Hobbiton

Hobbiton

The sun shone over the rolling hills of The Shire as we drove through Middle Earth  towards Matamata.

Tours around the, now world famous, farm run every fifteen minutes and hordes of tourists were as eager as us to wonder round the movie set.

Hobbiton

Catching the tour bus from The Shire’s Rest to the Alexander’s farm we wound round the bumpy lanes with some of the 13,000 sheep scattering the lush green hills as we caught our fist glimpses of Hobbiton.

Walking through the rickety gate onto the set was magical with the brightly coloured Hobbit Holes surrounded with beautiful flowers looked after by the five onsite gardeners.

As we meandered around Bag End I was struck by the detail of everything with Hobbit's laundry still hanging on the washing lines swaying in the warm breeze as it did in the film when Bilbo ran off on his quest. 

First time in my life I've felt tall...

The likens that gave an ancient feel to the gates and fences was actually painted on with a yoghurt solution but even close up you couldn’t tell they were fake.

I was pleasantly surprised at how the tour was managed so as not to feel like a big tourist sight (which of course it is) giving us plenty of time to take photos and soak up the wonderful scene.

My seven year old niece was enchanted and made sure she was at the front of the group the whole tour. (Unfortunately she’ll have to wait a few years before she can see the movie though.)  The three year old charmed the group by asking if she would see Pepper Pig too, I’m not sure what Tolkien would have thought of that…

Over looking The Green Dragon Inn from the lake

Past the party tree and over the bridge to The Green Dragon and it was time for a drink. Goblets of beer, cider or non-alcoholic ginger beer were served free from the bar. Welcoming the shade we settled down in one of the comfy seats in the oldy-worldy pub, like the ones you find in the English countryside with the log fires roaring in the winter and beer gardens overflowing in the summer.

Watching the film a couple of days later was brilliant; seeing the likes of Sir Ian McKellen and Martin Freeman walking down the same paths as we had! Even after the story continued and left The Shire I was memorised by the wonderful landscapes featured in The Hobbit An Unexpected Journey, some of which I’ve been privileged to visit during my travels round New Zealand. Now I can’t wait for part two….

Hidden Gems: New Zealand - South Island

Campervan

I’ve spent the past two weeks travelling through the South Island of New Zealand in a campervan with two dear friends; Kat and Lou. Lots of lakes, mountains, adventures, driving and lots of fun!

Discovering some of the beautiful places not given enough credit in the guide books was especially rewarding. My favourite hidden gems are:

Lake Mapourika

Ottos Corner

A three minute walk from Mac Donalds Creek doc campsite leads to a beautiful beach by Lake Mapourika. Swimming in the icy water was refreshing to say the least!

The Information Centre said most people visiting Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers overlook a visit to this lake which is such a shame as it is as stunning as it is freezing!

Cardrona

Cardrona Hotel

Marked on the map as ‘Historical Hotel 1868’ this tiny town is definitely worth a visit even when the ski fields are covered with spring flowers instead of snow. 

We called in taking the scenic route from Wanaka to Queenstown.

The few buildings that make up the town; the hotel, shop and post office were low, ancient by New Zealand’s standards and picture perfect.

The single story hotel had a few rooms and a big garden which felt quintessentially British as we sipped our coffee and tucked into the delicious homemade banana cake.

Popping into the local shop we chatted to one of the town’s sixty residents. The retired school teacher now writes and illustrates children’s books. Kat, a dedicated primary school teacher, couldn't resist buying a signed copy for her class.

Lake Wakatipu

Carlin Creek

Driving out of Queenstown towards Milford Sounds the Wakatipu Lake glistens on the edge of the road. Stopping for lunch at one of the many picnic sites we followed the ‘beach’ sign and took the steep path to the water’s edge. The walk was beautiful but I’d not recommend doing it in flip flops (or jandals at they are called here)!

The clear blue water lapped along the shore feeling more like the sea than a lake. Even though I was tempted, I decided not to swim in this lake.

Lake Swimming

Lake Tekapo

Lakes dominate New Zealand’s South Island and during our campervan adventures they proved good places to take in the scenery and freshen up with a swim.

