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Today's quote:

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

It's Latin for 'no tree'

Full-length movie (38 minutes)
 

For my overseas friends, let me explain that the Nullarbor Plain, which at its widest point stretches about 1,100 kilometres from east to west across the border between South Australia and Western Australia, was named for nullus, "no", and arbor, "tree".

I first heard of it when I watched the movie Nullarbor Hideout in the 60s. Back then the railway line that crossed the Nullarbor was serviced by fettlers who lived in small settlements, mere dots on the map, which once a week were supplied by the now long gone Tea-and-Sugar Train:

And it all started in 1912 in Port Augusta:

Of course, these days train travel is a lot more 'up-market' (and with a price to match):

Both the Indian-Pacific and The Ghan are still on my bucket-list.

 

(By the way, a South American scientist from Argentina, after a lengthy study, has discovered that people with insufficient brain and sexual activity read their blogs with their hand on the mouse. DON'T BOTHER TAKING IT OFF NOW, IT'S TOO LATE!!!)