Coastal Pacific: relaxed travel to Picton

We started our day very early as we had to be at Christchurch Station for  the Coastal Express to Picton at 6:40am.  Our wonderful airBnB  host Terre had prepared and cooked us breakfast so we were properly fed by the time we boarded the train. (Our host even drove us to the station!) It left on time at 7am.  

The train took us north through Christchurch and as we traveled along the cloud cleared to a bright sunny day.  It is some time since I traveled on a long distance train in New Zealand and this train was a revelation.  It had good legroom between the seats, they managed to keep the temperature comfortable and it was quiet and smooth on our narrow gauge.  The service was available when you wanted it and they did it efficiently and with a smile.  You could even get a quality coffee which was a change from earlier years.   What’s more the carriages were built in New Zealand – we can do quality if people are given the opportunity. 

North Canterbury toward the Cheviot Hills

After leaving Christchurch there was a brief stop at Rangiora before the train started heading into North Canterbury where the plains gave way to the open valley and foothills of the area between Waipara and Cheviot.   It was very dry with the golden fields interrupted by the vineyards of Waipara and the hedges and trees around some of the paddocks.  There were some sheep and cattle but I guess many of them were sheltering from the sun.  It looked very peaceful and tranquil.  

In the carriage, however,it became less so as there was someone watching a movie or something on some device.  It was highly intrusive and Bev and I wondered if someone was going to ask them to turn it down or put some headphones on.  Finally, in the absence of another brave soul doing anything I wandered up the carriage and saw it was a young boy sitting with his mother who was responsible for the noise. 

I said to the woman, who was clearly middle class (I , that we were finding the noise from the iPad very intrusive and asked politely if she could either turn it down or put some headphones on her son.

“No, I can’t do that because I don’t know how to do it and I don’t have any headphones.”

 “I have a spare set that I could give to  you,” I replied.

“The iPad does not have a hole  for plug so I can’t do that!” she responded, clearly put out that someone would dare ask her such a thing.

“I am sure it has a place where you can plug the earphones in and, if not, it is easy enough to turn it down,” I continued, “and I am happy to help you.”

“Do you  want to have the five year old hanging from the railing?” she haughtily responded in a most uncooperative way. 

At that point I gave up and wandered back to my seat and muttered to Bev about the mother having too much money and status, and clearly not someone who likes to be even politely asked her to think of other people.

The people across the aisle said “thanks very much “ in a loud voice commenting that they too were finding the racket intrusive.  Then an Englishman turned around and loudly said how awful it was and how thoughtless she was.  I think she would have heard snatches of that. 

 

Given that Bev and I were not the only ones feeling that way I thought grumpily that I would get someone in authority to speak to her that given that my grey haired bald head  and general demeanour had not been authoritative enough.  

When I explained the situation to the staff member and what I had tried to do she understood immediately and said she would talk with the woman.

What a difference that made!  There was an initial protest and then a flurry of activity, headsets were arranged someone in front of the woman in question who seemed to be traveling with her began to help. The noise vanished and everyone sighed in relief. 

 

A little later the Englishman came back and told me that his wife had not been there when I began the process and asked what had happened.  He told her that someone had asked the woman to turn it down and she had refused and that the person had sought help from the crew.  She asked if it was a Kiwi who had done this.  He said yes and then commented to me that in the UK no-one would ask as they would be too scared and would sit quietly seething.   I was not fearful (perhaps thanks to beta blockers) but it was terribly uncomfortable doing it, especially when I got a hostile and uncooperative response. 

The rest of journey went well with wonderful views of the North Canterbury landscape, before following the Conway River to the coast.  I have only seen this area in the dark so I had no idea what it looked like.  It was a very new experience.  We then followed the Kaikoura coast with the Pacific Ocean sparkling from the sun on day with clear blue skies.  There was virtually no wind so it looked spectacular.  We stopped briefly in Kaikoura where there was just enough time to get out and stretch our legs before heading off on our way.

My turn to take pictures please

The train continued along the Kaikoura coast for another forty minutes or so before heading inland.  Most people couldn't resist getting up from their seats and going to the last carriage that was open to the elements.  Here people got blasted by the fresh air whilst getting some great photo opportunities. It was quite exhilarating. They also got to catch glimpses of seals on the rocks and dolphins frolicking in the surf. 

Kaikoura Coast

The train goes through Lake Grassmere where the heat and wind combines to make it and ideal place in which to harvest sea salt.  We saw the pink ponds where the water is a very concentrated saline solution, the pink colour coming from some algae. 

This is a train ride I can recommend.  It takes a bit longer than driving from Christchurch but the views are stunning and it is a comfortable way to spend a bit over five hours.   

Lake Grassmere salt ponds

Raw salt

Awatere Vineyards

Near Ward, Marlborough