Well, I’m back.

February 27

Today was literally the longest day of my life. Since I crossed back over the International Date Line and gained the time I lost on the way to New Zealand (skipped February 3rd!) February 27th was a 44 hour day for me! I had arranged for a shuttle to pick me up at the hostel to take me to the airport. It picked me up at 8am and took me the short distance to the Queenstown Airport. The airport is extremely tiny. I weighed my bags and my checked bag was right at the limit! I checked in for my Auckland flight and then headed through security. When it was time to board that lady just cals out “Who wants to go to Auckland”. Air New Zealand is such a laid back airline 🙂

This time the screens were working so I got to see the Hobbit Safety Video! We also got a choice of snack and I had the BBQ crisps – they were really good! The flight was just less than 2 hours. I spent the time watching the mountains outside and answering the trivia questions on screen. The flight went very fast and we were in Auckland in no time.

I had to collect my bag in Auckland because I booked it separate from my international flight. The domestic and international terminals are not attached so I had to haul my suitcase across the airport property. It was a 10 minute hike outside – I enjoyed the last bit of warm weather I’m going to get for awhile! Once inside I found the Air New Zealand check in and dropped my bag off. I had a long layover but decided to stay at the airport. I had spent 4 days in downtown Auckland at the beginning of my trip so there wasn’t anything I wanted to see. I also didn’t want to chance something causing me to miss my flight. I went through customs and then had a budget meal at Burger King 🙂 I spent the layover exploring the airport and watching planes. Because of the time difference it I would be repeating much of the day again in San Francisco.

3:15pm on February 27 – waiting for my second of four flights today!

Sadly I was not able to spot the Smaug or Hobbit plane. I spent the last of my New Zealand money on one more meal (I had the exact amount of change left!). It was then time to go to my gate and board my flight back to North America! Boarding ended up being about 20 minutes late. It was a full flight and I had a window seat again. All the video screens were working so I got to see the Hobbit Safety Video again. It’s so much better when you can see it on the plane – but a little sad because this flight is actually taking me away from Middle-earth 😦

I started watching An Unexpected Journey. It was very bitter sweet. I loved seeing the places we went to but I already miss our Fellowship. Dinner came and I had the chicken curry – again, quite good for airline food. I also had one last Speight’s beer. I finished the first Hobbit movie and then started Desolation of Smaug since I wasn’t tired enough to sleep yet. I made it about halfway before I went to sleep. I woke up and finished DoS and then when back to sleep. I slept for about 5 hours total. The second time I woke up I started watching Battle of the Five Armies (yes, there were some tears – some for the movie but mostly for missing the Fellowship). Breakfast came while I was watching the movie. Not as good as the other meals I’ve had on Air New Zealand but still better than other airline food.

Pretty soon we were landing in San Fran! We landed and it was just after 11am on February 27 – I had traveled back in time and landed before I took off! Once off the plan I headed towards the US customs. The line was super long but I had lots of time before my next flight. Eventually they opened more lanes and I got through to the other side. I had to pick my luggage up again. Once out of customs I dropped my luggage off and then headed to find my gate. The airport had free wifi so I charged my phone and re-connected with the world. Since my gate wasn’t posted I had to go to the Air Canada desk and figure out what terminal I had to go to since you can’t go between the terminals once through security. I had a meal at one of the restaurants and immediately missed New Zealand food.

3:15pm on February 27 – waiting for my third of four flights today!

My flight to Vancouver ended up getting delayed and there was no way I was going to make my Edmonton flight. As soon the the Air Canada rep got to the gate I went and asked about my connection. Luckily there was one more flight to Edmonton so I wouldn’t be stuck in Vancouver. The plane eventually showed up an hour late. We boarded and took off shortly after. The flight was Air Canada Rouge so there were no snacks but I fell asleep pretty quickly so I didn’t care. I woke up with about 40 minutes left in the flight and spent the rest of the time talking to the two ladies beside me. One had been traveling from Australia so she was just as tired as me! It was dark when we landed so I didn’t see anything. I got to customs and there was no line. The guy was super nice and even though I was over the duty free limit I didn’t have to pay (just be honest and nice and you are less likely to be charged). I grabbed my bag and made my way towards Air Canada check in. Its a pain to pick up your bag in every airport but at least this way you would know where it got lost! I checked in and got a new boarding pass and went through security. The pilots were sitting near me at the gate so I ended up talking to them for a few minutes. The plane showed up and shortly after it was time to board!

One more flight!

On this flight I got the window seat and no one had the aisle seat so I had lots of room. I watched about half of Guardians of the Galaxy before we landed. Since I did customs in Vancouver I got to go straight to the baggage claim. My dad was sitting there waiting for me. It was now 1:30am on February 28 so I had been traveling for 38 hours! Dad had my keys and dropped me off at my place. So nice to be home and have my own bed!

