The TranzAlpine railway crosses the South Island Alps between Christchurch and Greymouth.
The views are spectacular.
The company wasn't bad either. Julie and Sally (aka Shrek) on the TranzAlpine.
The company does
make a difference. Some of the TranzAlpine coaches have seats facing each other.
And tables. Which makes it all a matter of luck. And when luck matters, I was
in the right seat.
Sally and Julie from North and South Carolina (or vice versa) provided excellent
company.
So did the American couple across the aisle. She had made a presentation on
a depressing psychological subject
at some NZ conference; her husband was a retired Coast Guard officer who now
had other,
very challenging, slightly secret assignments. And humour to boot.
His wife left
us for the observation car seconds before we entered the longest tunnel.
Together we made up another Noisy Table.
After
a number of spectacular views, some magnificent tunnels and good fun,
we reached Arthur's Pass (and a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc).
