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Published: February 12th 2006
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I've had a pretty exciting last couple of days. After leaving KeriKeri, I dropped Geshe off in Auckland. I was pretty stressed about the traffic, but all went well on our drive, and I dropped her off in Parnell (a suburb of Auckland). I then decided I would bypass Hamilton because there's nothing there of much interest to me, considering it's a university town. So I took the bypass and headed to a destination and mecca of many Lord of the Rings fans, Matamata. Or as we geeks call it, Hobbiton! I looked around town for a good place to park my home on wheels and found a nice quiet parking lot close of course to the public bathrooms. I really wasn't great weather, it basically rained all night. I was hoping that it would be good weather next day for my tour of Hobbiton. I decided that I would book in for the 9:30 am trip, and was surprised when I was the only one! I was going to have my own private tour of Hobbiton! I was almost jumping out of my skin! Wooohooo! I was escorted by my driver, and of course my tour guide. The drive took
Hobbiton
This is the first view when I came around the corner! Cool eh? me out of Matamata where we passed the high school where all auditions were held. Some of the townsfolk (had to be under 5'4) who are called "the chosen few" have finally begun to come out of the woodwork, due to the strick confidentiality laws that New Line Cinema put into place. After turning off the main highway, we then turned on to Buckland Road (yes, and it was not renamed after the filming. How Ironic, don't you think?) Out into sheep country we went, also passing a house that was rented by Peter Jackson for the time of the filming in the area, which was about 3 months. We then turned into a gravel road which is locked, because the public cannot access this site, only by private tours. This gravel road was constructed by the New Zealand Army and took them over 9 months to complete because it had to handle heavy trucks and over 180 cars a day going on and off the site. What Peter Jackson wants, he certainly gets! After about 2 kms of driving, we entered the staging area where the logistics trucks where set up, and also the place where the cast and
crew ate, had makeup and costume applied, and of course their luxury trailers. It was a little hard to picture such a setup in a sheep field, but they have pictures and markers in the field to show you where all these things were set up. The caterers alone had to feed over 300 people a day! Could you imagine? And all this time, I'm looking excitedly for hobbit holes, for the party tree, for the Green Dragon, for Gandalf to be setting off fireworks........itching just to run over the near hill to see it all with my own two eyes. My tour guide and I then got back into the van that they so lovingly call "Frodo" and went around the hill to the bottom of Hobbiton. Didn't seem like much to me when we got out. A place for me to store my backpack, and some umbrellas. I did notice how green everything was, and how much sheep poo was scattered all over the place. I swear, so much that you couldn't dodge the pieces, you just had to deal with the fact that you're going to get it all over your shoes. Well, we then walked around
The Party Tree
In all it's glory! the corner and there it was. Hobbiton in it's glory. It seems that New Line wanted the whole site demolished. There are only 17 hobbit holes still in tact. Sadly the hobbit hole that was Proudfoot's was demolished, and also Sam and Rosie's home *sob* The demolition crew came up against some rain, and sadly couldn't make it all the way up the hill to demolish Bag End! WOOHOO! So out of approx 36 hobbit holes, 17 still exist. As for the Green Dragon and the Mill, they were demolished. Peter Jackson actually set the roof on fire because it was made of thatching. This was done so it could be filmed for the scene where Frodo sees the future of Hobbiton if he doesn't succeed in his quest. It's amazing the work that they had to do to make it seem so lived in, so established. They had the set makers on site for the full 3 months of filming. They actually made the polystyrine out in the parking lot when it was required! There is an area where it was pretty much swamp (the veggie patch) and it was drained and had full size veggies transplanted in, pumped
The Party Tree Streamers
The only evidence left of Bilbo's 111th birthday! with hormones and pesticides to keep them alive for filming and also to keep the animals away. The party tree is there in all it's glory and all that is left of Bilbo's 111th birthday is a little bit of streamer left dangling in one of the limbs of the trees. I looked at the lawn where all the tents where set up, and it seemed so small to me. I thought, they surely couldn't of put up all that stuff in such a small area. I guess it is just a matter of perspective.....I couldn't stop staying of my gosh...oh my gosh. I just seemed surreal that I was there, where all these magical actors were, that I was walking in the same places they had been. What a magical place it was....
We then made our way past what was Sam and Rosie's home portrayed in The Return of the King. What's left is a mound with many wildflowers growing on it. Up further along the path is Sam Gamgee's Father's home, the only one with a built in chimney. Then up along Bagshot Row to Bag End. Because of the agreement with New Line Cinema, the family
The Green Dragon, Market and the Mill
The 3 yellow markers across the pond indicate where the Market/Green Dragon was located. The green marker is where the bridge was located, and the red is where the mill was located who owns the property is not allowed to recreate anything. But, with Bag End, they did recreate the gate up to the doorway. And smoking is not allowed, so you can't recreate Bilbo and Gandalf sitting on the bench having some pipeweed. The only hobbit hole you can enter is Bag End. They had to carve out the inside so that the film crew could fit inside for a couple of shots of Hobbiton. It's now a home for possums sadly. I really hope the pictures do this special place justice. And I hope you enjoy them.
I'm in Taupo right now doing some free camping right beside a beautiful river. I passed through stinky Rotorua yesterday, and found that it's just really a big tourist trap. I thought that I would Zorb, but from what I saw yesterday, it's a big rip off. For $45 you get a ride of about 20 seconds. That's like going to Canada's Wonderland and paying $45 to ride on a roller coaster! Highway Robbery! I stoped at Keroscene Creek yesterday. It's the only free hot spring where you can swim. The water is like a nice piece of jade, such a nice
colour and warm too! I then decided that Rotorua would not get any of my money so I drove 1 hour south to Taupo. They have the biggest fresh water lake in NZ, which nice trout fishing. I'm planning on heading tomorrow to a Dept of Conservation fishery for a free tour. I may stay here a couple of days more because of the free camping. I took a shower in the river this morning.......brrrrrr. Not what I'm used to being spoiled with warm water in the north, but does the trick when you're craving a shower and some refreshment. I'm enjoying the peace and quiet, and curling up with a good book at night. I usually am asleep by 9:30 because it's dark, and we can't have fires at the site. I hope you're all enjoying your "non winter." Ta Ta for now!
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Hailey
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the pictures are great Tara. thanks. I looks like you are having an awsome time. and just so you know winter has returned to ontario. at least for now. Missing you lots.