16.01.2020 - Day 21 - Hobbiton + Whitianga, New Zealand

Today was all about "Lord of the Rings" as we made a stop at the Hobbiton Movie Set near Matamata on our way from Taupo to Whitianga, located on the Coromandel Peninsula. We went on a great one and a half hour tour through the Shire, guided by our sensational guide Ed, who told us with so much enthusiasm and fun about the filming of "Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit" that, despite his very pronounced Australian-New Zealand accent, it was pure joy to listen to him 🤣 and let his enthusiasm infect us.

After another 2.5 hour drive, we arrived in Whitianga, our 4th stop in New Zealand. We are staying here for the next two days at "The Waterways Boathouse", a brand new, modern 5-star B&B with its own boat dock and accompanying monster yacht.

And because so much driving and so much "Shire" not only makes you tired but also hungry, we went to the harbor in the evening to have dinner there.