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.......and we're off!
All packed and ready to go on time. Quick ride in on the shuttle and checked in all before 7am. Time to get some snacks for the journey and a light breakfast (after all it's Thursday and Ian's bacon-buttie day) and a drink before the train arrives, which it duly does. We've got seats in the observation car at the back of the train. Just time to settle in and the whistle blows....this train leaves dead on time!
Pretty wet and misty heading north. Seats are comfy and plenty of leg room. First stop is Palmerston North, where we have a leg stretch while they change to an electric locomotive...at least it's sunny (briefly). Then off at some speed through more misty drizzle. Onboard commentary proves amusing in various accents.....never heard of some of these placenames! Stop at Ohakune for "lunch". Never get a pie from the station cafe!
Train stops short of National Park for a crew change (not sure why they stop in the middle of nowhere). Not many stop offs to let people on and off so before we know it we're in Hamilton for another change of loco (back to a diesel) and crew. Then a crawl into Auckland behind all the suburban traffic, but arrive slightly early. Craig arrives to collect us and take us to the hotel before a late dinner. You wouldn't know that the RWC is on here really...very little obvious sign and everyone's saying "where are all these thousands of tourists that are meant to be spending up large"? Checked in, it's off to dinner at what used to be the Black Bridge Tavern...very nice...then back to hotel for a sleep.
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