hips don't lie: Holidays in New Zealand: A trip through magical countryside on the Republic Rail Picnic Tour

Thứ Hai, 15 tháng 7, 2013

Holidays in New Zealand: A trip through magical countryside on the Republic Rail Picnic Tour

By

David Whitley

PUBLISHED:

10:00 EST, 30 June 2013

|

UPDATED:

10:00 EST, 30 June 2013

This is as close as I’m going to get to achieving my childhood dream of being a train driver. I’m in charge as we pootle through the magical New Zealand countryside.

Cows in nearby fields just stare as the Douglas to Whangamomona ‘express’ goes past. Sheep in another field are less willing to take their chances – they scarper towards the Hobbit-like hillsides.

This is no ordinary train – I’m driving a glorified golf buggy. Once on the track, drop-down steel wheels are lowered into place and off you go. To add to the fun, everyone in the group gets their own cart.

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Tunnel vision: David Whitley emerges from the darkness in his golf buggy

The Republic Rail Picnic Tour is the brainchild of a local farmer who was angered by the closure of the Stratford to Okahukura branch line in 2009. Seeing a resource going to waste, he approached Kiwi Rail with his idea, leased the line and was up and running by last October.

The carts are limited to 12mph for safety reasons, but that’s the perfect speed for taking in the views. The first hour is gentle but the valleys soon turn into gorges and the pasture gives way to forest. No wonder the road that runs alongside the track is known as the Forgotten World Highway.

While the road goes over ridges, the railway line goes through them – and that means taking on tunnels.

The wonderful feeling of enjoying wide open space suddenly turns to claustrophobia as the carts plunge into darkness, and a sedate ride becomes a rollercoaster.

There are lights on the front of the buggies, but we’re encouraged to stop in the middle of the tunnel and turn them off. Spooky.

Eventually we reach a sign welcoming us to the Republic of Whangamomona. It might not be recognised by the UN, but this village reckons it’s independent. It seceded from New Zealand in 1989 after being moved from the jurisdiction of one council to another.

The story of the breakaway is told on the walls of the village pub. The displays include moving tributes to Billy the Goat, a former president of the republic. Alas, Whangamomona no longer has Billy but it still has the silly. And the drivers of those bizarre buggies just add to the fun.

Getting there

Return flights with Qantas (qantas.com.au) from Heathrow to Wellington cost from £1,273. Rooms at the Stratford Mountain House (stratfordmountainhouse.co.nz) start at £86 a night. The Republic Rail Picnic tour costs £107 (forgottenworldadventures.co.nz).