Tracking the footsteps of two young hobbits!!!!

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After our caving experience, we headed to Matamata which only made its mark on the map after a certain very famous trilogy was partly filmed here. In case we have not given enough hints, it involves a ring and a lord. Yep, you got it now (no Mat, its not one of your mucky films), a farm near Matamata was used as Hobbiton and the Shire for Lord of the Rings. We went on a 2 hour tour around what remains of the original set. Unfortunately, we could not find Gandalf or Frodo but I think I did see one fat Hobbit and it wasn't Sam!!!

The next morning we headed to Rotorua which is the most geothermically active region of NZ. You can smell it before you even see it!! We decided to hire a couple of mountain bikes and go for a ride around some bike trails in a forest. Rich was going like a bat out of hell as the trails were brilliant, leaving me behind as I was being a bit cautious as I am slightly accident prone. Then, I thought "stop being such a big girl" so I went quite fast along a downhill stretch and like something out of a sketchshow, I fell off in dramatic style. Rich was most dissappointed as he was not there to witness it. I had the wind knocked out of me and some massive bruises all over my legs. In fact, I have the biggest, most blackest bruise I have ever witnessed at the VERY top of my leg. Rich wanted to take a photo of it but I think that would be seen as pornographic! It really hurt to sit down which was quite convenient because the next day we went white-water rafting! After donning some more sexy gear, we headed down the Kaituna River towards a grade 5 rapid - a 7m drop waterfall - the biggest commercial rapid in the world. Rich was put in the front of the raft and looked absolutely terrified as we headed towards raging rapid of doom. But because we are both rapidtastic, we survived unscathed and to tell the world how brave we are!! Yeah, we don't have to grow some balls, brother!!

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Photos

Welcome to Hobbiton!!
Which one is Rich?

Here's a hobbit!!
Rich having a dance under the party tree where Bilbo had his birthday celebrations. Can't take him anywhere.

Ooh aah!
My, my Rich, isn't the water a spot chilly!!

The 7m waterfall!!
Rich is sitting to the left of the white helmet & Kerry is sitting behind the white helmet!!

What rafters!!!
Rich is holding on for dear life at the front and Kerry seems to have lost her neck, the second from the front on the right!