Re: The road goes ever on and on - A Travel Thread

[Pettytyrant101]

{{Well despite all the hassles Lance you still got some excellent shots- got to say the waterfall one framed by the tress is definitely my favourite. }}

[Eldorion]

Great pictures as always, Lance! The landscapes out west are really something special (though I've only seen a few parts of the West in person). Thanks for sharing them!

[Forest Shepherd]

Ain't no chipmunk! 'Tis a ground squirrel!

[halfwise]

I was about to stand corrected, but a ground squirrel should have body stripes. I'm willing to say Lance had it right from the beginning.

http://naturemappingfoundation.org/natmap/facts/chipmunk_vs_squirrel.html

[David H]

I'm with Forest. California ground squirrel.





https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_ground_squirrel

[Forest Shepherd]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_ground_squirrel

'Nuff said.

Edit:

darnit Dave! How were you able to master Cranberry farming and thread-ninja skills!

[David H]

[azriel]

He's funny isn't he

[Ringdrotten]

Ok, time to revive my travel thread! We landed safely in Auckland yesterday after a total of 25,5 effective hours of flight. Spent the day just walking around the suburbs, which was nice. We'll have another two days there before we end our trip, so we took it easy and slept off the jetlag instead.

Picked up our rental car today and headed south to our first (and only planned) destination - Matamata and Hobbiton! We're going on the tour tomorrow, so for today we've booked a room in a local bar, and currently enjoying the third round of local beers and ales. Pictures to come by the end of jan!

[Eldorion]

That sounds like a great time {{{very jealous, though not of that amount of flying }}} I look forward to seeing whatever photos you take.

[Ringdrotten]

That's for starters - the Matamata visitor's center at the top, me at the bottom. Currently knee deep in a pitcher of local goodness, so maybe I'll check in and post some more tomorrow!

[Ringdrotten]

I don't know how often we'll have wifi access on the trip, but I'll try to update here whenever I can. The rest will come when I get back home

[Mrs Figg]

ooh that Hobbit house Is great! I am so jealous you are going to Hobbiton.

[Eldorion]

Love the visitor center.

[Bluebottle]

Nice, indeed. New Zealand has some lovely wine. Tried some Central Otago?

[azriel]

So nice to see the sunshine again You look happy Ringo, hope all is going well ?

[Ringdrotten]

Hoi! Just a little update here from NZ - we've done the north island by now, just began our trip down the south island. Hobbiton was amazing, lotr fan or no. The attention to detail Jackson had constructing that set would satisfy any hater, agree or disagree with the result. And Petty - being there, the grass was actually just right. And the party tree screamed for a good forumshire meet-up. The ale in the Green Dragon served in the absense of you guys, though I will hold to my promise and post pics when I get home, but for tonight this'll have to do

[Ringdrotten]

Blue - we haven't tried any wines yet (both of us being beer drinkers by default), but we're planning on visiting a local winery)

Az - doing great, so great in fact I'd like to take my sister here once if I land the job I want. If I do I'll buy her tickets, hotels, cars or trains and all of it - she should see all of this, LotR fan that she is I'll get back to you all when I can!

[Mrs Figg]

fantastic stuff Ringo   I always wonder which the most beautiful North or South island.

[azriel]

I'm so pleased for you Ringo !

[halfwise]

Blue - we haven't tried any wines yet (both of us being beer drinkers by default), but we're planning on visiting a local winery)

Nothing converts confirmed beer or wine drinkers like a visit to a good winery or brewery. Though I think wineries do a better job here; too many breweries do not attend to the arts of proper contemplation.

[Forest Shepherd]

Ooh ginger beer! Is it good?

[halfwise]

It's non-alcoholic, but if you get good Jamaican Ginger beer it has such a kick you'll still need a recovery period.

[Forest Shepherd]

I enjoy some knock-off Jamaican ginger beer now and then, but I was wondering how the Frogmorton stuff performed in comparison to others.

[Ringdrotten]

fantastic stuff Ringo   I always wonder which the most beautiful North or South island.

We'll soon be able to tell (to an extent)

Halfy - looking forward to being converted

Forest - The ginger beer was great, though unfortunately I don't have that much to compare it to (rarely drink ginger beer). It was on par with or better than what I've tasted back home, though, so definitely not a bad one My friend enjoyed it alot, and she's got far more experience with the stuff than I do.

Today we went for a hike up Mount Fyffe, something we didn't plan to do but were convinced to by a couple of guys from Ireland and England that we met in a bar last night. A few beers in and we were sold, so we joined them up to the top today. Good fun, fantastic view. Pictures to come