This was one of our bigger travel days. We boarded the TranzAlpine train in Christchurch, which ranks as one of the world's great rail journeys. It crosses the Southern Alps between Christchurch and Greymouth, winding through snow covered mountains and stunning blue rivers.
Boarding the train:
This was John's first official train ride. He was excited. This is the boy who loved Thomas the Tank Engine for many years. I booked this trip especially for him:
Here are our photos along the way. They are not in order. We went from the plains of Canterbury to the mountains and rain forest of the west coast. It was a four hour ride; I lost count after 7 tunnels:
A bridge we crossed:
More blue:
We arrived safely in Greymouth and picked up our rental van there. Then we began our drive south to Franz Josef. We made one stop on the way, a little place called Shantytown. It is an old gold mining town. The boys were able to pan for gold and we enjoyed ice cream and the recreated town/museum with artifacts from the gold mining days.
One of the real original buildings:
Some fun photo opportunities:
Our favorite:
And the most interesting to us... a windmill made in Freeport, Illinois! How odd that in a teeny tiny podunk, middle of nowhere New Zealand, there is a windmill from Illinois. So for my friend, Karla:
After the stop, we drove the 2 hours to Franz Josef.
Up Next: 2 nights in Franz Josef. What's that whirring?
1 comment:
Awesome scenery!
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