Blogs from Matamata, North Island, New Zealand, Oceania - page 2

Time to leave Auckland and head South to see what awaits. We packed up Pip (we named our Kiwi car), bade a found farewell to the hot tub and then we were off! Our first stop was the city of Hamilton. There we explored the Hamilton Gardens. Not only was this attraction free, it was very beautiful! A myriad of different types of gardens in spring time can't be beat. My favorites were the Italian Renaissance, the Traditional English and the Indian Retreat. Jeff enjoyed the Italian Renaissance along with the extensive kitchen garden. After getting our eyes filled with outdoor beauty, off to find substinance! We found the Good George Brewery. And what a find! Jeff got an amber ale while I ordered the sparkling ale. Uh....yum! A plate of pork and beef sliders later, ... read more

Hello Hobbies, more photos for you. It just make's you want to be a Hobbit and live in Hobbiton, doesn't it ?... read more

Or Hobbiton. If you know nothing about New Zealand, then you at least know that the Lord of the Rings trilogy and Hobbit movies have been filmed here. In the small town of Matamata, the Shire was built into hillsides and preserved so that fans can live out their secret, hairy feet fantasies. But I must confess: I committed a horrible crime. In my travels I passed straight through the town of Matamata without strolling through the Shire, without entering a hobbit hole, and without stopping for a beef and ale pie at the Green Dragon Inn. Basically by opening this blog, you have just fallen for a little entertaining jape on my end. But, don't judge this LOTR fan too harshly. One of you will inevitably come visit me and force me to take you ... read more

We'd told jan and den nothing more than that we were leaving at 10am and all they needed were comfortable walking shoes. Today we were going to Hobbiton! This is the set of The Shire and home of Bag End where Lord of the rings and The Hobbit were filmed. Jan had planned on cooking a Cottage Pie today, and not to let a day out get in the way, she was up frying the mince before 8am. The drive was a couple of hours although when we got to Matamata, Middle Earth wasn't very well signposted at all. We'd asked for directions and been told two different ways, Gareth was threaders and ready to turn back and go home, everyone jumped on the food box for the BBQ leftovers when we next stopped to ask ... read more

Bonjour a tous. Voici la recette pour ce rendre en Nouvelle-Zelande. Ingredients: -equipement de camping -un bagage qui va dans la soute et un bagage que l'on garde avec soi dans l'avion -avoir une francine, un alain et une sandrine tous assez gentils pour m'ammener a l'areoport a 5h du matin -avoir un Ipod, une tablette et un appareil photo pleinement charge. -accepter le fait que pour les prochaines 35 heures, je ne vais pas dormir correctement. Melanger le tout jusqu'a consistence uniforme, envoyer le tout de l'autre cote de la planette, le tout entrecoupe de periode d'attente et voila! Nouvelle-Zelande! Mais plus serieusement, jai quitter sherbrooke vendredi le premier novembre a 5h du matin, mon avion decollait a 11h30 de montreal pour New York, j'y suis vers 2h PM, puis plus de 6h d'attente dans ... read more