This was the most amazing trip I have ever gone on and I will not soon forget the friends I’ve made or the memories we’ve shared. Definitely going to plan on the reunion tour in 5 years! Now to start work on costumes…

The Last Goodbye

February 24

Today I went on the Routeburn track walk with Sue and Ben. They do this tour for exclusively for Red Carpet Tours. A group did the tour on Sunday but I was the only one today. I was picked up at my hostel and then we were on our way. The first top was where Frodo and Sam saw the Oliphants. I was at the location a few days ago but this time we went down where the armies were walking. Since we visited in the morning it was a lot cooler than the other day!

We continued on towards the Routeburn track and stopped along the road to get some great views of the lake. Sue and Ben have lots of knowledge about the movies and where things were filmed. Peter Jackson would pick the most random places to film. The base camp of when the Rohirrim and other riders gather along the way to Gondor was filmed across the lake in a difficult to access field – hard for spies to get to!

Hard to access filming location that Peter picked out

We stopped at Glenorchy for second breakfast and to buy lunch. We then headed towards the walk. It’s in the same area of the Beorn’s house filming location. We crossed over the same bridge that Wolverine does in X-Men Origins. If you pay attention in the movie, the arrows are painted on the wrong side since its supposed to be in North America but filmed in New Zealand.

We drove down to look at the river before starting walk. The water is so clear and beautiful! We then went back up to the parking lot and got ready for the walk. The hike itself is so beautiful. We kept spotting birds which made Ben and Sue excited since it means the populations are healthy. Since I’ve been walking lots all month this walk was not too strenuous. We went at a nice pace and made it to the waterfall in less than an hour. At the waterfall there were some crazy people that were traveling down the river – including sliding down the waterfalls. Definitely not crazy enough to try that!

Type of branch used for Bilbo’s walking stick

I found a troll cave!

The crazies going into the water

We walked back to the car and then ate our lunch before continuing on our adventure. Even though I had already been to Paradise, we decided to go back anyways since it was so close. Ben and Sue had different photos than Nomad Safaris so I was able to line up some different shots. We didn’t stay long and headed back towards Queenstown. Sue drove us over to where Deer Park Heights was and even though we couldn’t go up, I was able to get a zoomed in photo of the rock that Aragorn falls off of on the way to Helm’s Deep.

Our adventure was now at an end and I was dropped off at my hostel. Can’t believe I only have 3 nights left!

February 25

I had no tours planned today so I got to sleep in late. I decided to go into town to see about getting my tattoo done. They had lots of openings so I went for lunch and then back to the shop (had to also climb the hill to my hostel because I forgot my paper from Daniel Reeve). This was my first tattoo and I was really nervous but because it was small it didn’t take long at all and didn’t even hurt. My tattoo artist was an extra in the LotR movies – once as an orc and once in the Gondor army. He also gave Peter Jackson his tattoo and met Orlando Bloom (Orlando had gone in with Peter to act as support). So now my geeky tattoo has a geeky story to go with it!

The number 30 in Elvish!

I went to Patagonia for a hot chocolate since it was a chilly day (only 11!) and then headed over to the Novotel to meet up with Rebecca and Katie. We were supposed to meet at 1pm but I decided to see if they were in their hotel since I had nothing to do. We hung out in their room for a bit and then went for one last walk around town since they are leaving tomorrow. We went to the Remarkable’s Sweet Shop and then to the LotR store for one last look.

We weren’t hungry for a big supper so we went to Devil Burger for the fries. We shared the curry cheese chips and the garlic cheese chips – both so delicious! It was then time to say our goodbyes! I will have to make the trek to Australia one day to visit!

Only one day left!

February 26

Today is my last full day in New Zealand as tomorrow I begin the long voyage home. I spent most of the day in the hostel relaxing and packing everything. My suitcase is heavy but hopefully its under the limit!

Legolas is ready to go!

I went downtown to meet up with Lisa and Kelly for dinner. We decided to go to The Cow since it was a favourite of the hobbits! We shared a pizza and some amazing garlic bread. The pizza was good but Winnies is the best. After dinner we walked around taking some photos and then ended up down by the water. The sun was slowly setting so it was quite beautiful. The Queenstown & Southern Lakes Highland Pipe Band was playing down by the water so we hung around a bit and listened. It was then time to head back to go to bed. As we walked up the hill (at sunset, into the west) the pipe band was playing. It felt like they were playing for us. It was quite an amazing moment. (I could still hear the band as I got to my hostel up on the hill!)

Once at the spot where we had to go our separate ways Lisa pulled out her iPod and we listened to The Last Goodbye. It was the perfect, although sad, way to say goodbye since it was the last goodbye of the Fellowship.

I can’t believe my Middle-earth Adventure is over and I start home tomorrow! I will miss the Fellowship and New Zealand so much. Time to start saving for the reunion in 2020!

The Road to Isengard

February 23

The tour ended last night and many are beginning their long voyages home but some of us are staying around for some more adventure.  Lisa, Kelly, Katie, Rebecca and I took a Nomad Safaris tour in the morning. I said goodbye to Kay since she was flying back to Australia in the early afternoon and then dropped my luggage in Katie and Rebecca’s room. Julie and Deanna met us in the hotel lobby to say goodbye since both were flying back to the North Island this morning. After hugs and last goodbyes we hopped into our safari vehicle – it was Thorin!

