Aboard the Sunlander Train from Cairns to Brisbane

Queensland Rail

The station long and dusty

My rucksack seemed much heavier today

I went and asked a man

his name was Justin

Who helped me at the

Ticket place to pay

Roger the Train Manager

unhappy, miserable

He told me from the start

Unless I could get on the train

unaided

I would not be allowed to board

which broke my heart

I was booked, and I had my reservation

Your agent booked the wrong train

you should be

On the tilt  train where we cater for you types

This train is old and uncomfortable you see

Going any distance did seem crazy

But anyway I made it on the train

And did it, yes unaided

really somewhat jaded

And sat in the rear seat

In quite some pain

“Meal assist” was now my

allocation

But till 4.30 no one came

alas

Until I checked the time

with 4 girls just infront of me

And one of them it seems

was an English Lass

She came from Enfield and

she said she’d go and complain

and did so on my behalf

Angels seem to always be on hand

Roger it seemed, actually forgot me

And went to sleep and another

pair came on

Ben and a sweet lady and I never knew her name

Helped me, I was glad Roger had gone

The new crew kept their eyes on me

about each hour

A nice smile and some thoughtfulness

is great

Travelling on one’s own across Australia

In many ways it is great to have a mate

When Roger came back on

He stayed away from me

I did complain and no doubt

he had been told

This time Stuart came and did look after me

So once again on trains

I became sold

Sugar Cane and Bananas

just grew everywhere

miles and miles of mono cropping, they

kind of sent a message to the wider world

Of the need for nutrients

to save the day

Compared to the India Pacific

and the good old Ghan

The Sunlander

Was old,and not so bright

The doors were heavily sprung

The toilet small and among

The trains I ‘d used till now

Was very tight

It was Easter

and the holiday crowds

were boarding

Children bawled

and ran around like mad

Even the man in the moon

did not look happy

Infact he did look really rather sad

At Bowen Station

Lots of people left the train

Mckay, Rockhampton

once again a place

Things got better

With the caring for me thing

And Easter Sunday was something I did face

At Bunderberg there were a lot of people

Hanging baskets, home of the tilt train

More sugar cane vast fields of it

were everywhere

And the Eucalyptus woods were back again

My salad consisted of a big variety

8$ for all this, completely fair

I must say I was glad to get to

somewhere

even if it was ofcourse Brisbane

Stuart took  me down the railways concourse

Out to where the taxi’s they did ply

Phoned up for the Black and Whites to help me

And a lady came a long quick which was why

The Marque Hotel on George Street

My destination

a rather swish delightful place to be

Until the lad said at the grand reception

That the 9th floor was where they would now house me

I struggled up there

wondering why so high a floor

In case of fire the lift I couldn’t use

9 flights of stairs I’d say my prayers

for clearly I’d be burned to a blooming cinder

So not good news!

I got  to room 911, and it was dingy

The shower room had a high tray

dangerous too

I tried to ring to tell them this was useless

But nobody would answer

what to do?

Back I went to tell them on reception

the guy said that was all the rooms

they had

in that case I will have to find another place

to stay

For those facilities are really bad

I then said you had best give me my money back

Theres no way I can stay here none at all

Then he checked with housekeeping and was told

of 311

a purpose made disabled room, what fun

And so the threats had woke this charming person

up and he had found a room for me

The shower was almost perfect

But the bed was soft

And I fell out on the first night tragically

All hotels cater they say for disabled

in the toilet area, we see

Handles and some semblance of some safety

But the room itself has its problems

definately

The queen sized bed was like a soft marshmallow

and on the side where the telephone was placed

Most people slept I surmised this from the

terrible support

Sleeping on the floor had to be faced

The next day I complained  I had a problem

A bed of soft marshmallow caused me pain

They put a strip of partition board

underneath the blankets

So hopefully I would not fall again

3 days into the 7 I  had paid for

It still was most uncomfortable for me

and on the 5 th Night they got a much firmer bed

So for 3 whole nights I was happy as could be

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