fantasy that you would expect to see with hallucinations.
Filmed in India, Taiwan and Montreal, the film maps the journey of Pi as a child and then a teenager in India and his family's fateful trip (with their zoo animals) to a new life in Canada. The cargo ship strikes 'the perfect storm' above the Mariana Trench and sinks. Pi ends up in a lifeboat and drifts across the Pacific for over 270 days until he washes up on a beach in Mexico.
At times it is a deeply spiritual journey, with the young Pi exploring three religions simultaneously - his birthright Hindu, Christianity and Islam. At two pivotal points in the story, Pi sees God in the storm, and in the second entreats the tiger to do the same. The young man who plays the shipwrecked Pi does an outstanding job in a very challenging (and wet) role.
Until almost the end of the movie, I was viewing it as a bit of an improbable fantasy, but one for which I had enabled my "willing suspension of disbelief".
I found the conclusion to the movie quite jarring. Japanese investigators come to interview Pi, the only survivor of the sinking of the cargo ship, whilst he is recovering in hospital in Mexico. They consider his story about the tiger and other animals and the carnivorous island complete with Meerkats in the middle of the Pacific quite improbable and ask him for the true story. He then tells a far more brutish tale, of being in the lifeboat with a gentle Buddhist and his mother and the evil cook (a gorgeous cameo by Gerard Depardieu). The Buddist dies and then his mother is murdered by the cook and Pi then kills the cook. The author listening to Pi's story in Montreal says "so the zebra was your mother, the orangutan was the Buddist, the cook was the hyena and you were the tiger?". Perhaps it was the Director's (and novelist's intention), but I was left wondering which version of the story to believe. Pi asks the author which story he prefers, and of course he says the one with the tiger.
After this point (and afterwards) for me the visual wonder of the movie became clouded by questions. Was the floating island of mangroves with Meerkats and aquifers which were fresh water by day and acidic at night, killing the fish within, really carnivorous, consuming the last human inhabitant, or was it merely a hallucination? Do bananas float (yes, experimentally verified!) and could the orangutan have arrived at the lifeboat on a raft of bananas? Was the zebra who swam out under the water when Pi opened a door between compartments to try to save his family while the ship was sinking really a zebra or was this an avatar for Pi's mother? If this was so, why would he agree with the author that his mother was the orangutan? How did the four animals get out of their cages on the cargo decks to end up in the lifeboat? If it was a fake story, why did Pi get teary at the mention that the tiger, Richard Parker, did not turn around for a lingering last glance before disappearing into the Mexican jungle? If there was a tiger in the jungle, surely this would have come to the attention of the media at some point? If there was really no tiger on the lifeboat, did Pi actually construct a little raft to keep himself at some distance from the boat and then lose all his supplies due to environmental disturbances? What about the consequences of exposure and malnutrition? (Apart from matted hair and a few ribs showing he looked remarkably well after nine months at sea.) How did he end up in Canada? Was the Indian girl he married the one he left behind in India as a teenager?
If all these seeds of doubt had not been sown, I would have found the movie much more enjoyable. I did not feel that this self-destructive denouement added anything to the storyline and indeed detracted from all the good work that had gone before. Perhaps it is meant to be a sort of morality play contrasting survival against all the odds with the darkness that lurks within, where the protagonist must reflect on that age-old question, "what is truth?".
The music score is wonderful, weaving in elements of Indian musical traditions. The 3D presentation enhanced the lavish cinematography, but I am sure it would still have been very presentable in 2D. I did find it a bit tiresome wearing the glasses for that length of time and it was disappointing that there was only one Hoyts cinema in the whole of Melbourne showing the 2D version. (There is a $3 premium for 3D films and an extra $1 for the 3D glasses if you do not have them already.)
How to Train your Dragon
This charming feel-good animated movie was just as enjoyable on a second viewing.
The basic premise involves a fearsome tribe of Vikings at war with dragons, the chief's nerdy son Hiccup who befriends an injured Night Fury dragon (and turns out to be somewhat of a 'dragon whisperer'), his friends including the fiesty Astrid, and a terrifying massive prehistoric dragon who is holding all the other dragons in thrall and forcing them to steal food from the Vikings in order to feed him. The youngsters and the dragons save the day, the large dragon is defeated and from thenceforth the Vikings and the dragons live happily ever after.
I haven't yet seen the two sequels that have been made, but look forward to doing so.
I was initially reluctant to go and see this movie directed by Ang Lee ("Who wants to watch two hours of a tiger in a boat?") but went along as friends were keen. Particularly in 3D, the cinematography is stunning, as are the special effects (including a very realistic and progressively emaciated Bengal Tiger). Apparently filmed in a wave tank in Taiwan, the water ranged from being whipped up into a fearful storm strong enough to sink a cargo ship through glassy still reflecting the sky and the stars to clear and luminescent at night. As well as the tiger, a zebra, hyena and orangutan end up on the boat, and we see fish, sharks, dolphins, jelly fish and a massive whale in the water. Some scenes dissolve into the kind of fantasy that you would expect to see with hallucinations.
Filmed in India, Taiwan and Montreal, the film maps the journey of Pi as a child and then a teenager in India and his family's fateful trip (with their zoo animals) to a new life in Canada. The cargo ship strikes 'the perfect storm' above the Mariana Trench and sinks. Pi ends up in a lifeboat and drifts across the Pacific for over 270 days until he washes up on a beach in Mexico.
At times it is a deeply spiritual journey, with the young Pi exploring three religions simultaneously - his birthright Hindu, Christianity and Islam. At two pivotal points in the story, Pi sees God in the storm, and in the second entreats the tiger to do the same. The young man who plays the shipwrecked Pi does an outstanding job in a very challenging (and wet) role.
Until almost the end of the movie, I was viewing it as a bit of an improbable fantasy, but one for which I had enabled my "willing suspension of disbelief".
I found the conclusion to the movie quite jarring. Japanese investigators come to interview Pi, the only survivor of the sinking of the cargo ship, whilst he is recovering in hospital in Mexico. They consider his story about the tiger and other animals and the carnivorous island complete with Meerkats in the middle of the Pacific quite improbable and ask him for the true story. He then tells a far more brutish tale, of being in the lifeboat with a gentle Buddhist and his mother and the evil cook (a gorgeous cameo by Gerard Depardieu). The Buddist dies and then his mother is murdered by the cook and Pi then kills the cook. The author listening to Pi's story in Montreal says "so the zebra was your mother, the orangutan was the Buddist, the cook was the hyena and you were the tiger?". Perhaps it was the Director's (and novelist's intention), but I was left wondering which version of the story to believe. Pi asks the author which story he prefers, and of course he says the one with the tiger.
After this point (and afterwards) for me the visual wonder of the movie became clouded by questions. Was the floating island of mangroves with Meerkats and aquifers which were fresh water by day and acidic at night, killing the fish within, really carnivorous, consuming the last human inhabitant, or was it merely a hallucination? Do bananas float (yes, experimentally verified!) and could the orangutan have arrived at the lifeboat on a raft of bananas? Was the zebra who swam out under the water when Pi opened a door between compartments to try to save his family while the ship was sinking really a zebra or was this an avatar for Pi's mother? If this was so, why would he agree with the author that his mother was the orangutan? How did the four animals get out of their cages on the cargo decks to end up in the lifeboat? If it was a fake story, why did Pi get teary at the mention that the tiger, Richard Parker, did not turn around for a lingering last glance before disappearing into the Mexican jungle? If there was a tiger in the jungle, surely this would have come to the attention of the media at some point? If there was really no tiger on the lifeboat, did Pi actually construct a little raft to keep himself at some distance from the boat and then lose all his supplies due to environmental disturbances? What about the consequences of exposure and malnutrition? (Apart from matted hair and a few ribs showing he looked remarkably well after nine months at sea.) How did he end up in Canada? Was the Indian girl he married the one he left behind in India as a teenager?
If all these seeds of doubt had not been sown, I would have found the movie much more enjoyable. I did not feel that this self-destructive denouement added anything to the storyline and indeed detracted from all the good work that had gone before. Perhaps it is meant to be a sort of morality play contrasting survival against all the odds with the darkness that lurks within, where the protagonist must reflect on that age-old question, "what is truth?".
The music score is wonderful, weaving in elements of Indian musical traditions. The 3D presentation enhanced the lavish cinematography, but I am sure it would still have been very presentable in 2D. I did find it a bit tiresome wearing the glasses for that length of time and it was disappointing that there was only one Hoyts cinema in the whole of Melbourne showing the 2D version. (There is a $3 premium for 3D films and an extra $1 for the 3D glasses if you do not have them already.)
How to Train your Dragon
This charming feel-good animated movie was just as enjoyable on a second viewing.
The basic premise involves a fearsome tribe of Vikings at war with dragons, the chief's nerdy son Hiccup who befriends an injured Night Fury dragon (and turns out to be somewhat of a 'dragon whisperer'), his friends including the fiesty Astrid, and a terrifying massive prehistoric dragon who is holding all the other dragons in thrall and forcing them to steal food from the Vikings in order to feed him. The youngsters and the dragons save the day, the large dragon is defeated and from thenceforth the Vikings and the dragons live happily ever after.
I haven't yet seen the two sequels that have been made, but look forward to doing so.
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Movie Review: Lincoln
Directed by Steven Spielberg, this is an outstanding historical docu-drama with an outstanding cast and attention to detail. It comes highly recommended. It is also a story about how sometimes humanity can learn unpalatable lessons and right wrongs, even in a hesitant stepwise fashion. At that time there was uproar in Congress at even the mention that one day negroes and women might want to be given the right to vote!
Daniel Day Lewis is superb as America's most iconic President, and is ably supported by Sally Field as his wife Mary (Molly) and Tommy Lee Jones as Republican Thaddeus Stephens, a passionate supporter of the proposed Constitutional Amendment to end slavery. Lincoln's tall, stooped and gangly appearance, gait and fragile health make you wonder whether he was beset by Marfan's Syndrome.
There is an intensity of emotion and regard in the relationship between Lincoln and Molly, who is clearly depressed and low on self-esteem following the death of one of their sons. Despite the limited understanding of mental health issues at the time, after one fiery exchange regarding her preoccupation with her grief, Lincoln is compassionate and kind and acknowledges his own deep feelings of loss. Molly also gives an impressive speech "dressing down" Thaddeus Stephens at a reception at the White House following this emotional exchange. At the end of the film it is revealed that the love of Stephen's life is his negro housekeeper, and he takes the ratified Amendment home to show her.
The apparent authenticity of the settings, costumes and battlefield scenes is impressive. Many meetings are held in dark smoky rooms, and there is almost a feeling of historical imprint through the drab washed-out interior colours. John Williams has written a splendid film score, and the other music used (classical and otherwise) is entirely appropriate.
The political machinations are highly reminiscent of "The West Wing". Lincoln must find a way both to ensure passage of the Amendment and end the highly destructive and costly Civil War. He enlists the help of various trusty lieutenants, including a smokin' and drinkin' charistmatic James Spader. They use patronage effectively to buy votes amongst the Democrats (ironic that at this point in American history they were the conservatives) and closer to the vote Lincoln himself makes various house calls to try to persuade a number of Democrat congressmen to vote 'aye'.
Lincoln comes across as humble, thoughtful but passionate and a masterful persuader. He loves to tell allegorical stories in a laconic fashion, and reveals something of his humble beginnings and a difficult childhood with a harsh father. He is also a clever lawyer and gives a marvellous speech explaining the exigencies and uncertainties of proclamations affecting legal rights made in war time. Various newspaper reviewers have remarked on his speech to a couple of his young colleagues just before he sends a telegraph transmission to delay the arrival of the Confederate peace envoys in Washington until after the vote has taken place. In this he refers to a logical proposition of Euclid which says in essence that things that are equal are equal to each other, and this two thousand year old wisdom can equally be applied to human beings.
It is a tragedy that Lincoln was assassinated in just the first year of his second term, having gained both passage of the Amendment and the end of the Civil War. I loved the historical touch that the doctor who declares "the President is no more" uses an old-fashioned Pinard stethoscope to listen for his absent heartbeat (these days generally only used (rarely in Australia) to listen for foetal heartbeats).
It also struck me that, in the context of the current American debate about reforming gun laws, it is a lesson still unlearned that so many of its inspirational leaders have been cut down in their prime by a gun: Lincoln, John and Robert Kennedy, Martin Luther King ... As Spanish philosopher George Santayana famously said, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it".
Debating passage of the Amendment caused Lincoln and those in Congress to examine their consciences and look at the ethics of right and wrong, and even in our time it is a powerful allegorical tale to remind us that there are still many wrongs to be righted and many injustices in the world where we can still do better. Even if you are not particularly interested in American history, it is what it has to say about humanity as a whole that makes it compelling viewing. Without vision and the passion to militate for change things which are equal would still not be regarded as equal to each other.
Daniel Day Lewis is superb as America's most iconic President, and is ably supported by Sally Field as his wife Mary (Molly) and Tommy Lee Jones as Republican Thaddeus Stephens, a passionate supporter of the proposed Constitutional Amendment to end slavery. Lincoln's tall, stooped and gangly appearance, gait and fragile health make you wonder whether he was beset by Marfan's Syndrome.
There is an intensity of emotion and regard in the relationship between Lincoln and Molly, who is clearly depressed and low on self-esteem following the death of one of their sons. Despite the limited understanding of mental health issues at the time, after one fiery exchange regarding her preoccupation with her grief, Lincoln is compassionate and kind and acknowledges his own deep feelings of loss. Molly also gives an impressive speech "dressing down" Thaddeus Stephens at a reception at the White House following this emotional exchange. At the end of the film it is revealed that the love of Stephen's life is his negro housekeeper, and he takes the ratified Amendment home to show her.
The apparent authenticity of the settings, costumes and battlefield scenes is impressive. Many meetings are held in dark smoky rooms, and there is almost a feeling of historical imprint through the drab washed-out interior colours. John Williams has written a splendid film score, and the other music used (classical and otherwise) is entirely appropriate.
The political machinations are highly reminiscent of "The West Wing". Lincoln must find a way both to ensure passage of the Amendment and end the highly destructive and costly Civil War. He enlists the help of various trusty lieutenants, including a smokin' and drinkin' charistmatic James Spader. They use patronage effectively to buy votes amongst the Democrats (ironic that at this point in American history they were the conservatives) and closer to the vote Lincoln himself makes various house calls to try to persuade a number of Democrat congressmen to vote 'aye'.
Lincoln comes across as humble, thoughtful but passionate and a masterful persuader. He loves to tell allegorical stories in a laconic fashion, and reveals something of his humble beginnings and a difficult childhood with a harsh father. He is also a clever lawyer and gives a marvellous speech explaining the exigencies and uncertainties of proclamations affecting legal rights made in war time. Various newspaper reviewers have remarked on his speech to a couple of his young colleagues just before he sends a telegraph transmission to delay the arrival of the Confederate peace envoys in Washington until after the vote has taken place. In this he refers to a logical proposition of Euclid which says in essence that things that are equal are equal to each other, and this two thousand year old wisdom can equally be applied to human beings.
It is a tragedy that Lincoln was assassinated in just the first year of his second term, having gained both passage of the Amendment and the end of the Civil War. I loved the historical touch that the doctor who declares "the President is no more" uses an old-fashioned Pinard stethoscope to listen for his absent heartbeat (these days generally only used (rarely in Australia) to listen for foetal heartbeats).
It also struck me that, in the context of the current American debate about reforming gun laws, it is a lesson still unlearned that so many of its inspirational leaders have been cut down in their prime by a gun: Lincoln, John and Robert Kennedy, Martin Luther King ... As Spanish philosopher George Santayana famously said, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it".
Debating passage of the Amendment caused Lincoln and those in Congress to examine their consciences and look at the ethics of right and wrong, and even in our time it is a powerful allegorical tale to remind us that there are still many wrongs to be righted and many injustices in the world where we can still do better. Even if you are not particularly interested in American history, it is what it has to say about humanity as a whole that makes it compelling viewing. Without vision and the passion to militate for change things which are equal would still not be regarded as equal to each other.
Sunday, February 10, 2013
A Visit to Cairns – Part 1 – Getting There and Back.
In the midst of a busy period I took time out last December to visit relatives in Cairns in far north Queensland, travelling from Melbourne's (mainly) temperate climes to the hot and humid tropics.
