Until next time...

I can't believe that I started this blog twelve years ago, TODAY!

February 26th, 2008.

Time certainly does fly.

I started it mainly so I could post about my trip to Australia and New Zealand in 2008 and to try to keep in communication with friends along the way. I had forgotten that I was gone for almost two months on that journey.

That is the longest vacation I've ever taken.

I need to win the lotto so I can do another one sometime.

After that trip, I was so used to writing something every day, that I just decided to continue posting during the week, just to do something entertaining at least once a day.

I've really enjoyed doing it over the years and hope that anyone who came to visit enjoyed it too. All these years later, I think it's probably just a couple of my friends who pop in once in a while to check in, which I've always appreciated.



But, with Facebook now a part of most of our daily lives, posting updates on trips, life events, photos and the like seem to be easier to do there and more people probably see them.

So, after twelve years....I've decided to take a break from updating this blog.

It just seems like the right time.

If I ever pick it up in the future, I'll definitely let folks know on the Facebooks.

For those of you who have checked in, THANK YOU for taking the time to do it.



I reread the posts from that first big trip this week and they made me smile and laugh often, especially the comments that people made along the way.

You can read my first post here and, if you want to read them in order, just click on the Newer Post link on the left side of the bottom of each post.

I've chosen a few of my favorite posts during the trip and thought I'd link to them here, if anyone just wants some highlights and a smile:

Kathy Griffin on the flight to Australia
A screaming "Nana" and a couple that took me on an unexpected trip
When my old landlord, Frank, passed away during my trip
Meeting a lovely older woman in rain pants in New Zealand
The message from my suffering house plants back in California during my trip
The hang gliders in Queenstown, New Zealand
The mountains of New Zealand
Taking a steamer
A trip through a Fjord
Queenstown pics
Wellington 
Meeting Ruth
What the world thinks of the United States
My trip to Hobbiton
The creepy dolls of New Zealand
Auckland, New Zealand
The island of Rarotonga
Island People
My last day of the trip
First Trip to Florence, Italy
Trip to Berlin, Germany
My hometown of Tipp City, Ohio



You can also access any post from any year by clicking on the year listed on the upper right side of any page and it'll open links to each month, which opens links to each post during that month.

Well, thanks again to anyone who followed along over the years. I wish you all the best and I do still believe that life really is too short to go to bed early.

Enjoy it.

Ken

Come Te Papa

As I continue my journey. I’ve tried to infuse some kind of culture from each city into my trip. Which usually means, go to the local museums. It’s a great way to find out about the city or country you’re visiting and, for me, it’s another chance to see if, like all other countries, they have creepy dolls or babies on display.



So, I left the hotel and headed to the Te Papa museum, again…because everyone said “You have to go to Te Papa!”. Since it was only a couple blocks away from my hotel, I really didn’t have much of an excuse not to. I took a picture of the statue (above) because it is the first/last thing I see when I enter/exit the hotel. I should really learn who she is, but I just think it’s a cool statue…hence…the picture.



The museum is massive (6 floors) and there is a lot to see and interact with (thankfully no large bug museum). There is a lot of information on the origins of New Zealand, with lots of native artifacts and “press this button” chances to hear people talk about it.



As enjoyable and informative as it all is, I lose interest really quickly and mainly just wander around and look for things that catch my attention or that I think are interesting.


Like this real woman.

When I got to the first floor of the museum, I saw this woman reading the newspaper, with the dog in her lap. Just sitting there…not engrossed in the history and splendor that is the museum….just reading the paper, like she was at home waiting for the kettle to boil so she could make her tea.





Of course, I spent the next two hours wandering around and taking in as much information as my limited brain-space could handle. New Zealand really is, compared to most countries, a new country. So, it was interesting to hear about how they first started and what they went through to get to be the country that they are today. That’s all interesting….





But, really…when you see a display called the “Queen of Wool”…you have to at least take a look. Since sheep were such a big commodity here in New Zealand, it was only a matter of time before someone was able to capitalize on it….and, evidently, Mary-Annette Hay was just the gal. Although, I’m not sure how comfortable a wool wedding dress would be, it looks nice and, at the end of the day, people only care how it looks. Comfort is negotiable.





