Blogs from Raglan, North Island, New Zealand, Oceania - page 5

I left early the following morning to go in hunt of The Lord f The Rings scenes and began on Mt. Victoria in the city, found the scene where Frodo first encounters the Ring Wraiths and yells "Get off the Road!" I then drove to see some of the Bree locations before ending up at Weta Cave production studios which was just a small building because we aren't allowed to see the studio because of top secret movie secrets but I saw a bunch of models and sculptures and works from other films such as King Kong, the Hercules and Xena tv show, sculptures of Gollum and Gimli, elven armour, 30 days of night vampires, props from Hellboy and many more. I watched a short film there about the movie studios history and then looked through ... read more

What is with "sweet-a-zz-," Im not sure I dig it but kiwi's keep planting it. Thanks, loyal fans for checking back in with my blog, I love all 5 of you. ; ) Im really falling in love with this island, Its truely beautiful and the people honor and respect that beauty, and I like those people. Most everyone here is naturally helpful- to the point where when I say "Thanks so much, I really appreciate it" they stare at me wondering why I didn't expect them to help. But I do get the same remark when I tip (tipping is never expected) "Hey! We really appreciate it, thanks! Sweet Azz" Solscape is a really great place, I was picking lettuce out of the garden that overlooks Manu Bay's rolling waves and it really hit me ... read more

I MADE IT! From SD to NZ- From Summer to Winter- From South to North... or North to South depending on how you look at it. I arrived right at sunrise in Auckland and happened upon Andreas the German woodworker living in Raglan- That was a convienient coincidence cause it was where I was headed and I had no idea how to get there. Just follow the German. Anyways it took the full day but we got here- right at sunset. This place is gorgeous, the bay is huge and surfers anywhere would be jealous... and then pissed if they knew there is no way I am getting in that water (brrrr). Solscape is a very familiar comfortable place, with the waves in the background and living in a trailer of sorts.... My accomidation is ... read more

Swapping your Thongs for your Uggs! Our last walk around Manly Bay at sunrise before heading to the airport for New Zealand, surprising how busy Manly is so early in the morning, people catching their last wave before catching the first ferry to work, runners, walkers and swimmers all on the sea front to greet the new morning ready for another day, but for us, it was our last time (maybe) we will see the sun rising over Manly. It felt quite strange that we were finally leaving, Manly had become our home, if only for a short time, we were comfortable here, our two large cappuccino's, two sugars in one, our order known at the café after our morning walk, we knew how things worked here, it was going to be weird leaving yet we ... read more

(N) Travelling southwards from Auckland through the middle of the north island is to pass through “King Country” - nothing to do with the UK, it was named after the King Movement, set up by various Maori tribes in the middle of the 19th century, when they elected a king and formed a group to defend themselves against increasing European pressure to sell land for settlement. The heart of their territory was this King Country, and outsiders knew better than to try and buy it from them. So the groups stayed apart, but the breakthrough in relations came in the 1890’s, when the Maori king allowed the construction of the Auckland to Wellington railway. Today, Maori presence is said to be stronger here than anywhere else in NZ. The king of the King Movement at that ... read more