It worked fairly well catching a suburban train to Southern Cross station and then taking the Sky Bus to Tullamarine Airport (approximately 20 minutes). My only criticism would be that the driver could have made an announcement at each stop at the airport as to which terminals and airlines were being covered rather than just one general announcement as we were approaching the airport.
I am not a fan of Jetstar (having had several previous adverse experiences) and was travelling with them again for cost and convenience reasons only. However, I am pleased to report that on this occasion it was an uneventful check-in and journey, with merely a few minutes' delay in departure and subsequent arrival to contend with.
The flight back to Melbourne was uneventful (well, until the kicking and screaming child in the seat behind me started up). Jetstar were efficient and even started boarding before the advertised time! I went to present some ID at the bag-drop desk together with my boarding pass and was told that this wasn't needed, which surprised me! At Cairns Airport there is no departure lounge past the gate, so everyone waits in a large hub area prior to boarding the flight. The short-term car parking costs $4.50 for even a short time, which also surprised me. I was lucky in a way seat-wise - I booked an aisle seat but I was one of the last people to board the 'plane, and someone (possibly an overseas visitor from Asia) was sitting in my seat but the row behind was vacant. So, rather asking the person to move, I loitered around for a short time to see if anyone would come to sit in that row. As no-one else came I hopped in and had the whole row to myself, and it was nice to have the window seat and not be 'hemmed in' by other people. There was a rather lovely view over the ocean and parts of the Great Barrier Reef (punctuated only by a few fluffy white clouds) until we crossed back over the coastline and headed south-west.
Getting home involved the Skybus back to the city and then catching a suburban train home. This worked fairly well, but it was after 8pm by the time I got back to the city it took a little longer to get a train home. Overall not too bad and certainly a lot cheaper than a taxi or leaving the car in the long-term car park!
It worked fairly well catching a suburban train to Southern Cross station and then taking the Sky Bus to Tullamarine Airport (approximately 20 minutes). My only criticism would be that the driver could have made an announcement at each stop at the airport as to which terminals and airlines were being covered rather than just one general announcement as we were approaching the airport.
I am not a fan of Jetstar (having had several previous adverse experiences) and was travelling with them again for cost and convenience reasons only. However, I am pleased to report that on this occasion it was an uneventful check-in and journey, with merely a few minutes' delay in departure and subsequent arrival to contend with.
The flight back to Melbourne was uneventful (well, until the kicking and screaming child in the seat behind me started up). Jetstar were efficient and even started boarding before the advertised time! I went to present some ID at the bag-drop desk together with my boarding pass and was told that this wasn't needed, which surprised me! At Cairns Airport there is no departure lounge past the gate, so everyone waits in a large hub area prior to boarding the flight. The short-term car parking costs $4.50 for even a short time, which also surprised me. I was lucky in a way seat-wise - I booked an aisle seat but I was one of the last people to board the 'plane, and someone (possibly an overseas visitor from Asia) was sitting in my seat but the row behind was vacant. So, rather asking the person to move, I loitered around for a short time to see if anyone would come to sit in that row. As no-one else came I hopped in and had the whole row to myself, and it was nice to have the window seat and not be 'hemmed in' by other people. There was a rather lovely view over the ocean and parts of the Great Barrier Reef (punctuated only by a few fluffy white clouds) until we crossed back over the coastline and headed south-west.
Getting home involved the Skybus back to the city and then catching a suburban train home. This worked fairly well, but it was after 8pm by the time I got back to the city it took a little longer to get a train home. Overall not too bad and certainly a lot cheaper than a taxi or leaving the car in the long-term car park!
A Visit to Cairns – Part 2 – An encounter with a four year-old Energiser Bunny!
The young lady of the house (who is nearly five) kept me busy at every available opportunity, including decorating the Christmas tree and building Lego skyscrapers (which was actually rather fun). I don't think the teddy bears who are my regular travelling companions "knew what had hit them" and they were pretty glad each night when the little one had gone to bed! She has more toys, CDs, DVDs and books than I think I saw in my entire childhood.
I ended up spending a lot of time playing with fluffy toys (pretty well representative of a small zoo) and building things (probably my favourite sort of active toy). As well as the Lego castle I built a Magnetix spaceship and a Migoga Marble Run (perhaps faintly reminiscent of the 'Mousetrap' of old), which required a little bit of grey matter input to ensure everything flowed in the right direction.
The youngster dismissed Buzz Lightyear as a "boy's toy" so I tried to explain to her that toys should not be characterised in this way - it was rather that different people liked to play with different sorts of toys. It was very commendable that a Swedish toy store has recently started advertising toys in a gender-neutral way. We were also playing 'birthday party' with Geoffrey the Giraffe, who started demanding that all party attendees should bring him a "good present". So, I tried to explain that we should not demand or expect gifts and that not everyone was in a situation to be a giver or recipient of gifts and that the company of friends was a gift in itself. Whether any of it will stick, who knows, but it was worth a try!
The young one also does beginners' gymnastics, and from watching one class the group of small children were extremely variable in terms of being able to follow the teacher's instructions, particularly in terms of holding a pose, and copying the teacher's actions exactly was more the exception than the rule. Apparently she did not have her normal level of confidence and the next day said that sometimes your confidence goes to sleep for a while! It is somewhat alarming to me to find out that they are shortly holding "assessments" for children so young, and already starting to create expectations that winning or getting medals is more important than doing it for fun (and this goes with unavoidable performance anxiety). I recently heard that funding will be reduced for sports that do not win medals at the Olympics and World Championships, and this seems at odds with the Federal Government's stated position that sport is about participation and not winning and of encouraging involvement in sport at a 'grass-roots' level. This is especially important as a public health measure with the current epidemic of obesity in both adults and children. Only a tiny percentage of people who get involved with sport will win or become an elite performer, and we as a community should not be fostering a "winner takes all" mindset if we want people to have a healthy attitude to participation.
After I had been in Cairns for a week another relative arrived and I joked about her being the "fresh meat" as far as the young girl was concerned. However, as she has seen a lot more of the youngster and she often gives her presents, so it was quickly apparent what the 'pecking order' was! However, when the little one did not want to play with me anymore as she would much rather play with the new visitor, it was a surprisingly emotional experience, which I did not expect. It brought back memories of being bullied and left out at school and people telling me to go away as they did not want to play with me, and the needy people I have encountered in adulthood who latch on to you as the best thing that has come into their life for a long time and almost suck the life out of you with the intensity of their apparent desire to be good friends, and then suddenly someone or something else that can be exploited comes along and they are gone - leaving you wondering what happened and wounded that you took the risk of opening yourself up and making an emotional investment in the relationship. Perhaps the most poignant example of this was during medical school when we were away on rotation and another mature age student who had lost her father to heart disease the previous year monopolised my time and took me away from the people I was fond of in my own study group. During the next 'away' rotation our study group was split up, and tragically the person I was closest to in the group was killed in a car accident on the way back to Melbourne. I felt especially sad that the time I would have spent with him was taken by someone else who it turned out was just using me and quickly moved on to some other sympathetic soul when the rotation was over.
After my visit if I was honest I would have to say that I find the concept of the child who has everything as a result of rampant consumerism quite troubling. There was an excellent article in “The Age” on 18 December 2012 reflecting on the “buy, buy, buy” mentality leading up to Christmas - "Buying useless gifts again? Try giving an experience instead." I really couldn't have said this better myself. I think next year I will go back to my earlier practice of choosing a "gift" for family members from the Royal Flying Doctor Service Christmas Catalogue and sending them a card telling them what I have donated towards in their name. You can contribute towards splendidly useful gifts such as a Heart Start defibrillator, aeroplane nose wheels, dental packages, snake bite kits, neonatal incubators and ambulance stretchers. There are also more traditional Christmas necessities available such as cards, Christmas puddings, diaries and calendars if a more physical gift is required. See www.flyingdoctor.org.au. I am proud to support their work, and if I ever had a dream job as a doctor to aspire to, it would be working with the RFDS! Of course there are many other worthwhile causes (e.g., Oxfam, offering support for people in developing countries) which have a similar donation program at Christmas.
I ended up spending a lot of time playing with fluffy toys (pretty well representative of a small zoo) and building things (probably my favourite sort of active toy). As well as the Lego castle I built a Magnetix spaceship and a Migoga Marble Run (perhaps faintly reminiscent of the 'Mousetrap' of old), which required a little bit of grey matter input to ensure everything flowed in the right direction.
The youngster dismissed Buzz Lightyear as a "boy's toy" so I tried to explain to her that toys should not be characterised in this way - it was rather that different people liked to play with different sorts of toys. It was very commendable that a Swedish toy store has recently started advertising toys in a gender-neutral way. We were also playing 'birthday party' with Geoffrey the Giraffe, who started demanding that all party attendees should bring him a "good present". So, I tried to explain that we should not demand or expect gifts and that not everyone was in a situation to be a giver or recipient of gifts and that the company of friends was a gift in itself. Whether any of it will stick, who knows, but it was worth a try!
The young one also does beginners' gymnastics, and from watching one class the group of small children were extremely variable in terms of being able to follow the teacher's instructions, particularly in terms of holding a pose, and copying the teacher's actions exactly was more the exception than the rule. Apparently she did not have her normal level of confidence and the next day said that sometimes your confidence goes to sleep for a while! It is somewhat alarming to me to find out that they are shortly holding "assessments" for children so young, and already starting to create expectations that winning or getting medals is more important than doing it for fun (and this goes with unavoidable performance anxiety). I recently heard that funding will be reduced for sports that do not win medals at the Olympics and World Championships, and this seems at odds with the Federal Government's stated position that sport is about participation and not winning and of encouraging involvement in sport at a 'grass-roots' level. This is especially important as a public health measure with the current epidemic of obesity in both adults and children. Only a tiny percentage of people who get involved with sport will win or become an elite performer, and we as a community should not be fostering a "winner takes all" mindset if we want people to have a healthy attitude to participation.
After I had been in Cairns for a week another relative arrived and I joked about her being the "fresh meat" as far as the young girl was concerned. However, as she has seen a lot more of the youngster and she often gives her presents, so it was quickly apparent what the 'pecking order' was! However, when the little one did not want to play with me anymore as she would much rather play with the new visitor, it was a surprisingly emotional experience, which I did not expect. It brought back memories of being bullied and left out at school and people telling me to go away as they did not want to play with me, and the needy people I have encountered in adulthood who latch on to you as the best thing that has come into their life for a long time and almost suck the life out of you with the intensity of their apparent desire to be good friends, and then suddenly someone or something else that can be exploited comes along and they are gone - leaving you wondering what happened and wounded that you took the risk of opening yourself up and making an emotional investment in the relationship. Perhaps the most poignant example of this was during medical school when we were away on rotation and another mature age student who had lost her father to heart disease the previous year monopolised my time and took me away from the people I was fond of in my own study group. During the next 'away' rotation our study group was split up, and tragically the person I was closest to in the group was killed in a car accident on the way back to Melbourne. I felt especially sad that the time I would have spent with him was taken by someone else who it turned out was just using me and quickly moved on to some other sympathetic soul when the rotation was over.
After my visit if I was honest I would have to say that I find the concept of the child who has everything as a result of rampant consumerism quite troubling. There was an excellent article in “The Age” on 18 December 2012 reflecting on the “buy, buy, buy” mentality leading up to Christmas - "Buying useless gifts again? Try giving an experience instead." I really couldn't have said this better myself. I think next year I will go back to my earlier practice of choosing a "gift" for family members from the Royal Flying Doctor Service Christmas Catalogue and sending them a card telling them what I have donated towards in their name. You can contribute towards splendidly useful gifts such as a Heart Start defibrillator, aeroplane nose wheels, dental packages, snake bite kits, neonatal incubators and ambulance stretchers. There are also more traditional Christmas necessities available such as cards, Christmas puddings, diaries and calendars if a more physical gift is required. See www.flyingdoctor.org.au. I am proud to support their work, and if I ever had a dream job as a doctor to aspire to, it would be working with the RFDS! Of course there are many other worthwhile causes (e.g., Oxfam, offering support for people in developing countries) which have a similar donation program at Christmas.
A Visit to Cairns – Part 3 - Local Entertainment
On a Sunday afternoon my host and I were invited to an NBL (basketball) game at the 'clamshell' Cairns Entertainment Centre between the Cairns Taipans and the Woollongong Hawks (apparently the competition leaders). We had free tickets in the corporate area two rows from the front courtesy of his partner's health profession contacts. The Taipans won (76 to 66) and although the on-court action was fast and desperate, I was graphically reminded of why I stopped going to the basketball many years ago due to all the American 'hoopla' - loud music, cheerleaders and partisan antics. It was easy to see how it would be difficult to win an 'away game' in such a regional location with an almost totally one-sided crowd. There was one aspect that particularly troubled me - the Taipan's mascot (replete with a plastic Taipan head) kept marching up and down the sidelines with a double-barrelled shotgun, and at one stage "shooting" at a young boy dressed in a hawk costume. This was hardly very 'politically correct', and even though I assume it was a dummy gun, it nevertheless made me uneasy having it waved around with such gay abandon. Perhaps a case of "only in far North Queensland ..."!
A Visit to Cairns – Part 4 - The Weather Forecast: Hot and Humid …
Since I first arrived it was generally hot and humid (not below 23-26 degrees Celsius at night) and in the mid-30s during the day. Not my idea of fun! It is interesting that although genetically siblings are almost identical and our genetic history is exclusively northern-European, two of us have managed to adapt to living in the tropics, which is something I never managed to do, even when I lived in Townsville between the ages of around 8 and 17. I was always sick with some sort of tropical ailment! Melbourne's more temperate climes suit me well and I have had no difficulties managing the Scandinavian winter during my multiple visits there. Perhaps this is an example of 'epigenetics' at work - it is certainly an exciting new area of scientific endeavour.
Since it seems to be consistently hot in Queensland, particularly in the tropics, it is somewhat amusing to hear Queenslanders complaining about the heat and a 'heatwave' when the temperature is "only" in the 30s (Celsius). In Victoria it is not unusual to get high to extreme temperatures in summer, but it is more often a 'dry heat', rather than the humid heat which is the norm in Queensland. I still remember the stifling and smoky 46 degrees of "Black Saturday" in February 2009 when firestorms tore through Victoria leaving death and destruction in their wake.
Since it seems to be consistently hot in Queensland, particularly in the tropics, it is somewhat amusing to hear Queenslanders complaining about the heat and a 'heatwave' when the temperature is "only" in the 30s (Celsius). In Victoria it is not unusual to get high to extreme temperatures in summer, but it is more often a 'dry heat', rather than the humid heat which is the norm in Queensland. I still remember the stifling and smoky 46 degrees of "Black Saturday" in February 2009 when firestorms tore through Victoria leaving death and destruction in their wake.
A Visit to Cairns – Part 5 - Reflections on the Frailty of Ageing
Phew! Hot, humid and busy ... After an elderly relative arrived I was conscripted for both child-minding and caring duties. No wonder my host found this difficult when he had to do both for an extended period over winter. After a few more days another relative came up for a few days, so even though I was back home for Christmas it was nice to have the whole family together in one place, which hasn't happened for a few years.
I remember as a young child that my father's single aunt was in a nursing home with advanced dementia and did not even recognise her own family members. This made a vivid impression on me. This was the same great-aunt that I also remember some time earlier saying to me how impressed she was with my achievements and that she was sure that I would "amount to something". It is always much more gut-wrenchingly awful to experience the slide into dementia of a loved one at first hand, and this is what one elderly relative has been going through over the past few years. Once a vibrant, intelligent, witty, capable and resourceful woman (including making beautiful ballet costumes) who raised three children as a single parent, she is now frail and extremely forgetful and has had several serious falls. In some respects she is fortunate still to be alive as she has suffered both a fractured neck of femur and a fractured pelvis due to osteoporotic bones. It is incredibly sad as well as being challenging to care for her and keep her from harm, and when you have friends with parents of a similar age who are still in very good shape mentally and physically you cannot help but think about what she could have been like.
I remember as a young child that my father's single aunt was in a nursing home with advanced dementia and did not even recognise her own family members. This made a vivid impression on me. This was the same great-aunt that I also remember some time earlier saying to me how impressed she was with my achievements and that she was sure that I would "amount to something". It is always much more gut-wrenchingly awful to experience the slide into dementia of a loved one at first hand, and this is what one elderly relative has been going through over the past few years. Once a vibrant, intelligent, witty, capable and resourceful woman (including making beautiful ballet costumes) who raised three children as a single parent, she is now frail and extremely forgetful and has had several serious falls. In some respects she is fortunate still to be alive as she has suffered both a fractured neck of femur and a fractured pelvis due to osteoporotic bones. It is incredibly sad as well as being challenging to care for her and keep her from harm, and when you have friends with parents of a similar age who are still in very good shape mentally and physically you cannot help but think about what she could have been like.