Our first stop was at a scenic pullout alongside Lake Wakatipu – the large lake that Queenstown sits beside. Here we got some great photos of the lake in the morning sun. Our guide had photos and talked a lot about Deer Park Heights and what was filmed there. Sadly Deer Park has been closed to visitors for several years now. We got back in the vehicle and then headed to Glenorchy. We had a quick bathroom break and took a couple more scenic photos before heading on towards Paradise!

Paradise is where Beorn’s house was filmed (and some of X-Men Origins Wolverine). It is Adam Brown’s favourite location! We stopped and got photos at the Paradise sign and then continued up to the filming site. We can’t get right onto the farm land but our guide had photos to match up. Some backgrounds for Isengard where also filmed here.

We then headed back towards Queenstown stopping along the way for a snack in the forest. We were close to where Boromir’s death was filmed but that location is only accessible by a horse tour. We had a hot drink (I had tea, earl grey) and cookies. I may have put extra cookies in my pockets for a later snack…

Our next spot was supposed to be where Frodo and Sam see the Oliphants but since most of us had seen it (and Lisa and Kelly would be seeing it in the afternoon) our guide took us down to the lake so we could get some more scenic shots. He then took us up to a high spot in Queenstown so we could get some great overview shots. Our tour was then at an end and we went back to the hotel. I grabbed my luggage from Rebecca and Katie’s room and then got a cab to take me to my hostel. There was no way I would of been able to carry my luggage to the top of the hill!

The guy at the hostel check in carried my large suitcase (it weighs over 50lbs!) up the stairs to my tiny room. It’ll be such a change after 2 weeks of hotels! I had the afternoon to myself before a group of us were meeting in the Novotel lobby to go to dinner together. It ended up being Kristen, Josh, Danielle, Talia, Darrell, Lisa, Kelly and I that went to Winnies for pizza. I am definitely going to miss their pizza since it is amazing! After dinner we had to start saying out goodbyes. I will see Lisa and Kelly in a couple days but won’t see the others. Of course, Josh started quoting Bilbo saying goodbye to the dwarves in BotFA and made it more emotional (I will never be able to see that scene without crying!). It’s hard to believe that the tour is over and everyone is going home! We bonded incredibly well and I will miss everyone from this group 😦

Tomorrow – on my own for the first time since Auckland!

Many Partings

February 22

Today everyone got to pick what activities they wanted to do. I chose the Touching Middle-earth tour and since it wasn’t until the afternoon I got to sleep in 🙂 Kay got up and left for her tour early but I went back to sleep for a bit and then just hung out watching TV. I walked downtown to grab a bite to eat and cancel one of my reservations. I decided not to go on the second Nomad Safari tour and save the money for something else.

We met in the hotel lobby and Julie and Deanna came to see us off. I decided to give them a parting gift here instead of at the farewell dinner tonight so I didn’t have to haul it and they could pack it. I gave both a pair of Canada mitts and a Lego key chain. Deanna got Bilbo and dropped his ring twice in the first five minutes she had him. I gave Julie Frodo and then the Sting I had been carrying around all tour. She loved the sword from the first time she saw it and so I decided to give it to her for future tours (plus, my luggage is super full so any extra room is helpful for me!). Julie and Deanna both loved the gifts, especially since they have trouble getting Lego in New Zealand.

Our van for the tour arrived and our tour guide actually went on a Red Carpet Tour years ago and then moved to New Zealand! It was nice to have someone that was a crazy fan just like us. Our first stop was at Twelve Mile Delta – a campground where they filmed Frodo and Sam watching the Oliphants. We had the photos to line up our shots and even old call sheets to look at! I was the first one to be Frodo (cuz I have mini-Frodo) and Kristen was my Samwise.

We started to walk back towards the van and stopped across from the Frodo and Sam location. Here was where the Rangers of Ithilien were firing their arrows and the Oliphants and the Southrons of Harad. Not all of the arrows were accounted for so it is still possible that there may be some down near the river. A friend of our guide actually found one years ago and then sold it on ebay.

We got back in the van and then headed back across to the other side of Queenstown to our next site – The Pillars of the Kings! This site is right near where the bungee jump in the Air NZ safety video was filmed. The Argonath themselves were not built here (mix of miniatures and CGI) but the backgrounds were filmed for the movie. We can’t get to the exact spot where they filmed from (too dangerous) but you still get to see what was filmed. The water is so beautiful!

Our next stop was a location only seen in the extended edition of Fellowship of the Ring. We traveled the short distance to Arrowtown where they filmed Gladden Fields. It’s from the prologue when Isildur gets ambushed on the road. You can tell by the trees that you are in the right spot but sadly the most distinctive tree had to be cut down because it was blocking the path. We also saw the spot where Isildur tries to escape by running into the water but the Ring betrays him and he is killed. The underwater shots were of course filmed in studio in Wellington.

Our last location for was the Ford of Bruinen where Arwen is trying to escape from the Black Riders. Part of the scene was filmed at another river near Queenstown but due to a landslide some of it was filmed in Arrowtown. You can tell because the background is different in a few shots.

