The Antipodean Express

An epic journey from New Zealand to Spain, celebrating the enduringromance of travel by train. When Gregory Hill set out to travel from his home in Wellington, NewZealand to its antipode – the furthest point from it on the globe – he knew itwould be an incredible adventure. What he didn’t anticipate was that hisjourney would be one of the last of its kind, as the places he travelledthrough, and travel itself, would shortly be devastated by war and pandemic.This turned what could simply be a captivating travel log into a meaningfulreminder of the joy and privilege of setting out on an epic adventure. The journey of TheAntipodean Express takes in 89 days of travel, on 33 trains, through 19countries. It begins in New Zealand's North Island, passes over the volcanoesof Java, through Southeast Asia and on into Europe. From a hilariousmiscommunication in China to cultural immersion at the Paris Opera, there are stop-offs with half a world’s worth of impressions, people,history, food, music and culture. Hill also describes most of the great trains ofthe Eurasian hemisphere, from New Zealand’s Northern Explorer to the Eurostar,and everything in between. The grand finale is a day spent in the obscure Spanish village ofAlaejos, locating the exact antipode of the author’sliving room. The perfect end to a vast adventure, and a last look at an era ofsuch ambitious journeys. A railway adventure tracing a journey from the author’s home in New Zealand to its exact antipode in rural Spain. The narrative recounts 89 consecutive days of travel with 33 trains through 19 countries. It describes most of the great trains of the Eurasian hemisphere, from New Zealand’s Northern Explorer to the Eurostar and everything in between. Full of people, memories, history, and places – anyone interested in travel, trains, food, music and cultures will love taking this armchair journey.