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Published: April 3rd 2015
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#magic
“In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit . . .” The day had arrived. I am finally going to Hobbtion!!!
As I finish with my breakfast duty onboard Celebrity Century me and some friends could't wait and get out from the ship 😊 We were in Tauranga, New Zealand that day. As soon as we walk out we stop by the info centre to ask for the Hobbition tours and how to get there. They told us that the movie scene is located in Matamata and the tour left early in the morning so it was the only one for the day….such a shame! I thought that there wouldn't be any other chance to see that place. The woman on the info centre than turn to Adrian and give him an option for a car rental. Since he used to have an international driver license without hesitation we accept the offer and get to Matamata by ourself.
I was so exited for the road trip, cause we were able to designee our own itinerary. We wait in front the cruise terminal for someone from the car rental staff to come and get us to the office so could Adrian sign all the peppers for renting. We rent a blue
#roadtrip
On the way to Matamata Ford Focus. The guys from the rentals gave us a map how to get to Matamata. The tank was full and we hit the road. It was almost noon when Adrian step on the gas. At the beginning he was not used to the car. Locals are driving on he left side on the road. The car was also automatic and he wasn't used to this and on the top of everything the wheel was on the right side of the car 😊
Driving across New Zealand is a prime way not only to see the movies' ethereal locations but also to experience a true taste of Kiwiland. The weather was sunny and clear blue sky which was amazing.
It took about 50 minutes to reach "The Hobbit Set Tour" info desk in Matamata. We parked up and went into the info site to pay. It cost us $75NZ each, which I know some people might find expensive, but we thought it really was worth every dollar! We booked onto the 1.00 pm tour and took a few photos while waiting patiently for our bus to arrive. We were really excited and hopped aboard when it turned up.
Scenic road journey It was certainly a retro bus!
We were dropped off by the bus and our guide introduced herself. She was absolutely brilliant and did a fantastic job at explaining all the details fans would want to know without talking too much.
The weather was perfect until we reach the site. It start raining so they give us an umbrellas. She also gave us plenty of time to explore, as she led us into the centre of Hobbiton. We had time to take some photos in lots of different areas all around Hobbiton and it was great fun exploring.
Hobitton Movie Set was very well guided tour according to me. It has more than 44 unique hobbit holes, including Bag End (Bilbo's house). As you wander through the heart of the Shire, I get to hear the fascinating commentary about how it was all created. Along the journey I see the mill, the double arched bridge and the famous Party Tree which was artificial.
It was fascinating to see all the Hobbit holes that were in the movies and hear about the incredible attention to detail that took place for filming. It was wonderful to be able
to climb right up to Bag End and see Bilbo’s view down over Hobbiton. I also saw the bench where Bilbo and Gandalf blow smoke in the film. It was all so exciting!
My only disappointment was that there was nothing behind the doors of the Hobbit holes and that all the filming of the interiors was done in Wellington, but that certainly didn't spoil our enjoyment of the experience.
This was a wonderful tour. The guides are fantastic, and you are magically transported to the world of Middle Earth and the Shire. We so enjoyed our visit, and learned much about the making of the movies. I felt like an extra in the movie 😊 There is a good café and a shop for souvenirs. Worth every penny of the entrance fee.
The natural beauty of New Zealand blew my mind many times over. Every country has a certain amount of natural beauty. New Zealand just happens to have loads of it. Nobody regrets going to New Zealand.
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