We squeezed out every last drop

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Geo: -38.6866, 176.07

Actually, this day was EN ROUTE TO LAKE TAUPO.

Although our lovely hosts at the B&B in Thames looked at us askance, we DID visit both the movie set for the Hobbit & Lord of the Rings movies, and the Waitomomo caves (a sort of Zig Zag route) AND we happened upon a kiwi sanctuary and visited there too. Yes, we arrived in the dark, and didn't eat our frozen Moroccan tagine microwavable meal till 9 pm, but it was worth it. Those 2 sites would have meant driving back quite a ways from lovely Lake Taupo - which is, acc to a book, the size of Singapore. Formed from huge (seen in China and beyond) eruption. This is the caldera.

So, most photos are from the Hobbiton set, which was lovely. The tours were not overly crowded - you stayed with your little bus load, and as you can see we mostly avoided having others in the photos. We are keen to re-watch the movies now that we've been here. AND there are many locations in this area and the South Island.

We are past 1/2 way point in our amazing journeys. 😞

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Comments

[Bob and Billie Dee]

Maybe they were ME birds!

[cjryman2016]

Chris wants to know if you found Aunt Betty there? :)

[Hacketts]

Could the 'eel feeder' also be a Chicago Bears' Dick Butkus fan--#51? Tom