A Visit to Cairns – Part 6 - Intrepid Tropical Explorers
One Saturday a family group went on a day trip north in a Toyota Land Cruiser. Our first destination was the Daintree, a massive rainforest area which is a World Heritage Area. We crossed the Daintree River on a barge (which is the only way to do it at $26 per car return) and then drove on to Cow's Bay, a small crescent-shaped beach. There were warning signs about crocodiles and marine stingers, so it was definitely a case of walking a middle line between the water's edge and the vegetation when walking along the beach and keeping a keen look-out. We saved the swimming for Port Douglas, our second destination. There is a net-enclosed swimming area which is patrolled by lifesavers. The water was surprisingly warm and the water was not too deep for adults to walk out whilst enjoying a bit of fun with the generally gentle waves. My host advised not getting too close to the netting in case there were stinger tendrils trailing through the holes. Apparently the small and potentially fatal Ikuranjandi jellyfish can get through the holes, but these are checked for before opening the sea pool in the mornings.
As it was going to be a long car trip, our host decided to buy a portable DVD player for his daughter to keep her distracted a lot of the time. I was sitting next to her in the back as our elderly relative was sitting in the front. I would have to describe this machine as an instrument of torture - even the most hardened terrorist would have trouble with an unremitting and rapidly changing diet of high pitched children's cartoons. The young girl (who must surely have much better hearing than me) kept wanting to turn the sound up even though I who was further away could hear it perfectly well. These stylised cartoon voices are annoying in any language when one is forced to listen to them for an extended period - I felt exactly the same thing with children's cartoons in Norway!
As it was going to be a long car trip, our host decided to buy a portable DVD player for his daughter to keep her distracted a lot of the time. I was sitting next to her in the back as our elderly relative was sitting in the front. I would have to describe this machine as an instrument of torture - even the most hardened terrorist would have trouble with an unremitting and rapidly changing diet of high pitched children's cartoons. The young girl (who must surely have much better hearing than me) kept wanting to turn the sound up even though I who was further away could hear it perfectly well. These stylised cartoon voices are annoying in any language when one is forced to listen to them for an extended period - I felt exactly the same thing with children's cartoons in Norway!
A Visit to Cairns – Part 7 - Tales from the Twilight Zone!
A long time ago one of my relatives made an investment in a timeshare scheme, and as a result is able to stay in holiday apartment complexes for a certain number of days each year, and often shares these with family members. On this occasion, she was staying at a nearby complex as the guest space in the house was exhausted. I had been sleeping on an air mattress in the young girl’s play room, but the main issue with this was the inadequate window coverings, which meant that I was woken early each morning by the bright light and often could not get back to sleep. Several nights I was also woken up in the early hours by a sliver of moonlight crossing my face due to the placement of the blinds. Both the fan and the air-conditioner were loud (seems to be unavoidable in the tropics!) but as there was a bit of a cross-breeze from windows on two sides of the room I did not always need to turn them on. If the breeze got a bit brisk the blinds started flapping against the window, which would wake you up with a start. Thinking laterally, this could be minimised by interposing some soft toys on the window sill to act as a buffer! One amusing thing was that the when weight was applied, the air mattress would tend to attach to the tiled floor like the vacuum effect of suction cups. These would gradually let go with a popping sort of noise. The first time this happened I sat up startled, wondering who or what had got into the room!
As my relative had only been able to get a three-bedroom apartment, I thought I would probably get a better night's sleep there. This turned out to be somewhat of a 'comedy of errors'. The blackout curtains were largely ineffective against the stairwell lights immediately outside the windows and the bright car park below. The air-conditioner sounded like a jet engine, and when I turned it off and opened the windows there was a machinery shed on the other side of the car park that also sounded like a jet engine! As a result I was having trouble falling asleep, and of course in this situation your mind becomes over-active and you start thinking about problems, such as the expensive court case I am engaged in to recoup a lot of money that I am owed and which is a very challenging stressor in my life. This really becomes a form of night terrors which takes a while to resolve. It was also a clinical and uncomforting environment compared to the play room with all the smiling cute fluffy toys. Eventually with the help of an eyeshade and earplugs I did get off to sleep, but these become uncomfortable after a while and I woke up early again with the bright light. It was not difficult to decide that I was better off on the air mattress despite the moon and the early morning light!
As my relative had only been able to get a three-bedroom apartment, I thought I would probably get a better night's sleep there. This turned out to be somewhat of a 'comedy of errors'. The blackout curtains were largely ineffective against the stairwell lights immediately outside the windows and the bright car park below. The air-conditioner sounded like a jet engine, and when I turned it off and opened the windows there was a machinery shed on the other side of the car park that also sounded like a jet engine! As a result I was having trouble falling asleep, and of course in this situation your mind becomes over-active and you start thinking about problems, such as the expensive court case I am engaged in to recoup a lot of money that I am owed and which is a very challenging stressor in my life. This really becomes a form of night terrors which takes a while to resolve. It was also a clinical and uncomforting environment compared to the play room with all the smiling cute fluffy toys. Eventually with the help of an eyeshade and earplugs I did get off to sleep, but these become uncomfortable after a while and I woke up early again with the bright light. It was not difficult to decide that I was better off on the air mattress despite the moon and the early morning light!
A Visit to Cairns – Part 8 - Man does not live by bread alone!
At the end of our visit to Port Douglas we had an early dinner at the Zinc Restaurant. This has been reviewed in a separate blog posting [http://aurorae-australis-borealis.blogspot.com.au/2012/12/some-precious-metal-at-zinc-port.html].
I cooked a couple of times whilst I was in Cairns. One night I made a batch of chilli con carne (without the chilli and with some Moroccan spices instead) [My standard recipe appears here: http://themadscientistcooks.blogspot.com.au/2010/06/mad-scientists-chocolate-chilli-con.html]. The leftovers were used as a base for a nachos another night, which was a great way to use it up. Like a lot of spicy dishes, the flavour does improve with standing overnight. Another night I rustled individual serves of Beef Wellington served with vegetables when my brother brought a couple of chunks of eye fillet out of the freezer. This was very well received, and here is a link to the recipe [http://themadscientistcooks.blogspot.com.au/2013/02/the-mad-scientists-brilliant-beef.html]
On the final night we were all together in Cairns we went out to dinner at Pesci's Seafood and Mediterranean Restaurant, which is part of the Pier complex on the waterfront near the city centre. This has been reviewed in a separate blog posting [http://aurorae-australis-borealis.blogspot.com.au/2012/12/awesome-paella-at-pescis-restaurant.html].
I cooked a couple of times whilst I was in Cairns. One night I made a batch of chilli con carne (without the chilli and with some Moroccan spices instead) [My standard recipe appears here: http://themadscientistcooks.blogspot.com.au/2010/06/mad-scientists-chocolate-chilli-con.html]. The leftovers were used as a base for a nachos another night, which was a great way to use it up. Like a lot of spicy dishes, the flavour does improve with standing overnight. Another night I rustled individual serves of Beef Wellington served with vegetables when my brother brought a couple of chunks of eye fillet out of the freezer. This was very well received, and here is a link to the recipe [http://themadscientistcooks.blogspot.com.au/2013/02/the-mad-scientists-brilliant-beef.html]
On the final night we were all together in Cairns we went out to dinner at Pesci's Seafood and Mediterranean Restaurant, which is part of the Pier complex on the waterfront near the city centre. This has been reviewed in a separate blog posting [http://aurorae-australis-borealis.blogspot.com.au/2012/12/awesome-paella-at-pescis-restaurant.html].
A Visit to Cairns – Part 9 - “Danger, Will Robinson, Danger!”
The first few days I was in Cairns I woke up with a headache that would kill a dinosaur, but at least that was more or less settling by the time I had been there for a week! I had some swims in the small saline outdoor pool (seems to be 'de rigeur' there) and went for a walk one day along a nearby walking track. This was quite interesting, as a number of different environments have been planted or have grown up along the track. There should be a creek running alongside, but it is very dry and there was no sign of water. At the end there was a lovely lagoon with the ubiquitous native ducks and some gorgeous pink water-lillies. On the way back I was almost hit on the head by a falling mango! It was a pity that it had split on impact - otherwise I would have taken it home. Another interesting thing was two houses (some distance apart) entirely painted purple on the exterior! There are no actual footpaths in this area but apparently it is OK to walk on the nature strips. This reminded me of my visit to Atlanta, Georgia in 2004, when I was forced to walk on the road for my daily constitutional as all the nearby houses had fences down to the edge of the road. This seemed an echo of the American obsession with the car as a mode of transport.
Somewhat ironically, my host had Dengue fever earlier in the year and his house was in the Cairns 'hot spot' for Dengue at the time of my visit. There are signs in the street warning people that they are entering a "Dengue Zone"! I just had to hope that none of the mosquito bites I suffered were from dengue mosquitoes. As apparently the incubation period is 3-14 days, I expected to know soon enough (and fortunately escaped the Dengue but ended up with a bout of Influenza instead!).
Somewhat ironically, my host had Dengue fever earlier in the year and his house was in the Cairns 'hot spot' for Dengue at the time of my visit. There are signs in the street warning people that they are entering a "Dengue Zone"! I just had to hope that none of the mosquito bites I suffered were from dengue mosquitoes. As apparently the incubation period is 3-14 days, I expected to know soon enough (and fortunately escaped the Dengue but ended up with a bout of Influenza instead!).
Friday, February 8, 2013
Calling all introverts ...
"The Sunday Age" - 30 December 2012
It is nice to see that the term 'introvert' is increasingly being used less as a pejorative term and recognised more as an equally valid part of the spectrum of 'being human'. It was also good to see in this article a recognition that people are allowed to have different and equally valid learning styles rather than the 'one size fits all' extrovert model.
Someone who was close to me at the time once said (intended as a meaningful insult) that I was "the most introverted person" he had "ever met", and there have been plenty of other occasions where a cautious, thoughtful and reflective approach to learning and new people and situations has been regarded as defective and demonstrative of a form of mental deficiency. This is never good for the self-confidence and self-belief of an introvert and demonstrates the difficulty of making a good first impression and winning friends and influencing people in a world where extroversion is prized.
As mentioned in this article, I am familiar with the concept of 'stepping outside yourself' to deliver what the world requires, and equally familiar with the necessity of having 'quiet time' to recharge and rejuvenate. I always find it wryly amusing how some people abhor spending time alone, whereas to me a shot of time 'home alone' can be just blissful, and I do my best thinking when I can quietly focus on the task at hand.
Considering that (according to a 'Psychology Today' article – “Revenge of the Introvert” http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/201008/revenge-the-introvert) introverts are the quiet 50% of the population, credible sources such as this that encourage introverts to be proud of who they are rather than being apologetic are to be encouraged!
It is nice to see that the term 'introvert' is increasingly being used less as a pejorative term and recognised more as an equally valid part of the spectrum of 'being human'. It was also good to see in this article a recognition that people are allowed to have different and equally valid learning styles rather than the 'one size fits all' extrovert model.
Someone who was close to me at the time once said (intended as a meaningful insult) that I was "the most introverted person" he had "ever met", and there have been plenty of other occasions where a cautious, thoughtful and reflective approach to learning and new people and situations has been regarded as defective and demonstrative of a form of mental deficiency. This is never good for the self-confidence and self-belief of an introvert and demonstrates the difficulty of making a good first impression and winning friends and influencing people in a world where extroversion is prized.
As mentioned in this article, I am familiar with the concept of 'stepping outside yourself' to deliver what the world requires, and equally familiar with the necessity of having 'quiet time' to recharge and rejuvenate. I always find it wryly amusing how some people abhor spending time alone, whereas to me a shot of time 'home alone' can be just blissful, and I do my best thinking when I can quietly focus on the task at hand.
Considering that (according to a 'Psychology Today' article – “Revenge of the Introvert” http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/201008/revenge-the-introvert) introverts are the quiet 50% of the population, credible sources such as this that encourage introverts to be proud of who they are rather than being apologetic are to be encouraged!
Advocating for good communication skills in healthcare
Sunday Age articles - 30 December 2012
- Patient advocates
- Health consumers looking out for themselves
These two articles make interesting reading for anyone involved with the medical profession, dealing as they do with communication skills and standards of care.
In modern medical courses, students are trained in the art of communication skills, but there is always going to be a "Bell curve" in terms of implementation, ranging from lack of bedside manner to superlative skills. Most people will be in the middle, making an effort to communicate effectively with their patients. However, simply by working in the medical profession, one becomes 'medicalised', and it becomes a challenge to remember what it was like to be an ordinary patient or a medical student or a junior doctor and to "stand in another's shoes" and communicate or behave appropriately. These challenges are compounded when you are facing time pressures or dealing with patients suffering from an impediment, whether that be age, infirmity, level of education or English language capacity. In these circumstances, it is easy to appreciate why a patient advocate service might appear to be useful, but the very fact of its existence shows that overall health professionals still need to work harder in terms of tailoring communication to patient needs.
The second article concerned with avoiding mishaps and receiving appropriate care clearly conveys the challenges for patient care inherent in a cash-strapped and resource-stretched health system. Even within my own family over recent years we have experienced less than optimal care of an elderly relative and a tendency to ignore the requests and instructions of carers. It can be very difficult to have issues addressed and problems solved in a positive way. Stepping into the role of patient yourself is always an interesting experience. Over the past twelve months I have personally experienced doctors ignoring or trivialising presenting symptoms, failing to follow up on blood tests, not following through with referrals and not bothering to read the medical history and test results that I brought to the appointment. I have also experienced waiting months to get an outpatients appointment and then waiting hours to be seen and subsequently waiting months more for investigation bookings and a further appointment. I understand how patients have to live with their symptoms and uncertainty for an extended period in the hope that someone will eventually work out what is causing the symptoms and offer a positive solution. In the end, when we are patients we are all living on faith that the health system will 'do the right thing' by us and that we will receive appropriate and timely care. If it is hard for those of use who are part of the system to get that care for ourselves and our own families, imagine how hard it is for others who lack that context. There is certainly a role for empowerment and respectful assertiveness, but to mirror this we need systems to promote acceptance of constructive feedback and continuous improvement of practices. We can learn a lot from human factors theory and research, but responsibility for and openness to continuous improvement and doing the best that we can by our patients must occur at both an organisational and individual level. This includes overcoming the notions that either someone else is the problem (including the patient/relatives) or that it is someone else's problem.
In modern medical courses, students are trained in the art of communication skills, but there is always going to be a "Bell curve" in terms of implementation, ranging from lack of bedside manner to superlative skills. Most people will be in the middle, making an effort to communicate effectively with their patients. However, simply by working in the medical profession, one becomes 'medicalised', and it becomes a challenge to remember what it was like to be an ordinary patient or a medical student or a junior doctor and to "stand in another's shoes" and communicate or behave appropriately. These challenges are compounded when you are facing time pressures or dealing with patients suffering from an impediment, whether that be age, infirmity, level of education or English language capacity. In these circumstances, it is easy to appreciate why a patient advocate service might appear to be useful, but the very fact of its existence shows that overall health professionals still need to work harder in terms of tailoring communication to patient needs.
The second article concerned with avoiding mishaps and receiving appropriate care clearly conveys the challenges for patient care inherent in a cash-strapped and resource-stretched health system. Even within my own family over recent years we have experienced less than optimal care of an elderly relative and a tendency to ignore the requests and instructions of carers. It can be very difficult to have issues addressed and problems solved in a positive way. Stepping into the role of patient yourself is always an interesting experience. Over the past twelve months I have personally experienced doctors ignoring or trivialising presenting symptoms, failing to follow up on blood tests, not following through with referrals and not bothering to read the medical history and test results that I brought to the appointment. I have also experienced waiting months to get an outpatients appointment and then waiting hours to be seen and subsequently waiting months more for investigation bookings and a further appointment. I understand how patients have to live with their symptoms and uncertainty for an extended period in the hope that someone will eventually work out what is causing the symptoms and offer a positive solution. In the end, when we are patients we are all living on faith that the health system will 'do the right thing' by us and that we will receive appropriate and timely care. If it is hard for those of use who are part of the system to get that care for ourselves and our own families, imagine how hard it is for others who lack that context. There is certainly a role for empowerment and respectful assertiveness, but to mirror this we need systems to promote acceptance of constructive feedback and continuous improvement of practices. We can learn a lot from human factors theory and research, but responsibility for and openness to continuous improvement and doing the best that we can by our patients must occur at both an organisational and individual level. This includes overcoming the notions that either someone else is the problem (including the patient/relatives) or that it is someone else's problem.
