On the Indian-Pacific (Kalgoorlie)

last night we all slept well, i think. hyo ju, the girl beside me, reminds me of hwee ying, dimpled cheeks and dainty chin. Prince's voice reminds me of 1996 when he was formerly known as Prince, when Power Rangers saved the world (Angel Grove) every week and when unbreak my heart and betcha bye golly wow were a chart-toppers. this was while travelling in indonesia with my family.

Hyo Ju accompanies me through the empty Nullarbor.

ten years later, betcha bye golly wow is playing on max kingsley jr. but im in australia alone and the only thing that happens for sure every week is a right good fuck. railways, or at least GSR ones, are very odd. we travel through the ugliest corners of cities and then go straight into vast swathes of nothingness. it is bewildering and peaceful all at once.

In Alice Springs, for example, The Legendary Ghan pulls into a scrapyard.

the indian-pacific goes through the Nullarbor (No-tree) Plain now. i contemplate taking a picture now but instead i write. because i know ten minutes later, after i've finished writing, it will still be harsh treeless unending land. if mountains are the upheavals of the earth's heart, then i think i've found the spot of the earth where its heart unfolds into peace. the lands stretch till they meet the sky. without a whisper or sigh, everything is as-is, contented and sleeping since the sea went away.

the sunset is magnificent. a vengeful red pours out of the clouds. there is no amber or purple; it is all the colour of bloodlust. i think of taking a picture but sit and enjoy it instead. because i know i can enjoy the moment and write about it later.

The Mighty Indian-Pacific stops at Cook for one hour. An abandoned railway town with a population of 4, it's easy to appreciate the cunning sense of humour of all its residents.

while on the GSR network, feel free to go on the whistle stop tours. they're very value for money and it beats sitting in the train anyway. in kalgoorlie, you can either go on a guided tour for 20AUD (good for the first trip) or you can walk into town on foot (good on the return trip).