Before returning to the hotel we stopped and got to play with some Lord of the Rings weapon replicas 🙂

Once everyone was done we headed back to the hotel to get ready for our Farewell Dinner. The dinner was up the Skyline Gondola and offered another amazing view of Queenstown! Dinner itself was a buffet with lots of options. It was really delicious! Deanna handed out gifts near the end and she made me cry when she explained the meaning behind the necklace.

After everyone was done, we moved to a quiet corner so we could present Julie and Deanna with their gifts. They also had a little something for everyone – including our name in Elvish. I got James to start the presentation off and then Elizabeth and I went up to give the gifts. We had gotten Daniel Reeve to make a sign that said “Radagast February 2015 Fellowship” for our bus but actually had 4 made – one for both bus drivers, Julie and Deanna. Deanna knew we were doing this but did not know we were getting one for her as well – she was quite surprised. We also got both of them a gift certificate to the jeweler in Arrowtown (they both love shopping there!) and a bit of fudge from Remarkables. When Rebecca and I went into the sweet shop yesterday we were sure Deanna had seen us buy the fudge and knew what was going on but Deanna said she had no idea. It was a great surprise. Everyone started making their way down the gondola and back to the hotel. Some of us were going to continue on the party and go for a few drinks.

In the hotel lobby we said goodbye to those who weren’t going us for drinks and then headed across the street to Monty’s. We were hanging out and talking when we started to hear “I See Fire” from Desolation of Smaug. Definitely made the last night even more emotional!  Eventually the bartender fessed up to playing the songs. His reason was people drink when they are happy but drink more when they are sad. Even though it made more tears flow it was the perfect way to end the tour.

I am definitely going to miss everyone as this has been an amazing experience! I still have a few more days in Queenstown and there are a few others that will still be around so I don’t have to say goodbye just yet!

The Breaking of the Fellowship

February 21

Today was an emotional day! Although there is still one more day left in the tour as well as our Farewell Dinner, this was our last day touring as a group. We had several locations to view and luckily it was another late start. First up, we traveled to Arrowtown! It’s a cute little gold mining town just outside of Queenstown. We stopped at the jewelry store to pick up the the items we had ordered. I got a silver ring that says “Legolas” on it. We then had a little bit of time to walk around, Rebecca and I ended up in the Remarkables Sweet Shop and tasted some fudge. A perfect second breakfast 🙂

We eventually all made it back to the bus to continue on with our journey. Our first stop was Fangorn Forest and where the Orc funeral pyre was – it is where Aragorn kicks the helmet when he thinks Merry and Pippin are dead. As you as the photo is held up, you know you are in the right spot! It has very distinct tree lines so we were able to get our shots just right. Julie even had a sword an mask to add to the shot for even more realism. A few people even made an Orc body pile.

The forest right beside where the Orcs were burned was used for Fangorn Forest right before they entered the forest. We did go inside the forest as well but inside Fangorn was not shot there – more for us to just see what it was like as the actual location would of been similar.

We went back out of the forest so we could get photos of where Gandalf calls Shadowfax. Since James is an excellent whistler he was nominated to be our Gandalf. Julie picked Tom and Matt to play Shadowfax – the results were hilarious. And of course, the jokes about who was the horse’s ass flew freely.

We made the short walk back to the bus (while getting attacked by plants that stuck to you like velcro!) and then headed on to our next sight – one of the (many) rivers used to film the Fellowship paddling down the Anduin. Along the way we made a quick stop to take photos at a location similar to the Dead Marshes. It wasn’t the exact location but a good representation of how they looked. We then continued to the river site. We walked across a little suspension bridge – making it sway a lot – and then got some really good photos. Ben (our guide for the day) had the screen shots so we could get the right background in the shot. We weren’t staying long so we were told to “stay on the path” and not venture off. Going back across the bridge us younger ones had to hold back so the older members of the Fellowship could cross without us shaking the bridge. We made it back to the bus without losing anyone 🙂

Our last stop for the day was were the breaking of the Fellowship scenes were filmed. It was very fitting to come here last the end as it is the last location our fellowship sees together. The first shot we re-enacted was were Frodo is holding the ring and looking across the river just before he leaves. Since Elizabeth was wearing her cloak she was our Frodo. Right beside that is where Sam runs into the river after Frodo. When filming, the crew inspected the rocks for glass since Sean Astin would be barefoot. Somehow, Sean stepped on the one piece they missed and had to be airlifted to the hospital as a precaution. Everyone was lined up taking photos of where Sam ran into the water at when I decided we actually needed a Samwise. Katie and I were at the end so I gave Katie my camera, took my sandals off, yelled “No, Mr. Frodo!” and then ran into the water. I ran all the way up to my knees. It was quite refreshing 🙂

Once out of the water I put my shoes back on and we headed into the forest. We were going to were Frodo and  Merry & Pippin hid from the Orcs right before Frodo left the Fellowship. The tree that Frodo hid in was right beside the path. We all recognized it right away and took turns being Frodo. Further up the hill was the log that Merry and Pippin hid behind. In the movie they make it seem that the tree and log are right across from each other but in actuality, Merry and Pippin’s log is up the hill and behind the tree Frodo hides in. Movie magic 🙂

