Article by Lena Hawthorne
One of the things you can do when you have a cheap travel insurance plan is take the Ghan across the outback and through the heart of this great country. This journey by train will take you from one edge of the continent, to the outback, and then to the other end. As you spend three days aboard the train, you will discover how diverse the landscape is. Witness it change from lush, sub-tropic environments to mystical, barren deserts.
The Ghan, then known as the Port Augusta to Government Gums Railway, was started in 1878 and was eventually finished in 1929. The new one that people who take out Australia travel insurance to ride was completed in the early 1980s and is located approximately 160 kilometres west of the old line. The reason for the relocation of the track was to prevent washout due to the rains and also to lessen travel time.
Running twice weekly, the train operates between Adelaide, Alice Springs, and Darwin on the Adelaide-Darwin railway. The reason why the ride is called the Ghan is due to the fact that it is the shortened version of the Afghan Express. The nickname was given to the express passenger service of the Commonwealth Railways in 1923 by one of the crews who worked on the train line. It was given in honour of the Afghan camel drivers who first came to Australia in the late 19th century to help carve out new paths into the then unexplored interior of the country.
Before you hop aboard the Ghan, you will want to make sure that you get an Australia travel insurance plan. A very good reason for getting one is in case you eat something that does not agree with your stomach and you need to be brought to the nearest hospital, the train will have to make a stop somewhere along the way and you will need the services of an ambulance to take you there. Having travel insurance assures you that you will get the necessary medical attention.
Another reason why you need this is in case one of your personal belongings gets left behind at the train station. What if you had left behind by accident a bag that contained your digital single lens reflex camera? If this happened, then you would not have anything to take pictures of the marvellous sights along the way. A cheap travel insurance plan can replace your camera at the end of your journey. While you may have lost your camera, you can take comfort in the fact that its full value will be refunded to you because you were prepared.
One final reason why an Australia travel insurance plan can help you out is in case you miss your train. This has happened to many people before, for one reason or another. They end up getting to the station late or they have to cancel for personal reasons, like a death in the family. Having cheap travel insurance can help you get a refund on your tickets and get them rescheduled for a later date. This will help you get through an already difficult situation.
Riding the Ghan can be one of the most thrilling adventures you can make while you are touring Australia. Make sure you have an Australia travel insurance plan that will protect you as you go on this iconic journey.
About the Author
Lena is a member of a tourists organization helping people about travel insurance and its benefits. She recommends buying cheap travel insurance online.
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