There was a really cool “Golden Days” presentation. It was a room filled with old furniture, toys, radios and the like. Even the audience chairs were mismatched/tattered chairs. As you watch the history of New Zealand on the screen in front of you, lights would come up on certain artifacts (as they related to the story) and they would move or activate from one side of the stage to the other. And, it was here that I finally found my first creepy dolls.



I knew I’d find at least one in this museum! I’m starting to think that it’s a staple in every museum and, once you know, it just becomes like an Easter Egg hunt to find where they’ve hidden them.



After I left that, I found this painting and…if you look behind the girls…you’ll see they have creepy dolls in the background. And, like with all other museum visits…they generally mark the end of my museum visit. Hopefully, I’ll never run into them right at the beginning…I’d hate to miss all the culturey-stuff.







So, I headed out of the museum and towards the harbor which runs directly behind it. Wellington is the capital of New Zealand and, as such, has tried to keep the waterfront open for “the people” to enjoy and walk around (rather than bombard it with expensive hotels and condos like we’d do in the states). So, it makes for a nice walk. I also saw the much smaller, yet interesting, Museum of Wellington. It is only 3 small floors and, even though it is such a small venue….I found one of the “King of Creepy Dolls”…



The voodoo doll.

I think that there is some kind of “creepy doll” ordinance that requires that every museum has at least some kind of creepy doll representation, in order to get funding from the state. So, far…I’ve found at least one in every museum.

I’m just sayin’….



So, I headed back to the hotel for a nice nap, then over to S&M’s to see what the kids were up to. It was a quiet night, but there were plenty of people around to chat with, so that is always enjoyable. It turned out that it was Scott and Mal’s five year wedding anniversary (they have been together for 13 years, but were married in Hawaii five years ago and had everything paid for by a local radio station there…EVERYTHING! Their airfare, accommodations, rings, clothing, spending money and it the whole event was broadcast live in New Zealand each day, leading up to the wedding), so they stopped in after having dinner with friends and hung out with us for a while.

They remind me of my friends Larry and Basil in Palm Springs. Just really nice guys who run a business, but at the end of the day…just like hanging out with good people.

Nothing wrong with that at all.



Can you imagine how much less traffic there would be in the world if this was an actual law?

I mean, it's wrong on so many levels...however...

Instinct Magazine article

My second travel article is now out in the December/January issue of Instinct Magazine.

The first article, in Genre Magazine, is also still out on newsstands as well.

For Instinct Magazine, I wrote about the island of Rarotonga that I visited after leaving New Zealand and Australia earlier this year. The article starts on page 58 and, although it doesn't say "continued" at the bottom of the page, it actually finishes on page 60. So, don't forget to turn the page or you'll miss me telling everyone how the series finale of "Lost" ends...

Or do I?

They also featured me in the "Contributors" section at the beginning of the magazine on page 8. I'm right next to Brandy (the singer, not the drink). So, that was kinda cool.



Instinct had a really fun party last Friday night and, believe it or not, they actually invited me (I guess the restraining order finally ended). My friends and I had a blast and made good use of the food and Absolute-sponsored open bar (what's not to love about that?!).



I was also able to finally meet the editor who hired me for the article...a really nice guy. If you enjoy the article, feel free to let him know.

If you have found this blog from the magazine article (Thanks for stopping by!) and would like to read some of my travel-related entries, you can click on any of the following destinations and then hit the "newer" or "older" posts link at the bottom of each page to follow along.

Here's where I've been so far this year...

Sydney, Australia
Melbourne, Australia
Christchurch, New Zealand
Queenstown, New Zealand
Wellington, New Zealand
Auckland, New Zealand
Rarotonga, South Pacific
Houston, Texas
Denver, Colorado
Atlanta, Georgia
Asheville, North Carolina
Tipp City, Ohio

Pack your Baggins

The journey finally begins, again, with Peter Jackson directing (as it should be)...

Wellington, NZ, March 21, 2011—Production has commenced in Wellington, New Zealand, on “The Hobbit,” filmmaker Peter Jackson’s two film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s widely read masterpiece.

The two films, with screenplays by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Guillermo del Toro and Peter Jackson, will be shot consecutively in digital 3D using the latest camera and stereo technology. Filming will take place at Stone Street Studios, Wellington, and on location around New Zealand.