Once everyone had their photos we headed back to the bus. We made it just in time as it started raining! New Zealand was sad that our tour was coming to an end! As we drove into Queenstown Julie played ‘Into the West’ which made everyone tear up 😥

The evening was ours to go where we wanted to and a group of us ended up at Devil Burger. Pretty sure this was the best burger I have had (sorry Burger Fuel – but it beats you!). I tried some of the curry fries (kinda like poutine) and they were amazing! After dinner we continued our quest and went for beer. Our driver Wayne had been talking up a place called Cowboys (even though it sounded a bit sketchy!) so of course we had to go check it out. They had massive beer glasses that only cost $10 (although the beer was watered down!) so many of us ended up drinking those. They have a bull you can try and ride and most of the guys of our group tried it out. For the rest of us it was quite hilarious to watch 🙂

The bar got crowded (and some crazy girls stole our table) so we left the bar and headed out to find a new drinking hole. For some reason we let Jeff lead and ended up across Queenstown at some expensive place. We hung out there the rest of the night and continued our mini party. Our group slowly left back to the hotel until there were only a few of us left. We made a late night McDonald’s run and then back to the hotel to crash.

Next up…Farewell Dinner 😥

Dwarves are Very Dangerous Over Short Distances…

February 20

Today we ventured into Rohan Country! We had to switch buses because the big coach wasn’t able to drive on the New Zealand back roads in this area. We stopped for a quick bathroom break in Alexandra and moved to the school bus we were using for the morning. I wish I had school buses like this one! The seats were super nice like on our big coach and there was lots of room so everyone was comfortable. Definitely a fancier school bus than I’m used too!

Once everyone was on the bus we headed towards the farm where several Rohan scenes were filmed. We all had to get off of the bus and walk across a bridge because otherwise we would have been way overweight. The bus itself was still probably over weight even after the 35 of us got off! Once the bus was safely across we all got back on to continue our trek to Rohan. The property is owned by a lovely older lady named Sue. She runs a little hotel called Old Moa Creek which is an old gold mining ghost town. We stopped there to pick Sue up to be our guide and for a bathroom break. The hotel is…very old. Definitely an unique place to stay but it would not be on my list of accommodations.

Our first stop was at Aragorn’s rock. This is the rock where Aragorn leans down to listen for the Uruk-hai as they are trying to rescue Merry and Pippin. So we all took a turn being Aragorn and listening 🙂

Right behind this location is they canyon where Pippin drops his leaf brooch while being carried by the Uruk-hai. It’s crazy how two different locations can be filmed so close to each other! Of course, once in the canyon we had to have some re-enactments. For the first one, I was Legolas, Kristen was Aragorn and Tom was Gimli. The Urak-hai and Merry and Pippin do their part first and then Aragorn and Legoas come running in. I got to yell for Gilmi to run faster 🙂

For the second round no one wanted to be Gimli so I volunteered. Once everyone had said their line and Legolas (Lisa) yelled at me I had to “fall” into the canyon and run towards everyone saying Gimli’s “dwarves are very dangerous over short distances” line. It’s so much fun to do these re-enactments in the actual filming locations! We walked out of the canyon and then used a large boulder to yell out Legolas’ “They’re taking the hobbits to Isengard” line. It wasn’t the same rock but it still made for great photos.

We got back to the bus and then drove a short distance to where the Rohan village was burned. There are a few buildings in the area and since they couldn’t be torn down for filming they had to be covered up with thatched roofs. We could hold the photos from the movie up and see the exact views from the movie. And as people were walking up from the bus they looked like Rohan refugees. There was a large rock outcropping that some of us climbed to get some better views.

We hopped back onto the bus and drove to where Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli encounter Eomer and the Rohirrim. I got to be Legolas again when we did the re-enactment. We got surrounded by all the Rohirrim. Sue got right into and lead everyone to surround us!

Once everyone got their photos we headed back to the bus and then back to Alexandra to switch back to our coach and have lunch. Liza, Ashley, Kay and I headed down the street and ate at a little cafe. On the way back we stopped at a couple of stores so Ashley and Kay could take a peak. We headed back to meet the bus and then head towards out last city – Queenstown!

On the way into Queenstown we passed the bungee jump that was featured in the Air New Zealand safety video. Pretty cool to see but I will not be jumping! We are in the Novotel Lakeside Hotel until the end of the tour. It’s super nice it will be hard to stay in a hostel for the last few nights after the tour! Once checked in a bunch of us went to Winnie’s for dinner. It was Martin Freeman’s (Bilbo) favourite. The pizza was AMAZING! Best I’ve had in New Zealand – and back home!

Tomorrow is our last full day together as a group (we do separate activities on Sunday). Appropriately we go to the Breaking of the Fellowship site where Frodo leaves with Sam to go to Mordor alone. Can’t believe my Middle-earth adventure is almost over!

Arise! Arise, Riders of Theoden!

