I am so thrilled; I won a seat on the wine train. Tickets were sold out months back, so the sole way to get one was by winning. It was one of those call-in radio shows where you have got to identify a backwards clip of a famous song.

2 people made a cock up before I got my chance, and I guessed right. It was actually the most exciting experience of my life. That is, till I boarded the wine train. You would not assume the selection they have got. Merlot, Valpolicella, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Shiraz…the list keeps going. Dry, rich, sweet, fruity, sour, full, robust, divine…all of the above. And you would not think the itinerary. How a train can get from France to Australia in sixty minutes is beyond my understanding, but I’d never question the miracle of the wine train. I was only on the train for slightly less than 2 hours when I started feeling like I was floating. What other method of transport can do that? Not an aircraft, that’s not in doubt. The way guests are treated on the train is just exceptional. They give you a full platter of cheese and crackers to start you off on your wine tasting excitement. They even label each cheese according to which wine it should be eaten with. For example, Havarti should be eaten with a white wine like the Greek Malmatina; the touch sour, fruity taste is complimented to the fullest with a giant bite of creamy Havarti.

With red wine, you are commended to eat a blander cheese, eg mozzarella or provolone, with a pleasant cup of rich taste-bud-biting Shiraz. And they do not inexpensive out on the wine. You are looking at thirteen, even 15% here. After awhile, when you have become used to the velocity of light country-hopping, you begin to notice things on the train that you did not when you boarded. First off, the seats have the shape of wine bottles. The cork is a head restrainer, and the seat itself is a cushion inside the bottle; you’ve got to squeeze your way into the bottle to get cushty.

Once you are in there, it’s tough to feel hazardous. You can close yourself within the bottle and have a little sleep, if you need. I actually don’t suggest the sleep – if you take one, you won’t wake up in time, and you can miss the entire trip. After all this wine tasting, you could be considering where the lavatories are. Oh, they are on the train – you will find them finally, after much stumbling and slurring. The bogs are basically so inspiring, they are worth the search. The majority love them so much, they finish up hugging the loo before they leave. I’m aware that I sure did.