2024-11-25 -35 143

Location

On a footpath in Kerang

Participants

BarbaraTables

Expedition

Graticule unlocked! I've been keeping my eye on this graticule for a long time, noting that it should be possible for me to obtain a Geohash here if the point were to land in a town with a train station. Finally, it did on a day I was free, and I had two days' notice due to the coordinates of all Mondays being revealed on Saturday in Australia.

I got up at 4:30am on the day. Or at least I was supposed to; I'm sure that alarm was probably ringing for a good twenty minutes. Luckily, I factored that in when I set the alarm, allowing me to leave on time. I know myself too well.

I took the 691 bus, then took the train from Ferntree Gully Station to Southern Cross Station - buying my V/Line tickets along the way - and then boarded the V/Line train heading toward Swan Hill.

That long train ride is what I reasoned would be so great about the trip; I would have plenty of time to work, so it's really like a study session, except I get to take a break for two hours in a faraway place. Laptop? Check. Mobile data? Check. Reading glasses? Check. Will to stay awake on three of hours of sleep? Oh no. Hey, I wrote a few emails, that's not nothing. Proud adult over here doing adult things.

When I got there at 11:40am, it was lightly raining. I stuck to footpaths to avoid all the mush on the ground. There were also lots of large ants, which I was concerned could have been bull ants.

Anyway, I'm not going to dramatise that any further. The point was a short walk from Kerang Station - that's why I elected to take this journey in the first place.

I had two hours of free time before I had to take the train back. I took the time to discuss financial matters with the bank (more adult things!), and did some schoolwork at a café.

On the train ride back, I slept a lot and took advantage of the café bar again. Did I mention that the first time? The train there and the train back had a café bar, where you can get snacks and coffee. I got hot dogs and coffee. Is nice.

Now that I was back in Melbourne, I got off at Footscray Station to then (unsuccessfully) attempt another point.

A lesson for anyone reading this - book your V/Line tickets in advance (I could very well have discovered on my way to Southern Cross Station that there are no tickets left), and if you can, book your ticket next to the café bar.

Anyway, really glad to put my name in the Geohashing history books as the first successful Geohasher in this graticule.