I went to Hobbiton

Turned out I was on my own at Spa Lodge, so I had a 4-bedded room all to myself. Where are all the hostellers?

Yesterday (Thurs) was another full day. Up early so the lovely Ben could take me & a few other Ringies out to Hobbiton. On the way there he tells me he was an orc! Of course, I had to get a photo - it's not everyday an orc acts as your chauffeur. I told him I thought NZ drivers were very polite, which he thought was funny. Apparently, NZ has a kind of 'polite law', which makes slow drivers pull over & let quicker ones through. I told him about 'white van man'.

Hobbiton was great. Lots of useful info imparted by Cathryn & of course I took loads of photos & vid clips, which I'll get round to uploading, once I work out how to do it - me being a techno dinosaur & all.

Once the lovely Ben had us back in Rotorua, it was time for lunch & shopping: I now have 5 pressies, which take up little room, so lugging them around for the next 8 weeks won't be a prob.

After that, it was time to head south to Taupo & Ohakune. 

The road was great, as usual, & I got to Taupo about 5.45. Once I saw the lake, I just HAD to have a dip (me & water & all that), so I disrobed by the car, & holding the camera above my head, while I waded out, I got my 1st shot of Ruapeho in the distance. I also took a vid of some NZ girls messing about & did a 'rollover, speed, action' with them. I got it wrong the 1st time, but they were pros, & did Take 2 beautifully.

Me being wet, the next few miles were slightly uncomfortable, but the road down the east side of the lake was brilliant. The westering sun was lambent over Lake Taupo & it was still very warm, although I could see clouds ahead.

If truth be known, I missed the turn I'd intended to take, which would have taken me west, across the bottom of the lake & then south towards Ohakune. However good old Route 1 was probably better as it wound up from lake level onto a scrubland mesa with views of the volcano & Ruapehu to the right. 

Nearly everything I passed on the road passed me when I stopped for photos & vids. Each view seemingly better than the last as I went south, with the sun breaking out from the clouds & turning the snow silver. Eventually I turned west on the last leg towards Matai Lodge, & entered farm country again. I caused some cows great interest when I got out of the car & walked back to get (yet another) photo of Ruapehu.

I eventually rolled up to Matai Lodge around 7.45 & found I had the room to myself again. Where are all the hostellers?

After a wash & brush-up I dined on 2 starters & a pudding at the Cypress Tree in Ohakune. At least that was the plan, but by the time pudding arrived it was gone 10, so I doggied it & had it for breakfast! Waste not, want not.

Today I hope to do Gollum's pool & nip back north to visit Mordor. Meanwhile though, I have to wait for the camera battery to re-charge - hence this morning's blog.

So for now, it's Goodbye from me & Cheers Mate from her.

OAO