Jon drops me off at Christchurch's railway station at 6.45am (what a pal!) and I catch the Kiwi Rail scenic service to Picton, which leaves at 7am. It's a smart, airy and spotlessly clean train with an open-air observation carriage at the back and a colourful toytown-style engine at the front.
Everyone is very excited to be on the train apart, that is, from the teenager who has plonked himself down in a prime table-seat with the perfect seaward view and fallen asleep for the duration. The first section of the journey is pure atmosphere with the ground swathed in mist and the sun rising and gradually burning through. The snappers among us are up and down like yo-yos visiting the observation car to capture it all on camera.
As we pass through little villages and larger towns people wave at us. Rail travel is dying out in New Zealand – it's expensive and services have gradually been curtailed to a handful of services used by tourists and locals without cars. It's a great glimpse of New Zealand's back country, though, and at one point we pass de-salination plants with water glowing pink from the process and mountains of salt waiting to be transported.
After a couple of hours we begin to skirt the coastline and the views from the observation car change from rolling hills and light industry to sea cliffs and a sparkling South Pacific ocean. There's a stop at Kaikoura, a famous whale-watching base. There are no whales until at least May but we see dolphins leaping through the waves in the distance and seals sunning themselves on the rocks below the rail tracks.
Then we have our first glimpse of the North Island, covered, as the early Polynesian explorer Kupe first observed, with a long white cloud.
We are nearing our destination as we pass through the world famous Marlborough wine region and the landscape is blanketed with row upon row of lush vines.
Finally there's our journey's end, the small port of Picton in the southernmost inlet of the Queen Charlotte Sound, where I'll board a water taxi to my hideaway resort, Bay of Many Coves.
I just have time for a short walk around this unassuming town. Indeed, the fact that Picton has a Flying Haggis pub and a chippy with industrial-level output, gives you an idea of the ambience of the place. It's fine by me and I carb up on deep-fried corn balls (yummy) and chips with aioli.
Since we've come a considerable distance north it's quite a bit warmer, too. Funny to think of that, being a Northern Hemisphere-born lass who usually enjoys warmer weather the further south she goes. My bag is tagged and ready for the next adventure...
Everyone is very excited to be on the train apart, that is, from the teenager who has plonked himself down in a prime table-seat with the perfect seaward view and fallen asleep for the duration. The first section of the journey is pure atmosphere with the ground swathed in mist and the sun rising and gradually burning through. The snappers among us are up and down like yo-yos visiting the observation car to capture it all on camera.As we pass through little villages and larger towns people wave at us. Rail travel is dying out in New Zealand – it's expensive and services have gradually been curtailed to a handful of services used by tourists and locals without cars. It's a great glimpse of New Zealand's back country, though, and at one point we pass de-salination plants with water glowing pink from the process and mountains of salt waiting to be transported.After a couple of hours we begin to skirt the coastline and the views from the observation car change from rolling hills and light industry to sea cliffs and a sparkling South Pacific ocean. There's a stop at Kaikoura, a famous whale-watching base. There are no whales until at least May but we see dolphins leaping through the waves in the distance and seals sunning themselves on the rocks below the rail tracks.Then we have our first glimpse of the North Island, covered, as the early Polynesian explorer Kupe first observed, with a long white cloud.We are nearing our destination as we pass through the world famous Marlborough wine region and the landscape is blanketed with row upon row of lush vines.
Finally there's our journey's end, the small port of Picton in the southernmost inlet of the Queen Charlotte Sound, where I'll board a water taxi to my hideaway resort, Bay of Many Coves.I just have time for a short walk around this unassuming town. Indeed, the fact that Picton has a Flying Haggis pub and a chippy with industrial-level output, gives you an idea of the ambience of the place. It's fine by me and I carb up on deep-fried corn balls (yummy) and chips with aioli.Since we've come a considerable distance north it's quite a bit warmer, too. Funny to think of that, being a Northern Hemisphere-born lass who usually enjoys warmer weather the further south she goes. My bag is tagged and ready for the next adventure...
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