Lake Mapourika

Our first lake swim was at a secluded picnic area just outside Franz Josef. Parked up early for a relaxing evening before our Fox Glacier ice walk we pulled into the doc campsite at McDonald’s Creek. Just a two minute walk from the site was Ottos Corner with a beach leading to Lake Mapourika.

Lake Mapourika

The water was cold but wonderfully refreshing in the early evening sun. Even with a nearly-full campsite only one other person ventured to the swimming area – maybe because he had heard the shrieks as we plunged into the icy water.

Lake Tekapo

Swimming spot on Lake Tekapo

The bright turquoise blue of Lake Tekapo contrasting with the white peaks of the Southern Alps was so beautiful it was almost unreal. 

The scorching December sun glistened on the water twinkling like the incredible night sky (Tekapo is one of the best places in the world for star gazing.)

Walking past the tiny church and small alpine forest we came to a sandy beach – the perfect place for a swim. 

Being much shallower here the water wasn’t as bitterly cold as the other lakes, although it was still pretty chilly! Our feet sinking quickly into the soft sand it wasn’t quite deep enough for a proper swim but a fantastic place to cool down and chill out before another long drive.

View of Lake Wanaka from Mount Iron

Lake Wanaka

I think Wanaka is my favourite of the lakes we visited with the clear blue water surrounded by lush green fields, vineyards and snow-capped mountains. 

Hiking to the top of Mount Iron in the mid-day sunshine was hot but the lake views were well worth it.

Time to cool down with a swim… A group of teenagers were playing in the crystal water; diving off the floating platform, showing off and having lots of fun. It looked great so we ran into the lake, naively unprepared for how cold it would be. A very quick dip and back to sunbathing on the beach. 

Even though they were icy cold I loved having a dip in the lakes as we travelled through the South Island, and all for free.

Swimming with dolphins

Dusky dolphin

I’ve always wanted to swim with dolphins and with its abundance of sea-life Kaikoura seemed like the best place.

Unsure of our plans we weren’t able to book too far in advance but Dolphin Encounter operate a great waiting-list system so we managed to get the date and time we wanted.

When our booking was confirmed it was a crystal clear summer day and we were so excited about our swim with wild dolphins.

Kit

Waking up on the day of the swim to sheets of rain and gusts of wind our excitement wavered.  Assured that even with the moderate weather warning we would still be able to swim we made our way to the Encounters HQ.

A huge array of wetsuits, flippers, snorkels and even prescription goggles were available and the team showed great care to make sure everyone was kitted out comfortably.

A short safety video and it was time to go…

The rain hadn’t subsided as we reached the port and the dark sky loomed over the choppy water of the mighty pacific ocean. The waves poured into the boat as we set sail in search of the dolphins. The waves were too much for some, with people  turning white from sea-sickness (luckily there were lots of buckets on board..!)

Even in these conditions catching our first glimpse of the dolphins was incredible as they jumped gracefully in and out of the water.

As the boat came to a halt we sat on the edge of the deck with the ferocious waves ready to pull us out to sea – I think my knuckles tuned white holding on to the rail so tight. 

Dusky dolphins

I didn’t even notice the ice cold water penetrating through my wetsuit as the waves engulfed us.  The buoyant wetsuits kept us afloat as we put our heads under, eager to see the dolphins around us.

We had three opportunities to swim. On the second swim I had seen a small dolphin right beneath me and decided I’d end on a high and sit the third swim out. But when our wonderful guide, Tracy, pointed to the huge pod of dolphins right next to the boat I couldn’t resist fighting through the waves one more time to get another glimpse of the beautiful creatures.

What a magical experience! I’m not sure how many there were but it felt like hundreds of dolphins playing and swimming around us as we floated just inches above them.

Dolphin Encounter boat

Advised to make noise to encourage their playfulness we sang songs through our snorkels. It seemed to work and the more vocal and excited we became more dolphins came out to play and show off their acrobatic skills.

I mentioned to Tracy later that my goggles had become a little loose, she smiled and said “that’s because you were smiling so much under the water.”

