June 16, 2023
The clock says it all. Checked in and on board by 7.20 am, and 12 hours later, almost to the minute, we arrived at Auckland Strand station. Long, yes, but boring, no. If it had been long distance air travel, it would have been punishing, but on the Northern Explorer — a most comfortable ride. Good leg room, plenty of space between passengers, and of course the ability to get up and walk around, including fresh air in the open air viewing cabin. At $178 each, one way, it’s not the cheapest way to get to Auckland, but in our opinion, worth every cent. A stunner of a sunny midwinter day was the icing on the cake.
And now here we are in Auckland in quirky but clean and comfortable accommodation, more on which in a later post. For now, just this short piece to before I get some shut eye. As I’m sure you’re aware, it’s tiring work sitting all day on a train.
Off Highway One 