After the gunfire - only silence ...
There was a very poignant Tandberg cartoon in "The Age" on 18 December 2012 entitled "Class of 2012 - When will they ever learn?" portraying an empty classroom and an American flag. Mere words cannot describe the depth of the tragedy of the slaughter of 26 innocents in Newport, Connecticut early in December 2012. Reading the paper the following day I was shocked to discover that there are at least 300 million guns for 310 million Americans, and that every day 80 people are shot to death in the US. As one politician proclaimed, "we are killing each other". It is beyond comprehension why any average person would need a semi-automatic weapon. It only takes one bullet to kill someone.
Despite my own political inclinations, I still commend the courageous stance of former conservative Prime Minister John Howard in successfully campaigning for the banning and buy-back of semi-automatic weapons in Australia following the Port Arthur massacre. I also lived very close to the scene of the mass shootings in Hoddle Street, Clifton Hill, and still remember going to the railway station the next morning and seeing blood stains on the platform and trying to comprehend an incomprehensible tragedy. As much as I would love to explore all that America has to offer in terms of culture and scenery, I am way to scared to go there - 300 million guns can't be good - all it takes is to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and you too could be a victim ...
I commend the article which appeared in "The Age" on 18 December entitled "Gun glamour: America's appetite for anarchy". One can only hope that this time politicians from the President down will have the courage and intestinal fortitude to make meaningful and lasting change to the gun culture that has caused over a million Americans to die from gun-related violence since the assassinations of Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King in 1968. I also commend the article by Rob Harris on 20 December, "I just can't let my little boys play with toy guns any more". Many more excellent articles followed on subsequent days.
I commend the article which appeared in "The Age" on 18 December entitled "Gun glamour: America's appetite for anarchy". One can only hope that this time politicians from the President down will have the courage and intestinal fortitude to make meaningful and lasting change to the gun culture that has caused over a million Americans to die from gun-related violence since the assassinations of Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King in 1968. I also commend the article by Rob Harris on 20 December, "I just can't let my little boys play with toy guns any more". Many more excellent articles followed on subsequent days.
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Volunteering at the 20th ACCET Conference
This year I was asked to help out in the kitchen at the 20th ACCET (Australian Choral Conductors Education and Training) Conference in Melbourne.
www.choralconductors.org.au
This involved helping with the "Sing for Life" choir rehearsal all day on Sunday and then with the four days of the conference proper. All the delegates were very well fed and watered - tea and coffee available in the morning before the day's sessions started, and then a succession of morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea. On the day with the "Sing for Life" open rehearsal in the evening, there was a late afternoon snack beforehand as well.
I was surprised as to what a labour-intensive and time-intensive process this all turned out to be, and went home each day exhausted. Tables had to be laid out with plates, cutlery, napkins and serving implements before each food service and then cleared and cleaned afterwards. Massive quantities of fruit had to be chopped up into individual portions before each session. Leftovers had to be packed away, water and cordial jugs, urns, tea, coffee and sugar topped up and catering trays and implements cleaned and washed. Whew!
The compost bugs in the back yard were the beneficiaries of most of the food which would otherwise have been thrown out - something which I cannot bear to see. There were some edible leftovers as well, which were shared around. It was also interesting to see the vagiaries of calculating the right amount of supplies and fruit for the entire week. Even though we had to "hang back" in terms of taking something to eat, we didn't miss out on too much. The catering was pretty good - by Rumbles. I didn't like everything they came up with, but I suppose you are never going to please everybody all of the time. Most of the delegates were very complimentary about the catering, and sometimes it was as if a horde of locusts had descended on the tables (particularly the day that warm quiches were served for lunch - no luck in getting any of those!).
What's that you say? What about the Conference?
Ah well, I did get to some of the sessions but not as much as I would have liked. It was possible to get to the morning sessions until about 10-10.15am, but sadly not the sessions between morning tea and lunch as these were too close together (10.45am and 12.30pm). Usually I saw a little of the session after lunch before having to head back for afternoon tea prep, and on a couple of days got to part of the final afternoon session.
The guests of honour were Dr Edith Copley, a conductor and educator from North Arizona University, and Bob Stewart, a singer, conductor and educator originally hailing from Canada but now an Australian citizen. Bob was a delight, with his infectious enthusiasm and approachability, and Edith came across as very knowledgeable, charismatic and a great motivator. Probably some of the highlights were the Wednesday evening recital given by attendees from the Piano Accompanists' Summer School and soloists, Edith's session on voice placement, Faye Dumont's warm-up session and Bob's enthusiastic sharing of useful apps he has on his iPad. It was good to be able to attend part of some of the repertoire sessions involving singing through a variety of music from the generous music pack provided to conference attendees. I certainly found some pieces which were of interest and have put some forward for my own choir in the coming year.
The Conference is organised by the small ACCET Committee, all volunteers, and they do a sterling job. There were also three "Student Assistants" ably helping out with the catering, office managements and A-V matters. I have been to the Conference three times now, and it has been very successful and very worthwhile for the attendees each time. Some music retailers also attend and this is a great service for attendees who live in regional and remote areas.
Ideally I would have liked to participate in the conducting tuition workshops to continue developing my skills, but at least I was able to watch some of the tuition sessions for the advanced group and picked up some tips from this.
I would highly recommend this conference for anyone interested in choral conducting, and even if you are "just a chorister" with no conducting aspirations, you still get a lot out of it - singing, warm-ups, a better knowledge of what conductors might expect and getting to watch lots of different conducting styles.
www.choralconductors.org.au
This involved helping with the "Sing for Life" choir rehearsal all day on Sunday and then with the four days of the conference proper. All the delegates were very well fed and watered - tea and coffee available in the morning before the day's sessions started, and then a succession of morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea. On the day with the "Sing for Life" open rehearsal in the evening, there was a late afternoon snack beforehand as well.
I was surprised as to what a labour-intensive and time-intensive process this all turned out to be, and went home each day exhausted. Tables had to be laid out with plates, cutlery, napkins and serving implements before each food service and then cleared and cleaned afterwards. Massive quantities of fruit had to be chopped up into individual portions before each session. Leftovers had to be packed away, water and cordial jugs, urns, tea, coffee and sugar topped up and catering trays and implements cleaned and washed. Whew!
The compost bugs in the back yard were the beneficiaries of most of the food which would otherwise have been thrown out - something which I cannot bear to see. There were some edible leftovers as well, which were shared around. It was also interesting to see the vagiaries of calculating the right amount of supplies and fruit for the entire week. Even though we had to "hang back" in terms of taking something to eat, we didn't miss out on too much. The catering was pretty good - by Rumbles. I didn't like everything they came up with, but I suppose you are never going to please everybody all of the time. Most of the delegates were very complimentary about the catering, and sometimes it was as if a horde of locusts had descended on the tables (particularly the day that warm quiches were served for lunch - no luck in getting any of those!).
What's that you say? What about the Conference?
Ah well, I did get to some of the sessions but not as much as I would have liked. It was possible to get to the morning sessions until about 10-10.15am, but sadly not the sessions between morning tea and lunch as these were too close together (10.45am and 12.30pm). Usually I saw a little of the session after lunch before having to head back for afternoon tea prep, and on a couple of days got to part of the final afternoon session.
The guests of honour were Dr Edith Copley, a conductor and educator from North Arizona University, and Bob Stewart, a singer, conductor and educator originally hailing from Canada but now an Australian citizen. Bob was a delight, with his infectious enthusiasm and approachability, and Edith came across as very knowledgeable, charismatic and a great motivator. Probably some of the highlights were the Wednesday evening recital given by attendees from the Piano Accompanists' Summer School and soloists, Edith's session on voice placement, Faye Dumont's warm-up session and Bob's enthusiastic sharing of useful apps he has on his iPad. It was good to be able to attend part of some of the repertoire sessions involving singing through a variety of music from the generous music pack provided to conference attendees. I certainly found some pieces which were of interest and have put some forward for my own choir in the coming year.
The Conference is organised by the small ACCET Committee, all volunteers, and they do a sterling job. There were also three "Student Assistants" ably helping out with the catering, office managements and A-V matters. I have been to the Conference three times now, and it has been very successful and very worthwhile for the attendees each time. Some music retailers also attend and this is a great service for attendees who live in regional and remote areas.
Ideally I would have liked to participate in the conducting tuition workshops to continue developing my skills, but at least I was able to watch some of the tuition sessions for the advanced group and picked up some tips from this.
I would highly recommend this conference for anyone interested in choral conducting, and even if you are "just a chorister" with no conducting aspirations, you still get a lot out of it - singing, warm-ups, a better knowledge of what conductors might expect and getting to watch lots of different conducting styles.
The end of "Merlin" - "Say it ain't so"!
Over the past five years this fantasy take on the Arthurian legend has been a viewing staple at a family-friendly time on Sunday afternoons.
At its heart was a classic tale of good versus evil, and the value of love and true friendship. It is also a cautionary tale about the power of magic and its eternal corollaries, suspicion, fear and prejudice. The underlying message, which becomes clear in the last couple of episodes, is that magic itself is not evil but bad things happen when it is used for evil purposes. It comes from the earth and life itself, so it can never be destroyed and those who are gifted with it should not be persecuted. There are also a couple of dragons thrown in for good measure! The young Merlin grows over the years, both as a person and a physician and a powerful sorcerer. He lives a double life - on the one hand as Emrys (“immortal’ in the Druid tongue), a dragon whisperer and the most powerful wizard who ever lived, and a humble servant and friend to Arthur and his Queen Guinevere. Arthur only becomes aware that Merlin 'has magic' in the final episode in which Arthur meets his fate (as in the legend, killed by Mordred) and not even Merlin can save him. After the Great Dragon delivers them to the shores of Avalon and Arthur is fading into the shadows of death, Merlin throws into the lake the sword Excalibur, forged in a dragon's breath and recently used by Merlin finally to dispatch Morgana, who had devoted her entire energies and magical powers to trying to kill Arthur so she could assume the throne of Camelot, and the hand of the 'Lady of the Lake' rises up to take it into the depths. The high priestesses on the island in the centre of the lake were supposedly the only ones who could save Arthur from the fragment of Mordred's sword (also forged in a dragon's breath) lodged in his chest and working its way towards his heart.
The Great Dragon tells a crying Merlin that Arthur is a "once and future king" and he will return again when Albion needs him most. Merlin places the dead (or dying) Arthur in a boat and sends him across the lake (presumably to the high priestesses).
Abruptly in the next scene a lorry roars by the lake, and an old and wizened Merlin is seen walking along the side of the road, and pauses briefly in silhouette in front of the citadel across the lake, and then disappears into the distance. It appears that he has been alone and watchfully waiting to serve Arthur again for hundreds of years.
Suddenly it was over and gone, and I think on analysis the overwhelming feeling I had was grief and loss. Without seeking in any way to trivialise meaningful grief and loss, it was as if you had both lost some people you had come to know and like and feel an attachment to over time, and not only that but it had finished on such a tragic note. Arthur was gone, his great love Guinevere had been left behind to rule Camelot on her own, and over time Merlin would also have lost everyone else who has dear to him. Centuries later the seemingly immortal Merlin, who considered his life's destiny and purpose to serve Arthur, seems lost and alone and without purpose. One can only hope that one day Arthur does indeed rise again.
I have had this feeling once before when the Scandinavian crime series "The Eagle" unexpectedly finished after three seasons. There had been the same sense of being comfortable with the characters who were on the side of good, and looking forward to finding out what happens next. At the conclusion of the last episode of the third season screened, the troubled and Aspergers-ish eponymous lead character Halgrim Halgrimsson (nicknamed "The Eagle") at last has his own home in Denmark and is sitting in the kitchen bathed in sunlight and sheer white curtains fluttering in the breeze whilst he looks contentedly at a photograph of his baby daughter who lives in Sweden. It is as if there is now closure on a whole chapter of his life and hope for the future. As a result I was disappointed but not surprised to look online and discover that the series had wrapped up on that note. I very much fear that the outstanding Danish series "The Protectors" (which was made by the same team) has met the same fate after only two seasons. Let's hope not!
I suppose it is the mark of a good drama when it draws people in to follow it and to become attached to the characters. Over the past twelve months in addition to "Merlin" and "The Protectors", I have enjoyed watching the other Scandinavian series "The Bridge", the American series "Homeland" and the quirky Australian series "Offspring".
At its heart was a classic tale of good versus evil, and the value of love and true friendship. It is also a cautionary tale about the power of magic and its eternal corollaries, suspicion, fear and prejudice. The underlying message, which becomes clear in the last couple of episodes, is that magic itself is not evil but bad things happen when it is used for evil purposes. It comes from the earth and life itself, so it can never be destroyed and those who are gifted with it should not be persecuted. There are also a couple of dragons thrown in for good measure! The young Merlin grows over the years, both as a person and a physician and a powerful sorcerer. He lives a double life - on the one hand as Emrys (“immortal’ in the Druid tongue), a dragon whisperer and the most powerful wizard who ever lived, and a humble servant and friend to Arthur and his Queen Guinevere. Arthur only becomes aware that Merlin 'has magic' in the final episode in which Arthur meets his fate (as in the legend, killed by Mordred) and not even Merlin can save him. After the Great Dragon delivers them to the shores of Avalon and Arthur is fading into the shadows of death, Merlin throws into the lake the sword Excalibur, forged in a dragon's breath and recently used by Merlin finally to dispatch Morgana, who had devoted her entire energies and magical powers to trying to kill Arthur so she could assume the throne of Camelot, and the hand of the 'Lady of the Lake' rises up to take it into the depths. The high priestesses on the island in the centre of the lake were supposedly the only ones who could save Arthur from the fragment of Mordred's sword (also forged in a dragon's breath) lodged in his chest and working its way towards his heart.
The Great Dragon tells a crying Merlin that Arthur is a "once and future king" and he will return again when Albion needs him most. Merlin places the dead (or dying) Arthur in a boat and sends him across the lake (presumably to the high priestesses).
Abruptly in the next scene a lorry roars by the lake, and an old and wizened Merlin is seen walking along the side of the road, and pauses briefly in silhouette in front of the citadel across the lake, and then disappears into the distance. It appears that he has been alone and watchfully waiting to serve Arthur again for hundreds of years.
Suddenly it was over and gone, and I think on analysis the overwhelming feeling I had was grief and loss. Without seeking in any way to trivialise meaningful grief and loss, it was as if you had both lost some people you had come to know and like and feel an attachment to over time, and not only that but it had finished on such a tragic note. Arthur was gone, his great love Guinevere had been left behind to rule Camelot on her own, and over time Merlin would also have lost everyone else who has dear to him. Centuries later the seemingly immortal Merlin, who considered his life's destiny and purpose to serve Arthur, seems lost and alone and without purpose. One can only hope that one day Arthur does indeed rise again.
I have had this feeling once before when the Scandinavian crime series "The Eagle" unexpectedly finished after three seasons. There had been the same sense of being comfortable with the characters who were on the side of good, and looking forward to finding out what happens next. At the conclusion of the last episode of the third season screened, the troubled and Aspergers-ish eponymous lead character Halgrim Halgrimsson (nicknamed "The Eagle") at last has his own home in Denmark and is sitting in the kitchen bathed in sunlight and sheer white curtains fluttering in the breeze whilst he looks contentedly at a photograph of his baby daughter who lives in Sweden. It is as if there is now closure on a whole chapter of his life and hope for the future. As a result I was disappointed but not surprised to look online and discover that the series had wrapped up on that note. I very much fear that the outstanding Danish series "The Protectors" (which was made by the same team) has met the same fate after only two seasons. Let's hope not!
I suppose it is the mark of a good drama when it draws people in to follow it and to become attached to the characters. Over the past twelve months in addition to "Merlin" and "The Protectors", I have enjoyed watching the other Scandinavian series "The Bridge", the American series "Homeland" and the quirky Australian series "Offspring".
