A rainy dull day for our drive to see Mt Maunganui. Located close to the port area of Tauranga, the extinct volcano, is a sacred Maori site with ocean-view hiking trails. The long, sandy Main Beach is popular for its surf breaks, while Pilot Bay Beach has calm waters for paddle boarding. The Mount Hot Pools complex offers saltwater bathing and spa treatments, while brunch spots, global restaurants, and boutiques fill the town centre. A lovely photo of Lynne with the mount as a backdrop. 

But our major activity planned for the day was the Hobbiton Movie Set tour @Matamata – offering an entertaining experience at the famous film set of The Lord of The Rings and The Hobbit trilogies, which neither Lynne or I have seen. Our guide escorted us around the 12 acre set, showing us the intricate detailing, pointing out the most famous locations, that amazing gnarled tree that dominated the landscape and explaining how the movie magic was made – we wandered, marvelling ….past and also ducked into Hobbit holes, the Mill and into the famous Green Dragon™ Inn, where we concluded our own Middle-earth™ adventure. And the weather gods were very kind to us, stopping with the drenching rains and crazy winds,  just as we arrived for the fantastic 2 hour experience.

Rolling hills with the faintest sprinkling of poplars took our fancy just as we drove off the set, but sadly the weather gods resumed their work within half an hour of us driving to Rotorua. So plans to do a walk in the Redwood Forest and experience the Wai-o-tapu thermal pools were scotched. We supped at “Atticus Finch’…the halloumi salad and spicy lamb rump were awesome.

Today’s journey had Lake Taupo as a highlight to visit. Weather gods still insisting on grey skies, fog and steady rainfall – offering little visibility anywhere. We a few scenic viewpoints along the way to be greeted with ‘valley white-outs’. We did see the outer edge of the Tokaanu Thermal Pool on the way.

Thence onward to Mt Tongariro National Park, home to the three mountains of Ruapehu, Ngaurruhoe volcano and Tongariro, whose landscape has developed over the last 300,000 years. The Tongariro Alpine Crossing is an extended trek over steep volcanic terrain. Vents are still active and steaming in volcanic craters and there is a risk of eruptions and resultant rockfalls, ash and  ‘lahars’, fast-moving volcanic mudflows, so hikers need to be alert and know what to do in an emergency.  

We stayed at the Skotel Alpine Resort in the comfort of a little warm cabin, and had dinner in the restaurant. :). 

Fantastic photos in the hotel’s reception area.

Our long haul journey to Wellington, via Vinegar Hill,  Fielding, and Sanson. Atmospheric clouds were hanging in the foothills of Waimarino; a lovely rainbow appeared  @ Raetihi-Tohunga Junction. Thank goodness it cleared up along the way so I could take a pic at Stormy Point viewpoint. 

A delightful dinner @ Little India restaurant in the trendy Cuba St precinct. There was a ‘bucketing down’ sculpture in the mall….so fitting, given our recent drive experiences. 🙂

A drive to Mt Victoria the following day to catch the views on a non drizzly day. Yay.

An afternoon @ the wetaworkshop, the factory where amazing characters, properties and experiences have been brought to life. The creative development team works alongside 16 manufacturing departments -to create creatures, armour, costumes, weapons, vehicles, prosthetics, miniatures, art sculptures and installations. Founded in 1987 by Richard Taylor and Tania Rodger, they are still designing, building and innovating together, with their 400 staff. We met one of the designers at the end of the tour who encouraged us all to be creative and build things at home. I loved his foil dragon. He talked about a staff members’ wonderous invention, Pal Tiya ceramic, that will be used to paint over the dragon, making it rock hard and durable as a prop. It can then be sanded and painted.

Unbelievably delish dinner at Great India Restaurant – Nawab Tikka tandoori and a vegetable Kashmiri Korma….yummm!