Me!
Tip: Don't bother sightseeing in the dark. This is about all there is to take photos of.
Southern Highlands fog
The camera actually tries to clarify the fog more than it is. It looked even more pea-soupy at Moss Vale station that morning.
Moss Vale station
You can't see it in this photo, but the water droplets were completely visiible in the light beams of these lamps.
Nick the Driver
This is Nick, whom all the passengers on the road coach from the Highlands to the South Coast know personally. Here he is announcing the Fare Free Day, and dryly joking about what sort of no-frills service we can expect :-) He also grumbled about wasting 10 minutes of his life going all the way to Dapto (tongue in cheek).
Illawarra Highway
On the way around Robertson, the fog was starting to lift ... in some spots.
Driving into the East
The sun kept threatening to come out from behind the fog. Along the way, the radio news bulletin on the bus speakers announced the Fare Free Day, and Nick the Driver jumped for the off switch and told us to ignore it.
Macquarie Pass
Driving down Macquarie Pass is difficult at the best of times, and really tough in a coach. Here we're pulled over having just come down that left side. Lots of nice warm air inside to fog up the windows :-)
South Coast - Bombo
South Coast - Kiama 1
South Coast - Kiama 2
South Coast - Kiama 3
South Coast - Gerringong 1
The best bits are between Kiama and Gerringong.
South Coast - Gerringong 2
South Coast - Gerringong 3
It's like a 1950s movie at "night" ...
South Coast - Gerringong 4
South Coast - Gerringong 5
South Coast - Gerringong 6
Finally the South Coast flattens out (after lots and lots of cliffs, escarpments and national parks. And the odd swamp near Oak Flats).
The Bomaderry Burger
A Burger With The Lot, from the local chippie. Before you ask "Why!?", remember that this had to last me possibly from Nowra to Scone. It was either that, or risk ducking out to Macca's Express at Olympic Park.
South Coast - Gerringong 7
Back at the flood plain, 2 minutes north of Gerringong, you can see these broad, still rivers, meandering through the lush green (with cows on top). They're the sort of rivers you don't expect to see in Australia ...
South Coast - Gerringong 8
South Coast - Gerringong 9
South Coast - Gerringong 10
South Coast - Gerringong 11
You can just about see the first bits of suburbia creeping up here. Kiama has the same "Homeworld" style developments that you'll see through the Illawarra and all the way up to Sydney. (Whereas the Central Coast and Hunter Valley had a lot longer settled residential developments).
Olympic Park
The SMH called after this to arrange a photo. They were surprised to hear this train arrived at Olympic Park early.
Airport Line
Nice bit of long exposure going on here. The Ghost Tangara! You don't even see it coming, and WHACK!
Central Coast - Dora Creek
Most ticket machines and platforms had the official signage on them, but not this one! You can see how the "Goose" train windows are reflecting their orange colour on the pole near the left.
Intercity "Rattler"
Featuring the latest in passenger comfort! A fan, a radiator and, for your entertainment, a speaker. Don't forget the old slide-me-up maybe-I'll-drop-down-on-your-fingers windows. They have added a few modern touches, like Tangara-style door locking and Tangara-grey paint. This is the train that took the Teenage Mums Brigade out of Newcastle to the Hunter. Their drunken boyfriends would come in regularly from the next carriage to ask them something, start intimidating them and walk off swearing. The other girls would then think up another name to call him and all laugh. Meantime one of the half-dozen toddler boys would muck up, start fighting and make another cry, followed by the inevitable verbal reprimand (eg for sticking a hand out the window) and the timeless, "I've told you already!" A couple of the girls were also pregnant, but if you didn't hear the way they speak you'd think they were fairly bright and thoughtful really.
Hunter Line - Last sunlight
Between Greta and Branxton - this is where I was when I got a phone call from the ProgSoc AGM. Hi, Elden!!
Belford Station
Here we present Belford Platform 2, complete with full-size commuter bench, yellow safety line, platform number signage, and the "emergency help point" in case you can't cope with the other passenger(s). There are quite a few of these mini stations in the intercity areas. Just remember to get off at the back door only.
Scone Station
End of the line!