The Almighty Johnsons
Last year this quirky NZ fantasy series surfaced on late night TV (probably as part of the Australian content requirements). It is about a family of four brothers (Mike, Ty, Anders and Axl) who are part of a collective of Norse gods living in human form in New Zealand. The underlying premise is that when the youngest brother, Axl, who is Odin, finds his soulmate Frigg, the gods will regain their full powers. In the first series, the brothers spend a lot of time trying to avoid being killed by a group of goddesses, one of whom turns out to be their mother. Mischievous god Loki (a lawyer!) gets up to lots of mischief.
In the second series, which screened recently on Australian TV, Axl discovers that this flatmate Gaia (who he truly loves) is the one who will morph into Frigg on her forthcoming 21st birthday. One of his brothers decides to lose his powers in order to gain the woman he loves (this fails as she no longer recognises him), Loki causes more trouble, a god-slayer arrives from Northern Europe, some local Maori gods also believe that Axl's flatmate will become their equivalent of Frigg and there is an unexpected ending. One of the goddesses, who is infatuated with Anders, is slain and her spirit enters "the chosen one" during the 21st birthday ceremony instead of Frigg. Gaia heads for Anders, Axl looks on in disbelief, and the Maori gods shrug their shoulders nonchalantly and leave.
This leaves the door open for a third series, as Frigg is still "out there" to be found. Aside from an enormous amount of gratuitous sex and alcohol consumption (which does become a bit tiresome at times) the series is quirky, clever, imaginative and well-acted. Worth a look, especially if you like something a little bit different.
In the second series, which screened recently on Australian TV, Axl discovers that this flatmate Gaia (who he truly loves) is the one who will morph into Frigg on her forthcoming 21st birthday. One of his brothers decides to lose his powers in order to gain the woman he loves (this fails as she no longer recognises him), Loki causes more trouble, a god-slayer arrives from Northern Europe, some local Maori gods also believe that Axl's flatmate will become their equivalent of Frigg and there is an unexpected ending. One of the goddesses, who is infatuated with Anders, is slain and her spirit enters "the chosen one" during the 21st birthday ceremony instead of Frigg. Gaia heads for Anders, Axl looks on in disbelief, and the Maori gods shrug their shoulders nonchalantly and leave.
This leaves the door open for a third series, as Frigg is still "out there" to be found. Aside from an enormous amount of gratuitous sex and alcohol consumption (which does become a bit tiresome at times) the series is quirky, clever, imaginative and well-acted. Worth a look, especially if you like something a little bit different.
Movie Review: "The Hobbit - An Unexpected Journey"
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (First of Three Parts)
Director: Peter Jackson
Length: Approximately 3 hours
When I was sixteen I had a very bad bout of gastroenteritis (possibly as a result of leakage from the septic tank behind our house) and was laid up in bed for about two weeks. A family friend who took pity on my infirmity and sent a book home from work with my father for me to read. It was "The Lord of the Rings" by J.R.R. Tolkien. I was captivated by it and could not put it down.
After this introduction to Tolkien's fantasy world of hobbits, wizards, elves, dwarves and other creatures, I was "hooked" and went on to read every other published work that was available, including "The Hobbit" and "The Silmarillion".
I did enjoy the three LOTR movies - "The Fellowship of the Ring", "The Two Towers" and "The Return of the King". Three movies made sense as this rather large book is divided into three parts. However, when I heard that the relatively slim volume of "The Hobbit" was being made into three separate movies, I was somewhat incredulous. The reviews of the first Hobbit movie I have read and heard have been somewhat mixed, but the trailers on TV and the program on the making of this new movie were attractive and tipped the balance in favour of going to see it.
On balance, it did not disappoint, but parts of it are overly long. As the 'prequel' to LOTR, it was a little strange to see an older and more angular-faced Elijah Wood as Frodo, but Ian McKellar as Gandalf, Cate Blanchett as Galadriel and Hugo Weaving as Elrond have held off the ravages of age well. Martin Freeman was brilliant as Bilbo Baggins, a reluctant hero but a hero nevertheless. There are background scenes which are obviously CGI, but the remainder of it is New Zealand's breathtaking natural beauty. Be warned that there is a lot of violence, which at times seems somewhat gratuitous due to the drawn out nature of some segments.
The highlights must surely include the 'invasion' of Bilbo's house by the company of dwarves and Gandalf before setting off on their quest to reclaim their home within 'The Lonely Mountain'. (The ruthless decimation of the dwarves by the bad-boy fire-breathing Smaug the Dragon is depicted in the introduction.) They literally eat Bilbo "out of house and home" and then clean up spotlessly afterwards! There are several rather strange collective singing interludes, almost tempting you to wonder if you are watching a musical. After Bilbo decides to join them on the adventure, there are repetitive encounters with orcs (led by a particularly unpleasant large albino orc) and also with slow-witted mountain trolls, giants and goblins. During an interlude in Rivendell, Gandalf meets with Elrond, Galadriel and Saruman. The latter (somewhat unconvincingly) does not believe that there is sufficient evidence to believe that evil is again rising out of Mordor and does not support the quest by the dwarves, but they have anticipated the objections and already left town! Gandalf gives Bilbo one of those handy blades designed to glow blue when orcs are around, and telling him that the challenging thing is not taking a life, but knowing when not to take a life. This is a prescient remark relating to Bilbo's later encounter with Gollum. Gollum drops The Ring and Bilbo picks it up, and Gollum realises he has it and wants to kill Bilbo to take it back. Bilbo puts on the ring and whilst 'cloaked' has the opportunity to kill Gollum but decides not to and pushes past him instead.
Sections which are overly long-winded include the encounters with the orcs, the eccentric Brown Wizard (played by Sylvester McCoy, a former "Dr Who") seeking the cause of the dying forest and its creatures, their time "in the hall of the Mountain King" when they are captured by goblins and the exchange of riddles between Bilbo and Gollum in the subterranean cavern.
Amazingly the whole company of twelve dwarves (who are a very ecclectic bunch) survive to the end of the first instalment. At the death they are rescued from the orcs and their very large and savage wolf-like creatures by the giant eagles summoned by Gandalf. Less than half the dwarves are developed characterisation-wise. Their leader, dwarf prince Thorin, is proud and headstrong and not that likeable, but by the end he seems to be mellowing and acknowledges he was wrong about Bilbo and shows gratitude that Bilbo saved Thorin's life by bravely facing down the orcs (until reinforcements arrived) while he was injured.
British Actor James Nesbitt plays one of the more amiable dwarves, and it was interesting to see Kiwi actor Dean O’Gorman, who plays Anders, Norse god made human, in the NZ fantasy series "Almighty Johnsons" (recently shown on Australian TV).
The well-crafted and at times suitably dramatic music is again by Howard Shore and at times we hear the 'leitmotives' from both the Shore and LOTR. The other production values are also as usual excellent. However, this film is unashamedly a self-indulgent vehicle for Director Peter Jackson. A movie critic told be recently that she does not go to see his movies "as he does not have an "edit" switch" and the movies are just too long
If you are a fan of Tolkien you will probably find enough to enjoy in this film and will look forward to finding out "what happens next". The film ends the company high on a mountain gazing at The Lonely Mountain in the distance whilst the dragon Smaug, buried under tonnes of dwarfish gold, awakes from a sixty-year slumber in response to the sound of a bird trying to crack a nut far above. A malevolent reptilian-looking eye peeks out from under the gold...
Director: Peter Jackson
Length: Approximately 3 hours
When I was sixteen I had a very bad bout of gastroenteritis (possibly as a result of leakage from the septic tank behind our house) and was laid up in bed for about two weeks. A family friend who took pity on my infirmity and sent a book home from work with my father for me to read. It was "The Lord of the Rings" by J.R.R. Tolkien. I was captivated by it and could not put it down.
After this introduction to Tolkien's fantasy world of hobbits, wizards, elves, dwarves and other creatures, I was "hooked" and went on to read every other published work that was available, including "The Hobbit" and "The Silmarillion".
I did enjoy the three LOTR movies - "The Fellowship of the Ring", "The Two Towers" and "The Return of the King". Three movies made sense as this rather large book is divided into three parts. However, when I heard that the relatively slim volume of "The Hobbit" was being made into three separate movies, I was somewhat incredulous. The reviews of the first Hobbit movie I have read and heard have been somewhat mixed, but the trailers on TV and the program on the making of this new movie were attractive and tipped the balance in favour of going to see it.
On balance, it did not disappoint, but parts of it are overly long. As the 'prequel' to LOTR, it was a little strange to see an older and more angular-faced Elijah Wood as Frodo, but Ian McKellar as Gandalf, Cate Blanchett as Galadriel and Hugo Weaving as Elrond have held off the ravages of age well. Martin Freeman was brilliant as Bilbo Baggins, a reluctant hero but a hero nevertheless. There are background scenes which are obviously CGI, but the remainder of it is New Zealand's breathtaking natural beauty. Be warned that there is a lot of violence, which at times seems somewhat gratuitous due to the drawn out nature of some segments.
The highlights must surely include the 'invasion' of Bilbo's house by the company of dwarves and Gandalf before setting off on their quest to reclaim their home within 'The Lonely Mountain'. (The ruthless decimation of the dwarves by the bad-boy fire-breathing Smaug the Dragon is depicted in the introduction.) They literally eat Bilbo "out of house and home" and then clean up spotlessly afterwards! There are several rather strange collective singing interludes, almost tempting you to wonder if you are watching a musical. After Bilbo decides to join them on the adventure, there are repetitive encounters with orcs (led by a particularly unpleasant large albino orc) and also with slow-witted mountain trolls, giants and goblins. During an interlude in Rivendell, Gandalf meets with Elrond, Galadriel and Saruman. The latter (somewhat unconvincingly) does not believe that there is sufficient evidence to believe that evil is again rising out of Mordor and does not support the quest by the dwarves, but they have anticipated the objections and already left town! Gandalf gives Bilbo one of those handy blades designed to glow blue when orcs are around, and telling him that the challenging thing is not taking a life, but knowing when not to take a life. This is a prescient remark relating to Bilbo's later encounter with Gollum. Gollum drops The Ring and Bilbo picks it up, and Gollum realises he has it and wants to kill Bilbo to take it back. Bilbo puts on the ring and whilst 'cloaked' has the opportunity to kill Gollum but decides not to and pushes past him instead.
Sections which are overly long-winded include the encounters with the orcs, the eccentric Brown Wizard (played by Sylvester McCoy, a former "Dr Who") seeking the cause of the dying forest and its creatures, their time "in the hall of the Mountain King" when they are captured by goblins and the exchange of riddles between Bilbo and Gollum in the subterranean cavern.
Amazingly the whole company of twelve dwarves (who are a very ecclectic bunch) survive to the end of the first instalment. At the death they are rescued from the orcs and their very large and savage wolf-like creatures by the giant eagles summoned by Gandalf. Less than half the dwarves are developed characterisation-wise. Their leader, dwarf prince Thorin, is proud and headstrong and not that likeable, but by the end he seems to be mellowing and acknowledges he was wrong about Bilbo and shows gratitude that Bilbo saved Thorin's life by bravely facing down the orcs (until reinforcements arrived) while he was injured.
British Actor James Nesbitt plays one of the more amiable dwarves, and it was interesting to see Kiwi actor Dean O’Gorman, who plays Anders, Norse god made human, in the NZ fantasy series "Almighty Johnsons" (recently shown on Australian TV).
The well-crafted and at times suitably dramatic music is again by Howard Shore and at times we hear the 'leitmotives' from both the Shore and LOTR. The other production values are also as usual excellent. However, this film is unashamedly a self-indulgent vehicle for Director Peter Jackson. A movie critic told be recently that she does not go to see his movies "as he does not have an "edit" switch" and the movies are just too long
If you are a fan of Tolkien you will probably find enough to enjoy in this film and will look forward to finding out "what happens next". The film ends the company high on a mountain gazing at The Lonely Mountain in the distance whilst the dragon Smaug, buried under tonnes of dwarfish gold, awakes from a sixty-year slumber in response to the sound of a bird trying to crack a nut far above. A malevolent reptilian-looking eye peeks out from under the gold...
Monday, February 4, 2013
"The Ghan" Flight and Accommodation Package offered by Great Southern Rail - Bouquets and Brickbats
Even though the standard of service on The Ghan was terrific, overall the concept of a "luxury package" was let down by the things that were left out. People normally expect that a package will include things like transfers and "Bed and Breakfast", without having to pay extra for these or find your own breakfast and transfers.
As mentioned variously below, it would be helpful to receive some additional information in advance of the trip. It cannot be assumed that people (especially the elderly or international visitors) have extensive access to the internet to look up the GSR website or are able to read a lot of information in English on-screen. It would be good to send out a package with the booking confirmation and include a copy of the timetable and information on the stopover destinations and the optional side-tours available during the train trip so that people can be prepared financially and with the right sort of clothing etc. as applicable.
1. Credit Card Surcharge
It was very disappointing to be told about a credit card surcharge late in the booking process. This does not appear in the Terms and Conditions or the advertising information about the packages. It provides a disincentive to complete the booking, and having to pay through the alternative method of EFT delays confirmation and requires additional time and inconvenience on the part of both the customer and Great Southern Rail (GSR). In terms of the GSR staff time for processing these payments individually, how does this cost compare to absorbing the credit card bank fees? These fees are a cost of doing business that is tax-deductible, and by not levying this surcharge GSR would generate a lot more customer goodwill than the reverse.
2. Virgin Australia economy class flight from Melbourne to Adelaide. There were no issues with this (reviewed separately).
3. Adelaide Ground Transfers (separate cost).
The transfers were an additional cost at the time of booking (if paying on-the-spot $13 each way).
No vouchers were provided, which was not helpful for either the guest or the driver. These could easily be supplied in PDF format so that the guest could hand these to the driver. In addition, the drivers could be provided with a list of people who had pre-paid and pick-up points, so that they could just 'tick people off' rather than telling everyone that they have to pay.
No information was provided on what to do when you arrived at the airport. Guests had to figure it out for themselves and walk over to the bus area.
No information was provided on what would happen in terms of getting the shuttle bus to the rail terminal. Rydges don't deal with this, so it was necessary to make a personal phone call to the Skylink company to find out what the arrangements were. It would also have been helpful to know that it would be a very long shuttle bus trip to the terminal (around 45 minutes) and that the terminal is so close to Rydges. People (with very little luggage) might choose to walk or else get a taxi, which might well cost less than the bus and would be a lot quicker. One couple staying at Mercure indicated that the taxi from the airport cost about $23 and another group mentioned that the taxi from the hotel to the rail terminal was $8. For two or more people that works out cheaper than taking the Skylink shuttle at $13 per head. (The travel documentation incorrectly stated that this was a transfer from the rail terminal to the hotel.)
On the trip to the rail terminal the driver became very agitated (almost aggressive at times) telling people that they had to pay (even though nearly everyone who got on had already pre-paid). There was also a safety issue with the shuttle bus. At one stop it began rolling forwards while stationary, and the bus driver stated that whilst it had a handbrake, this didn't work. If so, the vehicle is not roadworthy and should not be used for carrying members of the public.
4. Overnight accommodation at Rydges South Park, Adelaide was provided as part of the Ghan package.
Positives:
An easy-to-operate safe in room, comfortable beds and pillows, TV with a wide range of channels and free WiFi.
Negatives:
After being booked to arrive from Melbourne just after 11am, check-in was not until 2pm. This necessitated several hours of wandering around in the heat (carrying all our valuables) to try to find something to eat and drink in the city area, which was some considerable distance away, and for someone such as myself suffering from a physical impediment, this was an exhausting and painful exercise. I ended up with a painful back strain as a result which impacted on enjoyment of the rest of the trip and lasted well beyond the end of the journey.
Possible improvements:
* Either a later flight or an earlier check-in would have been preferable. Ideally people should be informed of the late check-in time at the time of booking and given the option of arriving later in Adelaide.
As mentioned variously below, it would be helpful to receive some additional information in advance of the trip. It cannot be assumed that people (especially the elderly or international visitors) have extensive access to the internet to look up the GSR website or are able to read a lot of information in English on-screen. It would be good to send out a package with the booking confirmation and include a copy of the timetable and information on the stopover destinations and the optional side-tours available during the train trip so that people can be prepared financially and with the right sort of clothing etc. as applicable.
1. Credit Card Surcharge
It was very disappointing to be told about a credit card surcharge late in the booking process. This does not appear in the Terms and Conditions or the advertising information about the packages. It provides a disincentive to complete the booking, and having to pay through the alternative method of EFT delays confirmation and requires additional time and inconvenience on the part of both the customer and Great Southern Rail (GSR). In terms of the GSR staff time for processing these payments individually, how does this cost compare to absorbing the credit card bank fees? These fees are a cost of doing business that is tax-deductible, and by not levying this surcharge GSR would generate a lot more customer goodwill than the reverse.
