Driving on the left side of the road is a bit of an adventure unto itself. Nevertheless, when mass transit doesn’t reach where you need to go, you start practicing online driving simulations as soon as you confirm your driver’s license is valid in that part of the world. Despite living in New York City,…
Not every Lord of the Rings film location in New Zealand is as sculpted and maintained as Hobbiton. In fact, few are. Part of the agreement between the filmmakers and the country was that any alteration to the land had to be undone afterwards. All construction removed, any damage healed, and even foliage replanted if…
Everyone who knows of hobbits, knows about the height factor. The average sized human is going to tower over any building for halflings. But when I call Hobbiton “the perfect size for your Inner Child,” I’m not just talking about scale. This place is a wonderland for your inner child to be set free. The…
Shortly after The Fellowship of the Ring was released in movie theaters, New Zealand tourism increased from a steady stream to a flood. Knowing the likely motivations of many of these travelers, the country trademarked the title “Home of Middle‑earth.™” New Zealand airports reached out to WETA Workshop, who had lengthy experience crafting everything LotR…
When you’re a newly fledged traveler, you sometimes jump out of the nest and try to fly before your baby wings are fully capable. Although I had been considering a day trip to Paris while I was in London for weeks, I never actually bought a ticket. I didn’t even research how long it would…
When you’ve got limited time but want to capture as much quintessential Britishness as possible, one of the most popular day trips is Windsor Castle, Bath, and Stonehenge. In a single day, it’s a both sprint and a marathon at once, but absolutely doable. Perhaps I’m biased, but I appreciated the order my tour took…