When is a train not a train?

A highlight of New Zealand was to be the train trip across the Southern Alps, one of the world's most scenic railway journeys. We arrived to check in our luggage, only to be told that most of the scenic part of the trip through the mountains would be by coach, due to 'scheduled track maintenance'! We were very disappointed: if this was scheduled, we should have been told at the time of booking, not when we arrived to check in.

In due course we boarded the coach. It was still raining, and the windows were streaked with water so my sister couldn't get any decent pictures, and in any case you can't see as much from a coach. The trip through the mountains was pretty spectacular, as far as anything can be in a downpour, and fortunately the weather was improving once we were over the watershed and going down the other side. Arthur's Pass station was almost out of the hills altogether, and there we boarded the train. It had observation decks - a half an open cattle truck - in the middle, but for most of the journey I chose to sit in comfort and to treat myself to coffee and cake and just relax. There were a few points worth photographing - my sister, on the observation deck nearly all the time, took about a hundred pictures - but I took only a few of what should have been the highlights.

Eventually we reached Christchurch, and were met by Jan, our hostess for our 'homestay'. This was quite a way out of town: but as we had to get our hire car next morning, this didn't really matter. We took the bus into town, had a look at the statues of the Queen's corgis made for the Silver Jubilee, looked round the Cathedral and then went to get the hire car - a nice automatic Toyota Yaris, better than the previous one. We parked it, and after lunch took the tram ride round the city - shades of Melbourne! We then decided that I'd go to the Art Gallery while my sister did some exercise walking in the Botanic Gardens, and I'd meet her there. This worked very well for us both: the Art Gallery was great, two very good exhibitions, and I was able to stroll slowly through the beautiful gardens at my own pace to find Hilary asleep on the grass! We had ice creams and then set off to find our way back to the homestay - no mean feat of navigation!

And that was really our time in Christchurch. I could have done with a week!