Supermoon in Greece.

Supermoon in Thailand.

Supermoon in New Zealand.

If you haven’t heard yet, the moon was super this past week. Matador Network writes that a supermoon is “a rarely-occurring event when a full moon occurs at the closest point in its orbit around Earth.”

A friend of mine noticed it as we left work in Te Puke, New Zealand around 5:30 p.m. I saw photos of the moon posted all around the web. It was pretty hard to miss this massive moon, but in case you did, Travel Media Ninja put together the 20 best photos of the super moon.

But I’m getting ahead of myself posting links already. Here’s what I’ve been thinking about this week.

What I’m reading

Proving that you’re never too old to backpack Australian Keith Wright is still budget traveling around the world at 95 years old. Right now he’s gearing up for a two month trip through Europe.

Beers and Beans gave me some serious travel lust this past week. They featured a stunning set of photos from their hot air balloon ride in Cappadocia, Turkey. The photography on their site never fails to amaze me, this post is no exception.

What I’m watching

Rapper Krispy Kreme’s smash hit “The Baddest”. Love this song, video and the other kid in it who just stands there with a gun for four minutes. It’s hysterical. “I have 400 houses and 400 mouses.”

In other silly Youtube videos, Pat Burrell is coming back to Philadelphia, well, only for 24 hours to officially retire as a Phillie. In this video men who have felt the wrath of Burrell’s good looks warn other men in relationships to beware of his return.

I remember when Pat the Bat first came to Philadelphia as a rookie. I was in love with him. I still wear his jersey to this day. I’m happy to see that he’ll be retiring in that jersey.

What I’m googling

While eating a rice-filled meal, I got to wondering how rice goes from paddy to plate. Married2Travel put together a video about the entire process as it happened in her homeland of the Philippines.

What I’m seeing

Absolutely nothing. I’m working loads trying to save up for my next big trip.

What I’m planning

Well, my next big trip funny enough. Ric and I are planning to tramp across the world for five months this Autumn and Winter. We’ll be hitting Thailand, USA and England. I became quite excited about the trip tonight when we started looking up flight prices.

We actually found a $350 flight from Bangkok, Thailand to JFK in New York. It’s really cheap but with Aerosvit Ukrainian Airlines, which I’ve never heard of and has received horrible reviews on Skytrax.

Have you ever flown with an airline you were unsure of? How was it?

The best way to see New Zealand is by long drives to every corner of the country’s two islands. From the road, people can make the most of this country’s scenery. Rolling mountain ranges, crystal clear lakes and waterfall after waterfall, you really shouldn’t miss a single sight here.

But not everyone can travel this way. Depending on who you’re traveling with and how much money you have to burn will determine how you travel New Zealand. People have a few options of transportation while touring the country, each has its pros and cons. One or many could be right for you.

Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

Car or campervan

Pros

Freedom! You have your own wheels, which means you can go where you want, stop wherever and always have a place to sleep. Not to mention you no longer have to lug around all your bags and with a car you can collect as many souvenirs as you’d like.

Having your own car or campervan will allow you to see a side of the country that all other means of transportation cannot. Sure you can stick to the normal route and visit Franz Josef Glacier or Milford Sound, but you can also visit less-traveled spots such as Tasman Glacier and Hokitika Gorge.

Cons

With freedom comes responsibility. When you travel New Zealand in your own vehicle or a rented vehicle, someone has to drive. Plus, you should consider travel insurance. It’s not a huge deal, but some might not want to even bother during their vacation.

The price of private transportation is another con and even a deal breaker for some. It’s possible to keep this option cheap if you have enough people pitching in, but petrol is expensive in New Zealand as is buying or renting a vehicle. Even if traveling this way works out to be more affordable in the end, a large sum of money is almost always required up front.

Nzine.co.nz

Public bus

Pros

This is usually the most affordable way to travel the country. Companies like Intercity or Naked Bus offer bus fares as low as $NZ1. Of course you’ll have to be pretty lenient to get a rate this low, but it’s all part of the adventure right?

