A Dark Cave and Sunny Hillsides

Yeah, yeah, a boat trip through the Glowworm Grotto and an afternoon at Hobbiton might sound like cheesy tourist traps, but we were pleased with both. The Waitomo Glowworm Cave is unique to New Zealand, and that alone would make it interesting, but the experience itself was indescribable. Unfortunately, we couldn’t take photos inside, so insert frowny face here.

We were prepared to be underwhelmed at the underhill homes, but we really weren’t. They’ve done a great job with establishing and maintaining the rustic charm and visual delights of Hobbiton, pointing out the original sets had been allowed to languish after the Lord of the Rings movies, but were rebuilt for the Hobbit series, with an eye to maintaining them for fans (like us).