Weather satellites circling high above Earth,
Gave meteorologists an early warning alert,
An enormous amount of swirling cloud,
Covered the ocean like a grand final crowd.

A super storm, cyclone or whatever it's called
Showed symptoms of ferocity that left us appalled
By the thoughts of destruction that soon would arrive,
And left many wondering if they'd be dead or alive.

Forward

The tin roof leaked, the verandah posts leaned and the old timber cottage shuddered and groaned when the strong winter winds blew across the bare north paddock We called it "THE RUSTY RANCH" but I suppose it was no worse than hundreds of other, two bed roomed, iron roofed, unlined weather board cottages in country Western Australia in 1942. Sometimes, in the strongest gust, it swayed so much the front door would fly open and scare the daylights out of us.

My first trip on the Ghan was a long needed holiday, and as a guest of Great Southern Railways I was invited to travel on the Indian Pacific from Sydney to Perth. In the space of two months, I travelled the length and breadth of Australia but you can easily do it in a week or two should you choose to travel by train.