must do Archives | Amiekay's Adventure

April 2, 2018March 29, 2018

Huka Falls? More like Huka Rapids

Huka Falls was one of those places I fell in love with the moment I saw a photo on Instagram. The uniquely colored rushing blue waters seemed both powerful and serene. I looked them up and found they were on many “must see” New Zealand lists, so by the time I got to them I was really excited.

Unfortunately, Huka Falls was a bit of a letdown.

While it is technically a “waterfall,” Huka Falls, I think New Zealand should consider renaming them to “Huka Rapids.” For most of the journey “down,” the water from the Waikato river is on a very gradual incline. However, the water is moving quite fast through narrow passages lined with rocks, making it a sight to both see and hear.

There is a bit of a proper waterfall into a pool at the end, but it’s not especially stunning. (Of the waterfalls I’ve seen in New Zealand, Huka definitely ranks third for impressiveness behind Kitekite Falls and Rere Falls.)

Huka Falls tiny waterfall — The actual waterfall itself is small and unimpressive

While all of this sounds incredibly disappointing, it’s not. You see, for me, the best part about Huka Falls isn’t the falls themselves, or how tall they are. The main attraction here is the color of the water.

The falls are uniquely blue, that apparently isn’t the result of a special chemical mixture. According to the official tourism website, the color of the falls, like all water, is from a reflection of the blue light from the sky. This fact is somewhat disappointing, but at the same time makes sense. Because New Zealand’s natural beauty is so well preserved, of course, this would be the only place where the water reflects the sky’s color so accurately.

Huka Falls Jet Boat — A jetboat drives around the bottom of the falls

In the end, I spent a total of 5 minutes in the place and saw everything I needed, so when planning your trip to New Zealand, I wouldn’t book too much time out for Huka Falls. (That is, unless you’re into jet boating.) In fact, I think Huka Falls should be treated like a good roadside attraction: it’s a great place for a quick pit stop on your way to or from Taupo. (It even has a snack stand and bathrooms.)

March 26, 2018March 28, 2018

Hobbiton: A Day in the Shire

Despite the fact I fell asleep the first time I tried to watch “Return of the King,” visiting the Hobbiton Movie Set here in New Zealand was on the top of my “to do” list for this part of the world. Unfortunately, it took me almost the entire year to get here! A lot of this had to do with timing and cost but was eventually able to go thanks to a gift from my family, and a new friend.

The good news: It was worth the wait.

Bag's End at Hobbiton in Matamata — No visit to Hobbiton is complete without a stop to Bag’s End. (Which by the way, doesn’t actually have an interior. Those scenes were shot on a sound stage in Wellington.)

In case you don’t know: Hobbiton is the movie set where they filmed scenes for the “Lord of the Rings” and “Hobbit” movie series. Both are based on fantasy books written by J.R.R. Tolkien.

While I have since rewatched the entire “Lord of the Rings” trilogy and thoroughly enjoyed them, you don’t have to have seen any of the movies or read any of the books to enjoy a trip to Hobbiton. In fact, the tour guide told us about 40% of visitors have no experience with Tolkien in any form. While I personally enjoyed nerding out, the set is simply a really fun place to see and experience.

You can’t get on the grounds on your own; everyone must take a guided tour. But don’t worry, the tour guides are a lot of fun and full of facts to share about the movie filming and production.

Samwise's Hobbit hole — Samwise’s Hobbit hole, one of just a handful of Hobbit Holes actually built to scale.

Hobbit Hole in hobbiton — One of the 39 Hobbit Holes found in Hobbiton. All are varying shapes and sizes

Some of my favorite facts I learned about the set and the films:

Almost all of the plants on set are real. (Including the giant pumpkins!)
In the books, Tolkien references how hobbit children spend their days playing under the plum trees. However, plum trees didn’t fit the aesthetic of the set and don’t grow naturally in New Zealand. So, the set artists spent hours making an apple tree look like a plum tree for filming. The tree only made it into one scene.
Peter Jackson initially had picked out 12 different shooting locations in New Zealand for Hobbiton. He scraped all of those locations once finding the Alexander Farm near Matamata where the set is now permanently constructed.

