“In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.”

“Not all those who wander are lost.”

This sums up our trip so far quite well. I've come to realize Tolkien was a wordy, crazy, yet genius man. We've changed our trip plans about 259 times in the last two days, and still don't have a definite idea of where we're going next. Mom made me take a wrong turn today and we ended up who knows where....but I don't think we were lost, just wandering...around the New Zealand countryside. I think we ended up finding the rich countryside of New Zealand; there were horse stables, flash houses, and polo fields, all by a dam-made lake. Fancy Fancy.

We ended up at Matamata, which is where the sheep farm that was transformed into the Shire for the LOTR and Hobbit movies. During the initial scouting trips for the LOTR filming locations, Peter Jackson had originally thought they would have to recreate the Shire in studio, as there was no area they could find that looked as the book described the Shire; green rolling hills, a lake, and a large round tree. But then, there it was! Also, the road that leads to the farm is called, and has always been called, Buckland road, and if you've read the books, you will find how silly/totally awesome that is!

After the initial LOTR trilogy was finished filming, most of the structures were torn down, only a few of the plain white plywood exteriors were left, because of legal issues with the filming company and private farm land they were on. They still had small tours go through and I considered going to see Hobbiton 3 years ago when I was last here, but never did. The entire set was rebuilt for the filming of the 2 new Hobbit movies, and this time the film company and farm owners struck a deal so the set would stay, since there was such an interest from locals and tourists alike to keep it.

Mom and a Hobbit hole

Mom dancing on the party lawn

If you recall from an earlier post, I saw a casting call for Hobbit extras earlier this year and almost went, but I was 2 inches too tall! Come on. I would be the perfect Hobbit. The lady driving our bus said the criteria (other than height) were to have a round face, chubby cheeks, a joyful smile, a bubbly personality, and be slightly rotund. Check, check, check, check, aaaaaand check. So, when I got to go in the Hobbit hole, since they told me I was too tall, naturally I decided I needed to squat because I was far too big for it. LIES! I am exactly the perfect height for that Hobbit hole, without any squatting!

Bag End, home of Bilbo

The Party Tree

Since it's on a working farm, we got to feed some sheep when we were done!
I loved mine and was petting it.

It appears Mom, on the other hand, was afraid of the adorable little guy.

Now we are in Hahei on the Coromandel Peninsula and are headed to the Hot Water Beach and Narnia tomorrow.

Mau te rongo.