Floating back to the boat the strong waves gave the team a helping hand as they heaved everyone back on board. Time to warm up with a hot shower (when I say I shower, I mean hosepipe..!)

Seals and marine life

The skipper then sailed us to calmer waters where we could relax and get changed overlooking a seal colony. The rain finally stopped as we sailed back to land and I was so excited to see albatross with their incredible wing spans skimming the water around us.

I feel very privileged to have entered into the dusky dolphin’s world. It was a completely different perspective than just watching from afar and I’d love to do it again – although maybe in slightly calmer waters next time…

A day on Milford Sounds

Milford Sounds

Waking up early on a crisp morning in New Zealand we set out in our little campervan for Milford Sounds.

Mirror Lake

The drive was beautiful, firstly stopping at Mirror Lakes which, as the guide book had promised, has a perfect reflection of the magnificent mountains behind. The quirky sign made me smile with the reflection spelling out the name of the lake.

Further south we passed fields of lupins with their purple and pinks creating an oil painting effect against the landscape and their  sweet smell filling the car with the scent of spring.

We’d rearranged our plans to reach Milford sooner because we were warned of heavy rainfall which may close the road leading in and out of the tiny town.  As we drove past the incredible glacial mountains and through the avalanche zone we quickly realised why it would be unsafe to drive in bad weather.

Luckily we were graced with sunshine and as we drove through the Homer Tunnel, carved through the mountain, the chill in the air dispersed like the wispy clouds.

Driving to Milford through the clouds

Pre-booked onto the 11:10 Mitre Peak cruise we eagerly strode to the front of the queue to get a good seat on top-deck.

Tour boat on Milford Sounds

Milford Sounds is sighted at the most impressive in Fiordland. The deep blue water contrasting with the looming cliffs above was an awesome sight. We passed incredible fresh waterfalls; one at 162 meters is much higher than Niagara Falls (but not as wide of course!) 

There was an icy chill in the air as the boat meandered through the Sounds, passing the fishing areas where crayfish is caught and within 48 hours on sale in China.

Sailing further towards the Tasman Sea we turned at St Annes Point. Heading back through the sheer cliffs, the 75 birth boat felt like a tiny speck.

Seal colony

We passed a seal colony, watching the young male seals basking in the sunshine was a perfect end to the journey.  

With some energy left as we drove back we put on our walking boots and hiked to Key Summit. A beautiful three hour walk through a mixture of vegetation including the native New Zealand forest, alpine tracks and a nature walk at the top explaining the history of the land.

The breath-taking views of the Hollyford, Greenstone and Eglington Valleys in the late afternoon sun was my favourite part of the day.

Key summit trek

It is a long way to go for a two hour cruise but the views and stops en-route made it worthwhile. If I were to go again I think I’d do one of the overnight cruises and if my budget allowed I’d take a helicopter flight too... 

Walking on ice

Fox Glacier

We woke to a beautifully clear blue sky and warm sunshine. Packing up the campervan quickly we hit the road for our ice walking tour with Fox Glacier Guiding.

Getting kitted out

Fox Glacier spans 13km in the West of the South Island of New Zealand. Booked onto the half day guided tour we approached with different levels of excitement and trepidation.

Time for a delicious, filling breakfast in the Hobnail café before we were fitted for our equipment.I was the only one in the group who had my own walking boots but there were all sizes available for everyone else to borrow. Socks, bags and waterproofs were also lent before we set out on the short drive to the glacier.

There was a sudden dip in the road as we moved over to the pacific plate – the shift was distinctly noticeable, like dipping down on a rollercoster.

Eager to get onto the ice we chose the ‘English Charm’ of guide, Joe, as the group split in to two to traverse the route separately. 

Following our guide on the ice

Trekking past the icy streams Joe explained that the milky appearance is created by the rocks rubbing together forming a grey dust in the fresh water.

The surrounding vegetation was beautiful with a big pool reflecting bright blues and greens and waterfalls trickling down into the steam beneath.

The looming cliffs towered above as us as we navigated our way to the glacier terminus. Now to secure our crampons and it was time to walk on the ice.