On top of cheap fares, you’ll get your fill of scenery during long coach journeys in which you won’t have to drive. Make sure to get a window seat!

Cons

Lack of freedom. Not only will you have to plan your travels around the company’s timetable, but you also won’t be able to stop wherever and whenever you please. It’s a pretty big negative considering all the scenic lookouts and trails located directly off the main highways here.

Tour companies

Pros

Like with public buses, this is a relaxing and stress-free way to travel the country. Unlike public buses, private tour companies stop for some things along the way to a destination, such as scenic lookout points.

Another upside to these tours is that it’s easy to get to know people on them. Imagine a group of travelers in your age group all holidaying together on one bus and making the same stops. For some people this is a huge asset.

Cons

However some may not enjoy traveling with a group of fellow travelers. They may prefer to be on their own or travel more like the locals would.

Some might also want to have a bit more control of their trip. A lot of these tour companies stick to the accommodation or restaurants they have partnered with and either include these places in the cost or use these places as drop off and pick up points. Again this could be a pro or con, on one hand everything is planned for you, on the other you don’t get a lot of freedom or spontaneity in your trip.

What could also be considered a pro or con is the price of these tours. Usually they work out to be a lot more expensive than public transportation. However, sometimes depending on where or how many places you want to visit, certain hop-on, hop-off bus companies can actually be more affordable.

Jade Johnston is one of my favorite NZ hitchhikers. She's hitched rides all around the country and written about her experience on Our Oyster, which is where this picture is from.

Hitchhike

Pros

This option is more practical in New Zealand than anywhere else I’ve traveled. Driving around the country, you’ll see loads of people sitting on their bags, holding a piece of cardboard box with places like “Queenstown” or “Wellington” written on it in black marker.

Obviously the big perk here is free travel, though you should really give the driver a few dollars. Another big perk is the thrill. It’s exhilarating, waking up with no plans but to get somewhere, hanging out on the side of a road hoping for the best and taking off with a random stranger.  Hitchhikers always seem to have the best stories.

Cons

It’s a risk. You’re taking a chance hopping into a car with a stranger, that is if anyone even offers to pick you up. The fear factor is on both sides and a lot of people can’t be bothered. This means waiting in the rain or snow, sometimes getting stuck somewhere for longer than you’d like.

This travel blog photo’s source is TravelPod page: Our first tramp

Train

Pros

Chances are if you chose to travel this way you’re doing it more so for the journey, not the destination. Routes like Christchurch to Arthurs Pass aren’t just a way for getting somewhere, but popular activities in the country. The five-hour journey leads passengers through the Canterbury Plains, past the Southern Alps, gorges, lakes and more. Even if you don’t need to travel by train, I would recommend looking into what scenic routes this country’s railway system has to offer.

Cons

New Zealand’s railway network is not very big. Sure it can take you from Wellington to Auckland or from Greymouth to Christchurch at a pretty fair rate too, but it’s not a practical way to travel the whole of the country.

Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

Plane

Pros

This is the quickest means of travel, especially because you’re not required to arrive extremely early to get through security for most domestic flights around New Zealand. You’ll also get aerial views of places like the Marlborough Sounds or Queenstown traveling this way.

Cons

It’s expensive. Plus you’ll miss out on a lot. Sure you’ll see some things from above on short flights or at the end of long flights, but you’ll miss out on the sights that make traveling New Zealand so special.

Not to mention that this option is pretty impractical for people wanting to stop at a lot of destinations in the country. All airports in the country besides Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch are quite small and only offer a few flights a day to only a few domestic locations. This means you might have to switch flights in Christchurch for what should only be a one hour flight from Queenstown. It just doesn’t make sense.

The best way to see New Zealand is by using more than just one of these means of transportation. Weigh out which options fit best with you time, budget and expectations of the trip.

Vineyards, blue waters and even a snow-capped mountain, views don’t get much better than this.

The night before leaving Wellington for an epic South Island adventure, I thought what better way to cheers the voyage than with a glass of one of New Zealand’s finest wine with my dad at Ancestral.

