A Journey by Train from New Zealand to Spain: Our interview with travel writer Gregory Hill

Gregory Hill is an accomplished former NZSO musician, turned author and adventurer — his first travel book is called The Antipodean Express: A journey by train from New Zealand to Spain. The journey was inspired by an old memory of a school atlas and its description of ‘antipodes’ as ‘the exact opposite point on the globe to where you are standing now’.

The book is the story of a 38,000 kilometre journey with his partner, that encompassed 19 countries and 33 trains. Together, they journeyed the slow way — taking in offbeat and remote locations and soaking in the local ambience and customs.

Born in Auckland, Gregory Hill devoted his life to playing the French horn, pursuing a highly successful career in orchestras in both Australia and New Zealand. However, he always secretly nurtured a passion for long distance train travel, which he finally indulged to the maximum in this journey with fellow traveler, partner, and NZSO musician, Anne Loeser.

Gregory took some time out of his very busy schedule to give an in-depth and fascinating interview about his new book and the travels that inspired it.

We wish to extend our heartfelt thanks to Gregory for doing this interview, which was done in conjunction with Radioactive FM’s Caffeine and Aspirin arts and entertainment review show. The interview was conducted by Neil Johnstone.