cows, tea, and a numb bum

30 hours on a train sure is a long time to sit still. Time to think, listen to music, read, knit, ponder, write and look out the window.

I woke up to this view, sunrise on Saturday morning on the way to Brisbane. A very nice way to start the day, even if bleary eyed and sleep deprived.

Clouds lying in the valleys as the day warms up, and the reflection of the inside of my cabin.

waking up with a cup of tea, or three.

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Mmmmm.. Picturesque..

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Monday morning just leaving Brisbane on the way back to Sydney.
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Frankie (Oh Frankie) and more tea.

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Other Things I liked about my train trips:
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Things coming out of the walls:
- my bed came out of the wall. The toilet folds out of the wall, so does the basin. The tables are stored in the walls. The rubbish bin is in the wall. Like a wardrobe leading to Narnia in there.
- the squeaks and creaks of the carriage sounds like a language as you fall asleep

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Free Stuff:
- a snack pack on boarding, complimentary breakfast, and the fluffiest whitest towel rubbed myself with as well as a little toiletry bag with a shower cap, shampoo, toothbrush toothpaste, a pen, earplugs and a comb.
- everything is eeny. Milk portions, soaps, tiny tube of toothpaste. Cute.

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Passengers:
-not too many. I had the little cabin to myself both ways, and could stretch my legs out across the seats, and talk to myself, and not make polite conversation if I didn’t feel like it.
-First Class is full of old people. Old people, as a general rule, are quiet and well-mannered. If I have to share a space with anyone for over 30 hours, I’d prefer them to be quiet and well-mannered.
- Jane, in the sleeper next to me, taught me how to purl and told me about her orchard, duck, grandkids, and trip to Africa.

Scenery:
- going around corners so you can see the front of the train through the window
- so much green. Green pastures, green fields, green trees, green hills, green grass. Was good to soak my eyes in nature instead of concrete for a while. Also wide open spaces. You can see a long way without city buildings in the way, uh huh.
- farm animals. ‘nuff said. Cows are awesome. Also horses, ducks, and I think I saw a goat, although it may have been a small pony.

I also like going away ‘cause it’s always so nice to come home.

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(this is the tiny toothpaste in the tiny hands of my neice. Knida makes her hands look giant. They're not.)