We had a combination of train and coach travel today, the former being a ride on one of New Zealand’s best maintained heritage steam trains.
To reach the Kingston train station, we travelled along the Remarkable mountain range – their actual name! They were shrouded in cloud, very appropriately it turns out.
We learned that Aotearoa, the Māori name for New Zealand, is most commonly translated as “Land of the Long White Cloud”. The name comes from stories of Polynesian explorers seeing a distinctive cloud over the land. Aotearoa used just to refer to the South Island, it is increasingly used alongside or instead of “New Zealand” to acknowledge the country’s bicultural identity.
Kingston Station looks the way it has for almost a century.
The train was waiting, and we watched the engineer get it ready to roll.
Everyone who works on or with this train is a volunteer, and in talking to several of them it is apparent that the work they put into it is a labour of love.
Our group had the train all to ourselves! Just 42 of us free to wander between 1st, 2nd, and 3rd class and the private first class compartments. The train does two runs for tourists every Sunday, usually sold out, but on Fridays it is chartered exclusively for Pounamu Tours. Most weeks two tours (80 people total) run in tandem, but this week we’re on our own.
From the rear of the train we got a good view of the 3’6” wide track (measurements in Imperial because it was built long before NZ went metric), with its creosote soaked wooden “sleepers” (what we would call “railway ties”).
We also noted the fire truck following us. In summer, especially, there is the danger that a spark from the locomotive’s boiler could ignite dry grasses.
At the terminus station, while we got out to enjoy coffee and hot chocolate, the engine was uncoupled from the train, and steamed around a “triangle” to be re-coupled at the opposite end for our return to Kingston. There is no roundtable on which to turn the locomotive.
We’d been given a packed lunch in the morning, a fresh sub-style sandwich, lemon muffin, cereal/coconut/fruit bar and a crisp apple, prepared by Ferg Bakery in Queenstown – which we ate in the dining car before getting back on our coach bus.
After leaving Kingston, we drove past stations (ranches) where sheep, cows, and red deer grazed. Trevor and Mike pointed out protected expanses of “tussocks”. Tussock grasses usually grow as single plants in clumps, tufts, hummocks, or bunches, rather than forming a sod or lawn, and are especially important to the ecosystem for their ability to absorb large amounts of moisture and prevent slope erosion.
Our original itinerary had us visiting the Takahe sanctuary in the afternoon to see one of New Zealand’s rare birds, but because of rainy skies our guides shifted that visit to Day 6.
We reached Te Anau Township and checked into the Distinction Luxmore Hotel, the town’s finest. While not every hotel on our itinerary is modern, each is the best the stop has to offer, and so far we’re very pleased with our rooms.
Because the optional jet boat excursion didn’t appeal to us and we’d already visited the glow worm caves in Waitangi Bay on the North Island (Episode 605), we had some free time before the group dinner at the hotel. Since it was unseasonably chilly, I took the time to write rather than going for a walk. We’ll have some free time in Te Anau tomorrow evening when we’re on our own for dinner after our cruise on Milford Sound.
Tonight’s carvery style buffet at our hotel was spectacular, from the delicious New Zealand meats to the decadent desserts, and made even more enjoyable by the company of Californians Ken and Marissa.
Once again, the day’s leisurely pace suited is to a tee.
Rose and Ted’s Excellent Adventure 