087 – Hobbiton

Obviously, since I don’t remember the movies in detail, I am not geeking out here. I also will not have an in depth description of what everything is, but it was a neat place to see.
First thing to know is that the set and surrounding area are a working sheep farm, as they were before the set was built.
Second thing to know is that the set was taken down after the movie. What was left was essentially looted. What is here now is a reproduction of the set for tourists. It is on the same location; it does have essentially the same feel. Some of the original parts are here, but very few, so if you want to come here to touch what Gandalf touched, you will not get your wish. But you will stand in an area he stood in… generally.

You might notice the sheep and the fact nothing is green. They are in the middle of what they are calling a slight hiccup in the weather. I would call it a drought, but they don’t admit to that, and I am assured with the slightest sprinkle, everything will green right up again.
The bus driver/tour guide says that and then says in the next breath that the farmers are having a terrible time keeping their livestock fed because of the lack of green, and thus food, and thus… bad things.
I’m from farm country. I know conditions are never ideal. There is no perfect season because we cannot control the weather, but to hear that, this is more than in need of a little rain.

The next thing that happened as we were waiting for our bus to take us to the movie set, was this helicopter landed among the sheep. It let out about 10 people, who were apparently very important because they were put in vans and whisked away, bypassing the gift shop, (tourist stop) bus waiting area entirely and taken directly to the movie set.
It was then I learned I could have toured all the wonderful sites of New Zealand by helicopter and skipped driving and bus rides all together.
I also learned, despite the wonderful fantasy world my mind creates, I am not wealthy enough to partake in such things.

Eventually we ended up here. Our tour guide was wonderful, apparently somehow related to the people who own the farm and a massively geeked out sci fi aficionado.
Again, she was speaking in tongues when it came to the details, but she, for reasons I do not recall, got most everyone to run up a certain path, flailing their arms and proclaiming loudly: “I’M GOING ON AN ADVENTURE!”

After that, honestly, there were a lot of little doors in hills. We learned there were 2 different scales of door, of which I promptly forgot, but the point was one size made the tall people look taller, and the other size made the little people look littler. Add camera angle and movie magic and they all could have been 5’10”. They were not, but they could have been. Perspective is everything.

Most everything is a prop in these places. They do have a team of landscapers who were working hard watering and maintaining the flowers all over the property. Especially watering the grass trying to get it to green up. It worked in some places, but not in many to be honest, but everything else from the laundry to some of the trees were fake.

We did get inside one of the houses to see what it was like. Again, no idea which one this was supposed to be, but the idea is that even though I stood up comfortably through the entire thing, everything appeared smaller.

The last place we went on the tour was past the mill and to the pub, where as part of the tour we were given a free beverage. I chose the ginger drink. It, in my estimation, was ginger soaked in water. It was very strong and I like ginger.

I admit, since I do not partake in the beer experience where others in my family make a living from it, I was tempted to buy beer here and bring it home. They do not ship, I checked.
I also know I would have broken the bottles, likely on a plane or confined space and that would have been awful.
So sorry family. You will need to experience this for yourself. I did think of you.

Sorry to disappoint the religious followers of the movies with this post. It was interesting to see, and I understand there are several other sites around NZ that also offer tours for the devoted. I probably will not go to any of them, but it depends on where tours go.
It was worth the visit. I will watch the movies before I arrive if I come back because I know I missed most of what was happening. Even if you don’t know the movies, or like them, at least review them before you get here or you will feel like you are in the middle of a farm in a foreign country and don’t understand the joke.