The Party Tree at Hobbiton — One of the things that lead Peter Jackson to choose the Alexander Farm was this tree, which would eventually become the Party Tree in the movies.

The Party Field at Hobbiton — The Party Field, waiting for the next big celebration in Hobbiton

The set that stands there isn’t actually the one that was used to film anything from “Lord of the Rings.” That was torn down after filming was done. However, trips to The Shire were so popular after the series hit theatres that they decided to make it out of durable, long-lasting materials when it was time to film “The Hobbit.”
The Hobbit Holes are all different sizes. The small ones were built to make the actors playing wizards look tall, and the big ones were built for the actors playing Hobbits.
During filming for “Lord of the Rings” the scene where the Green Dragon burns down is actual footage of the set burning.

The Green Dragon Pub, where you can order real food and drink

Things to know before you go:

The tour starts at one of three places: The Shire’s Rest Cafe, the Matamata I-Site, and the Rotorua I-Site. The Rotorua option is quite a bit more expensive than the other two, as they are busing you in from almost an hour away.
If you don’t do the Shire’s Rest option, you will not see that cafe and gift shop. However, all tours include a free drink at The Green Dragon pub from the films and a visit to the gift shop on the set grounds.
Each tour is on a very strict time schedule, so you won’t get to spend too much time on set, in The Green Dragon or in the gift shop.
The bus rides include specially-made videos that include interviews with director Peter Jackson and the family that owns the farm the set is on. They also include clips from “The Hobbit” films.
The tour guides are happy to snap photos for you, so don’t worry about not getting photos of your adventure if you go alone if you go alone!

Amiekay in a Hobbit hole at Hobbiton — My tour guide snapped this expert photo

Amiekay’s Personal Advice:

I really recommend stopping in the town of Matamata if you can, as the town has really embraced its Tolkien-themed tourism industry. The I-Site, for instance, is modeled after a Hobbit Hole, and there are places with Hobbit-themed food and names, such as “Hobbit Sushi.”

The Matamata I-Site, designed to look like a Hobbit Hole

If you have a car, get your tour to leave from The Shire’s Rest. I am a bit bummed I didn’t get to check out this Hobbit-themed cafe.
The entire set is “nerd-friendly.” The tour guide invited us to re-enact the scene where Bilbo runs down the street yelling “I’m going on an adventure.” While I didn’t actually do it, I was extremely tempted.

Gandolf's Cutting — Called “Gandolf’s Cutting” this passage is extremely narrow in order to create forced perspective

Amiekay at Hobbiton — Amiekay taking a stroll. (Photo by my talented friend Margie)

January 15, 2018January 13, 2018

5 Reasons You Should Skip Rere Rockslide and 5 Reasons its a Must-Do

I recently took the plunge and rode down one of New Zealand’s most unique attractions: the Rere Rockslide. Here are some reasons why I think you should go, and a few why it may be something to take off your list.

5 Reasons to Pass it Up:

1. The water is cold.

Like, really cold. Have you ever put your finger in an ice cube tray a few minutes before it turns solid? That’s about how cold the water is at Rere. And no, it doesn’t depend on the season since its fresh water in a little stream.

2. Sandflies will bite you

I don’t know why these things are called Sandflies since they actually live in the dirt of the forests here in New Zealand. Nonetheless, these things are everywhere around the rock slide. They look like gnats, and because your feet will be numb from the cold water, you don’t realize they’re biting you until you see your feet bleeding.

The top of the slide offers a pretty view as well

3. The walk from the bottom is slippery and dangerous

The rockslide is a natural phenomenon, which makes it really cool. But also, because this is 100% Pure New Zealand, that means there are no man-made steps or safety precautions. This means you are walking up wet rock to get back to the top.

4. It’s out of the way. Like, really out of the way.

It’s about 100 km, or 45 minutes outside of Gisborne. Aside from a small waterfall and the rockslide itself, there’s really nothing else in Rere to see or do.