The posh restaurant was running a Riesling-inspired campaign featuring vineyards from all around New Zealand. Since we were planning to visit Wanaka, we tried a glass of the white wine from one of the region’s best wineries, Rippon. I prefer reds, so to enjoy a glass of white that much, I had to visit the place.

So we did.

Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

I was expecting a great tasting, even to spend a bit of money on a few bottles of wine, but I wasn’t expecting the view. Located on Mount Aspiring Road, a dirt path guides cars uphill to the cellar door, passing line after line of grape vines along the way. At the top is a modern, stone cellar door with a few tables set up outside facing the spectacular view of Lake Wanaka, the Buchanan Mountain Range and vineyards seen here.

It’s not possible to take just a few photos in New Zealand’s South Island. In fact, it’s almost impossible not to take thousands.

Considering my track record with taking too many photos (600 in Angkor Wat, yikes), I thought maybe I would try recording my travels around the South Island on video instead of photos. That way I could get every view, every moment, every glorious mountain or lake on record.

This is really my first attempt at vlogging a trip, so be kind. I separated this series into four parts. Ric, my dad and I started our 10-day journey around the South Island from Wellington and ended in Queenstown. Our car Maximus was a reliable carrier. It was nice to have private transportation in this trip, because we could stop at as many waterfalls, gorges and lookouts as we wanted and trust me, we did.

Part I: Wellington to Abel Tasman

We started our journey in Wellington as that has been my hometown for the previous five months. From Wellington, it’s a three-hour ferry ride across the Cook Strait to Picton on the South Island.

We didn’t spend long in Picton, just enough time to have fish and chips along the water and spot a ray in the water. We traveled to Blenheim to visit a friend at Moa Brewery, then headed to Nelson where we set up our tents just off the beach at Tahuna Beach Holiday Park.

After only one night, we left early the next morning for Abel Tasman, stopping along the way for my dad’s first skydive. The start of the trip was a bit of a rush, so we spent two days relaxing, kayaking and eating burgers in Abel Tasman.

Part II: Abel Tasman to Hokitika Gorge

The next leg of our trip was more about the journey then the destination. We spent this day and a half mainly on the road, which you’ll find is a good thing when traveling New Zealand.

We had a picnic on the beach as soon as we hit the West Coast in Charleston. We played around at a sweet cave on the beach not too much further up the road. Of course we stopped in Punakaiki to see Pancake Rocks. Then we spent a night in Greymouth at Noah’s Ark, one of the very best hostels I’ve ever visited. Greymouth is home to Monteith’s Brewery. Naturally we sampled the beer.

The first half of the following day was all about hitting Hokitika Gorge on the way to Franz Josef. I’ve never seen water that color blue. Stunning.

Part III: Hokitika Gorge to Queenstown

Unlike the last part, this part was all about the destinations. We hit some of New Zealand’s most notables in these days. First was Franz Josef where we climbed a glacier. Next was Haast where we tried white bait. After there was Wanaka where we sampled wine at Rippon Vineyard.

Finally we reached Queenstown, where we gave up our tents for a sweet apartment. In the country’s ski capital we had an amazing meal at The Bunker, which has a mysterious James Bond vibe to it. A few days isn’t enough in Queenstown. Luckily, we’d be coming back.

Part IV: Queenstown to Milford Sound

There’s no better way to finish a trip to the South Island than with what is perhaps its most stunning scenery, Milford Sound.

While Queenstown and Milford Sound are not that far from each other on a map, the only road connecting these two destinations goes completely out of the way, so the drive takes about four hours. It’s a great dive though, as usual.

We arrived in Milford Sound, rain pouring and waterfalls gushing. The small town doesn’t have many places to stay, so Milford Sound Lodge was an easy pick. The lodge is warm and full of life. Its dining area is walled with windows, so we spent the night drinking wine and watching the rain come down on the mountains just next to the lodge.

While I loved being in Milford Sound in the stormy weather and seeing how powerful the place is, I didn’t really want to cruise Milford Sound in rain the next day. Luckily, the clouds separated and the sun came out giving us a gorgeous day at sea. Unfortunately we had to leave early that day to drive back to Queenstown where Ric and I said goodbye to my dad at the airport.

