63 and free

Today we visited the “Driving Creek Railway” near the town of Coromandel. This dude, Barry Brickell was a legend of pottery, and starting in 1975 he built a short, narrow gauge railway up to a clay pit on the side of a small mountain.

He surveyed the route, cleared it and and built it himself. By hand. He continued to expand it, until it reached what it is today: ~3.2 km long, the steepest railway on earth (I think I heard that), crossing 10 bridges, 5 switchbacks (where the train reverses direction) and 3 tunnels on its way up to the…ummm…”Eye-Full Tower”. 🤓

With that in mind, the tour kinda blows one’s mind!

Why?? Obsession is a many and varied thing.

Anywho. It was certainly worth visiting.

The drive from Coromandel to Whitianga was vintage New Zealand. Which brings up two questions:

(1) Why do they have cruise control on cars in New Zealand?

(2) Could Kas actually survive here?

Oh, and CHEERS!