To me, that magical morning moment somehow sums up the whole Glam/Ghan experience. It is the height of luxury in a land famed for privation, and the contrast is exquisite.

It isn’t all killer desert, though. Near Darwin, the landscape is lush and tropical; down south, it’s much more European, with green, rolling hills, pleasant meadows and rickety wooden cottages. Coursing through such diverse climates in just a few days ensures that window-gazing is never boring. The train also stops in Alice Springs and Katherine, where you can disembark long enough to go on little local tours.

The Ghan certainly goes a long way - some 1,850 miles, about the same as travelling from London to Moscow by land - but with the new standards of luxury set by the Platinum Service carriages, it’s clear that the train has come a long way too.

If there’s one complaint, it’s that it’s all just too good. Everything is so clean, crisp and comfortable that you get little sense of the world outside. You can’t open the windows, and therefore you can’t feel the hot wind in your face, can’t smell the baked outback air, can’t get that red dust in your eyes. On the other hand, there’s no chance you’ll be shot by a cranky camel.

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TRAVEL BRIEF
The Ghan, run by Great Southern Rail (00 61 8 8213 4592, www.gsr.com.au ), runs twice weekly from Adelaide to Darwin and back. One-way Platinum Service tickets start at £1,308pp, with Gold cabins from £849pp and seat-only fares from £305.

Getting there: the best option is an open-jaw fare into Darwin and back from Adelaide (or vice versa). Prices start at about £975 with Qantas (0845 774 7767, www.qantas.com ).

Where to stay: stick with the glam theme at the Hilton Adelaide (00 61-8 8217 2000, www.hilton.com ; doubles from £68, B&B). Or try the cheap, central Paringa (8 8231 1000, www.adelaideparinga.com.au ; from £44). In Darwin, Skycity (8 8943 8888, www.skycitydarwin.com.au ; doubles from £76, room-only) has a pool by the beach. Or try Darwin Central (8 8944 9000, www.darwincentral.com.au ; from £57).

Package deals: Austravel (0844 412 4620, www.austravel.com ) has Platinum Service on the Ghan from Adelaide to Darwin, two nights’ four-star accommodation at each end and flights from London, from £2,499pp. Or try Bridge & Wickers (020 7483 6555, www.bridgeandwickers.co.uk ), or The Ultimate Travel Company (020 7386 4646, www.theultimatetravelcompany.co.uk ).

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