February 19

Today was a sleep in day – we didn’t have to leave until 8:30! This morning we were going to where Pelennor Fields was filmed and it was super close to our hotel so it was a very short drive. The owner of the farm, Priscilla, greeted us in the field that was used for filming. The road built for filming was still there so the farm is probably the only one with a tar sealed road through a field. Priscilla brought out photos to show us so we could see exactly where things were filmed. Its quite easy to line up shots to match the movie. Most of the scenes were filmed on the farm but Theoden’s death was filmed in studio. The road was like a divider  – Rohan was filmed on one side and Gondor was filmed on the other. Priscilla was also an orc extra in the film. And since the area is sparsely populated any local who wished to be an extra was able to. It would of been so amazing to have lived here when filming was going on!

About a year after filming, rabbit hunter found one of the spears that was used in the movie so we got to hold it and use it for photos. It was so awesome to be able to hold an actual prop from the movie in the same spot where filming took place!

Once everyone had a turn we took a group photo and then got on the bus to drive to where Theoden lead his charge of the Rohirrim. When they filmed there was 250 horses that participated in the charge! That would have been an incredible scene to witness firsthand. Of course being the super fans we are, we reenacted the scene minus the horses – except for Theoden who got to have a pretend horse. For the first reenactment I got to be Theoden. It was my job to say his speech (with a cheat sheet that had the lines) and then lead my Rohirrim into battle. The first one was practice so we didn’t run but on the second one we all ran down the hill and attacked the orcs at the bottom. It was so much fun! Everyone got really into it and we ran fast down the hill and attacking the orcs – sometimes a little harder than necessary 🙂

After my charge Josh said to me that he so wanted to do that so I handed him the cape and horse. A few people changed sides between the orcs and Rohirrim. Josh lead his charge and we all screamed and ran down the hill again slaying orcs as we ran. Next up was John’s turn to be Theoden. Now, at the beginning of the tour he didn’t want to do any reenactments. Fast forward 10 days and he was leading the charge down a hill! At the end of this run when I went to attack Deanna (even though she was the camera person!) I somehow managed to fall. I didn’t get hurt or anything but couldn’t get up because Lisa and I were laughing so hard! I even managed to make her fall. We had one last charge, this time lead by Ashley. Somehow on this one we had a lot less Rohirrim and a lot more orcs…

We all got back in the bus to start heading towards our lunch stop. Along the way we made a quick stop to take photos of where Gandalf and Pippin crossed a river on their way towards Minas Tirith. We also made a quick stop at the spot where they filmed Arwen and Frodo being chased by the Black Riders. Sadly we couldn’t go onto the property because it is a private winery and the owner doesn’t let people on his land. We continued our drive towards Lake Wanaka. Everyone went off on there own to find food. Katie, Kay and I ended up at a little donair place although none of us actually bought donairs. Deanna stalked us and found us inside waiting for food 😉 We got our food to go and headed towards the beach. There were birds everywhere wanting our food. When I was finished I threw my fries to the birds and it was hilarious to see them scramble to get the food. Deanna also tried to feed them and then they started following her. I got away from there before they attacked us. Julie had brought bread from the hotel so we went and fed the birds on the dock. If you held it out they would swoop down and grab it. I did not try that though.

After lunch we went to a place called “Have a Shot”. They have a shooting range, mini golf and archery as well as other activities. I only tried archery although I wasn’t very good but it was still lots of fun!

Once everyone was done with there activities we got back on the bus to head for our hotel. Along the way we passed the 45th parallel south. Just before we got to the hotel we stopped at Mrs. Jones’ Orchard where they have fresh fruit infused ice cream. I had vanilla with kiwi and it was delicious 🙂

Everyone went there own way for dinner. A group of us ended up at the hotel restaurant. I wasn’t hungry so I just had an appetizer. I was supposed to go hang out with Kristen and Elizabeth after dinner but as I was walking through the courtyard James offered me a beer and you can’t turn a beer down! We ended up hanging out and drinking until it long after it was dark. I had such a great time and will definitely miss this group.

Tomorrow we head into Rohan Country!

Magnificent Edoras!!!

February 18

Today is the day I’ve been waiting for!!!!! Climbing Edoras was one of the things I was looking forward to the most! It was another early morning since we still had a bit of a drive to get to Mount Sunday – Edoras’ New Zealand name 🙂

We stopped to grab a picnic lunch at Rakaia (although I cheated and made sandwiches from the breakfast at the hotel). Joan and I found a big hamster wheel type thing on a nearby playground and had to go check it out. Of course all the boys eventually followed us and it was great entertainment.

Once playtime was over we got back on the bus to continue our voyage to Edoras. Along the way a hitch hiker was spotted and Julie asked if we should pick him up. It was Gandalf! Ok, not really but he was dressed like Gandalf and had a white car named Shadowfax. We were actually picking up our guide for the day, Derek, but we called him Grandalf! He and his daughter were both extras in the movie so he had lots of fun stories for us! We paused for some photos where we picked up Grandalf and then were on our way again.

Driving towards Edoras, you really felt like you were in Rohan country. It was magical. When you first spot Edoras it takes your breathe away, even though its so far away. The bus stopped so we could all take photos of Edoras from a distance. It really is amazing because it is so recognizable from the film.

