Yesterday I did my last trip here in NZ before going back to Brazil next Thursday (19/11), and it couldn't have been better. Friends, sun, a car and the best beach NZ has to offer, what a nice closing!
- Before I describe, in short lines, the trip itself, let me just share first that I loved the exchange and only have to thank all my education that lead me to try Science Without Borders program and finally fill my wish to come to New Zealand. This whole one year and three months were the most intense and happiest of my life, they are a big chapter and division line for the days to come. -
Regarding the trip, there's no much to tell. This is because, at this point, everyone can have an idea of what could happen if you mix 5 individuals that like each other in a car and go to one of the most beautiful beaches in the world to spend the day. It's between the best things one can wish for, I'm only thankful at this moment. Sorry for my laziness in describing the entire event. However, I will pleasure you with pictures and claiming the cliche' "that they worth more than a thousand words".
Thanks, New Zealand.
From the left to the right: Alan, Me, Fernanda (Fe), Laercio and Kelly
I had one of the most incredible weekends of my life on this 25-26 of July.
Why?
Because I went to Tongariro National Park again to do one of the sports that I've always dreamed about it and for sure wanted to do it here. Since in Brazil we don't have mountains covered in snow and especially Ski Fields like here in New Zealand this could be one-time in life experience for me, and believe it, those are the best!
Everything for the trip was arranged in the last hour, as it says. We got the car on Friday (Jucy Rental Cars), and the equipment (Snow Centre - Auckland) as well as the hostel accommodation (Ski Haus - Tongariro National Village).
With everything rented, we got on the road at 4am towards Turoa Ski Field, which is located in Mt. Ruapehu close to Okahune village. The first problem in our trip (besides fitting the snowboards in the rack) happened when after using GPS to guide us. All the 3 cell phones ran out of batteries, so we were unable to communicate with the other car except for brief moments where for a miracle my cell phone worked. But we had decided before living in Auckland to go straight to Turoa mountain, where the conditions and snow were better and enjoy for a longer period the sport.
We were divided into 2 cars, as I said, and ours was the last one to actually get there. But once we arrived, we put our snow clothes on, got our snowboarding and went to the Ski Field. Turoa is a beautiful place, and not only young people go there but also people of every age, from 6 to 60, also families, couples, famous.. it is awesome!
Me and Leo, a friend from CSF that is also from Vitória -ES (Photo by GoPro Hero 3)
We bought a Half-day pass since we've got almost at midday. While we were not able to go up on the ski fields I took the opportunity to practice on the base of the mountain where I discovered that snowboarding is entirely different from surfing and skateboarding. Posture is important like in all of the sports, but ankles are the key for equilibrium on the board and to break - I learned that on the hard way!
There is a Video made by Leo where it shows myself running down the base field and falling at the end - because I didn't know how to break yet, so my only way to stop was to fall - Check it out:
(I'm the second one, with the red jacket - Video by GoPro Hero 3)
After that, I just hydrated (despite the cold and the altitude you actually sweat a lot!) and went to the Beginners Field track, and I have to say... if you are doing this sport for the first time, like I was, just go straight to the gondola without fears! I've learned much more there than that in the base because the track is so much longer and challenging you can fall and start again over and over as you want/need! It is just a matter of not giving up! At the end of the day I went down the Beginners track 3 times and the Intermediary 1 time (there are at least 3 others for Advanced).
Despite the fact that I felt less and less in each time, still is exhaustive at the end of the day, but at the same time exhilarating and fun!
I haven't got the chance to take many photos because I didn't bring my camera this time. As I said before, my cell phone was without battery too. But that had a good side, as mentioned in Medo de perder memorias, medo de me perder em memorias it allowed me to have a fully memorable experience without worrying about having the 'best picture' that capture the moment. I remember with more details relying only on my brain, not the camera.
After an incredible day, we find our way to the Ski Haus hostel in Old School style (using maps and asking people). We had a beer on the bar and slept exhausted from the day. In the following morning, the weather wasn't good so we went straight to Auckland and I've driven the way back finding out how it is to drive on the Highway and on the different hand for the first time too!
Today (07/06) was a Lord of the Rings fan's day! Yes! Finally, after all this time here I went to 'The Shire' or, as is known here, Hobbiton.
Hobbiton is the set of the movies Lord Of the Rings and Hobbit, directed by Peter Jackson and story (written) by Sir J. R. R. Tolkien, the creative mind behind the Middle Earth.
I would start saying that I recommend all the fans of the movies to visit this place. Here on my blog, you are going to find some descriptions and curiosities, but I guarantee, there is nothing compared to actually be there! So, with that said. Let us start!
The opportunity to go to The Shire (Hobbiton) came last week when a friend of mine, Ewerton, also from CSF said that he wanted to visit it one more time and invited me. At the same night, me, him and another friend of his, Gustavo (also CSF), bought the tour by Kiwiana company. Today (Sunday) was the one scheduled for the departure. We were going straight to Hobbiton and then visit Hamilton Gardens on the way back to Auckland.
Inside the bus, with us, despite Campbel, the bus driver, there were also another two Brasilians, five Germans (3 girls and 2 boys), two Asian girls and one guy that I assumed it was from Angola, but in fact I don't know. We chat on the bus, spent time playing a cards game but it didn't take too much time and we had reached our destiny, Hobbiton.
The Scenario reminds you exactly how it is the movie. Firsts facts: Almost everything there is real, 90% to be precise, only 10% is fake, in more advance I will tell some things that are fake.
It is nice to do the guided tour, and while you are walking through The Shire you are presented with lots of information that I, for instance, did not know. Things about, how did they made the scenes or curiosities.
What I can remember:
- In fact, Hobbiton is the movie set from the Hobbit movie, almost everything from the Lord of the Rings was demolished after the film and rebuild for the new one.
- Bilbo in the Hobbit movie does not quite make a single run from his door to the exit, he actually runs in lots of places in The Shire to appear that the scenario is bigger than it looks, once there.
- Gandalf scenes mostly happened in the 40-50% size scale Hobbit's houses, so he could look taller.
- Gandalf and Bilbo in the Hobbit movie are not actually smoking pot looking at the sunset, in fact, they are looking at the sunrise, which means that, since they were established away from The Shire, the actors woke around 3am just to go to the set and make the scene, seven times!
- Peter Jackson is extremely attentive to details, he brought cows from Europe just to make the movie and on the roof of Bilbo and Frodo's house, there is a tree (fake!) where college students had to paint all the leafs one more time because it hadn't the right shade of green!
- All the Hobbits houses have in front of them a clue of what is the Hobbit family's job. Like fisherman, gardener etc.
- There are two lakes in The Shire, one of them, at first, had a lot of frogs that were relocated since in the footage the actors complained that they could not hear the director's orders due the loud noise of the frogs.
- Sam's and Mary's house is one of the only 100% size scale (real scale) Hobbits' houses there! And their kids appeared in the movie as the child's couple too.
That is most of what I could get and remember. Also, there is a legend that Peter Jackson was making a helicopter flight over The Shire and because of one tree, he asked to stop it claiming that he wanted to make a scene there and later on all the Hobbit village was built surrounding that tree, so which tree it could be? The same that appears in Bilbo's birthday.
And, of course, I could not miss the chance of making a video there, so check it out below my walk through The Shire and see more photos underneath!
in The Shire
From there we went to see the beautiful gardens of Hamilton and then back to Auckland. Back to reality! Study for the End-Semester's tests and after that, who knows!
