We blew into windy Wellington, New Zealand’s capital city. We hit Lambton Harbor for a walk around the chic cafes, art installations, unique architecture, and coastal breezes.


Then it was time to take a tour of The Lord of The Rings film locations. We hit the Shire and the eerie darkness of the Buckland Forest. We got to re-enact a few scenes too. One story I found particularly amusing, was that during the nighttime shoot of the rider on the black horse in The Hobbit, Peter Jackson wanted the horse’s breath to show up in the shot, but not the riders, as the rider was neither “alive nor dead.” Given this dilemma, one of the kiwi crew members rushed home to grab a snorkel, which they tucked behind the rider’s cloak and he breathed into that during the filming.

Then we headed over to Weta Cave in Miramar, Wellington which is New Zealand’s version of Hollywood. We learned about the special effects department and got to see the props from many movies. Of course I had to goof off a little while I was there.


We ended our day summiting Mount Victoria for a view of Oriental Bay and the rest of the city. We were warned about the wind before we summitted, as in Wellington, it can actually knock you off your feet!





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