You might have guessed by now I am a huge LOTRs and The Hobbit nerd. Well, I’m just a big nerd in general!
I arrived in Auckland yesterday, but our flight to Tauranga was fogged out so they eventually put us on a bus and drove us 3 hours to the hotel. I am really glad in a way, because I got to see this beautiful country!
I was determined to stay awake and get on NZ time, so I hiked Mt Maunganui, rather late in the day, and made the hike down in the dark. The lights in the town along the coast was just SO beautiful.
I couldn’t believe how sporty the Kiwis are! I am in pretty good shape and the hike had me breathless, too much to talk! The locals were RUNNING up the mountain, passing me in droves. All ages too! I am humbled.
I met a fun, 20 something, German guy on the bus who is working as an au pair, and traveling the country. He gave me great tips. Then sat in a grill, talked with the Canadian bartender and had the best chef salad I have ever had. AND a wonderful NZ Pinot Noir called Bird. I need to find some bottles of THAT!
This morning I met Adrian Paul, also doing the con and we shared bus tips to Mt M!
It’s going to be a fun con.
But FIRST, HOBBITON!
Talk about a bucket list experience. I got so emotional just thinking about going to the village and seeing the living set that is Hobbiton. I say living, because it’s full of growing things like fruit trees, gardens, flowers, vegetables patches, massive pine trees and all the gorgeous grass covered hills and dales. And then the creatures that live there like beautiful little birds, ducks, frogs in the pond and the local kitty, Pickles. Sheep cover the hills. It’s just incredible.
I did the Evening Banquet Tour, and boy was that the right choice.
I had put out on my Facebook page a query to see if anyone wanted to go with me who could drive, since Hobbiton is an hour from Tauranga, where I’m staying for the convention Armageddon. Craig wrote back that he lives here, never been to Hobbiton, and would love to drive me. Perfect!
When we got to The Shire’s Rest, the sun had come out and lit up the perfect countryside for Hobbits. The green is so intense it almost hurt.
We met our wonderful guides, Bee and Hugh, loaded onto our custom Hobbiton bus and away we went, into the private, and still working, sheep farm on which Hobbiton is built. Peter Jackson had considered almost 20 other locations for Hobbiton and this one won because of a massive, perfect 150 year old pine tree that would be the backdrop for Bilbo’s Birthday Party. You learn a lot of the history of how Hobbiton came to be and the relationship between the owner of the farm, Peter Jackson, and the NZ government. Incredibly they all worked together, in harmony, to create Hobbiton, and The Lord Of The Rings and The Hobbit films.
I am not going to spoil it for you. I hope you can come and experience for yourself.
My experience was just magical.
Hugh gave us details of the village, of the exact spot where we stood as we first walked into Hobbiton through a narrow dirt lane banked by stone lined walls of earth covered with grass and flowers. This was where Gandalf first rode into the village with Frodo, in his wagon laden with fireworks. I was in awe. He talked about the perspective needed to create the size difference between Hobbit and Wizard. The Hobbit holes themselves are various sizes depending on what was needed. Different sized people would be placed in front to create the desired illusion. Children would be in front of the smaller holes, and larger people like Elijah Wood are in front of full size ones like Bag End.
Speaking of Bag End! It is the most gorgeous of all the Hobbit homes! At the top of the village, with the perfect view looking to the mountains. The Green Dragon is just on the other side of the lake and the mill.
All the homes are designed with details that just blew us away. You could tell what kind of people would be living there, neat and tidy or a creative mess. What their jobs were such as the bee keeper who sold honey, or tart baker, fish smoker and more. Who had small children, with the toys laying about. Who was an avid gardener with award winning flowers, who made clothes.
We spent about 2 hours walking around, in awe, taking endless photos, and getting to know the other people in the group. The folks who do the evening tour are die hard fans who really LOVE the films. Pleasure to be with. I met folk from Chicago and Texas, as well as the UK, China, Germany and Norway. My friend Craig was the only Kiwi this time.
As it grew dark we headed into the Green Dragon for a pint and to warm up in front of the fire. There I met Pickles, the Inn Cat. She was very tolerant of all the petting and photos. None of us would dream of asking her to give up her spot in the best chair by the fire.
Dinner was revealed behind drawn curtains and was greeted with the appropriate applause and squeals of delight. It really was a Hobbit feast! Meats, chicken, salmon, roasted veggies of all sorts, salad, bread…everything you could want and plenty of it. Wine, beer, cider and all you could want ( no soda…I mean what Hobbit would drink that stuff?). We were asked not to eat like dwarves and throw food. Dessert platters were heaped with homemade tarts and Pavlova. If you haven’t had Pavlova, try it.
We ate and laughed til we couldn’t stuff ourselves any more then we went out for our evening stroll through the village!
A highlight here was being on the Party Green where Bilbo’s Birthday was celebrated. We heard stories about the filming, and then we danced! Yes! We danced on the green by the light of our lanterns! Fantastic!
Pickles followed us out and through the whole evening walk. She even walked us all the way back to the tour bus. What a kitty!
I really didn’t want to leave. The only thing that softens the blow is knowing I am coming back on Monday with the group from Armageddon! It won’t be the evening tour, but at least I can come back.