Martin Freeman takes the title role as Bilbo Baggins and Ian McKellen returns in the role of Gandalf the Grey. The Dwarves are played by Richard Armitage (Thorin Oakenshield), Ken Stott (Balin), Graham McTavish (Dwalin), William Kircher (Bifur) James Nesbitt (Bofur), Stephen Hunter (Bombur), Rob Kazinsky (Fili), Aidan Turner (Kili), Peter Hambleton (Gloin), John Callen (Oin), Jed Brophy (Nori), Mark Hadlow (Dori) and Adam Brown (Ori). Reprising their roles from “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy are Cate Blanchett as Galadriel, Andy Serkis as Gollum and Elijah Wood as Frodo. Jeffrey Thomas and Mike Mizrahi also join the cast as Dwarf Kings Thror and Thrain, respectively. Further casting announcements are expected.

The Oscar-winning, critically acclaimed “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, also from the production team of Jackson and Walsh, grossed nearly $3 billion worldwide at the box office. In 2003, “The Return of the King” swept the Academy Awards, winning all of the 11 categories in which it was nominated, including Best Picture – the first ever Best Picture win for a fantasy film. The trilogy’s production was also unprecedented at the time.



I'm so relieved that, after so many delays over the rights the past couple of years, these two movies are back on track and have begun production.

As many of you know, I visited Hobbiton in New Zealand (where they filmed all of the Hobbit village scenes) a couple of years ago (the shot of me above is right outside where Peter Jackson is standing in the new photos at the top).

If you ever get to New Zealand, I highly recommend taking that tour. If you're a fan of the Lord of the Rings films, you'll be very glad that you did.

A trip to Hobbiton

As many of you know, they filmed the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy entirely in New Zealand. It was another reason I was very excited about visiting this country, to see some of the scenery (although almost anywhere you go here, it looks like a location from the movie).



There are also MANY "Lord of the Rings" tours in each of the major cities around New Zealand. There are tours by bus, train, boat, plane and helicopter. The two things that they all have in common is that they are generally expensive (the more modes of transport and time you invest) and that none of them have any on the sets still intact...so, as I mentioned in the past, you're just seeing lovely scenery and told "This is where blah, blah, blah happened or was built.".

Well...except for ONE. The Hobbiton tour....



And it was supposed to be torn down when filming ended, like all the others.

There were 37 Hobbit holes/homes created (among other Hobbiton town sets built on this location) and 20 of them had already been torn down after filming ended. However, on the day that the rest of them were supposed to be demolished, New Zealand got hit with several days of rain and the crew asked the studio if they could come back in six months to do the rest, because the ground was too wet, unstable for them to use their machinery. Fortunately, for fans of the movie (and the sheep farmer that owns this land), they still remain.



After filming had stopped, the owner started noticing random groups of people who would stop by to ask permission to see the area where the movie had been shot. As surprise visits to his farm started to become a regular thing, he decided to keep the remaining hobbit holes and spent two years negotiating with New Line Cinema to turn the area into a tourist spot. A deal was worked out and 5 years later, people still arrive several times a day, 7 days a week, and are given the grand tour.

Although he owns 1,250 acres of land to work his 12,000 sheep and 300 cattle, it has been said that he makes more money per year on just the tour, than his already very successful farm. I believe it.

When you are driven back about a mile into the land, where the set is located, you can see why Peter Jackson chose this location...it looks untouched by people and beautiful no matter which direction you look.





Although New Zealand is still in the middle of a 12 year drought, it is still pretty green and lovely to stroll around.





The only hobbit hole that you can actually enter is the one, in the movie, where Bilbo Baggins and Frodo lived at the top of the hill. As you can see from the "before" shot above, they are much more....barren now (they weren't allowed to recreate the copyrighted gardens/set-front designs). But, since Peter Jackson needed shots looking out from that one, they built an inside room with space for the camera equipment and small crew to shoot out. So, of course, this is where everyone gets their picture taken (generally peeking out the door or window).

The view from inside out...is pretty nice and it does kind of give you the feeling that you could be in another world.



You can see the "Party Tree" (the area where they shot off the fireworks and had their festival at the opening of the first movie) and the lake behind it. That tree and lake is what ended up making this location THE one.



Since the book described, in great detail, this large tree by the lake in Hobbiton, Peter Jackson was determined to find a location that would be true to that. They had 3 different locations already chosen to use as parts of Hobbiton, but when the location crew found this lake and tree...then noticed the rolling hills behind them....the other sites were scrapped and it was all filmed here.