The first view of Edoras! It’s so small!

We got back into the bus and then drove to a little place called Mt Potts Lodge for a bathroom break since there is nowhere to go once we start our hike. The bus drove us closer to the mountain but it would still be a 45 minute hike to get to the top. Edoras is located between to mountain ranges so normally it is quite windy. I say normally, because today someone must of turned off the wind as it was 32 degrees Celsius and no wind! It was a long, sweaty hike to the top. Grandalf would pause along the way and tell us stories from the set. It was nice to take breaks since the heat made the hike so much harder. Once at the top the views were nothing short of spectacular!

The buildings were all gone (not made out of permanent materials) but Grandalf had photos of where things were. So we were able to stand right where the Great Hall once stood – so awesome! Everyone was in awe of the views and just soaking things in as Grandalf told stories and pointed out where things were. Eventually everyone gathered for a group photo with the Rohan flag and then some individual shots

We had all brought along our picnic lunches so we ate while enjoying the amazing views. Sadly there was no shade to hide from the heat and still no wind to provide relief. After I ate a little I wondered around taking photos of everything. I was standing just below where the Great Hall had been taking a photo of Frodo and Legolas on the rocks when I spotted something by Frodo’s foot. It was a piece of metal that was most likely from the set! So I now have an actual piece of Edoras 🙂

Sadly we had to leave the amazing views of Edoras and continue our journey. Even in the insane heat, Edoras was definitely one of the highlights so far! (Impossible to pick one favourite thing!)

Back at the Mt Potts Station we had a little snack (and lots of water!). While enjoying our snack Deanna came into the room with a fun story. Matt and John were trying to get a selfie with one of the animals when they got shocked by the electric fence! Sadly they did it when only Deanna was watching so there was only one witness. We drove back to where Grandalf left Shadowfax and said our goodbyes. We still had a long drive ahead of us until we reached our hotel for the night.

Along the way we made two stops.The first was at Lake Tekapo where there is a beautiful stone church. The lake offered wonderful views as well. Once everyone had stretched their legs when made a quick bathroom break and then were off towards Lake Pukaki and Mt Cook. Mt Cook is New Zealand’s tallest and is where Sir Edmund Hillary practiced for his Everest climb. Part of Lake Pukaki was used as the scene for Laketown. We didn’t get to go there because it was on private land but Julie did point out where filming had taken place. The view across the lake is breathtaking. I could just stand there and look at Mt Cook forever.

Lake Tekapo and the stone church

Mount Cook!

We got back on the bus and headed to our hotel. Since we were again in the middle of nowhere (it is quite peaceful) we had a group buffet dinner again. We then had an opportunity to buy some handmade cloaks. They looked amazing but out of my budget after Weta! The boys went outside to play soccer and some of us went to watch for a bit. I went inside once I got chilly. At least the wake-up call isn’t until 6:30 tomorrow!

Tomorrow we get to charge across Pelennor Fields!!

The Road Goes Ever On and On…

February 17

Today is the only day where we did not visit a movie related site. Most of the day was spent on the bus driving to Christchurch. We had a lot of ground to cover so the drive to Edoras tomorrow isn’t so long. Along the way we got to see a seal colony!

Deanna traded seats with me because the view out of the left side is much better for the drive down the coast (Thanks Deanna for being awesome!) Katie ended up being my seat buddy so that she could get the good views too! Putting the two of us together means lots of laughter!

Katie taking a photo of me taking a photo of her 🙂

Just before our lunch break in Kaikoura we stopped at the seal colony. I had fallen asleep (damn anti-nausea meds lol) and got woken by Julie so I wouldn’t miss the seals. There were so many off them! As you are driving past its hard to spot them since you are going so fast. I had to point out several to Katie before she saw one. We stop at a roadside pullout to take photos. The rocks below are covered in seals. It is so cool especially since I have never seen seals in the wild before.

Once everyone had taken their photos we got back on the bus and into town. We had an hour break to find food and shop if we wanted to. Alayna, James and I ended up in the Global Culture store looking at t-shirts. I got one of a map of New Zealand with the One Ring around it. James got the best t-shirt. It’s instructions of how to prepare a kiwi (bird) and the inside of the bird is a kiwi fruit. So hilarious! I ended up just grabbing food at a grocery store and then headed back towards the bus. Some of the group was hanging out by the beach eating lunch so I joined them. Many of the beaches here are made of rocks and not sand so it’s weird to me. The view was pretty spectacular 🙂

Back on the bus we continued the drive to Christchurch. Our hotel is at the airport so we don’t actually go into town. They are still recovering from the earthquakes in 2010 and 2011 so there are not many places for larger groups to stay. Plus, we are leaving early in the morning for Edoras so it’s easier to stay on the outskirts of the city. Julie and Deanna hosted a Hobbit/LotR trivia contest while we drove. I was really good at the movie questions but not so good at the book questions. I ended up getting second place and my kayak buddy Lisa got first! Jeff and Elizabeth tied for third. At dinner Julie gave me my trivia prize – a little New Zealand key-chain backpack, a pen and a Red Carpet Tours bracelet. The backpack fits Frodo perfectly!

