Friday, August 03, 2012

a rabbit in middle-earth

in case those hobbity actors decide they aren't going to help that nice mr jackson make his third hobbit film, i should like him to know i am more than ready and willing to help out.

you see, i know all about the lord of the rings – not just because i happen to live with a fellow who is a bit of whiz with these books and so i've had to listen to a lot of yak about them – but also because while brian was in new zealand last year interviewing the cast and the movie-makers, i was gadding about visiting quite a few of the movie locations...

The very nice jack machiela (who is, without question the most experienced guide in middle-earth) took me to all the places around wellington that were featured in famous scenes from the trilogy...

knowing that some of my readers might not actually believe in my adventures without proof, jack kindly took lots of photos.

this is jack meeting me at my hotel... 


so, we set off...


and stop where frodo and sam had their picnic ...


and where the hobbits were chased by the nasty black riders and had to 'get off the road'...


i always thought rivendell was quite hard to find... i guess gandalf must have missed this sign post... 

 
this is legolas' tree but there wasn't any sign of orlando who was probably busy chahtting to brian at the time...


here i am at isengard with a staff like gandalf and saruman – i kept hoping sir ian or sir christopher would come along...


on next to the banks of the river anduin – who shall i go with? frodo and sam? or aragorn, legolas and gimli? decisions, decisions...

 
next location – lunch!


aragorn's horse, brego (that's his nose top right of picture), rescues me when i am washed up half-drowned...


off now to visit weta cave at the studio where all those amazing monsters and creatures were born...


i'd no idea that some of those characters were quite so small...


or that others were quite so bi!

 

(not absolutely sure how this photo got in here –– or how i got in there!)

anyway there are others that are really horrid...


there were times when i could have done with one of these guns – i think they must have cut the orc gun squad out of the lord of the rings, but maybe they'll make it into the hobbit...


i also got to play my own version of where's wally? Can you spot me?


i had a really great day out, so many thanks, jack!

if you'd like to the lord of the rings tour, this is the place to start!


6 comments:

Beth Stilborn said...

This was more fun than actually seeing the movie! And I do think you'd do splendidly in any part in a hobbity/rabbity film. Well done, Buttons!

(And yes, I did spot you in that last picture. You're right there... *points* Is there a prize?)

Bob Sangwell said...

Wonderful! Well done Buttons. This is so much easier to take in than your friend's ramblings! See Brian, just show us some pictures with captions and you can have the rest of the day off x

SharonM said...

What a star! Remind me to curtsey next time we meet.

Looks like you had a very exciting adventure.

Buttons Hippo said...

Oh, Buttons, what fun you have when you're travelling ...

Next time, perhaps you could persuade Brian to let you have a travelling companion who has a richness of anecdotes to share and who would help make your travel arrangements?

buttons said...

beth – don't tell mr jackson!

bob – i keep telling brian, but he just won't listen!

buttons hippo – er... thanks for the offer, but i've had a first-hand account of your talent for making travel arrangements from hippolyta...

buttons said...

sharon – don't know how you snuck in that comment without my noticing, but – honestly – there's no need to curtsy... :)