Pancake Rocks is a must-stop on any tour of New Zealand’s South Island.

Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

They were formed 30 million years ago from minute fragments of dead marine creatures and plants landed on the seabed about 2 km below the surface. Immense water pressure caused the fragments to solidify in hard and soft layers.-Department of Conservation

The natural roadside attraction is located on SH 6 in Punakaiki. It’s great to see at all times of day, but especially spectacular at high tide when blowholes in the rocks are bursting with water.

From calm seasides to a busy city center, 24 hours in Wellington may not be enough to see everything, but it is enough to try a bit of everything New Zealand’s capital has to offer. A budget of $60 for a full day in windy Welly might seem a bit tight, but the city has heaps of free activities and most of them are in walking distance from one another, making food and drink the only expenses to think about.

8 a.m. 

With a big breakfast in your future, it might be a good idea to start the day with some exercise by walking up Mt. Victoria, Wellington’s highest point. It’s not anything too strenuous and the reward at the end will be worth it.

Mt Victoria offers spectacular views of the city on your conquer list today. Look down on the harbour, Cuba Street and CBD on one side. Another side offers more nautical views in the form of Lyall Bay, facing this way, the next landmass is Antarctica.

Total for the day: $0

I suggest using this route from Majoribanks Street to reach the summit and return to the city center. 

10 a.m. 

Popular for its voodoo vibe and delectable dishes, next stop is Sweet Mother’s Kitchen on Courtenay Place. While the menu offers an array of NOLA favorites, I suggest sticking with the classics to get an ideal of the cuisine and stay within the budget. Po Boy with a side order of Beignets it is.

It's always Mardi Gras at Sweet Mother's Kitchen. The cafe has a New Orleans theme that's popular among the locals. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

The southern-style Po Boy sandwich is pretty filling yet affordable and people will wait hours in line in New Orleans for tiny donut balls with icing sugar called beignets. These two items are sure to give you a good feed. But don’t forget a coffee to wash it all down. Wellington is known for its cafe and coffee culture, Sweet Mother’s Kitchen is a big part of that.

Total for the day: $NZ15

To reach Sweet Mother’s Kitchen, continue walking on Majoribanks Street, away from Mt. Victoria. Once you cross Kent Terrace, Majoribanks Street will turn into Courtenay Place and the cafe is just to the right. 

11:30 a.m.

While you might not want to move after your New Orleans-style brunch, there’s a giant squid to be seen and Maori culture to be learnt, it’s time to visit Te Papa. Located on the waterfront, one could spend days at the Museum of New Zealand, but  you only have two hours.

Learn about how the Maori people first discovered what they call Aotearoa, land of the long white cloud. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

Friendly staff at the visitors center can help you pick which exhibitions to check out. Make sure you learn a bit about Maori culture with displays like The Marae. Learn about the land, especially its fault line, at the museum’s Awesome Forces exhibition. Last but not least, see the only colossal squid exhibition in the world and learn about the mysterious sea creature.

Total for the day: $NZ15 (Yes, the museum is free!)

From Sweet Mother’s Kitchen, continue down Courtenay Place away from Mt. Victoria and make a right at Tory Street. You’ll see the museum at the end of this street. 

1:30 p.m.

With a lengthy waterfront walkway full of benches and grassy sections, you might as well skip the pricey restaurants here and have a picnic instead. Stop in New World, which is located just across the street and to the left of Te Papa, facing away from the harbour. The affordable kiwi supermarket has an array of fresh breads, dips, even sushi. While you could spend as little as $NZ2 on lunch here, let’s set the budget at $NZ10.

From New World, head back to Te Papa and start walking along the waterfront. I suggest having lunch on one of the plots of grass near The Boatshed which has a view of the lagoon. Another great place for al fresco lunch would be on the steps by the Civic Center.

With views of the city and the lagoon, this patch of grass by the waterfront is a great place for a picnic. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

The waterfront has an array of things to do, from renting paddle boats to learning about the city at the Museum of Wellington City and Sea. But the nice thing about it is you really don’t have to actually do anything and most people don’t. Walk along the water, relax in the sun and enjoy the sights.

