I wake up early as usual and have a breakfast next to the river where I stayed this night. It’s nice and peaceful here, though I can’t fully enjoy it, because I’ve got work on my mind. I decide to first make a stop at a coffee place to work for a couple of hours, before I continue my trip. I arrive just before eight at the coffee place, order a cappuccino and work til about ten. Then I decide it’s been enough for today, because it’s a bright day with sunshine and it feels like waisting it if I would work the whole day. The destination of today is Hobbiton Movie Set where they recorded part of the Lord of the Rings movies.

My expectations of the Hobbiton Movie Set were high, but are completely exceeded. It’s such a wonderful place, absolutely beautiful. In the middle of many green hills with thousands of sheep there is a small valley known from the movies. I feel like a giant here, because the hobbit houses are really small. It’s a perfect day to visit the movie set. The sky is blue and the sun is shining bright. The tour around the the movie set takes about 45 minutes and ends with a drink in the Green Dragon bar. I set down at the fire place and enjoy a nice pale ale beer. I’m so happy I went to visit this place, it’s absolutely one of the highlights of this trip.

I’ve been in New Zealand for about a week now, but it’s only now that I finally realize that I’m here. The Hobbiton Movie Set was one of the things high on the list to visit and although there is much more to see here on the North Island, after today I feel like it’s getting time to travel in the direction of the South Island. I decide to do another long drive to Napier, to visit my New Zealand friend Chelsea.

Just before six o’clock I arrive at Napier. I drive to a camping place at the beach. There is a big fire at the beach with a group of children around it. I join them for a while and they let me eat something I never had before, lamb tales. It’s a strange taste and I’m not sure that I like it, but I think it’s good to try new things. After a while the group leaves and I stay alone at the fire at the beach. There are many stars in the sky and I enjoy the moment. Then Chelsea and her friend Jill come to pick me up and we drive to a local bar to have some drinks. We meet with some more friends of them and are catching up a bit. It’s nice to see each other again at the other side of the world. Tonight I can stay at their place which is also nice to stay in a house again after a couple of nights sleeping in the camper.