Once everyone was checked in a few of us ended up in the bar and I brought down my laptop so we could watch The Two Towers. Everyone is excited because tomorrow is the big day where we finally climb Edoras! Since the hotel is in the middle of nowhere we had a buffet dinner as a group in the hotel. We have an early start tomorrow so didn’t stay out visiting too late!

Next up….EDORAS!!!

Dwarves in Barrels!

February 16

It was another early morning since half of the group had to depart early for their helicopter trip. Those that went yesterday and the few that weren’t going still had to get up for breakfast but didn’t have to meet Julie until 8:45am. We were going to Jens Hanson – jewelry shop that made the One Ring! It was a short walk from the hotel (the bus was taking the other group to the helicopters). Once there we went into the tiny back shop. They had been at this location for many years and just recently moved the office staff to a building across the street. It would have been incredibly crowded to work there!

We had a presentation telling us about all the rings that were made for the film. The one Frodo wears around his neck is always a size 10 or 11. The chain was specially made as well. It is 65cm and had to hang so that the ring was visible below Frodo’s cloak. Every ring in the film was made but the lettering was CGI and when you see the ring change size it is CGI. So there was a ring made large enough for Sauron. A few different types of the One Ring were passed around so we could all feel the weight difference between the different materials. The ones in the movie were all real gold but replicas can be made in a number of different materials. At the end we got to see the biggest ring made (it was not the original one made for the movie but a replica the shop made for itself). It was used for the scene in the mountains were Frodo dropped the ring. A regular ring would of never shown up on screen so a large version had to be made – including the chain. The weight of the chain and ring would have been enough to anchor a boat! I bought the One Ring (in tungsten) and then we all got the chance to pose with the large prop ring. My little Frodo put it on then disappeared 😉

We now had time to wander the town and have lunch while we waited for the helicopter group to return. Ashley, Liza, Kristen and I wandered around together and eventually stopped for lunch at a little cafe. We made our way up to the meeting point and ended up having to wait a bit longer since the helicopters were late. Once the bus came we headed over to the Pelorus River to kayak down the same place where the dwarves in barrels went! Lisa and I teamed up for the trip (every kayak was 2 people). I attached my water proof camera to my life jacket so I could take lots of photos.

Kayaking ended up being so much fun! There were a couple of rapids but they were very small and as long as you went down them straight you wouldn’t flip. We got out at one of the locations in the film and took some photos. Our guide had photos for us to line up or shots. We then got back in our kayaks. We had to pause for everyone to get into their kayaks so Lisa reached into the water (she was in the front and the water was more shallow by her) and grabbed us a couple rocks as souvenirs. Both remind us of Kili’s ruin stone and came from right below the waterfall you see in Desolation of Smaug. The water fall is really only a trickle – they would pour water over it to make it bigger during shooting. We then passed into the area where any kayak was most likely to flip over – going down a small drop. The guide went first, followed by Matt and John. Lisa and I were next and we got stuck on a rock. We were unable to move so the guide came to rescue us. We were both laughing and those that did not kayak were watching from the shore and could hear us. They were all hoping we would flip! The guide grabbed our kayak and said he was going to send us down backwards – to which Lisa screamed “What!?!”. As he turned us I leaned the other way as it did feel a little like we could flip. He sent us down and at the bottom we turned around and continued onward. Everyone kept crashing into each other as they made their way down the drop. The guide stayed up there to help the others who got stuck behind us.

Once everyone was down we continued down the river. Near the end of the trip, anyone who wanted to jump out of their kayak could. Darrell, James and Matt did right away. John made a huge splash and his helmet fell off as he got out. Tom made the most interesting entry though. He decided to go through Jeff and Joan’s kayak – much to Joan’s dislike. I got a couple photos of Tom going through, all the while Joan is yelling at Tom that he better not flip them. It was hilarious. When it was time to re-enter the kayaks Joan had her paddle out and ready to smack Tom away if he came near. Everyone else was laughing at the crazy scene.

Kayaking is definitely one of my favourites so far. It was so much fun and since most of the group did it we all got to bond even more. Everyone was crashing into each other and having a great time. Most crashes were accidental but there was one time where Lisa and I “attacked Maine” and headed straight for Alayna and James 🙂 As we turned a bend we could see the vans ready to pick us up. Matt & John and Jeff & Joan were battling with each other to finish first but neither was able to move forward with all the fighting. Lisa and I saw our opportunity and made a charge to the end for a come from behind finish! It was awesome and Joan was so happy that the boys didn’t win. We all got out of the kayaks and started taking off all of our gear and loading into the vans. We were driven the short distance back to where the bus was. There was a little shop so some of us grabbed an ice cream while we waited for the guide to bring the USB with the go pro photos of the trip.

We all got back in the bus so we could head to our over night stop in Blenhiem. Kay and I had dinner at the hotel restaurant and others ended up there as well. Tomorrow is the only day without any LotR or Hobbits stops as we will be driving most of the day so we can get to Edoras the following day!