Oh....and as you probably noticed, there are a lot of sheep around (it being a working sheep farm and all).



They are kept out of the hobbit holes (well, unless someone leaves a gate open or they find a hole in the fence), but are given free access to the rest of the area. So, with 12,000 sheep around...it also means that you're gonna step in a lot of...



You can't avoid it and you're warned about it as you step off the bus at the beginning of the tour...but they have special brushes up by the entrance/exit and after a few minutes, you're all ready to board the bus and head back to the Shire's Rest for your lunch (included in the price, thankfully), a hand-washing and a last chance to buy some souvenirs before hopping back on the bus for home.





To be honest, I almost didn't take take this excursion (it was between this and a 5 hour bus ride up north to a beach area that is supposed to be nice), but in the end...I'm really glad I did.

Because, no matter how often I try to downplay to others and, especially, myself about how much of a Sci-Fi/Fantasy geek I really am...



It was really frickin' cool to be there!

GENRE magazine article

My first travel article just came out in GENRE magazine this week.

It's their annual travel issue and is titled "Stepping Out" (on page 10).

It was a lot of fun to write and I hope that everyone enjoys it. If you do, feel free to let the editor know what you thought.

I would love to write for them again.



If you have found this blog from the magazine article (Thanks for stopping by!) and would like to read some of my travel-related entries, you can click on any of the following destinations and then hit the "newer" or "older" posts link at the bottom of each page to follow along.

Here's where I've been so far this year...

Sydney, Australia
Melbourne, Australia
Christchurch, New Zealand
Queenstown, New Zealand
Wellington, New Zealand
Auckland, New Zealand
Rarotonga, South Pacific
Houston, Texas
Denver, Colorado
Atlanta, Georgia
Asheville, North Carolina
Tipp City, Ohio

Arrived in Christchurch, New Zealand

Well, most of today was spent preparing to leave Melbourne (thank God they let me check out at 12:30...lazy packing morning) and heading to the airport to get to New Zealand. Since I knew I'd have to go through customs again and all of that "fun", I didn't want to rush it...

So, I got some breakfast around the corner from the hotel, packed leisurely, then hopped on the train to catch the airport shuttle downtown. The train station (above) had a very interesting design scheme, lots of curves and such. The shuttle bus to the airport was there waiting when I got off the train, so all went well. I was at the airport about 5 hours before my flight left, so I wandered about and hung out until I could check in and get on the plane. I got into Christchurch around 11:30 pm, caught an airport shuttle to the hotel, got here in about a half hour.



Now, after all of the concern about staying in Melbourne and having a room (above) with a seperate bathroom/shower....



It all turned out to be absolutely fine and, actually, a very nice size/simple room and no hassle what-so-ever sharing either. Plus, the guys, Mark and Brett, that managed the The Laird hotel in Melbourne were great and very helpful in so many ways. That, plus the cheap price, really made everything easy to use and find. I didn't even really mind the Hee Haw-themed room. It worked for that place....

However, talk about going from one extreme to the other....

Where my Melbourne hotel was kind of like staying at an old ski or rodeo lodge, the new (it's only 4 months old) Hotel SO, here in Christchurch is like beaming up to the future...



Cool neon/hi-tech facade in front...



Sleek, curved entry and reception area....



Full bar and dining room adjacent to the reception (not open tonight, because Jesus H. Christchurch...it's late here)

Then I got to the room...



Nice queen bed, with a modern control panel to the left that has a variety of hi-tech functions...



A lovely flatscreen TV mounted on the wall...but wait kids, this is the cool part...



Adjustable mood lighting in the frosted IN-ROOM bathroom-shower chamber. Look how cool the room looks when you turn off the regular light above the bed...



It's like "Miami ViceChurch"!

Enjoyable!

I haven't figured out the entire control panet thing yet (most people know how "technical" I am)...it's got a zen alarm clock system that brings the lights up slowly 5 minutes before your time, to ease you awake...then after 5 minutes...it turns on the TV to a specific "wake up" channel, with scenery of New Zealand and relaxing music. Plus, you can hook your IPod into the sound system in the room (but you have to have an RCA adapter or something and, since I already have my IPod docking station w/speakers...probably won't do that. Wire...cables...adapters...my brain hurts).

I may never leave the room...why would I want to?

Local scenery and history OR adjustable mood lighting and comfy new bed?

Hmmm.....