This goes as far as Greymouth on the West Coast, but we weren't going that far. We were only going as far as Arthur's Pass, the highest point on the route and then onwards by other means.
The train is great, but it's one of only three long distance passenger services left in the country. There's a great buffet on board and the windows are big and spotlessly clean so that you can see the spectacular views as you climb off the Canterbury plains into the Southern Alps...
Now, on a British train, health and safety-wise, this would have to do you. But here in NZ, where the people are perhaps not so litigious (is that how you spell that?) and are not going to say "Excuse me, but I put my hand towards the window and there was no glass and as a result I lost my arm and the majority of my shoulder on a passing tunnel, I am suing you for $Millions in damages..." you can actually do that.
In other words, there is a carriage with no windows where you can go and stand and look at the lovely scenery...
...you can see the big viaducts we go over, more about them later...
...and you can see, and possibly touch if you were stupid, the inside of the 16 tunnels we go through...
It's another "You'd never get away with that in our country" moment.
Including this next photo as the reflection has produced an interesting curtains effect that I thought I should share...
Anyway, we arrived at Arthur's Pass, and it was coming down stair-rods, so no photos of this delightful National Park village as we raced to our next form of transport, which was this...
Yes, it was another 4x4 adventure for us, but not as precarious as the Skippers Canyon one. This time it began as a journey on the main road up to the summit of the pass to look at the road down the other side, which I'm quite glad we didn't go on...
As you can see, it's clinging to the side of the mountain, cantilevered out over the gorge, with a waterfall diverted over the top and a concrete box to stop the rest of the mountain falling on you if you are feeling brave enough to drive underneath. Is there no end to Kiwi ingenuity?
Anyway, what followed was a gentle tramp through Flock Hill Sheep Station, where we stopped to look at the sheep shearing shed (try saying that when you've had a few...) There were, however, no sheep to be had, but the clues were there...
We also stopped at an old miner's cottage...
...which was a little run down since the miner had left. Or died, more probably.
I wonder if every bed comes with a dead bird, a bit like you get a chocolate on your pillow in posher places. Fortunately, even though the accommodation left a lot to be desired...
...it didn't have to accommodate us, and so we moved on.
We crossed streams...
...saw the viaducts we had already crossed from higher up...
...climbed higher into the mountains...
...and (here's where I'm ahead of you...) saw a scene from a film. But not the one you would expect. These mountains and the glacial valleys in front...
...are the scene of a huge battle and some general goings-on in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, which will be released later this year. I predict by next year, all the NZ Tourist 4x4s and coaches will have pictures of bloody Aslan and bratty children on the side and be advertising themselves as "The Tour, the Witch and the Wardrobe". Or maybe not. Anyway, will have to see the film now, if only to make the "I've been there! I've seen that!" comments to everyone's annoyance half way through.
We finally made it down to the river's edge. It's the Waimakariri River, and from here, it was either back the way we had come, or more conveniently...
(Don't worry, I didn't have to drive it myself.)
We travelled another 17km downstream on the jetboat - no acrobatics à la Shotover Jet this time, but a speedy run down the gorge, seeing the viaducts we had been across and seen from above, but this time from below...
...going over some fairly turbulent water...
...going quite fast...
(although which of those dials tells you that, I don't know...)
...and seeing more nice scenery, but this time from the water...
Then we had a very welcome cup of tea in the driver's lodge...
...which had the latest Ericsson Non-Mobile Phone on the wall...
(...which is made by Ericsson if you zoom in*, and I think looks oddly like a character from the Simpsons...)
...and then we got a lift back to Christchurch on the main road. Of which there are no photos, because driving along main roads isn't that exciting. Even in New Zealand.
I am going horse-riding tomorrow. Never done that before, so wish me luck!
* My dad has just worked out that if you click on the photos, they get bigger.
2 comments:
Thanks Ian really enjoyed the trip with you both on this site. David being a man of few words!! we have been glad of the details you have added. Look forward to meeting one day. Davids Parents.
If you had told us all at the beginning that we could get them bigger it would have helped!. We are not all HMTL or HTTP or something "else" experts you know. Dad
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