2. Virgin Australia economy class flight from Melbourne to Adelaide. There were no issues with this (reviewed separately).
3. Adelaide Ground Transfers (separate cost).
The transfers were an additional cost at the time of booking (if paying on-the-spot $13 each way).
No vouchers were provided, which was not helpful for either the guest or the driver. These could easily be supplied in PDF format so that the guest could hand these to the driver. In addition, the drivers could be provided with a list of people who had pre-paid and pick-up points, so that they could just 'tick people off' rather than telling everyone that they have to pay.
No information was provided on what to do when you arrived at the airport. Guests had to figure it out for themselves and walk over to the bus area.
No information was provided on what would happen in terms of getting the shuttle bus to the rail terminal. Rydges don't deal with this, so it was necessary to make a personal phone call to the Skylink company to find out what the arrangements were. It would also have been helpful to know that it would be a very long shuttle bus trip to the terminal (around 45 minutes) and that the terminal is so close to Rydges. People (with very little luggage) might choose to walk or else get a taxi, which might well cost less than the bus and would be a lot quicker. One couple staying at Mercure indicated that the taxi from the airport cost about $23 and another group mentioned that the taxi from the hotel to the rail terminal was $8. For two or more people that works out cheaper than taking the Skylink shuttle at $13 per head. (The travel documentation incorrectly stated that this was a transfer from the rail terminal to the hotel.)
On the trip to the rail terminal the driver became very agitated (almost aggressive at times) telling people that they had to pay (even though nearly everyone who got on had already pre-paid). There was also a safety issue with the shuttle bus. At one stop it began rolling forwards while stationary, and the bus driver stated that whilst it had a handbrake, this didn't work. If so, the vehicle is not roadworthy and should not be used for carrying members of the public.
4. Overnight accommodation at Rydges South Park, Adelaide was provided as part of the Ghan package.
Positives:
An easy-to-operate safe in room, comfortable beds and pillows, TV with a wide range of channels and free WiFi.
Negatives:
After being booked to arrive from Melbourne just after 11am, check-in was not until 2pm. This necessitated several hours of wandering around in the heat (carrying all our valuables) to try to find something to eat and drink in the city area, which was some considerable distance away, and for someone such as myself suffering from a physical impediment, this was an exhausting and painful exercise. I ended up with a painful back strain as a result which impacted on enjoyment of the rest of the trip and lasted well beyond the end of the journey.
Possible improvements:
* Either a later flight or an earlier check-in would have been preferable. Ideally people should be informed of the late check-in time at the time of booking and given the option of arriving later in Adelaide.
* It would also be very helpful to have some information provided by GSR on each destination in advance e.g., where to find food, that the tram is free in the centre of Adelaide, etc.
Room 116 at Rydges is probably best avoided. The room had a dank musty smell, which improved with airing, but then recurred when the room was shut up again. The room also opened out onto a balcony which had no less than five airconditioning units right outside the door, with water run off trails and bird droppings nearby. This made me worry about air and water-borne infections. (Perhaps this less-desirable room was a 'budget selection' as part of the Ghan package.)
Both the swimming pool and the spa on the sixth floor were unpleasantly cold. However, the views were great ...
No breakfast was provided as part of the package and the non-inclusion of breakfast (both Adelaide and Darwin) was not made clear when booking.
In Adelaide in particular this was a problem due to the high additional cost of the hotel breakfast ($25 Continental, $28 Cooked), the long distance to both alternative eateries and the nearest supermarket, and the shuttle pick-up about 10am.
It would be nice if Great Southern Rail provided more information about this exclusion "up front". It would be even better if, as people will mistakenly think it is an "all in luxury package", consideration was given to providing "Bed and Breakfast" as part of the package in both Adelaide and Darwin.
In Adelaide a hotel closer to the city centre would be preferable to facilitate guests sourcing their own dinner and breakfast. At the very least, information should be provided to package-holders on feasible alternatives in terms of sourcing your own breakfast nearby.
5. Side trips when The Ghan stops in Alice Springs and Katherine.
The audio announcement dealing with the "Whistle-Stop Tours" which is made during the afternoon after boarding the train refers to this information being in the "Platform" magazine, but is is in fact in a separate brochure. It would be good if the Hospitality Managers mentioned these side trips when they are giving their initial individual briefings shortly after boarding the train so that people are aware of them and what they need to do to book. (Ideally it would also be good to provide information on these trips as part of a package received after booking.)
6. Cabin Orientation
Especially for those who are keen photographers, it would be good to be offered a choice of which way the cabin faces during travel when checking in. Travelling 'backwards' means that you lose the ability to prepare and only see things as they are disappearing behind you. When discussing our disappointment with facing backwards, the cabin manager mentioned that it was possible to request facing in a preferred direction at the time of booking. Perhaps people could be asked if they have a preference as part of the booking process.
7. Transfers: Darwin
When checking about this in a telephone enquiry I was told that a "complimentary transfer" is provided from the rail terminal to the hotel. No information was provided as part of the travel documents regarding how and with whom this would occur. Fortunately this information was made clear through audio announcements on the train as it was pulling into Darwin.
Guests are left to their own devices to arrange an airport transfer. Luckily this was able to be arranged through the hotel reception. The cost was $15 per person (with a small discount for 2 or more persons).
8. Stopover in Darwin
Sadly the option to stay in Darwin longer than overnight was not offered at the time of booking. This means that in effect only half a day was available for sightseeing before the late afternoon return flight to Melbourne. The NT Tourism Authority lady at the Adelaide rail terminal was enormously frustrated (as were the guests) that without a full day in Darwin, people could not take advantage of afternoon sight-seeing options nor take a trip to Kakadu (a full day).
The Holiday Inn Esplanade in Darwin was terrific. However, there was massive confusion on the shuttle bus as to which hotel (Holiday Inn Darwin on the Esplanade vs Holiday Inn Esplanade) people should be getting off at. Perhaps this could be alleviated by a staff member checking people's travel documents upon boarding the bus and giving them a colour-coded voucher and then announcing at the destination - everyone with a green voucher (Holiday Inn Darwin) get off here, etc.
The hotel room was great, and there was a choice of firm or soft feather pillows, which was brilliant as I had left my feather pillow at home in the interests of light packing. The hotel is very close to Mitchell Street in the centre of Darwin, where there are lots of restaurants, bars, pubs, take-away food outlets etc. and also Coles supermarket (Woolworths is a bit further away). The hotel also has a large outdoor pool which is open late into the evening.
9. Miscellaneous Matters
Regarding pillows on the train - some softer/more malleable pillows would be good for people used to sleeping on thinner pillows or feather pillows.
It would be good to be provided with an emergency number that people can call after-hours on the evening or next morning following their arrival at the final destination if they suddenly realise they have lost something or left something on the train. The GSR office is closed and by the time it opens the next morning it may be too late to get out to the rail terminal to chase up lost property. Sadly I accidentally left my beloved iPod on the train and despite extensive searches and enquiries it has not been recovered.
(For those interested in reading more, there are a variety of other blog postings on "The Ghan" travel experience and meals.)
Room 116 at Rydges is probably best avoided. The room had a dank musty smell, which improved with airing, but then recurred when the room was shut up again. The room also opened out onto a balcony which had no less than five airconditioning units right outside the door, with water run off trails and bird droppings nearby. This made me worry about air and water-borne infections. (Perhaps this less-desirable room was a 'budget selection' as part of the Ghan package.)
Both the swimming pool and the spa on the sixth floor were unpleasantly cold. However, the views were great ...
No breakfast was provided as part of the package and the non-inclusion of breakfast (both Adelaide and Darwin) was not made clear when booking.
In Adelaide in particular this was a problem due to the high additional cost of the hotel breakfast ($25 Continental, $28 Cooked), the long distance to both alternative eateries and the nearest supermarket, and the shuttle pick-up about 10am.
It would be nice if Great Southern Rail provided more information about this exclusion "up front". It would be even better if, as people will mistakenly think it is an "all in luxury package", consideration was given to providing "Bed and Breakfast" as part of the package in both Adelaide and Darwin.
In Adelaide a hotel closer to the city centre would be preferable to facilitate guests sourcing their own dinner and breakfast. At the very least, information should be provided to package-holders on feasible alternatives in terms of sourcing your own breakfast nearby.
5. Side trips when The Ghan stops in Alice Springs and Katherine.
The audio announcement dealing with the "Whistle-Stop Tours" which is made during the afternoon after boarding the train refers to this information being in the "Platform" magazine, but is is in fact in a separate brochure. It would be good if the Hospitality Managers mentioned these side trips when they are giving their initial individual briefings shortly after boarding the train so that people are aware of them and what they need to do to book. (Ideally it would also be good to provide information on these trips as part of a package received after booking.)
6. Cabin Orientation
Especially for those who are keen photographers, it would be good to be offered a choice of which way the cabin faces during travel when checking in. Travelling 'backwards' means that you lose the ability to prepare and only see things as they are disappearing behind you. When discussing our disappointment with facing backwards, the cabin manager mentioned that it was possible to request facing in a preferred direction at the time of booking. Perhaps people could be asked if they have a preference as part of the booking process.
7. Transfers: Darwin
When checking about this in a telephone enquiry I was told that a "complimentary transfer" is provided from the rail terminal to the hotel. No information was provided as part of the travel documents regarding how and with whom this would occur. Fortunately this information was made clear through audio announcements on the train as it was pulling into Darwin.
Guests are left to their own devices to arrange an airport transfer. Luckily this was able to be arranged through the hotel reception. The cost was $15 per person (with a small discount for 2 or more persons).
8. Stopover in Darwin
Sadly the option to stay in Darwin longer than overnight was not offered at the time of booking. This means that in effect only half a day was available for sightseeing before the late afternoon return flight to Melbourne. The NT Tourism Authority lady at the Adelaide rail terminal was enormously frustrated (as were the guests) that without a full day in Darwin, people could not take advantage of afternoon sight-seeing options nor take a trip to Kakadu (a full day).
The Holiday Inn Esplanade in Darwin was terrific. However, there was massive confusion on the shuttle bus as to which hotel (Holiday Inn Darwin on the Esplanade vs Holiday Inn Esplanade) people should be getting off at. Perhaps this could be alleviated by a staff member checking people's travel documents upon boarding the bus and giving them a colour-coded voucher and then announcing at the destination - everyone with a green voucher (Holiday Inn Darwin) get off here, etc.
The hotel room was great, and there was a choice of firm or soft feather pillows, which was brilliant as I had left my feather pillow at home in the interests of light packing. The hotel is very close to Mitchell Street in the centre of Darwin, where there are lots of restaurants, bars, pubs, take-away food outlets etc. and also Coles supermarket (Woolworths is a bit further away). The hotel also has a large outdoor pool which is open late into the evening.
9. Miscellaneous Matters
Regarding pillows on the train - some softer/more malleable pillows would be good for people used to sleeping on thinner pillows or feather pillows.
It would be good to be provided with an emergency number that people can call after-hours on the evening or next morning following their arrival at the final destination if they suddenly realise they have lost something or left something on the train. The GSR office is closed and by the time it opens the next morning it may be too late to get out to the rail terminal to chase up lost property. Sadly I accidentally left my beloved iPod on the train and despite extensive searches and enquiries it has not been recovered.
(For those interested in reading more, there are a variety of other blog postings on "The Ghan" travel experience and meals.)
Travelling on "The Ghan" - "Whistle-Stop Tours" - From Katherine - the Nitmiluk Gorge Cafe Cruise
From Katherine - the Nitmiluk Gorge Cafe Cruise
Approximately 3 hours including transfers. $89 adult, $76 child.
This tour includes a cruise through the First Gorge (with a commentary explaining significant aspects of local indigenous culture) and a short walk to some ancient indigenous rock paintings at the top of the First Gorge). Morning tea is also included.
The tour passed through the centre of Katherine and then its outskirts on the way to the Gorge. It was interesting to find out that, in addition to Darwin, Katherine had also been bombed by the Japanese during the Second World War.
The boat had a capacity of around 40 people seated at semi-circular tables so that everyone had a good view. As we travelled slowly up the Gorge our guide provided commentary on the landscape, plant and animal life and the legends of the local Jawoyn indigenous people. We saw one small freshwater crocodile just poking his snout above the water.
It was a beautiful vista, but the real highlight was being able to see some ancient indigenous rock paintings at the end of the first part of the Gorge (where the boat could travel no further due to natural rock barriers). There were recognisable animal shapes and handprints, and our guide explained that some of the artwork was clearly interpretative of the legends of the Dreamtime.
It was fearfully hot and humid whilst on the boat and standing around looking at the rock art and the greater percentage of my clothing was soaked through with perspiration by the end of it. Our guide on the boat warned everyone at the start about heat exhaustion, and there was a bottomless supply of cool drinking water available during the cruise (in addition to hot drinks and scones with jam and cream). It was nice to have a shower and a change of clothes when we got back to the train.
Approximately 3 hours including transfers. $89 adult, $76 child.
This tour includes a cruise through the First Gorge (with a commentary explaining significant aspects of local indigenous culture) and a short walk to some ancient indigenous rock paintings at the top of the First Gorge). Morning tea is also included.
The tour passed through the centre of Katherine and then its outskirts on the way to the Gorge. It was interesting to find out that, in addition to Darwin, Katherine had also been bombed by the Japanese during the Second World War.
The boat had a capacity of around 40 people seated at semi-circular tables so that everyone had a good view. As we travelled slowly up the Gorge our guide provided commentary on the landscape, plant and animal life and the legends of the local Jawoyn indigenous people. We saw one small freshwater crocodile just poking his snout above the water.
It was a beautiful vista, but the real highlight was being able to see some ancient indigenous rock paintings at the end of the first part of the Gorge (where the boat could travel no further due to natural rock barriers). There were recognisable animal shapes and handprints, and our guide explained that some of the artwork was clearly interpretative of the legends of the Dreamtime.
It was fearfully hot and humid whilst on the boat and standing around looking at the rock art and the greater percentage of my clothing was soaked through with perspiration by the end of it. Our guide on the boat warned everyone at the start about heat exhaustion, and there was a bottomless supply of cool drinking water available during the cruise (in addition to hot drinks and scones with jam and cream). It was nice to have a shower and a change of clothes when we got back to the train.
Travelling on "The Ghan" - "Whistle-Stop Tours" - Essential Alice Springs Tour
Essential Alice Springs Tour
3 to 3.5 hours. $84 adult. $66 child.
The tour includes coach travel around Alice Springs and guided tours around the Royal Flying Doctor Service (an organisation that I donate to regularly), the Telegraph Station (in the olden days sending a telegram was the safest way to transmit a message quickly), a choice of the National Pioneer Women's Hall of Fame or the Reptile Centre and the views from Anzac Hill.
The RFDS, Pioneer Women's Hall of Fame and the Reptile Centre are all close neighbours. The Reptile Centre (entry charge applies if not on a tour) was very interesting, and the young and able guide explained everything well. He also gave some excellent first aid advice concerning snakebite, including how to use a compression bandage and the use of the venom detection kit. The attractions include snakes, lizards and crocodiles. A couple of us were fortunate to have the opportunity to hold a young olive python. The softness of the snakeskin was amazing.
The next stop was the new RFDS Tourist Facility. There was a short film on the history of the RFDS, including testimonials from some of the people who had benefited from its care, and a talk by one of the tour guides, who had a personal testimonial. The centre includes a souvenir shop with a cut-down model of a RFDS Pilatus 'plane which it is possible to climb through ($2 coin required) and a small museum (entry charge applies if not on a tour) with models of earlier aircraft, a flight simulator, historical displays of medical chest contents and old radio equipment, including one using 'pedal power'. Iconic outdoor clothing supplier RM Williams has recently combined with the RFDS to produce a range of souvenir clothing, which is bound to be popular. This visit served to reinforce what an important and remarkable service the RFDS provides, not only to the people of the outback but many other people all around Australia. I was surprised to find out that there are 61 aircraft in all. Apparently government provides 80% of the funding, but the remainder is raised through fundraising and donations. A very worthwhile cause and a unique (and living) part of Australian history.
We paid a quick visit to the war memorial at the top of Anzac Hill, overlooking Alice Springs, and enjoyed the panoramic view and interesting hills, mountain and rock formations in the distance.
