Sunday, March 23, 2025

 

 Sunday, March 23, 2025 

We are leaving Franz  Josef. It’s overcast and can’t see the glaciers. We were very lucky to see them yesterday before the cloud cover settled in. Today we are driving to Greymouth where we will turn in our car and take the Tranz Alpine train to Christchurch. The roadway is the same Route 6 which runs along the west coast. This side of the island is very lush and green. Route 6 runs along the Tasman Sea but about 3 miles to our left, so we can’t see it. It’s a rainforest with pine trees mixed in with ferns that look like palm trees. 

We have passed small towns with 10-20 houses. All the houses are on 1 level.When I checked the internet as to why most houses are 1 level it said there are a few reasons. Over population hasn’t hit NZ yet. It’s very hot too and 1 level is more conducive to keeping it cool. Kiwis (nickname for New Zealanders) lead a simple life. They have pets and love easy access to the outside. I just think they don’t have access to American social media influencers.

Another thing we have noticed about NZ is that there are plenty of public toilets throughout the country. They are very clean yet you rarely see a garbage can to put your trash. We are passing through Hokitika. It has some thing called a Kiwipark. There are toilets, showers and even hot plate kitchens with sinks. All spotless. 

 

Hokitika is a beach town. It is the first we have seen the Tasman Sea on this drive. The best spot on the oceanfront was a collision garage! Nothing like that type of development of oceanfront property in the US.

Another thing we have noticed is there are lots of young women traveling alone in NZ. We feel very safe here. Although we needlessly drag our 6+ bags in and out of the hotels in order to not leave bags in the car. 

There were beautiful rock formations in the water. When we were in Iceland there were basalt rock formations in the water of Vik that was a popular visit by tourists. Here in New Zealand they had hundreds of rock formations for miles along the ocean. Each one different from the other.

We even saw surfers giving it a go!

We made our way to the Greymouth Train Station. We needed to return our rental car and then take the Tranz Alpine Train across the country to Christchurch. They were in the same place. It was about 11:45 and our checkin for the 2:15 train was 1:45. We had almost  2 hours before we had to check in. 

Several weeks ago I had seen a posting about a beautiful coastal ride just North of Greymouth towards Westport. We thought we should try to see it. We said ok we’ll drive for an hour and then turn around. We were on a mission to see the Dolomites. Instagram had posted about Pancake Rocks and Blowholes

We ran a bit over in our estimation of driving for an hour and turning around to get back for our train. We were so close…we won’t ever have a chance to see it! Steve is ROCKMAN! 

We made our way there…it’s 12:05. The sign said 30 minute Return…let’s run!

OMG…it was breathtaking! A picture is worth a 1,000 words!

Race back to Greymouth, passing cars when allowed…we made it! Steve and Jeff did the paperwork to return the car. We had our final luggage removal from the car. I checked in…no tickets just your name. We tagged our luggage and put it on the conveyor belt. We waited under the clock. Like clockwork, the train pulled in at 2:04, everyone got on. The train pulled out at 2:15 right on time. 

Steve is officially on vacation now. NO MORE DRIVING! He is a passenger, which he really doesn’t like, but, this train is the way to go. We have been treated like kings the entire 5 hours. Drinks, snacks, charcuterie, the best lamb dinner we’ve had and a delicious cheesecake for dessert. The wine and beer flowed as much as you wanted. 

We passed farmlands and sheep and cattle fields. We went through tunnels and over railway bridges. Our first stop was Ōtira. We stopped and picked up a locomotive to help push us up a 5 mile incline of 1000 feet! They have thought of everything! 

Another stop on the train was Arthur’s Pass. Jeff’s  niece Katie spent a summer here working at a lodge. She met a tailer. His job was to cut the tails off sheep. About 25 people got on here to Christchurch!

We pulled in to Christchurch at 7:20. The driver was waiting for us. He helped us get our bags. He whisked us to his huge van and off we were to The George. We checked into our rooms and since we had a big meal on the train, we weren’t hungry for dinner. We walked around the hotel. We saw a couple who were also on the train. They were from the Netherlands, on their way to Wellington. Well it’s been a long day. Tomorrow is even longer. We will wake up in Christchurch and go to sleep in Papeete, Tahiti. Good Night Christchurch 🇳🇿🇳🇿💤💤