TranzAlpine Train to Moana

I debated whether or not to take the TranzAlpine train, but it is a really good way to see the different terrain of the South Island and it was a good day trip. [The best views are on the right-hand side of the train leaving Christchurch, and you can request this as well as a table seat in the comments section when you book online.] The rain held off during our stopover in Moana / Lake Brunner, so we were able to walk around and have lunch by the lakeside in muggy weather. Granted, the tourism website was faking it in touting it as the next big thing because there seemed to be only one cafe in the tiny town -- at least within walking distance from the train station -- and nothing else to do except fishing or boating, but we still had a nice time. The cafe was playing 50s music and we spotted a couple wood pigeons and lots of flowers on our walk. The one boat with inner-tubers had the whole lake to themselves, which you can't do much anymore in the U.S. Seeing animals along the train ride was a fun thing to do, and we saw several belted Galloway cows which look like an Oreo cookie!

beekeeping containers

New Zealand wood pigeon

New Zealand brown duck

Belted Galloway cows

Clydesdale horses

Waimakariri River