Kaikoura to Blenheim and Wellington

Since we're reboarding the Coastal Pacific this morning, we get to sleep in. We awake to a view of snow-covered mountain peaks looking out over the Pacific Ocean.

The train we board, which originates in Christchurch at 0650, must again make the trip to Kaikoura. We board after 1000 for Blenheim in Marlborough. This is train #6 and train ride #7. The tour counts it as train #5, part 2.

The train begins the day hugging the coast with a road between the tracks and the beaches. Eventually the train turns inland through grazing country. 

There are several sick people on the tour. Someone has COVID. Another has left the tour and is in hospital with pneumonia. We have been in masks trying to avoid succumbing. CJ has developed a horrible cough. He struggles with it on the train ride north.

Our half of the group departs the train at Blenheim. The other half is going on to Picton. Most of our group is visiting Alan Scott for a winery tour and tasting. For years we consumed Alan Scott wines in the US. Having toured wineries around the world, we do not need a winery tour.

Two couples depart the bus at Seymour Square in downtown Blenheim for free time. The cross remnants of the Anzac Day memorial services remain.

We join them. CJ has a plan to visit Clos Henri a vineyard spanning a fault line and a tasting room that features the wines of Te Whare Ra. The plan is shortened when we're informed, we must return for pickup by 1345.

We take a taxi to the Wine Shed. It is closer to town than Alan Scott. It showcases 15 boutique wineries including Te Whare Ra, which we wanted to visit but for the second time is closed for harvest.

This tour normally concludes with a ferry ride across the Cook Strait. According to them, the ferries have become unreliable so for the first time, they are flying us to Wellington. Many fellow guests are unhappy and were looking forward to the ferry ride. We did it last year and are pleased with a speedy crossing.

CJ spends the evening in bed trying to sweat out whatever it is that he has. He misses dinner. Carol reports that it is the worst dinner of the trip, even worse than the first evening.

Wellington - Moving Day

Today we check out of the Thomas Cook and into the IHG. We lunch while we wait for our room to be ready.

Not much to report today. CJ was awake coughing most of the night and is still coughing. He's exhausted. Once we return to the IHG from lunch which is across the street, we do not leave the hotel. 

CJ even cuts short our evening two-hour cocktail period in the lounge.

Is this Train #5? The Victorian

Is this a fifth train? We are on the same carriages pulled by the same locomotives as yesterday. We have the same narrator as yesterday. However, we are going in a different direction and when the train travels this route, it is called the Victorian. My call: Train #5!

The tour advertisement proclaims a Big Five. There is no mention of this run which has its own name.

We are headed north along the west coast of New Zealand. Our "guide" really a well-informed, articulate, and entertaining narrator holds our interest as we make the nearly three hour ride up the coast.

Shortly after our departure we are hugging the coast as the sun rises.

The ride along the coast is picturesque.

We offload in Oamaru. The town has gorgeous old buildings having never suffered from New Zealand's common earthquakes.

The buildings are very pretty.

Some of our group visit the Steam Pump Museum. We elect to photograph its weirdness from the outside.

There is much to see in this town and several ways to separate tourists from their cash.

CJ is not a fan of the porter type of beer. He finds an excellent porter at the local brewery. If we had it to do again, we would have forgone the tour provided bag lunch and had beer and pizza at the brewery.

The tour people do an excellent job of making a five-hour bus ride to Mount Cook pass quickly, comfortably, and interestingly.

Our route is through the Waitaki Valley and the town of Omarama. The attraction of this ride is the Waitaki hydroelectric power scheme. It consists of eight hydroelectric dams with power stations. 

The Waitaki hydro scheme is a series of interconnected lakes and canals. It accounts for 16% of New Zealand’s electricity supply and more than 56% of the average hydro-electricity storage. This storage will become increasingly important for ensuring there’s enough power when it’s required as more wind and solar are introduced into the electricity system, as these rely on wind or sun being available to generate electricity.

The Waitaki hydro scheme consists of eight power stations. Meridian owns and operates six of them: Aviemore, Benmore, Waitaki and Ōhau A, B and C. The other two (Tekapo A and B) are owned and operated by Genesis Energy.

Some of the dams are earthen dams and others are concrete.

Another of the hydro stations.

Yet another of the hydro stations.

Is this damn Carol or Carol at the dam?

The lakes behind these dams are huge.

We stop for a photo op on our approach to the hotel for the next two days. We have a rare clear day with great views of Aoraki Mt Cook.

Our room at Heritage, is ok, the view extraordinary. This bench is outside our room.

We have a chilled wine to enjoy.

Step from our room onto a shared veranda and this is the view.

The buffet is the best to date.