Train Ride and a Kiwi Roast - Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand

Harmonie
Don and Anne Myers
Mon 27 Apr 2009 03:46
43:36.068S  172:31.690E
 
On March 23rd, we left the sheep farm B&B and drove from Twizel to Christchurch.  Another beautiful day and another beautiful drive by the blue lakes of what's called Mackenzie Country.  Pictures from the drive are below:
 
Pictures 1 and 2 - Glacier formed Lake Tekapo in the morning mist.
 
Picture 3 - The Canterbury Plains leading to the cloud covered Southern Alps foothills in the distance. 
 
We chose to stop in Christchurch on our way back to Blenheim because we wanted to crisscross the South Island one more time before we left, but this time by train.  The TranzAlpine Scenic Railway runs from Christchurch in the east, across the Canterbury Plains, over the foothills, up the Southern Alps, through Arthur's Pass, into a tunnel and out near the west coast for a stop in Greymouth - all in time for lunch.  That's the South Island for you - east coast beach, plains, foothills, mountains and west coast beach all before lunch.  After lunch, the train does it again in backward fashion, arriving in Christchurch just in time for a Kiwi Roast.
 
On March 24th, the four of us boarded the train.  Don and I opted to get off in Arthur's Pass so we could do a little mountain walking (forced marching according to Don) before catching the train on its way back through to Christchurch.  Mom and Dad opted for the full Christchurch-Greymouth-Christchurch ride.  We had another perfect day.  Again, highly unusual for the area.  Our only complaint was that the incredibly bright morning sun made photographs out the train window a hopeless quest - too many reflections and shadows.  Coming back, the light was better, but we found it near impossible to catch the perfect photo at the perfect time from the moving train in between tunnels, trestle supports and other passengers.  So, sorry folks, no pictures from the train.
 
Picture 4 - Except for this slightly overexposed picture of Dad and Mom (looking pretty in her new New Zealand alpaca wool sweater) taken on the west-going train in the morning.
 
As per the usual New Zealand South Island scenario, the views were incredible as we zoomed across the country and back on the train.  We crossed a couple of scary trestles, one up as high as 70 meters (if I remember correctly) and the others nearly as high.  We couldn't really look down while we were crossing them.  This was a good thing.
 
Picture 5 - Don - King of the Mountain.  This was taken during one of our forced marches in and around Arthur's Pass.  No sign of suffering here, much as Don would like us to believe there was.
 
We arrived back at the Christchurch train station a little late, but true to his word, Rex was there waiting to guide us to he and Raewyn's home for the Kiwi Roast.  We had no trouble finding him in the crowd as he is a fairly distinctive character - standing a very sturdy 6' 4", with a thick shock of bright white hair and a big smile.  We followed Rex in his turquoise truck the short distance to his house, which was a newly built, beautifully decorated contemporary home in a neat subdivision (the first of which we'd really seen in New Zealand - there's so few big cities that there just aren't that many large suburbs full of subdivisions).  There we joined Raewyn and her 22 year old daughter Jaimie for dinner.  After a little bit of wine, the roast appeared along with heaps of steamed vegetables, potatoes and gravy with apple crumble for dessert.  Dad was in hog-heaven.  It really was excellent.  The conversation never lagged.  We laughed and stories were told and it was like we had known these people for months.
 
Afterwards, we decided the train ride combined with the Kiwi Roast was the perfect way to end our South Island land tour.  (Granted, our tour wasn't completely over at that point, but very nearly so since we had only to drive back to Blenheim the next day and fly out the day after that.)  In one day, we saw and experienced the best of New Zealand's South Island - marvelous scenery and outgoing, friendly, incredibly hospitable people.
 
Anne

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