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Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Already Dreaming of Your Next Summer Vacation? Consider The Shire!!

(Visit http://www.hobbitontours.com for more info)


Now that Labor Day has passed, the time for family vacationing has come to an end...but that doesn't mean I can't dream big about a trip for next summer. And by "a trip for next summer," I mean,

"a trip that I will not be going on, but will advertise in hopes that one of my lovely readers will be inspired to travel, allowing me to live vicariously through their subsequent blog posts and photos about said trip."

Destination? The SHIRE!! I follow the blog of agent Nephele Tempest, and she recently got back from New Zealand and posted some links regarding the area. One of them was for Hobbiton movie set tours, and it put my sense of travel longing into overdrive.

For the love of Breyer's coffee ice cream, will one of you please go to New Zealand and visit The Alexander Farm, where Tolkien's Shire came to life??? Please?

Much of the set was torn down after Lord of the Rings, but they rebuilt Hobbiton in 2011 for the new movies. With the movie versions (they're dividing the book into three films~ I thought it was two, but blogging buddy Andrew Leon of Strange Pegs knew the truth, pointed it out in the comments, and deserves a shout-out for that) of The Hobbit coming up, I am once again falling in love with The Shire and its hobbit holes. And yes, I like to capitalize "The" in "The Shire." I feel it deserves double caps :).


In case you're thinking about taking a tour, here are some links that I've been drooling over.

Store (maybe it's a good thing that this trip isn't in my family budget, because I could easily be suckered into going overboard on gifts~ the woolen scarf rack wouldn't last a minute around me)

That's all for today~ I hope everyone has an excellent week!

Oh wait, I nearly forgot! Cupid's Literary Connection is hosting an agent contest. The first entry window was this morning, but there's another one on 9/7 (this Friday). Click HERE for details (this one requires a $4 donation to enter).


25 comments:

  1. Oh, those hobbit homes are adorable. My kids would love this! We're reading THE HOBBIT right now in preparation for the movie, and I have to admit I'm getting pretty excited.

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    1. Me too~ it'll be the first movie I've been to in the theater for a long time.

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  2. Actually, it's been extended to three movies.
    You know they tore down most of the stuff they built for LotR? Including the Shire they used in Fellowship. Such a shame :(

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    1. The movie info has been corrected above thanks to you! The website says that they rebuilt the hobbit area in 2011 for the new movies, and it's now permanent. I'm thinking it'll have to look similar to the version in the LOTR films...

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  3. How fun would that be to visit the Shire?!?!? My kids would love that trip. Going on the Bucket List.

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    1. Same here~ that and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. And the pyramids. And the Great Wall of China. Dontcha love how I listed the Wizarding World before the pyramids and Great Wall :)

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  4. I would love to be able to go there. It's sad if they really tore it all down. What a great tourist atraction.

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    1. I guess they tore stuff down, but then rebuilt the hobbit area for the new movies, so don't despair~ it's still there!

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  5. This is on my bucket list for real. We've already decided our next 'big' vacay is going to be Australia-New Zealand. I'm a crazy Tolkien and LOTR movie fan and am beyond excited to see the new movies. Thanks for sharing these, seriously made my day! :-) (Well, and maybe hate where I live a little ... but motivation is good, right?)

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    1. That's so cool! I would love a vacation in Australia-New Zealand (who am I kidding, I think I'd settle for a week in the Residence Inn down the road if it came with movie tickets and a babysitter).

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  6. Lord, what an amazing and memorable trip that would be. I have been to NZ several times but, alas, there were no trips to The Shire involved.

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    1. Still, you've been to NZ! What a gorgeous country~ I have a college friend who works there :)

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  7. My friend James wants to go to New Zealand to see all of these places.

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    1. If your friend James is rich and eccentric enough to want to buy my family tickets, then I would like to meet your friend James :)

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  8. How adorable! I love the pics, and especially that cute little Hobbit doorway. Thanks for keeping us updated on The Shire. :-)

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    1. Isn't that doorway adorable! I would love to give my kid's room a hobbit hole exterior :)

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  9. Oh I want to go there now! How awesome would that be?

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  10. The Shire looks absolutely idyllic. I wish I had New Zealand in my travel plans!

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  11. Ooooooh. . .aaaahhhhh! This is cool! I love stuff like this and yes, someone needs to go and provide us all pictures!

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