Total for the day: $NZ25

Te Papa is located on the water front, turn right upon exiting the main entrance to reach destinations mentioned above.  

3:30 p.m.

It’s time for another stellar view of the city from above, but don’t worry, you’ll be taking public transportation to this summit and the journey is half the fun. From Lambton Quay, purchase a return cable car ticket to the Botanic Gardens ($NZ6). This public transportation route dates back to 1902 and the iconic red car has been the subject of many post cards.

People still use it to reach various destinations along the hill, but most get off at the top to visit the the Botanic Garden. The 25-hectre garden contains native gardens, floral displays and more.

The Botanic Garden offers another great view of the city. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

A few walks start at the top. Avoid the longer routes that lead you downhill. Try some of the shorter routes, look around the gardens at the top and take in the view. Once you’ve had your fill, catch the cable car back to the city center

Total for the day: $NZ31

Coming from Te Papa, reach the cable car by turning left just after Fergs Kayaks on the waterfront. Follow this road until Lambton Quay where you’ll make a right. You’ll see a sign for the cable car on the left of this road a few blocks ahead. 

6 p.m.

Head to Cuba Street for dinner. One could spend all day on this busy street, hopping from cafe to cafe. It’s a great spot in the city at all times of day, but the nightlife here is especially spectacular.

There’s an array of restaurants and cafes to choose from along here. It’s hard to recommend just one place for people on a budget, because depending on the night, one restaurant could have better deals than another. The good news is that most dining establishments along this road offer great food and atmosphere.

Tulsi on Cuba Street is one option for affordable dinner options. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

Some places to consider for the best food on a budget are Tulsi, Fidel’s, Heaven Pizza and Hotel Bristol. Walking along Cuba Street is an activity in itself, so take in the city while you’re searching for where to eat and walking the meal off after. You can find a good meal here and one drink for under $NZ20.

Total for the day: $NZ51

From the cable car head back towards the waterfront on Lampton Quay and turn right at Willis Street. Make a left at Manner Street and a right onto Cuba Street. 

9 p.m.

Whatever is left of your $60 for the day can go towards the night. If you’ve followed my recommendations you’ll be left with $NZ9-10, which is enough to buy a beer, maybe two, or entrance to a gig.

Wellington has a great music scene including local and international performers. Like at dinner, it’s hard to recommend just one place to spend the night here on a budget as each night offers different deals. Capital Times weekly newspaper is a great source for this or you could just rock up to a place and check it out. Either way, I recommend sticking around Cuba Street.

San Francisco Bath House has great live shows and party nights. If a big act is playing there, don’t bother as it will be out of the budget, but sometimes entrance is free or under $NZ10. The Fringe Bar has comedy nights, karaoke and gigs. Bodega features live bands and a lot of times entrance is by donation.

Let the night take you where it will, which might even be all the way to 8 a.m. the next day. Now that would be an epic 24 hours in Wellington.

Total for the day: $51-60

Church of the Good Shepherd is a small, stone church located right on Lake Tekapo in New Zealand. One of the country’s most photographed churches, it was built in 1935 and is still operates today. Though it was closed when we visited, wedding services are a regular here and people can check the church’s website for dates of public worship.

Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

I found out about the Church of the Good Shepherd and Lake Tekapo while researching for my trip to the South Island. The first photo I saw of the church included the Southern Lights above it. Lake Tekapo is a quiet, holiday town without much light pollution, so it is possible to see the South Lights from here.

We didn’t, but we loved visiting the town. The church is so adorable. On our visit, there was a bride and groom taking photos of each other in front of the church. It was kind of weird to see just the two of them doing this, no wedding party, but it is an ideal spot to photograph for a wedding.

The town isn’t very big, so the church should only be a short walk from camp sites located around the the lake.

Last night I didn’t want to even move. Today I ache all over.

After walking the Tongariro Alpine Crossing yesterday, well half of it then back, I’m pretty pooped and finding it a struggle to move any part of me. But I had such an amazing day, I just had to share at least a few photos and thoughts from the day.

