NZ Day 11 – Tuesday 27th September

Early start today, up at 5.45am to catch the Overlander Train to Auckland.  There is only one departure a day so not a lot of options here.  At the station by 7.00am and checked in smoothly.  Said goodbye to my bags as they went to the baggage car – now why don’t they do that on UK InterCity trains? – and in my seat by 7.05pm for a 7.25am departure.  Wellington to Auckland is a 12 hour journey by rail but it does pass through some spectacular scenery. 

Leaving Wellington we travelled up the Western seaboard to Porirua and Paraparauma before climbing through pasture land to Palmerston North.  North of here was more climbing and the first of the high viaducts.  The river gorges in this part of the country are spectacularly deep.  The geology looks like deep alluvial soils which the rivers have cut down through with sheer soft sandstone cliffs.  The scenery is green and the farming rich, cattle and sheep (?merino) abound. As the track climbs higher the first glimpse of the snow covered volcanoes of the high plateau come into view.  The views improve as we climb further topping out at 814m as we pass Waiouru military camp.  The mountains stay in view as we reach Ohakune, the North Island’s Aviemore and gateway to the ski fields of Mount Ruapehu.  We stop for a 45 minute lunch break and the wee cafe does a roaring trade.  It is nothing like a “British Rail” station cafe. Homely and atmospheric it has some great food on display as well.  A large flat white and a bacon and cheese Panini satisfies me and I resist the temptation of the numerous cakes on display.

Moving on we stop in the middle of nowhere  to change crews with the southbound Overlander.  Driver, conductor and steward all swap trains.  The crew we have had out of Wellington go back to Wellington and the crew out of Auckland go back to Auckland.  On through National Park (where the Southbound train stops for lunch) and the start of our decent from the volcanic plateau but not before one last look at the snow covered volcanoes. All of the volcanoes are still active, the last minor eruption of  Mount Ruapehu  being in 2007.

The decent from the plateau includes the word famous Raurimu Spiral.  A masterful feat of planning which  takes the train track through a complete loop and 3 horseshoe curves in order to descend the steep embankment.  A mere 2km as the crow flies takes 7km of track to complete.  The scenery changes again to steep side rolling hills before giving way to flat plains. Most of this seems to be given over to dairy farming. The size of the Fonterra creamery at Te Papa tends to confirm that fact.  Dropping down to Hamilton we follow the Waikato River to Pukekohe.  From here we are virtually on the outskirts of Auckland.  Last of the journey is spent running through the industrialised landscape around Auckland before hitting the sea front and journeys end with a fitting sunset over the Auckland city skyline.  All in all a good way to see some of New Zealand’s spectacular scenery.

Met by my host for the next two weeks and once more made to feel very much at home.