That's right, AD, you'll just have to downshift from the hectic pace of life in Santa Fe. I once had the pleasure of hiring a car from a rental company on Cerillos Road. I got the wrong car, but they were damned quick about it.

BTW, who would have thought such an apparently straightforward enquiry would turn into a such a long thread? Eventually this might beat Michi's record.

It's true, when we had our B&B here, we'd answer the phone on the second ring we were so anxious for business. On the other hand, if guests weren't here by 6PM they checked themselves in and we went off to rolick.
We'll give Redicar another 60 seconds.

AndrewDavid

Hi, AndrewDavid!

Is the sixty seconds up yet?

I can imagine the response from Redicar when we contact them and tell them that there's a message on their website: "Website? Do we have a website? Struth, no one told me about it! I guess I'll have to have a look at it one of these days. Of course, that'll mean I'll have to get the computer out of the back of the cupboard, and that means clearing out all the bottles of beer we've stacked in front of it. Maybe I'll just wait till the beer is all finished..."

Seriously, AndrewDavid, Redicar is only a local (25 cent) call from here, so if you haven't heard from them in a few more days, get back onto this thread and I will contact them on your behalf. Meanwhile, content yourself with the knowledge that their lack of response so far is already giving you a taste of the REAL Aussie experience. I'll bet you expect our trains to run on time, too!

Dear Alan,

Our trains don't run on time, so it would be presumptuous of me to expect that yours do.

Here in Santa Fe we only have buses and they are few and far between. The Santa Fe Railroad never actually made it to Santa Fe, only came as far as Lamy ( named after the archbishop in "Death Comes to the Archbishop" by Willa Cather) 19 miles away!

I did hear from Redicar; unfortunately they quoted the wrong p/u time , but I'm confident I'll hear from them soon and be back on track.

Johnj called them to check and they snapped to it.

It will be a unique experience if Redicar includes some beer w/ the rental. Are your dwi rules relaxed enough for that option?

bottoms up,
AndrewDavid

trains?? We have trains????

Don't you? Check w/ Alan and other pundits who assure us we can get up to the mountains by rail. Are they misleading us? Has Alan constructed an imaginary rail schedule just for our titillation ? (Australian) wonders never cease.

AD

the existence of trains and their schedules has been quite controversial of late!

Weekend trains are to be cut by about half, that is, frequency, not the size of the train, because of staff shortages.

SOS: Alan,

Redicar replied, but w/ the wrong pick up time. I e-mailed them to get a corrected quote, but they've fallen silent.

Could you put up contact info for Budget in Emu Plains, please.

If we come back down to Emu Plains Sunday evening 18 May, will we be in the traffic johnj advises us to avoid, or does it gather between Emu Plains and Sydney.

Will the train problems refered to above make travel difficult?

If we rent in Emu Plains, can we take you out to breakfast for all the assistance you've supplied?
Don't worry about the financial burden on us , I'll pass the hat to all other chatters.

Thanks,
AndrewDavid

Hi, AndrewDavid!

Sorry to hear the Redicar didn't come through with flying colours -- I hope that they do, because the idea of dropping the car at Richmond and thus seeing another road across the Mountains (plus Mt Wilson) is a tempting one.

Meanwhile, however, here is your info about Budget Rentacar:

Address: Old Bathurst Rd, Emu Plains.
Phone: 61-2-4731 5000.
Alternate phone for out-of-town bookings (probably one number for all Budget outlets): 1300 362 848
Budget website (book on-line): www.budget.com.au

In case their deal is lousy, try this alternative at Emu Plains (a little further from the station): Network Car and Truck Rentals, 20 Smith St, Emu Plains, phone 4735 6696.

Sunday afternoon is a bad day to drive back down the Mountains, as thousands of other weekenders have got the same idea as you. There are slow patches, especially around Wentworth Falls, where the highway still has not been widened. Whether you return to Valley Heights or Emu Plains, you are going to encounter these slow patches, but it certainly won't get any worse toward Emu Plains, as the highway is very wide there.

One advantage of coming back down to Emu is that you can take the "back road" through Mitchell's Pass by turning left at the McDonald's in Blaxland. This small and not-well-known road takes only five minutes to drive through, and then you're in Emu Plains... but what is interesting about it is that it will take you across the oldest bridge in mainland Australia. Another advantage is that you can have breakfast with the kangaroos on the way up, by turning left off the highway at Glenbrook Village (at the Caltex Service Station) and following the signs to the "National Park".... once inside this area, you follow more signs to Euroka Clearing, which is a little jewel of a place that can only be visited by small vehicles.

If this were on aany other day than Saturday or Sunday, I would take you up on your offer for breakfast in a minute.... Euroka is a place I sometimes go just to be at peace with the world, and I'd be thrilled to join you. However, on Saturdays and Sundays peace is, unfortunately, not on my agenda; and I fear that Saturday is when you are planning to pick up the car, as I think you said that you wanted to do this over two days. Still, the offer was much appreciated, and I am sure all the other chatters would have been pleased to chip in for the breakfast costs (other chatters: no need to be disappointed, just send me the money anyway!)

One thing you may like to consider if it's a Friday journey up: you were concerned aboiut safe storage of bags in Katoomba, but if we WERE to meet for breakfast, I can solve that problem, as I know a garage in Blaxland where suitcases can be safely stowed for a day or two -- as long as you don't mind sharing it with all the books that I can no longer fit into the house!