Very near the top of my bucket list was our next stop, Hobbiton. This was really a long-awaited visit and it certainly did NOT disappoint. It was fabulous in every respect.
We learnt so much about how the trick photography was done and how the set was developed. The Shire was just a beautiful place with about 40 little hobbit homes, with different sized doors to be able to create the effect of short or tall people!
Probably the prettiest of all the houses was Sam's house, which featured in the final scene of the Lord of the Rings.
Our trip to Taupo was really interesting. We came across this rather unusual town which consisted mostly of cafes, bakeries and banks, along with these fascinating buildings, a dog, a ram and a sheep, made out of corrugated iron. They were extraordinary.
Knowing that the weather the next day would not be too good, we made the most of the lovely afternoon and visited Orakei Korako, one of the most dazzling thermal areas near Taupo. The colours were so vivid and so varied. It was gorgeous.
The temperatures around the thermal areas were a good 5 degrees warmer than at the ticket office! The area below was named 'Map of Africa'.
We were so lucky to see the Huka Falls in fine weather. It is a marvelous sight, making you feel almost giddy as you look down at the raging waters flowing through the narrow gorge.
After torrential rain in the morning, things brightened up a little and made it possible to walk around the 'Craters of the Moon' with its steam pouring out all around us. Apparently it was steamier than usual due to the rain.
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