No trip to New Zealand would be complete without embracing your inner Lord of the Rings fan.  While we were driving throughout the North Island back in April, we made a stop at Hobbiton, the farmland and hillsides that had been turned into movie sets.  It truly felt like we had stepped into the Shire (which indeed, we paid good money to do).  I had to curb the urge to run down the lane shouting, “I’m going on an adventure!”

Driving throughout New Zealand, awed by the natural beauty and dramatic landscapes, it made perfect sense that Peter Jackson would chose this locale to bring J.R.R. Tolkien’s vision to life on the big screen.  I was certain there were elves hidden just around the next ravine and trolls wandering the mountainsides.