So, I took the Connex commuter train from Sandringham into Melbourne tonight. Boy, are they punctual! The station at Sandringham is the terminal for that line and only has one platform, and they turn those trains around fast! Unlike the Long Island Rail Road or the NYC subway, there are no signals at the end of the line to gradually slow the train into the station. Instead, the train pulls into the station as quickly as it would in any station along its route. Then, there is a digital clock on the platform, and sure enough, the train reverses direction and leaves on the minute, no ifs, ands or buts.

The public transportation system here is split into two zones - the city and the suburbs - and if you life in the 'burbs, it doesn't matter if you live five miles away or twenty miles away, the price is the same. And it's all relatively cheap. your train ticket is good on commuter trains, trams and buses for the duration that it's valid.

I was going into the city to go to the weekly meeting of the Melbourne Bushwalkers Club. It was interesting, but the long and the short of it is that they specialize in day walks and they sensed I usually go for overnight trips, so they recommended another club. more about that later.

P.S. The radio program I mentioned yesterday is only hosted by high school girls for half the week - the other half of the week is hosted by high school boys. Brilliant idea! However, all they seemed to want to do is talk about sports, which was actually predictable and boring. Oh well. Can't win them all.