Day 11 - Edoras!

When we stepped outside today, the bad weather from yesterday was forgotten. We were greeted by bright sunshine. The perfect weather for our trip to Mount Sunday, the filming location of Edoras.

But before we headed to the home of Theoden and his entourage, we followed the plan to search for rain ponchos for both of us in Christchurch, to be prepared for the upcoming days (which are supposed to be rainy again). A sports store, a bakery (delicious breakfast), and two shops for fishing and hunting supplies later, we were full and two ponchos richer.

With that, the actual day trip could begin: Off to Mount Sunday. Off to Edoras!

Already during the drive, we were rewarded with an incomparable view of the mountain range that stretches across the South Island.

After about 2 hours of driving, we arrived at a road that was being worked on and looked closed at first glance... But that was the only road that leads to the destination. Tobi was already getting excited and said that he won't let anything stop him and drove on (one of the workers confirmed that we are allowed to pass, so we are still legally on the road and not wanted by the police).

The road itself was a gravel road to nowhere, so rocky that we had to drive at thirty to avoid damaging the underbody.

But just for the view during the journey, the slow rumbling and sliding over gravel was already worth it.

Shaken well and what felt like an eternity later, we stood at a small viewpoint and could see something in the distance... very small and inconspicuous, Mount Sunday patiently awaited our arrival.

After another 137,294 pebbles (I counted them exactly...) there it was in front of us. The parking lot. The rest of the way to the famous little hill had to be walked and shortly after, it lay in front of us.