Our final stop was the Alice Springs Telegraph Station, which operated between 1895 and 1905. The whole story of the early explorers, construction of the trans-continental telegraph line and the maintenance of the remote repeater stations by hardy souls is quite fascinating. The town of Alice Springs came into being as a result of the telegraph station, and it is indeed fortunate that many of the original buildings have been preserved, along with some equipment and artefacts. I was able to recognise some of them as similar to those which could be found at the old family farm (of my grandparents' generation) at Wodonga West in Victoria before it was bulldozed to make way for the Hume Freeway. Things like the old wood stove, metal mesh food cupboards, brass beds, a treadle Singer sewing machine and a grape vine growing on the veranda of the homestead were great reminders of childhood nostalgia.
The Todd River is located immediately behind the Telegraph Station, and our guide explained to us that Alice Springs was named after the bubbling spring that appeared to be present at this location. It was in fact an illusion created by the combination of a waterhole and a cave, but we were fortunate to see some water in the waterhole at the present time. The Todd River is normally dry and is famous for the Todd River Regatta, where people race all manner of imaginatively created boats on foot down the dry watercourse.
A cool glass of water was provided at the end of the tour prior to returning to the train.
3 to 3.5 hours. $84 adult. $66 child.
The tour includes coach travel around Alice Springs and guided tours around the Royal Flying Doctor Service (an organisation that I donate to regularly), the Telegraph Station (in the olden days sending a telegram was the safest way to transmit a message quickly), a choice of the National Pioneer Women's Hall of Fame or the Reptile Centre and the views from Anzac Hill.
The RFDS, Pioneer Women's Hall of Fame and the Reptile Centre are all close neighbours. The Reptile Centre (entry charge applies if not on a tour) was very interesting, and the young and able guide explained everything well. He also gave some excellent first aid advice concerning snakebite, including how to use a compression bandage and the use of the venom detection kit. The attractions include snakes, lizards and crocodiles. A couple of us were fortunate to have the opportunity to hold a young olive python. The softness of the snakeskin was amazing.
The next stop was the new RFDS Tourist Facility. There was a short film on the history of the RFDS, including testimonials from some of the people who had benefited from its care, and a talk by one of the tour guides, who had a personal testimonial. The centre includes a souvenir shop with a cut-down model of a RFDS Pilatus 'plane which it is possible to climb through ($2 coin required) and a small museum (entry charge applies if not on a tour) with models of earlier aircraft, a flight simulator, historical displays of medical chest contents and old radio equipment, including one using 'pedal power'. Iconic outdoor clothing supplier RM Williams has recently combined with the RFDS to produce a range of souvenir clothing, which is bound to be popular. This visit served to reinforce what an important and remarkable service the RFDS provides, not only to the people of the outback but many other people all around Australia. I was surprised to find out that there are 61 aircraft in all. Apparently government provides 80% of the funding, but the remainder is raised through fundraising and donations. A very worthwhile cause and a unique (and living) part of Australian history.
We paid a quick visit to the war memorial at the top of Anzac Hill, overlooking Alice Springs, and enjoyed the panoramic view and interesting hills, mountain and rock formations in the distance.
Our final stop was the Alice Springs Telegraph Station, which operated between 1895 and 1905. The whole story of the early explorers, construction of the trans-continental telegraph line and the maintenance of the remote repeater stations by hardy souls is quite fascinating. The town of Alice Springs came into being as a result of the telegraph station, and it is indeed fortunate that many of the original buildings have been preserved, along with some equipment and artefacts. I was able to recognise some of them as similar to those which could be found at the old family farm (of my grandparents' generation) at Wodonga West in Victoria before it was bulldozed to make way for the Hume Freeway. Things like the old wood stove, metal mesh food cupboards, brass beds, a treadle Singer sewing machine and a grape vine growing on the veranda of the homestead were great reminders of childhood nostalgia.
The Todd River is located immediately behind the Telegraph Station, and our guide explained to us that Alice Springs was named after the bubbling spring that appeared to be present at this location. It was in fact an illusion created by the combination of a waterhole and a cave, but we were fortunate to see some water in the waterhole at the present time. The Todd River is normally dry and is famous for the Todd River Regatta, where people race all manner of imaginatively created boats on foot down the dry watercourse.
A cool glass of water was provided at the end of the tour prior to returning to the train.
Travelling on "The Ghan" Day 3: "How green is my country!"
The landscape had changed once again, with lots of lush green grass and trees (mainly eucalypts) and quite a few pools of water just 'lying around'. At times the train passed through quite dense eucalypt forests. Termite mounds were also plentiful - no wonder they had problems with termites eating the railway sleepers before changing over to concrete sleepers! Many mounds were the characteristic ochre red, but there were also some paler brown ones. The height and breadth of some of the obviously older ones was quite impressive. Around the town of Katherine there was a definite tropical feel in terms of the vegetation. It was also quite hot and humid. The outlook varied from overcast to cloudy over the course of the day. As we drew close to Darwin, quite a few palms started popping up in-between the eucalypts.
The tour and cruise along the first part of the Katherine Gorge (Nitmiluk) was very worthwhile, and it was a definite highlight seeing some indigenous rock art which is thousands of years old. (This tour is reviewed separately in another posting.)
Whilst in the Northern Territory we experienced the paradox that is indigenous life and culture in Australia. In Alice Springs and Katherine, many indigenous people appeared to be spending the day just sitting under trees in parks (some obviously drinking alcohol), whilst at Nitmiluk we saw the other end of the spectrum - educated, articulate indigenous people who were proud of their heritage and culture and were making a living from sharing aspects of it with visitors to the region.
The Darwin Rail Terminal is 15km from the city, and situated close to thick stands of mangroves (not unlike Cairns Airport!). Darwin is very flat, and the drive in to town takes you through a number of industrial suburbs with low squat buildings and past a Department of Defence establishment. The absence of tall buildings in the centre of town is quite striking, and those that exist seem outwardly to be hotels and apartment buildings. Perhaps this is a legacy of Cyclone Tracy, which devastated Darwin on Christmas Eve 1974. My family and I experienced Cyclone Althea in Townsville in ..., but Tracey was far worse. Even in our experience, the most difficult time was after the storm, when all essential services were cut and there was "water, water everywhere".
The passengers from The Ghan seemed to be distributed over a number of the hotels in town, but many of us were either at the Holiday Inn Darwin or the fabulous Holiday Inn Esplanade (both on the Esplanade). In contrast to Rydges in Adelaide, I was hugely impressed with both the room and the facilities at the Holiday Inn. Even a choice of feather pillows was made available on the beds - soft vs firm! It was also extremely nice that when the TV was turned on, there was a message welcoming you by name.
We arrived in the late afternoon to the now familiar sight of indigenous people lying on the ground in the park across the road, and later on one of the young women in our group was approached by an obviously drunk Aboriginal man. Whilst out foraging for food there was safety in numbers, with indigenous people soliciting donations and loitering around the entrance to shops and eateries. A number of places appeared to have security guards patrolling the front entrance, and shops which were closed due to it being New Year's Day appeared heavily fortified to avoid vandalism.
The sense that we non-indigenous people were being 'eyed off' made me feel uneasy in a way that I have not felt since I was in Nepal and tried to go for a walk around central Kathmandu, but was accosted with every step I took. Within metres of the front door of the hotel I had come to the inescapable conclusion that westerners were seen as walking cash machines to be exploited at every opportunity, being bombarded with demands to buy this or that or the other thing or to avail yourself of some service. It was so unpleasant and "in your face" that I became discombobulated and lost my normal impeccable sense of direction in the rabbit warren of haphazard street layouts and had to ask for directions back to the hotel. It was also clear that there was one price for locals and another highly inflated version for visitors (and no fixed prices displayed). I abandoned my plans for gift shopping and solemnly emailed my family to explain the situation and covey my apologies in advance. I was very glad that we did not have to dally long in Kathmandu before heading off for Lukla and our Expedition Medicine course and trek.
However, I digress! Following all that gourmet food on the train I had a hankering for something simple, such as good old-fashioned fish and chips, and fortunately we found an outlet (Chip 'n' Fish - reviewed separately) that was open in the 'foodie' district in Mitchell Street nearby. Since breakfast was not included as part of the package, we also descended on the adjacent Coles supermarket and found some more bargains - yoghurt for $2.99, two cans of mango slices for $2.50, a litre of juice for $1.00, and a packet of scones for $2.70 and mince pies for $0.90. However, I have to say that the Coles self-checkout system was rather user unfriendly and frustrating.
The next morning it was stormy with thunder and lightning and moderately heavy tropical rain. Despite this we enjoyed a swim after breakfast in the excellent outdoor pool at the hotel. It is probably about 30 metres long and reasonably wide and 2 metres deep at one end so it is great for lap swimming.
After that it was off to the local Police Station to report the theft of my iPod Touch on The Ghan. I had accidentally left it in a small alcove above my bunk bed on the morning of the last day and did not realise it was missing until a few hours after disembarkation. The Terminal Manager was very helpful and the cabin was checked thoroughly and various staff avenues followed up, but without success. I was very sorry to lose it as it has been a wonderful and versatile tool, and often helped me to meditate and get to sleep. The Terminal Manager (and the carriage manager on the train) mentioned that it was extremely unusual for anything valuable to go missing, so I guess I was just unlucky. Fortunately I had travel insurance and still have my original purchase receipts so should be able to make a claim. (Moral of the story: make sure your valuables are locked in the safe when you are out of the cabin!)
The rain had stopped and there were a few hours spare before departing for the airport, so after another relatively healthy Subway lunch the gang headed off for a foot tour of some of the historical buildings close to the city and the waterfront. From the ruins of the old town hall to Christ Church Cathedral incorporating elements of the old and the new to the renovated Administrator's Building and the timber Government House, there were many stories of courage and resilience in the face of the devastating destruction of Cyclone Tracy.
The new and modern waterfront precinct is very attractive, with a number of multi-storey apartment buildings ringed around a small beach with a protected swimming area and a very reasonably priced wave pool nearby (adults $5 half-day/$8 full day). The Entertainment Centre and the sea wall and wharf are also accessible from this area.
It was extremely hot and humid and, as in Katherine, our clothes were pretty well soaked through by the time we had been out for a few hours. We walked back to the hotel along the Esplanade for a bit and then visited Coles again to pick up some juice and ice-cream to rehydrate and cool off. As well as a lounge off the downstairs foyer, Holiday Inn Esplanade has a large and comfortable lounge on the first floor, to which we retreated to recover from the heat. They were also happy to store our bags after we had checked out and were wiling away the time waiting for the airport shuttle. Just after we arrived back at the hotel there were more heavy showers, so we had timed things well!
The airport shuttle is $15 per person (discounts for two or more) and was an efficient and stress-free way of getting to the airport. Check-in was uneventful, but yet again I was targeted for the explosives residue scanning test just after the security scanning. It seems to happen nearly every time I fly - perhaps I am just unlucky!
Things were looking up - seats in row 6 and access to the window seat for takeoff. Then it all went pear-shaped very rapidly. There was someone with a loud hacking cough in the seat behind and a family of five settled into row 5, including mother, father, girl aged about 8, boy aged about 6 and a screaming toddler of approximately 2. He wrestled and squirmed like an anaconda and screamed like a banshee when his mother tried to strap him into a harness prior to takeoff. His efforts were so impressive that the cabin attendant came and suggested that she wait until the aircraft was actually ready for takeoff. He did not appear to like being restrained in any way and the ear-splitting screams continued for around 3.5 hours of the four hour flight. Apart from being physically unpleasant and exhausting, it was so intrusive as to render my planned work activities impossible as I could not "hear myself think". The cabin attendant was obviously sympathetic to those who were suffering, and towards the end of the fight was kind enough to offer us a complimentary snack as a gesture of solidarity. Eventually we landed just before midnight and nary an apology was offered at any stage by the parents.
It is not the first time that my flight experience has been completely destroyed by disruptive screaming children (even worse when on an international flight and people are trying to sleep), and of course these families have a right to fly, but perhaps there are ways of being more considerate to their fellow passengers. Aside from the vexed question of parenting style, perhaps things like more playful distractions, travelling at a time that is not past a toddler's bedtime, and seating the family down the back of the aircraft (where there were quite a few vacant seats and fewer people would be disturbed (no-one behind them) and it would be easier for the parents to get up and move around with the toddler) might be helpful.
During the flight there was a quite spectacular sunset visible from the other side of the aircraft (but alas no chance to get to a window to capture it) and then as we neared Melbourne I could see a blood-red half-moon rising over the horizon. This gradually became orange and then gold, floating above the city lights as we came in to land.
The Busy Beaver Airport Parking bus was fortunately waiting outside the terminal so I was able to collect my car fairly promptly and was home just after 0100. I was very pleased with the service that they offer and would use them again.
The tour and cruise along the first part of the Katherine Gorge (Nitmiluk) was very worthwhile, and it was a definite highlight seeing some indigenous rock art which is thousands of years old. (This tour is reviewed separately in another posting.)
Whilst in the Northern Territory we experienced the paradox that is indigenous life and culture in Australia. In Alice Springs and Katherine, many indigenous people appeared to be spending the day just sitting under trees in parks (some obviously drinking alcohol), whilst at Nitmiluk we saw the other end of the spectrum - educated, articulate indigenous people who were proud of their heritage and culture and were making a living from sharing aspects of it with visitors to the region.
The Darwin Rail Terminal is 15km from the city, and situated close to thick stands of mangroves (not unlike Cairns Airport!). Darwin is very flat, and the drive in to town takes you through a number of industrial suburbs with low squat buildings and past a Department of Defence establishment. The absence of tall buildings in the centre of town is quite striking, and those that exist seem outwardly to be hotels and apartment buildings. Perhaps this is a legacy of Cyclone Tracy, which devastated Darwin on Christmas Eve 1974. My family and I experienced Cyclone Althea in Townsville in ..., but Tracey was far worse. Even in our experience, the most difficult time was after the storm, when all essential services were cut and there was "water, water everywhere".
The passengers from The Ghan seemed to be distributed over a number of the hotels in town, but many of us were either at the Holiday Inn Darwin or the fabulous Holiday Inn Esplanade (both on the Esplanade). In contrast to Rydges in Adelaide, I was hugely impressed with both the room and the facilities at the Holiday Inn. Even a choice of feather pillows was made available on the beds - soft vs firm! It was also extremely nice that when the TV was turned on, there was a message welcoming you by name.
We arrived in the late afternoon to the now familiar sight of indigenous people lying on the ground in the park across the road, and later on one of the young women in our group was approached by an obviously drunk Aboriginal man. Whilst out foraging for food there was safety in numbers, with indigenous people soliciting donations and loitering around the entrance to shops and eateries. A number of places appeared to have security guards patrolling the front entrance, and shops which were closed due to it being New Year's Day appeared heavily fortified to avoid vandalism.
The sense that we non-indigenous people were being 'eyed off' made me feel uneasy in a way that I have not felt since I was in Nepal and tried to go for a walk around central Kathmandu, but was accosted with every step I took. Within metres of the front door of the hotel I had come to the inescapable conclusion that westerners were seen as walking cash machines to be exploited at every opportunity, being bombarded with demands to buy this or that or the other thing or to avail yourself of some service. It was so unpleasant and "in your face" that I became discombobulated and lost my normal impeccable sense of direction in the rabbit warren of haphazard street layouts and had to ask for directions back to the hotel. It was also clear that there was one price for locals and another highly inflated version for visitors (and no fixed prices displayed). I abandoned my plans for gift shopping and solemnly emailed my family to explain the situation and covey my apologies in advance. I was very glad that we did not have to dally long in Kathmandu before heading off for Lukla and our Expedition Medicine course and trek.
However, I digress! Following all that gourmet food on the train I had a hankering for something simple, such as good old-fashioned fish and chips, and fortunately we found an outlet (Chip 'n' Fish - reviewed separately) that was open in the 'foodie' district in Mitchell Street nearby. Since breakfast was not included as part of the package, we also descended on the adjacent Coles supermarket and found some more bargains - yoghurt for $2.99, two cans of mango slices for $2.50, a litre of juice for $1.00, and a packet of scones for $2.70 and mince pies for $0.90. However, I have to say that the Coles self-checkout system was rather user unfriendly and frustrating.
The next morning it was stormy with thunder and lightning and moderately heavy tropical rain. Despite this we enjoyed a swim after breakfast in the excellent outdoor pool at the hotel. It is probably about 30 metres long and reasonably wide and 2 metres deep at one end so it is great for lap swimming.
