24th February 2010
We had always planned to do at least part of the train journey between Cairns and Brisbane and had booked this thinking we were on the famous Sunlander train. However, when we arrived at the station today it turns out we are on something called the Tilt Train. None of the lovely lounges and bars that feature on the Sunlander which was something I was particularly looking forward to.
The disappointment didn’t last for long though when we quickly figured out we were on our most comfortable train yet for the 10 hour journey down to Airlie Beach. There was a screen in our armrest featuring two different films, a few chanels showing various TV shows and radio stations and a journey tracker complete with maps and a camera-shot from the front of the train.
We watched a few movies in between looking out of the window at the scenary which changed from the sugar cane plantations of far north Queensland to bushland and small settlements further down the coast. Some ten hours later we arrived in Proserpine which is the station which serves Airlie Beach and transfered to the bus into town.
The reason we had come to Airlie Beach in the first place was to take a jet ski tour around the Whitsunday Islands. Unfortunately due to high winds and sea swells of over 3 metres this ended up being cancelled for safety reasons. This was a major disappointment and meant we had a whole day to spend in Airlie Beach - not a big place with not a lot to do.