So here we are at the 'BritoMart Train Complex' at 6.30am, our train departs at 7.25am so we stock up on a few goodies and check in with the Train Manager on Platform number 3. Our bags are taken into the luggage car and we are shown to our seats, there are only 2 carriages and a dining car, the windows are huge and the rear of the train has an observation deck with a glass back, you can also wonder outside onto a small viewing platform behind the engine car.
It's the kind of train that Steven Seagal had in that movie where he was a n ex Special Forces Chef, except we don't have an upper deck or terrorists with a stolen seismic satellite laser or Katherine Heigel....pause...reflect...continue.
The train bisects the North island climbing to the volcanic plateau of 'National Park' and through its ski areas, passing around the base of three dormant volcanoes, covering 681 km, through 14 tunnels and crossing 352 bridges, I counted them all.
It's the best train journey so far with spacious seats, a stocked canteen and no smoking, (I so nearly said no Chinese, but then changed my mind) at several points we can see the railway below us as we chug through switchbacks, horseshoes and a full corkscrew as we climb over 1200 metres in less than 2 km distance, but 7 km of track.
We get one leg stretch stop and the long journey passes quite quickly without event. As we descend into the clouds shrouding Wellington it becomes apparent that the city was named after the boots you have to wear to live here, a short taxi ride takes us to the Shepherds Arms, our lodgings for the evening, which are happily spacious, clean and accommodating. The attached bar and restaurant provided typical pub fayre so we chowed down on Lamb Shank and Pie and Chips with local microbrewery ale.
I am yet to sample the staple West coast food of Whitebait ( small lightly battered fish) primarily because I can't find it anywhere, yet. In the South island, Lonely Planet says, we should eat Venison and Steak so that shouldnt be a problem washed down with a Marlborough region vino.
Our weight loss plan has basically gone to shit, but not literally as we had hoped may be the case, even the sporadic exercise I have squeezed in hasn't much helped, maybe the adrenalin pumping activities of Queenstown will change that- nevertheless we have declared the South Island a Carb free zone, so we'll see how long that lasts then.
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