After that it was off to the local Police Station to report the theft of my iPod Touch on The Ghan. I had accidentally left it in a small alcove above my bunk bed on the morning of the last day and did not realise it was missing until a few hours after disembarkation. The Terminal Manager was very helpful and the cabin was checked thoroughly and various staff avenues followed up, but without success. I was very sorry to lose it as it has been a wonderful and versatile tool, and often helped me to meditate and get to sleep. The Terminal Manager (and the carriage manager on the train) mentioned that it was extremely unusual for anything valuable to go missing, so I guess I was just unlucky. Fortunately I had travel insurance and still have my original purchase receipts so should be able to make a claim. (Moral of the story: make sure your valuables are locked in the safe when you are out of the cabin!)
The rain had stopped and there were a few hours spare before departing for the airport, so after another relatively healthy Subway lunch the gang headed off for a foot tour of some of the historical buildings close to the city and the waterfront. From the ruins of the old town hall to Christ Church Cathedral incorporating elements of the old and the new to the renovated Administrator's Building and the timber Government House, there were many stories of courage and resilience in the face of the devastating destruction of Cyclone Tracy.
The new and modern waterfront precinct is very attractive, with a number of multi-storey apartment buildings ringed around a small beach with a protected swimming area and a very reasonably priced wave pool nearby (adults $5 half-day/$8 full day). The Entertainment Centre and the sea wall and wharf are also accessible from this area.
It was extremely hot and humid and, as in Katherine, our clothes were pretty well soaked through by the time we had been out for a few hours. We walked back to the hotel along the Esplanade for a bit and then visited Coles again to pick up some juice and ice-cream to rehydrate and cool off. As well as a lounge off the downstairs foyer, Holiday Inn Esplanade has a large and comfortable lounge on the first floor, to which we retreated to recover from the heat. They were also happy to store our bags after we had checked out and were wiling away the time waiting for the airport shuttle. Just after we arrived back at the hotel there were more heavy showers, so we had timed things well!
The airport shuttle is $15 per person (discounts for two or more) and was an efficient and stress-free way of getting to the airport. Check-in was uneventful, but yet again I was targeted for the explosives residue scanning test just after the security scanning. It seems to happen nearly every time I fly - perhaps I am just unlucky!
Things were looking up - seats in row 6 and access to the window seat for takeoff. Then it all went pear-shaped very rapidly. There was someone with a loud hacking cough in the seat behind and a family of five settled into row 5, including mother, father, girl aged about 8, boy aged about 6 and a screaming toddler of approximately 2. He wrestled and squirmed like an anaconda and screamed like a banshee when his mother tried to strap him into a harness prior to takeoff. His efforts were so impressive that the cabin attendant came and suggested that she wait until the aircraft was actually ready for takeoff. He did not appear to like being restrained in any way and the ear-splitting screams continued for around 3.5 hours of the four hour flight. Apart from being physically unpleasant and exhausting, it was so intrusive as to render my planned work activities impossible as I could not "hear myself think". The cabin attendant was obviously sympathetic to those who were suffering, and towards the end of the fight was kind enough to offer us a complimentary snack as a gesture of solidarity. Eventually we landed just before midnight and nary an apology was offered at any stage by the parents.
It is not the first time that my flight experience has been completely destroyed by disruptive screaming children (even worse when on an international flight and people are trying to sleep), and of course these families have a right to fly, but perhaps there are ways of being more considerate to their fellow passengers. Aside from the vexed question of parenting style, perhaps things like more playful distractions, travelling at a time that is not past a toddler's bedtime, and seating the family down the back of the aircraft (where there were quite a few vacant seats and fewer people would be disturbed (no-one behind them) and it would be easier for the parents to get up and move around with the toddler) might be helpful.
During the flight there was a quite spectacular sunset visible from the other side of the aircraft (but alas no chance to get to a window to capture it) and then as we neared Melbourne I could see a blood-red half-moon rising over the horizon. This gradually became orange and then gold, floating above the city lights as we came in to land.
The Busy Beaver Airport Parking bus was fortunately waiting outside the terminal so I was able to collect my car fairly promptly and was home just after 0100. I was very pleased with the service that they offer and would use them again.
Travelling on "The Ghan" Day 2: "A Town like Alice"
The day was overcast and at least in the early part of the morning travel was through more heavily vegetated areas than late yesterday. There was a plentiful cover of grass tussocks, many small shrubs and occasional forest-like sections with trees and large shrubs. I am no expert on what these might be, but I did recognise some eucalypts and what looked like silky oak. Apparently the large shrubs are saltbushes. Later on in addition to the silky oaks there were some tall pine-like trees with cones. The red earth seemed a little duller, but perhaps this was just due to the overcast sky. There were occasional signs of civilisation, such as dirt tracks, windmills and water and communication towers. At one stage on the western side of the train line there were extensive areas where it looked as if a grass fire had gone through not too long ago, but had not 'jumped the track'. From time to time a number of cattle were spotted lingering under trees and a couple of eagles soared overhead.
As the train will be stopping in Alice Springs in the early afternoon, there is a curious arrangement catering-wise of a "rolling brunch" between 0700 and 1200 rather than breakfast and lunch. Having a bit of a propensity towards hypoglycaemia with lack of food, I decided to start the day with a muesli bar and a cup of tea and then attend 'brunch' later in the morning to improve the chances of lasting through to dinner time without 'fading' too much. I also hatched a cunning plan to take the aforesaid trusty thermos on the Alice Springs 'whistle-stop tour' (but alas did not have time to use it due to the tight timeline). (The tour is reviewed separately in another posting.)
Travelling north from Alice Springs the vegetation was generally denser and greener, and there were a few waterholes along the side of the track. At one stage there were also many tall red termite mounds amongst the bushes. The day remained overcast and by late afternoon it had completely clouded over.
Being New Year's Eve, GSR kindly provided nibbles and a complimentary drink in the lounge close to midnight as well as party decorations and balloons. A relatively small group saw in the New Year and several (quite brief) firework displays in Tennant Creek (the train stopped here for a couple of hours).
It is somewhat amusing that every time you are seated with a new group of people in the dining car that you always end up having some elements of conversation that are exactly the same - where are you from, what do you do, have you done any other train trips like this, what made you decide to travel on The Ghan, etc.
As the train will be stopping in Alice Springs in the early afternoon, there is a curious arrangement catering-wise of a "rolling brunch" between 0700 and 1200 rather than breakfast and lunch. Having a bit of a propensity towards hypoglycaemia with lack of food, I decided to start the day with a muesli bar and a cup of tea and then attend 'brunch' later in the morning to improve the chances of lasting through to dinner time without 'fading' too much. I also hatched a cunning plan to take the aforesaid trusty thermos on the Alice Springs 'whistle-stop tour' (but alas did not have time to use it due to the tight timeline). (The tour is reviewed separately in another posting.)
Travelling north from Alice Springs the vegetation was generally denser and greener, and there were a few waterholes along the side of the track. At one stage there were also many tall red termite mounds amongst the bushes. The day remained overcast and by late afternoon it had completely clouded over.
Being New Year's Eve, GSR kindly provided nibbles and a complimentary drink in the lounge close to midnight as well as party decorations and balloons. A relatively small group saw in the New Year and several (quite brief) firework displays in Tennant Creek (the train stopped here for a couple of hours).
It is somewhat amusing that every time you are seated with a new group of people in the dining car that you always end up having some elements of conversation that are exactly the same - where are you from, what do you do, have you done any other train trips like this, what made you decide to travel on The Ghan, etc.
Travelling on "The Ghan" Day 1: "I love a sunburnt country, a land of sweeping plains ..."
After surviving the ordeal of being in the shuttle bus in Adelaide for around 45 minutes (long enough to start getting a headache as it was not possible to open the windows), we finally arrived at the Parklands Rail Terminal.
The impressively long Ghan was standing at the platform, with its trademark red engine at the front, and a long line of silver carriages. The large entrance hall contains a check-in area, a NT Tourism desk, a shop and a cafe. Boarding commenced at 11:30 and the train left Adelaide at around 12:20.
The Gold Service cabins are small and old-fashioned, but functional, with a long bench seat, a window, an en-suite (with complimentary toiletry packs) and two fold-down bunk beds. Sitting on the benches, one travels backwards. According to my extensive observations on Melbourne trams and trains, this is not the natural preference for most of the human race, who, given a choice, will normally sit facing the direction of travel. (I later found out that half the cabins face in the direction of travel - as a keen photographer it would have been nice to have been offered a choice.) The cabin was a bit stuffy to start with but quickly cooled off once the train got underway. Free tea and coffee is available in a small kitchenette at the end of the carriage. A selection of music is available in the cabin, and the classical content is certainly of good quality. (Unfortunately for classical music lovers who "know their stuff", the selection is repeated.) Apparently WiFi is in the process of being installed, but I am not sure whether I actually like the idea as it is rather nice to be liberated by being free of email and the Internet for just a few days. At some stage during the first evening we also passed out of mobile phone network coverage and this felt strangely blissful. I expect connectivity will be resumed again when we pass through major towns during the rest of the journey, but in the interim the feeling of freedom from modern technology is rather pleasant! All part of the enchanting romance of train travel - sometimes less is more!
The customer service was excellent, both in terms of management of the cabin area, the lounge and the dining car. Announcements of relevance were made from time to time. A complimentary drink was provided in the lounge prior to lunch. Lunch and dinner times are booked and staggered in order to allow everyone to be served in the small Queen Adelaide dining car. (Meals have been reviewed separately.)
The Ghan initially follows the same route as the Indian Pacific (to Perth) but turns north at Tarcoola. Once we passed out of Adelaide we quickly encountered great expanses of farmland, red earth and golden stubble under a cloudless postcard blue sky. As well as catching glimpses of the Spencer Gulf on our journey to Port Augusta, we also saw vast white salt flats and acre upon acre of olive-green saltbush contrasting with the orchre earth. The impressive Flinders Ranges seemed to stretch from here to infinity, and we were told that we were looking at a very old remnant of ancient history that was once connected to Antarctica. Having travelled extensively in alpine and arctic regions, seeing a vast treeless landscape gave me the (false) sensation of being at altitude or high latitude. In the late afternoon we saw grey kangaroos, emus and sheep grazing amongst the saltbushes, unperturbed by the passing train. It was not difficult to spare a thought for the early explorers and the people who did the hard work of constructing the railway in such a hostile and unforgiving environment.
The bunk beds (and pillows) were reasonably comfortable. Coming from Melbourne, it was a case of going backwards in time twice - half an hour for South Australian time, and then an additional hour for Central time (as the NT does not have daylight saving). I have never had any trouble sleeping on trains - I find the motion quite soothing (if a bit noisy) and if it works for recalcitrant babies, why should it not work for adults? My last experience of a sleeper car was on the overnight train from Stockholm to Malmö, where there was a dizzying number of bunks stacked up to the ceiling, and a disconcertingly early arrival in Malmö. Taxi prices there are unregulated, so I was lucky there was a bus service which stopped close to the youth hostel in central Malmö. Even luckier that the driver took pity on a poor foreigner and did not charge me for the short journey!
Ah the irony of "mozzing" oneself! It turned out to be quite an eventful evening. Upon first retiring the train was "going like the clappers" with every imaginable vibration and groan. Despite being in the middle of nowhere with the blinds down, it was surprisingly bright with 'lights off', so I opened the blinds and peeked out and there was a full moon in a cloudy sky. Accustomed as I am to sleeping with a beautiful malleable feather pillow, the pillows provided were too 'lumpy' (fixed shape synthetic) and gave me no joy. Not long after midnight we stopped abruptly and remained stationary for about two hours. Perhaps this was to give way to another train. Once travel resumed it seemed to be at a more sedate pace (or else on a newer section of track) as the rattles and vibration were less than previously. I drifted in and out of sleep, wrestling with the pillow and trying to find a comfortable position, and was then fully awake by 0600 Central time, waiting for the knock on the door with the promised 'wake-up' coffee. This failed to materialise, but no matter. With the airconditioning going all night my mouth became a little dry so it was good to have a water bottle handy.
The impressively long Ghan was standing at the platform, with its trademark red engine at the front, and a long line of silver carriages. The large entrance hall contains a check-in area, a NT Tourism desk, a shop and a cafe. Boarding commenced at 11:30 and the train left Adelaide at around 12:20.
The Gold Service cabins are small and old-fashioned, but functional, with a long bench seat, a window, an en-suite (with complimentary toiletry packs) and two fold-down bunk beds. Sitting on the benches, one travels backwards. According to my extensive observations on Melbourne trams and trains, this is not the natural preference for most of the human race, who, given a choice, will normally sit facing the direction of travel. (I later found out that half the cabins face in the direction of travel - as a keen photographer it would have been nice to have been offered a choice.) The cabin was a bit stuffy to start with but quickly cooled off once the train got underway. Free tea and coffee is available in a small kitchenette at the end of the carriage. A selection of music is available in the cabin, and the classical content is certainly of good quality. (Unfortunately for classical music lovers who "know their stuff", the selection is repeated.) Apparently WiFi is in the process of being installed, but I am not sure whether I actually like the idea as it is rather nice to be liberated by being free of email and the Internet for just a few days. At some stage during the first evening we also passed out of mobile phone network coverage and this felt strangely blissful. I expect connectivity will be resumed again when we pass through major towns during the rest of the journey, but in the interim the feeling of freedom from modern technology is rather pleasant! All part of the enchanting romance of train travel - sometimes less is more!
The customer service was excellent, both in terms of management of the cabin area, the lounge and the dining car. Announcements of relevance were made from time to time. A complimentary drink was provided in the lounge prior to lunch. Lunch and dinner times are booked and staggered in order to allow everyone to be served in the small Queen Adelaide dining car. (Meals have been reviewed separately.)
The Ghan initially follows the same route as the Indian Pacific (to Perth) but turns north at Tarcoola. Once we passed out of Adelaide we quickly encountered great expanses of farmland, red earth and golden stubble under a cloudless postcard blue sky. As well as catching glimpses of the Spencer Gulf on our journey to Port Augusta, we also saw vast white salt flats and acre upon acre of olive-green saltbush contrasting with the orchre earth. The impressive Flinders Ranges seemed to stretch from here to infinity, and we were told that we were looking at a very old remnant of ancient history that was once connected to Antarctica. Having travelled extensively in alpine and arctic regions, seeing a vast treeless landscape gave me the (false) sensation of being at altitude or high latitude. In the late afternoon we saw grey kangaroos, emus and sheep grazing amongst the saltbushes, unperturbed by the passing train. It was not difficult to spare a thought for the early explorers and the people who did the hard work of constructing the railway in such a hostile and unforgiving environment.
The bunk beds (and pillows) were reasonably comfortable. Coming from Melbourne, it was a case of going backwards in time twice - half an hour for South Australian time, and then an additional hour for Central time (as the NT does not have daylight saving). I have never had any trouble sleeping on trains - I find the motion quite soothing (if a bit noisy) and if it works for recalcitrant babies, why should it not work for adults? My last experience of a sleeper car was on the overnight train from Stockholm to Malmö, where there was a dizzying number of bunks stacked up to the ceiling, and a disconcertingly early arrival in Malmö. Taxi prices there are unregulated, so I was lucky there was a bus service which stopped close to the youth hostel in central Malmö. Even luckier that the driver took pity on a poor foreigner and did not charge me for the short journey!
Ah the irony of "mozzing" oneself! It turned out to be quite an eventful evening. Upon first retiring the train was "going like the clappers" with every imaginable vibration and groan. Despite being in the middle of nowhere with the blinds down, it was surprisingly bright with 'lights off', so I opened the blinds and peeked out and there was a full moon in a cloudy sky. Accustomed as I am to sleeping with a beautiful malleable feather pillow, the pillows provided were too 'lumpy' (fixed shape synthetic) and gave me no joy. Not long after midnight we stopped abruptly and remained stationary for about two hours. Perhaps this was to give way to another train. Once travel resumed it seemed to be at a more sedate pace (or else on a newer section of track) as the rattles and vibration were less than previously. I drifted in and out of sleep, wrestling with the pillow and trying to find a comfortable position, and was then fully awake by 0600 Central time, waiting for the knock on the door with the promised 'wake-up' coffee. This failed to materialise, but no matter. With the airconditioning going all night my mouth became a little dry so it was good to have a water bottle handy.
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