Christchurch

A Day Aboard the Tranz-Alpine Train, New Zealand

A Day Aboard the Tranz-Alpine Train, New Zealand

We are now encountering grassy plateaus with multiple little hills dotting the landscape. In the distance are more mountains, partially hidden by shrouded mist. The scenery has been spectacular!

Well, we've finally reached Arthur's Pass. This is the end of the show for us, as we depart the train, and head for a van that is ready to take us to the Franz Joseph Glacier. I'll have to say, if you like the great outdoors, unspoiled by humans, the Trans-Alpine train ride is well worth experiencing! Bring your cameras.

Touring Christchurch, NZ, in the Wake of Two Recent Earthquakes

Touring Christchurch, NZ, in the Wake of Two Recent Earthquakes

We've made it to the South Island of New Zealand, and are ready to experience some of the truly awesome examples of nature in the world, including the Trans-Alpine train across the Southern Alps, Franz Joseph Glacier, Queenstown, and the fjords of Doubtful Sound. The first stop, however, is a tour of Christchurch, the site of the catastrophic earthquake of 2011, and the second quake in nearby Kaikoura in 2016. Coming from Florida, I've lived through a hurricane, which was bad enough. Seeing first hand the havoc wreaked by an earthquake, however, is very unsettling.