Rere’s other attraction: Rere Waterfalls

5. BYOB – Bring Your Own Board

A lot of places advertise that you can rent boogie/body boards at the site, but that wasn’t the case when I was there, so I would be prepared with your own. However, if you do bring one, make sure its a cheap one, as the rockslide is known for busting them up pretty badly.

5 Reasons it’s Not to Be Missed:

1. It is fun!

Once you start going down the slide, you forget how numb your feet are. The slide is exactly as exciting as the viral videos make it out to be.

2. There’s nowhere else like it in the world

Honestly, if you’re in New Zealand, this is one of those things I would count as a “must do,” since this is unique to the country. (Unlike, say bungee jumping or skydiving.)

3. It’s free

Aside from the cost of the boogie board and the petrol to get you there, the Rere rockslide is completely free.

It doesn’t look too daunting from here, but when you’re there in person, its actually a bit unnerving

4. Your friends will judge you if you skip it

The moment I told people I was moving to New Zealand, I was sent this video of the Rere Rockslide by a number of people with the phrase “you have to do this.” (I am not the only person who moved here and experienced this pressure.) So really, if you’re going to come all this way, you might as well take the plunge

5. You’ll make new friends.

If you come prepared with your own board, there’s guaranteed to be someone else who wasn’t prepared and will want to borrow yours. Or vice versa. Either way, it’s a great conversation starter.

Me posing with our $10NZD boogie board post-slide

May 23, 2017February 25, 2018

Wellington Cable Car

One of the things I’ve been most looking forward to doing since moving to Wellington was riding the Cable Car. I don’t know why, but I find something enchanting about old school transportation. I went today and really enjoyed the experience!

A little background on the cable car: It has been running for over 100 years and is the only railway like it in New Zealand. The ride is just 5 minutes long and takes you from the busy streets of Lambton Quay to the quiet suburb of Kelburn. At the top, there are a few fun things to do including the Cable Car Museum, Botanic Gardens, Zealandia Wildlife Sanctuary, and Space Place. There is no fee for the museum or the botanic gardens.

It was a bit chilly and windy when I went so I spent much of my time checking out the views and visiting the museum, but I have plans to take the trip again this weekend.

One of the more obvious views. However, this site alone is worth your ticket up in my opinion

When you get to the top of the mountain, make sure you take a walk around, or you’ll be missing quite a few unique views of the harbor and downtown. The obvious spots to take pictures are right by where the Cable Car lets you off, but if you walk just 5 minutes towards “Space Place,” there is another look out that isn’t too be missed. There is also a nice trail that way that takes you through the mountains, should you want to skip the botanical gardens.

The museum is small but manages to include what seemed like a day’s worth of reading on its walls. I would say the main attractions for me were the two older cars that used to run the tracks. The “Red Rattler” from the 1950s even had seats on the outside, which I found especially interesting; in addition to the obvious dangers of being on the outside, I also think it would be quite cold, given Wellington’s famous winds.

The “Red Rattler” car was used on the line between the 1950s and 1970s

The other car, from the early 1900’s was plain gorgeous. While it’s missing the now-iconic red hue, the victorian design and colors are quite charming.

“Grip Car No. 3” carried passengers in the early 1900s

Something else I should note about the museum is its situated inside the original “winding house” for the cable car. In fact, you can still see the original winding mechanism that pulled the cars up and down the mountainside!

One of the original gears used to pull cars up the mountainside

The only other exhibit inside the museum (I told you it was small) features model trains, which always make me think of Sheldon Cooper from the “Big Bang Theory.” They were fun to look at and take pictures of, and one of the buildings kind of looks like Hogwarts, so I would recommend checking them out.

The Cable Car Museum model train exhibit was fun and sure to be a highlight for any kid

Finally, the most surprising part of today’s adventure was the light shows hidden inside the tunnels along the mountain. I didn’t expect to see these installations on a historic railway but really did enjoy them. And make sure you don’t just look at them going through; the patterns are not to be missed…so sit near the front or rear of the car so you can watch them dance.