We love the Livingspace in Dunedin, it has everything you
could possibly want. Today’s trip was the Taireri gorge railway. We boarded the
train at Dunedin station, an incredibly ornate railway station, including Royal
Dalton floor. We boarded the railway, with it’s springy seats and Western style
steps to get into the carriage, and the gap between carriages where the actors
would jump between them.
Being tall has many advantages, but not on train journeys
when others are opposite you. But it didn’t matter, we spent 2 hours going
through gorges and valleys. We got to the Wingatui viaduct and I was on the
viewing platform before the carriages and it made me yelp, I could see right
the way through the tracks to the canopy below. It was the highest viaduct on
the 77km trip to middle march, with 12 tunnels.
We were able to get off at Hindon, and the whistle
instructed us to re-board. We then had our packed sandwiches in Middlemarch, a
village you would definitely see in a western movie. On the way back we stopped
off at Arthurs Knob. I do love a good railway journey. Many thanks to Brigitte
for the tickets, we loved it.
Back in Dunedin, we then drove to Larnach castle, our accommodation
for the evening…in the stable block. The cheapest option but still more
expensive than a room at Hotel Ranga in Iceland! With a shared bathroom! We
walked around the grounds of the castle before dinner. The gardens are
gorgeous, full of bumblebees.
Dinner was held in the castle. We had pre dinner drinks,
then went into the music room for dinner with chandelier, antique furniture,
candlestick. Rather like being on the board in cluedo. The table was set up
like a big family Christmas, we sat next to a lovely American family from New
York. I had pear, walnut and Kamara salad, then mushroom tart, then
cheeseboard. Ali had the salmon terrine, fillet of beef, and chocolate cake.
The setting was amazing. After dinner we had a story of the castle, from the maitre
d. Back to the stable for some sleep. .
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