Tongariro National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the first national park in New Zealand and fourth in the world. I heard and read about the park, the Tongariro Alpine Crossing and the Northern Circuit before even arriving in New Zealand. However, since I’m not really a heavy hiker, I didn’t think too much about visiting before I arrived in the country.

New Zealand brought out the tramping spirit in me. The country is known for its amazing walks and the Tongariro Crossing is one of its best.

At 2,287 meters, Mt. Ngauruhoe is the second tallest active volcano in the park and was used as Mt. Doom in The Lord of the Rings. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

The Crossing takes about seven hours to complete starting from Mangatepopo car park and ending at Ketetahi car park or vice versa. We didn’t want to pay for a transfer back to our car, so opted to start at Mangatepopo, walk to the Emerald Lakes and walk back. I think this actually may have taken longer though.

In this shot you can see the Blue Lake to the left and three Emerald Lakes in the center. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

I can’t go on enough about how special this walk and park is. Home to three active volcanoes, it almost feels as if your walking on a different planet at some points on the track. From staring up a brown, black and red ashy Mt. Ngauruhoe all day to catching a glimpse of the Blue Lake settled atop a hill with Lake Taupo in the background to finally reaching the three teal-green Emerald Lakes, the whole day was quite spectacular.

But it didn’t come without a lot of work!

Let me start by saying, that anybody in moderate health will be able to complete this walk. But how long it will take to complete depends on how in or out of shape you are. I am very out of shape. Other than a few runs recently and two hikes up Mt. Maunganui in the past two months, I haven’t really worked out in almost over a year.

I struggled a lot at Tongariro. About half of the walk is on a steep incline and these inclines are covered in rock and gravel, so it’s pretty slippery. As I mentioned, I don’t hike, so I did the walk in running sneakers, which isn’t the best for going up or down a slippery mountain. I fell about three times. The air is thinner on the walk too, so I became short of breath more often than I would on land too.

This is what my water bottle looked like when I pulled it out of my bag today. The last time I opened it was at the Emerald Lakes. Because atmospheric pressure is lower at higher altitudes the bottle crushed when it came back down to sea level.

The walk was worth all the struggle. It felt good to reach Emerald Lakes and make it back. But I have a feeling I’ll be paying for it over the next few days. In my bed-ridden state, I’ll be writing a much more in depth post on the Tongariro Crossing, with loads more photos!

Driving through Matamata’s grassy hills and counting sheep, you would never believe a multi-million dollar motion pictute was filmed here, but that it was in 1999 and again in 2011. Hiding out in this farm town is Hobbiton, better known as “The Shire” from Lord of the Rings.

Yes, it actually exists and not in a movie studio.

Welcome to the Shire. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

Doors are hobbit size and painted colorfully. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

During an aerial search of places to shoot the film around New Zealand, Peter Jackson spotted Alexander Farm and approached them about using the farm in his film. Imagine getting that knock on the door. The owners agreed and site construction began.

The road that Gandalf arrives on. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

Enlisting the help of the New Zealand army and a massive film crew, an entire tiny village was brought to life complete with Green Dragon Bar, mill and of course Bag End.

To the pub. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

Before the film’s release in 2001, the set was kept secret and extreme measures were taken for it not to be exposed. People behind the film went as far as taking away the licenses of any pilots trying to sneak a shot from the sky. However, after the film’s release, they couldn’t stop fans from making pilgrimages to Hobbiton.

While the set was meant to be completely destroyed, the farm owners approached the studio about keeping it intact for tours. They agreed and it came in handy as the set was used again last year for Lord of the Ring’s prequel, The Hobbit. Parts of the set were destroyed after the first Lord of the Rings, but tit’s been restored for The Hobbit.

Naturally homes of Hobbiton fishermen were placed right on the water and right under the Party Tree. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

The Party Tree. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

Today Hobbiton runs seven tours daily to visitors from around the world. Starting across the street, people are taken by bus to the film set, which is hidden very well. One could be on the other side of a hill to Hobbiton and have no idea it was there.

