Trains, Mountains & Rain

An early start today to catch the Tranz-Alpine scenic train. This involved leaving the hotel at 7.15, not a time we have recognised for sometime. The omens were not good as we drove to the station it was pouring, rather like boarding your East Coast Train at Seamer. Check-in was simple although we did not get the seats that I requested. The train had been refurbished so was comfortable and must have been 12 carriages long. The train was full mostly with Japanese tourists who at least in our carriage appeared to belong to the Dalan Fang sect. I thought there leader was talking them via implants, it turned out she had a mini speaker attached to her hip. We started at a smart lick across the Canterbury Plains, and the weather improved. Marion started conversing with the Cornish couple opposite, they were New Zealand virgins it being their first day here, therefore all sorts of useful tips were dispensed.
We stopped at Springfield duh….. I had to make that joke, where the mountains were clear in front of us. The climb up through river gorges was spectacular although the viewing carriage was too crowded to get good photographs. However as soon as we entered the mountains proper the weather closed in and it rained heavily. In retrospect this was not surprising as the summit station receives 20 metres of rain a year. The proceedings were kept lively by an informative commentary with typical NZ views. The guy obviously hated Thatcher and Regan and all that privatisation had done to the railways, he also thought that you would be bette roff with Doris Day movie than Sky TV.
After a brief stop at the summit Arthurs Pass the coach became pleasantly empty as the sect disembarked for some ritual coach travel. There followed the long descent to the West Coast past lakes and raging rivers. It was difficult to imagine the deprivations of those who had to travel the route by Stage Coach right upto 1923. It was also the site of many coal mines. Indeed the main purpose of the railway is to carry coal from the West Coast for export to Asia.
Greymouth Station was a scrum, presumably for 23 hours a day nothing happens then a train disgorges 400 passengers who want coaches, hire cars, feeding etc.. all at the same time!!! Still we got our new car, instead of the rugged vehicle we had requested we got a souped up Mondeo, that is going to be interesting in the South. The B & B is modern with coastal views and excellent facilities. We have a lovely fresh fruit bowl and biscuits. We have made a tentative exploration of Hokitika a small seaside town specialiseing in jade and gold, and yes we visited the sock museum, a darn good two minutes. It is now starting to brighten up as we read our books to the sound of the waves of the Tasman Sea.