Day 18 Picton to Christchurch Train

So in order to catch up to my schedule (I was on a tight schedule having to meet in my flight from Invercargill to Chch on the morning of the 24th November) I decided that I would be taking the train ( a new south island experience for me) from Picton to Chch and then the following morning catching the train from chch to Greymouth.

I managed to get the gear across to the train in plenty of time which was good as it took about an hour to sort all out and get it ticketed, stored and finally handed over when the train arrived. I was very nervous about the safety of my guitar after the train guys popped it ontop of backpacks saying it was safest up there- I had visions of it all coming tumbling down and my expensive gibson at the bottom of the heap.....I managed to distract myself with the magnificent scenery and the just fabulous train journey. I loved every minute of it and its whole four hours whisked me away in sheer awe of this beautiful country I come from. Defo a must for all those kiwi and tourists when you come to town....

It was only capped off from the sheer delight in seeing my friend Susan - or Camp Mother as she has become and I Camp Leader (Topp Twins if you are confused look em up!). Needless tosay the evening was just not long enough and plenty of merriment was hard on on guitar and banjo alike with perhaps a bottle of white along the way...not easy to wake up the next day from a day like that!