The guides spend around  four hours every morning cutting paths and steps into the ice. Until recently the tours only walked on the cut paths but now the route includes walking on the untouched ice which was surprisingly stable and easy enough to walk on. Having said that every guide still carries a pick axe to hack at any areas that needing re-paving to help all levels of trekkers.

Colourful pools

The sunshine beamed down on us making the ice glisten even more brightly blue and white than it seemed from the base.

Meandering through the paths and ridges we learned about the history of the glacier and how it had grown and shrunk and how it and the Franz Josef Glaciers move ten times faster than any other valley glaciers in the world.

Ooops I wasn't meant to step in there

We had the chance to get close to the crevices. Being a little too excited I didn’t hear Joe shout “don’t go all the way in” as I trudged down the steps and stepped straight into the icy water gathered at the bottom.  It was still beautiful though and wearing my trusty boots that took me all the way up Kilimanjaro I didn’t even get soggy feet!

When we booked the half day tour I wondered if just one hour on the ice would be enough, it turns out that we spent a little longer than that which was plenty of time and at $115 within our budget.

The previous day we’d done a free walk up to Franz Josef glacier, 35kms north of Fox. It was beautiful but nothing compared to actually walking on the ice and being so close to the magnificent beauty. I’d recommend anyone visiting this part of New Zealand to take a trip on Fox Glacier. 

New York: Top Picks

View from Top of The Rock

Two days in New York is not much time but with a busy schedule, a pair of comfy boots and a warm coat I managed to tick everything off my list and even managed to see a couple of things by day and by night. It’s hard to choose but my top two picks for a visit to New York are:

Top of the Rock

For $25 I took the elevator up 67 floors to the observation deck of the Rockefeller Centre. If you’re afraid of heights don’t look up in the lift, but then again if you’re afraid of heights this probably isn’t the pick for you. The glass walled observation deck gave beautiful views of the city but climbing a couple more flights of stairs to the 70^th floor and I was quite literally at the Top of the Rock.

It was one of those beautifully crisp and sunny winter mornings and as I looked out over New York I was completely overwhelmed. Skyscrapers were bursting out of the gridded streets, Central Park cut neatly into the landscape and the Statue of Liberty stood tall in the distance.

Panoramic view from Top of The Rock

Not only does this give the most fantastic views but was a great first stop to orientate myself with the city. Not known for my sense of direction I was pleasantly surprised at just how easy it was to navigate the city and having seen it from above initially really helped in not getting lost!

I wasn’t sure of my evening plans so opted for just a day ticket but next time I visit I’ll pay the extra $13 to get the night time pass so I can see the ‘city that never sleeps’ by night too.

The High Line

The Husdon River from The Highline

The Highline stretches from Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District  to West 34th Street, between 10^th/11^th 30ft above the city. 

Its original purpose was the railway line from the meat packing district but had been unused since the 1960’s. The NYC Park Authority opened it as a walk way in 2009 with plants growing, art sculptures and even wooden sun loungers a long route.

It’s a stunning walk with the Hudson River to the West and the City on the East giving a unique perspective of the city. I loved just looking over the viewing platforms and watching the world go by, oblivious to the spectators above.

View from The Highline

I walked up heading North but if I did it again I’d probably walk the other way – ending up in Chelsea to warm up with a coffee and take a stroll through to Perry Street (the SATC fans will want to stop off here..)

For more sightseeing tips and a comparison of New York and London check out my other New York blog.

New York vs. London

Central Park & Hyde Park, subways & tubes,  The Rockefeller Christmas Tree & Winter Wonderland, The Empire State building &... and what’s London’s comparison? The Shard perhaps…?!

For the past two days as I wandered the streets of New York completely awe inspired I couldn’t help but compare it to London. This blog is by no means objective, having lived in London for six years and visited New York for just two days but even in that short (and rather cold!) visit I discovered so many reasons to love The Big Apple as much as The Big Smoke.

Transport

Yellow taxis outside New York's Grand Central Station

For everyone’s complaining Transport for London isn’t too bad, the underground is easy enough and the buses take you where you need to go. I had no idea how I was going to navigate the NYC subway system but luckily the friend I was staying with gave me step by step directions. Having downloaded the NYC subway app to my iPhone (I have the London underground app on there too of course) I counted down the stations on route.

