It is not unusual to see a movie and get excited about visiting that location. Any James Bond movie is a travelers dream. Even Thelma and Louise inspired moviegoers to want to see the American West. Travel is one of the best ways to see people and experience different cultures and lifestyles.
I wanted to visit New Zealand after seeing the Lord of the Rings, the epic about Middle Earth written by J.R.R. Tolkien and created successfully by director Peter Jackson. There are spectacular fjords, glowworms, geysers (more regular than Yellowstone) and modern cities. Add the people and the Māori culture and it makes for an unforgettable adventure, and in January, their summer, a great place to beat Chicago’s winter.
Unlike American theme parks, groups at the remarkable Hobbiton are limited to 40 people and spaced so that you feel like you’re strolling through a sleepy little village, albeit a village of very small people. There are No Hobbits — just tourists, guides and gardeners. Tours end with a stop at the tavern where a mild beer is served. Director Jackson, a stickler for detail, had the beer brewed specially for the extras to be festive through numerous takes for a party scene.
But there is so much more to New Zealand. A popular YouTube video shows a haka – a traditional dance, war cry, or challenge of the Māori people performed at a wedding. I first saw a haka years ago and like most I thought it was, frankly, weird. I was a cultural philistine. Seeing it the way it was meant to be in New Zealand gave me a greater appreciation for the people and the culture.
Actually that is what travel does for me. I am better able to understand people and their culture (and my own) when I am on their turf.
