Diary 4th January 2001 & Images
Transalpine train Christchurch to Greymouth.

Thursday 4^thJanuary.
I spent a very comfortable night and woke at 0730 refreshed and looking forward to the coming day. After breakfast I spent some time sending my email then waited to be picked up by the shuttle bus at 0815. There were other passengers on board and it was an interesting journey across the town to the station from where the Transalpine train would depart and the others in the bus seemed a jovial and happy crowd

On arrival at the station there was much milling about as people made the final preparations to board the train. There follows a selection of pictures which arrival will give you some idea of the magnificence of the scenery in New Zealand's South Island. It is one of the most beautiful countries in the world.

The mountains so beautifully reflected from the panoramic windows of the Transalpine train.	Inside the carriages I found a seat with Kevin Morrison. The girl is Andrea from Switzerland who was also travelling around the island	I found the colours to be quite amazing. The water melting from the ice was such a strange shade of pale blue that I was fascinated by it
From the coastal plain we headed into the mountains and still one of the many tunnels we were to encounter	We stopped at Arthurs pass, a station 920 metres above sea level, up in the mountains.	Most of people alighted to look around the station and breathe the clear mountain air.
There are many lakes in the Southern Alps but I was surprised to find so many boats tied up alongside.	It was at lunchtime that we reached the end of the outbound journey. The train pulled into Greymouth station and we all disembarked.	I walked into the town with Kevin, who turned out to be a freelance computer programmer from Ireland, looking for somewhere to lunch. We found an interesting pub, the Hog's Head where we ate and drank beer
We came across this fascinating mural on the wall of the building the town.	Took a walk along the promenade from the harbour	and chatted to some workers who were taking their lunch break
before we returned and boarded the train to set off on the return journey.	This man was taking a lot photographs and we spent some time discussing the beauty of the light and the colour of the rivers.	Moana is another small station and we stopped here for a short time on the return journey.
For most of the afternoon there was a slight blue haze over most of the distant hills	Although the hills are higher here the topography reminds me greatly of Scotland where I grew up.	Again I ran into the happy photographer as I hung around the observation car.

It had been a wonderful day and I was amazed at the talent and skils of the planet creator. Some of the landscapes had been like pictures we've seen from the moon. Others with the blue and purple mountains in the distance, lakes from the palest ice blue to dark royal blue, and the odd fluffy cloud hanging over the peaks like wisps of cotton-wool were as beautiful as anything I've seen anywhere in the world.

Kevin and me bade each other farewell and I was dropped back at Riverview Lodge by the shuttle at 1930. I stayed in long enough to shower and change into fresh clothing then went by taxi into town for dinner. I meandered through the streets in the town centre. The warm evening air was pleasant as I looked at menus in the restaurant windows.

Having little energy left after wandering up and down the train all-day I soon settled for roast lamb, salad and mashed potatoes at Denny's. A taxi took me straight back to the hotel where I fixed my email and downloaded the 100+ pics I took on the trip before falling asleep at 0200.