Creatures, Caves, and Hobbit Holes

I thought it was about time I showed some pictures from my trip to Hobbiton a few weeks ago... I was a proud geek and took a lot of pictures, but I won't bore you with all of them here. Just sticking to the highlights:

The Hobbiton set was built on a farm in Matamata, near Hamilton. It is still an active sheep farm today, but the owners kindly let the city host tours to the remaining sets.


Much of the set has been removed but the actual hobbit holes still exist.


This is me in front of Bilbo's house.


Bilbo's house (aka Bag End) was the only one big enough to go inside. They needed it to be large enough to get a camera in to shoot Gandalf coming to visit.


Much of the sets are gone due to 1) the filmmakers were required to return all the landscapes back to their original state; 2) copyright issues; 3) they were only made to last for a short time; 4) sheep are stupid, and would kill themselves by eating any bit of set design left over.


The large tree and lake behind me are both featured at the beginning of the first movie during Bilbo's birthday party. I think the Party Tree was my favorite part of Hobbiton...


See how dorky I can be?

Now go watch Lord of the Rings.

This trip to Hobbiton was the same weekend as a few other adventures with my Biola friend Rebekah. We stayed with her relatives, so it was great to be in an actual Kiwi home.

Besides Hobbiton, we also went to the Waitomo Caves. You put on wetsuits and golashes (!) and they lead you underground to crawl, walk, swim, and tube in a whole network of caves. The ceilings are covered with real glowworms! And I saw an eel and a weta, which is a hideous and large NZ bug that gives Weta Workshop--Peter Jackson's special effects company--its name.

This is me just after caving. Hidden underneath the hills behind me are miles of caves and tunnels--you would never guess it just by looking at the surface!


Rebekah and I also saw an ostrich while driving. We stopped to take a few pictures and I snapped this just at the same moment the bird decided to...well, just take a look...


We also went to the Otorohanga Kiwi House which is a habitat for Kiwi birds and other local plants and animals. By the way, a kiwi is 1) a flightless bird that is a national symbol of NZ; 2) a fruit; 3) a New Zealander.


The Kiwi House also had tuataras, a lizard native to NZ. I was told it is related to the dinosaurs!



In other news:
My Easter turned out be pretty nice. I went to church and then I came home and made dinner for four friends. I told them I would be cooking to celebrate Easter and they could eat even if they don't celebrate Easter. The food turned out pretty well, although I had a very close call with the garlic at one point. Do not, my friends, mistake a "clove" for an entire head of garlic.

Right now, I am enjoying the last days of my Easter break. I've just been relaxing, working on homework, playing guitar, watching movies and YouTube, sleeping, and reading. Yesterday I went to the Auckland Museum with some friends from church which was quite fun...

God continues to teach me a lot--I'll fill you in another time--but I really feel like I am being transformed and prepared for whatever is next. I'll let you know what that is as soon as I know it myself...