Week 3 - TranzAlpine Train

Bonjour! Our first French lesson was this week at Alliance France. Arthur was our profesor (is that how you say teacher in French)?? The four of us are taking private lessons as a family twice a week while we are in Christchurch. The lesson was tres bien and everyone did super (pronounced su-pair, with a heavy French accent). 

Maggie and Finn avec Arthur 

Some other happenings of the week included another indoor trampoline park (a nice escape on a rainy day) and a bike trip a Japanese Supermarket.

Our prima ballerina doing her online ballet lesson

MoveX tramp park in New Brighton 

We LOVED the Japanese Market - so fun to explore! Of course the kids each chose some Japanese candy to sample. 

             

Tranzalpine Train ride from Christchurch to Greymouth

We boarded the tranzalpine train on Friday morning and took the five hour journey to the west coast. It was a RAINY ride, but that didn't stop us from enjoying the experience! The scenery was still pretty spectacular even among the gray and the mist. 

The Route 

Ready to board

Starting to see mountains...

We played lots of cards - hearts and king's corner

Choo-Choo...the train is approaching Greymouth station. After 5 hours, we arrived at the west coast. The station in Greymouth is small, and is made up of mostly the outside platform with a small inside area just big enough for an information/check-in counter. It was pouring at this point and we weren't sure how we were going to get to our stay at the Top 10 holiday Park. I spoke with a helpful lady at the istation (information counter), and she convinced me that we should rent a car because the bus wasn't an easy option and local taxis/ubers were expensive. The Hertz/Avis rental car places that were located next to the train station were booked, but the lady told me about some other NZ rental company and gave me their 800 number. I called, and voila, we were able to get a car for only $99 NZ dollars (about $60 US). This off-site rental car company was nice enough to pick us up at the station and take us to their headquarters, which was only about five minutes away by car. We completed the paper work there and paid for the rental -- easy peasy. 

At this point the rain had really picked up (along with the wind), and we were all hungry. We had had several recommendations to go to Montheith's Brewpup for lunch, so that's exactly where we headed. Greymouth is a TINY town and the brewery was a quick minute away by car. 

Bellies are full and we are ready to head to our cottage at the Holiday Park. NZ has an extensive network of Holiday Parks that are basically like KOAs in America, but I'd say probably a lot nicer, and a frequently booked accommodation choice for vacationers and tourists. The Holiday Parks usually have several options from tent pad sites, to RV hookups, cabins, cottages, motels, apartments, etc... Some have playgrounds and jumping pillows (like ours did)! There was even a trampoline at the playground, just like our big trampoline at home. This is something I can't imagine ever seeing in the US with the liability that would come with having a trampoline on premises. 

Hitting the jumping pillow! 

Hurry! There's a break in the rain! 

The Holiday Park was seaside...a ROCKY beach was steps from our cottage. 

 

                                        Going stir crazy - dance party after ANOTHER card game!
mostly wanted to post this pic to show the inside of our cottage: quaint kitchen, full bathroom, big TV, and two separate bedrooms - one with bunks and one with a queen bed. 

Saturday we woke up to SUN!!! We spent some time running around on the beach, then drove south to the Hokitika Gorge, and did a 2 KM hike there. 

Path to the beach from our cottage 

Fueling up on bacon and eggs before the hike

Hokitika Gorge

The pictures say it all...this place was amazing! The kids literally gasped when they saw they color of the river for the first time. The Hokitika Gorge gets 7-11 meters of rain a year! Yikes! 

After the gorge, we headed back north to Greymouth to grab lunch before catching the 2:00pm return train to Christchurch. We found a delicious lunch at, yet another, cozy cafe called Sevenpenny. The way we returned the rental car was funny; They told us to park the car along the flood wall in town, put the key under the passenger side floor mat, leave the car unlocked, and then call them and leave a message describing where we parked. It felt kind of weird, but I never received a call asking where the car was, so I guess they got it back! Love the laid back vibes here :) 

Waiting for her fried chix burger at Sevenpenny
All the cafes seem to have plants everywhere-hanging from the ceilings...
coming out of the walls...All Over! 

The Train ride back to Christchurch was much better than the ride out. We had sunny skies and clear visibility of the mountains and countryside. Here comes the photo dump from the train, hold on to your seats. 

This brings us to Sunday and then end of our 3rd week in Chch...

The kids and I checked out the Riccarton Sunday Market (basically a flea market with food stands and some farm stands). Then we all went on a hike in the Port Hills at Sign of the Kiwi. It's always amazing how we drive 20 min. out of the city and we're in such mountainous and coastal topography!  

The kids tried rolled ice cream - I've never seen it before, but according to Finn it's all over youtube...

Here's how they make rolled ice cream....

Sign of the Kiwi Hike

 

A killer vine came for Finn and I..