Even travelling into the centre of Manhattan at peak commuter time I was nicely surprised at how calm everything was – a far cry from watching trains roll past unable to squeeze on to one with all the London commuters. The trains and stations seemed much older and more rickety though, surprising as they were built forty years after London’s underground opened.

Morning commute in London at Waterloo Station

In general I was struck by the quietness of New York, from the films and TV shows I had imagined a loud, noisy, congested city with the iconic yellow taxis beeping, traffic jams, basically just a lot of mayhem, but the roads are so much calmer than London's with our black cabs and red buses rushing from A to B.

Taking the bus through Brooklyn at 8:30am however ensured that I didn’t go away with a completely rose tinted view of the NYC Transport system. Here the all too familiar scene of cramming a few too many people into a small space reminded me of my morning commute in London catching the big red bus from Waterloo, hoping to be at the front of the well ordered queue to ensure a seat but more often than not running to jump on just before it pulls away. 

As we meandered through Down Town Brooklyn and the crowds dispersed the bus driver was so friendly, chatting away; eager to give me tips for my sightseeing.I don’t think I ever spoke to the bus driver of the 243 that I took every day to work for the past 2 years.

Cupcakes

Magnolia Bakery in New York

Being a big fan of both cupcakes and of Sex and the City, I couldn’t come to New York without a visit to Magnolia Bakery (Carrie and the girls’ favourite in the show.) The branch on the corner of 49^th and 6^th was a welcome treat after the awesome views from Top of the Rock. The quaint set-up and relaxed atmosphere drew me in as I ordered my red velvet cupcake.

Now don’t get me wrong, it was good but London’s Hummingbird Bakery with its trendy demeanour and delicious choices of cake does make a better red velvet, I think it’s all down to the cream cheese icing...

Park Life

Sunset on London's Clapham Common

I love London’s parks; wandering past the deer in Richmond Park, admiring the views from Primrose Hill, walking though Clapham Common on a crisp Autumnal day, picnicing in Green Park on my birthday, the list goes on…

The only park I had time to visit in New York was Central Park. 

My first glimpse of it was from the Top of the Rockefeller as I saw New York stretched out ahead of me and the very straight rectangular green space etched in to the heart of the city. 

Arial view of New York's Central Park

A very different view to that of Hyde Park, which can be seen beautifully from Galvin at Windows restaurant at the top of The Hilton on Park Lane, with its more fluid shape, leading to other Royal Parks. 

Hyde Park has The Serpentine, Central Park The Lake. Both have the beauty of the nature surrounded by the hustle of the big city. In Hyde Park it’s easy to forget you’re in the middle of the capital city; at its heart not many buildings can be seen and the buzz of the traffic is reduced to a gentle dim. In Central Park with the skyscrapers rising above the trees, which were quickly losing their leaves for winter, there is no escaping the fact you’re in the middle of a huge metropolitan city; but would you want to..?

Christmas

Winter Wonderland in London

Leaving London in November I missed one of my favourite festive activities; Winter Wonderland. Hyde Park is transformed into, quite literally, a winter wonderland for six weeks every year. There’s fairground rides, German market stores, mulled wine, ice skating and my favourite; a mini London Eye giving a great view of the city from the warm little capsules. To me Christmas isn’t Christmas without wandering around Wonderland with a cup of mulled wine on a crisp winter’s evening. 

New York's famous Christmas tree and ice-skating rink

To New Yorkers Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without the 80ft Christmas Tree at the Rockefeller Centre.

I visited the Rockefeller on my first day in New York and was a little disappointed to find the tree not quite ready and the ice rink not quite open. Luckily it was that very night that the lights were being switched on so the next day after a long day of sightseeing I headed back to the centre of town to see for myself the world-famous tree. In order to get the true experience I had a coffee (no mulled wine to be seen…) while I waited for it to get dark and wow am I pleased I did. The 45,000 lights were truly incredible and the whole scene reminded me of so many movies. A truly different scale to Winter Wonderland, but both absolutely wonderful in getting everyone into the festive spirit.

For more info on New York read my Top Picks blog.