Guides point out where makeup and wardrobe tents once were and talk about the farm on the way. Once on set, the tour goes on foot for a 90-minute guided walk around the village, which gives visitors plenty of time to take photos.

Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

On the tour, groups see several Hobbit houses, The Green Dragon and mill, the road Gandalf rides in on, The Party Tree, Sam’s home and Bag End, which is at the top of a hill, complete with an oak tree growing above it. Our guide was very friendly and great at pointing out which places were featured at what point in the film.

Visitors can look at The Green Dragon and Mill, but only from across the water. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

This humble home is Sam's house. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

Overlooking the Shire is the Baggins' residence. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

What I liked most was learning about all the thought that went into create the film set. Everything from making moss using yoghurt and other products then throwing is on random spots to make the town look older to shipping in an oak tree to go on top of Bag End. It was really amazing to see all the detail to the film set and hear how much work went into perfecting it.

Unfortunately, they did not create actual Hobbit homes here. Most of the homes are just a front, behind their doors, only dirt. Two homes that could be entered, but only as far as their doors would open, were Frodo Baggins’, though not by people on tour, and a random Hobbit home, which tour members could stand in and take photos.

Oh, hello. Photo by Richard John Hackey

The Hobbiton tour costs $66 and runs seven times daily. The last tour is at 5:20 p.m. People can purchase tickets online or at the farm’s front office. Located next to there is The Shires Rest, which serves breakfast and lunch items, including “Second Breakfast”. People can also feed and pet the farm’s sheep on their visit.

Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

Calling Milford Sound the most spectacular sight in New Zealand is a pretty bold statement.

Have you seen New Zealand?

It’s quite possibly the most gorgeous country on earth. Everywhere you look is amazing.

But for me, Milford Sound was the climax of our two week scenic tour of the South Island.

Located in the mountainous Fiordland, Milford Sound is a fiord located 15-kilometers from the Tasman Sea. It’s jaw-dropping from land, but the best way to experience it is by boat.

Several cruise operators offer Milford Sound tours, including overnight, morning, and afternoon tours. Prices range, but I found Jucy Cruize to be the most affordable option.

Starting at $65, the 90-minute tours leads its passengers from the Milford Sound Visitor Center and Boat Harbour to Dale Point, which is where Milford Sound opens to the Tasman Sea, and back. Along the way a guide will point out some of the most well-known sights, including Stirling Falls, Seal Rock and Mt. Pembroke.

The cruise felt just right on all levels. Jucy’s boat is smaller than other boats docked in the harbor, but they don’t cram it with people, allowing passengers to move around freely. The length of the tour was enough so that passengers really saw Milford Sound, but could spend the rest of the day exploring the area on foot or driving to their next destination. Most important, the price is unbeatable for backpackers.

Further, the staff was really friendly and they offer free tea, coffee and hot chocolate. We spent a night in Milford Sound staying at Milford Lodge, but for people who can only visit for one day, Jucy sells a cruise trip and return coach journey from Queenstown package starting at $159 for adults. Altogether, Jucy Cruize was a really informative and affordable way to see Milford Sound. Here are some highlights from our trip.

A classic Milford Sound shot with Mitre Peak in the background. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

The white-tipped mountain in the back is Mt. Pembroke, the tallest mountain to look down on the fiord. It's glacier is over one million years old. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

Stirling Falls from a distance, the magnificent waterfall drops 146 meters. This photo was taken at about 10 a.m., so the waterfall is shadowed by surrounding mountains. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

Clouds surround the mountains in Milford Sound. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

Speckled with forestry, rocky mountains surround the fiord are quite steep. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

Fairy Falls drops straight into the fiord. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

The view from Dale Point on the way back on our cruise. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

When the black waters in this fiord are still, they mirror the mountains above. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

New Zealand fur seals scattered all over Seal Rock. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

Our cruise backed right up to Stirling Falls. Everyone with nice cameras were running for cover. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

Thanks to Jucy Cruize for sponsoring my ten day South Island adventure. As always, all opinions are my own.