Thermal Wonders and Charming Hobbitton

Driving north from Taupo, the Thermal Explorer Highway took us to Wai-O-Tapu, with colorful thermal pools and a single geyser. The Lady Knox geyser bubbles beneath the surface until it is induced to erupt once a day when they pour soap in the vent to break the surface tension. It draws a huge crowd, and we came away thinking we preferred some of the serendipity and open spaces of Yellowstone. Still, the colored pools in the rest of the park, and crusts that formed around them were pretty.

By far the highlight of the day, and big on the list for the trip overall, was our tour of the Hobbiton movie set. At the Olson’s recommendation, we opted for the evening banquet tour—thank you, Mike & Teresa! Our tour guide provided colorful stories of the making of the films and quizzed us on trivia about scenes set in the Shire. We had plenty of time to wander among the Hobbit dwellings, each with its own characteristics identifying the occupant’s trade — cheese maker, fisherman, woodworker, etc. The daytime tours had ended, so our relatively small banquet group had the place to ourselves. The feast in the Green Dragon Inn was bountiful, and the attention to Shire period detail would make a Hobbit proud.

The walk back through the lantern-lit Hobbiton was charming, and the clear, star-lit sky added to the evening’s splendor.Read more