FFO, Smiles And The Ghost

 

Let me show you some more of our Indian Pacific-adventure!

 

But first, a sweet face for Nicole's  FFO:

 

 

And here is a smile for Annie's Smiles:

 

 

 And a funny:

In Perth everybody seems to have a tattoo - and I saw many ugly, not well done ones-and many high-quality ones as well.

Spooky?

Yes!

 

Our train got diesel and water in the ghost-town Cook, and we were to get off and explore, 4 peeps are living there.

Wiki says: "Cook is a railway station and crossing loop located in the Australian state of South Australia on the Trans-Australian Railway. It is 824 kilometres (512 miles) by rail from Port Augusta, 863 kilometres (536 miles) by rail from Kalgoorlie, and about 100 kilometres (62 mi) north of the Eyre Highway via an unsealed road. It is on the longest stretch of straight railway in the world, at 478 kilometres (297 mi), which extends from Ooldea, South Australia to beyond Loongana, Western Australia.

Cook is the only scheduled stop on the Nullarbor Plain for the Indian Pacific transcontinental passenger train and has little other than curiosity value for passengers strolling around while their train is replenished."

I do hope these are refurbished as well - sadly, despite asking around, no one had the time to fill me in on the train-details...

 

In case you are not familiar (I wasn't for a looooong time), wiki says: "A bogie... is a chassis or framework that carries a wheelset, attached to a vehicle—a modular subassembly of wheels and axles."

Isn't this one a beaut?

I certainly got a messed up one as model, all blue, but they need a place to stay, too, right?

 

I wore long trousers and a long-armed blouse btw..

Ingo said, despite we were out "shortly" only, he felt the sun burn him (with sunscreen factor 50+).

Here kids met for real to learn, that big COOK was once.

Usually kids learned (learn) via School of the Air.

Like sexy "Luke Danes" from Gilmore Girls, well done, mate! But not outside!!!

The sign reads "Ghost City of the Nullabor".

Seems like Ghosts do not get sick... (pic taken at an angle as there were heaps of ghosts people).

1995. Our car drifted to the right....

We parked over night in 1995 at a rest area.

A mighty Road Train came too close and we got a crack in the windscreen.

Ingo'd served baked beans with corned beef for the first time using dried garlic and took waaaaay too much.

Next day in Ceduna we went to Windscreen 'O Broken to get the crack fixed.

Ingo came very near to get it all explained.

Oh, the poor man kept a straight face upon the garlic-breath! 😂

Henry's 🦁  alter train-ego, the Wedge-tailed eagle 🐦

 

 

Lucky you're high up, eh?

 

Some of you mentioned it must be boring on the train.

It is such a wonderful experience you have to book now for 2025!

This is about watching the beautiful Outback, the typical red Aussie landscape (yes, you "watch") whilst meeting new people with your interest, obviously,and from around the world.

You chat along coffee, wine or beer at hand  - enjoying! I never saw anyone getting drunk-ish!

Three times a day you have an exclusive meal whilst watching the landscape and chat some more.

And at night the train is like a cradle, soothing you to sleep...

 

It is not cheap and everybody was saving money for this trip, being humble. 

To Tom's comment on tattoos:

I never was thinking of a tattoo.
August 2002, my Brother on a Sunday afternoon rang Ingo's bell and gave me his car asking me to help guiding our Dad to death. He'd had cancer before and'd bet it, so this came as surprise.
As if someone hit me on the head. Hearing and seeing went bad, I was all numb.
Next morning I went all the way to Wolfsburg to "work". Then I was supposed to drive to Goettingen, a long way.
I made it to Braunschweig only, I was heartbroken.
I had seen there is a tattoo-studio near the China-take away.
Went in there, chose one, got one it hurt! No research if they are good, I was on autopilot.
Years later I saw a docu that showed many get their first tattoo when they lose a loved one.
It drives the pain away from the heart and mind to where you let yourself get tortured and something that forever reminds you of them.
It's "healing".

And later you keep good memories with new ones, like when you made a great experience etc.
I have none that is without a meaning.

And then there are others. Saw a guy on Transperth. He had cheap crosses all over, think it was a drunk night! Feet, arm, face!