To Isengard! (Or New Zealand)

For some reason, the fall season always makes me want to watch the Lord of Rings films.  Whether it's because I associate the fall with the first time I watched these movies (I honestly don't even remember when I first saw them), or because this weather seems akin to the sort of weather they experience in Middle Earth, I have this odd, nostalgic longing to watch these movies.  And...you know, if possible I kind of want to visit Middle Earth.  However, you may or may not know this, but Middle Earth does not really exist, at least not in the sense in which J.R.R. Tolkien wrote about I'm sure, so the next best thing?  New Zealand.

All the way on the other side of the world, I can see no better reason to go to New Zealand, other than the fact that the LOTR was filmed there.  Nerdy?  Maybe.  However, from these movies and others that feature this country, it seems like NZ may be one of the best places in the world to have an adventure.

One of the most attractive things about this country is that it is in fact the youngest country on earth.  It has only been around a thousand years since people began inhabiting this land, making this place beautiful and mostly unscathed.

With mountains, beaches, and countryside, it seems no one could go wrong spending some time there.  The climate in New Zealand seems generally, perfect.  In the winter, temperatures are typically, 10-15ºC, approximately 70-75º F.  And to me, well that's just peachy.

Overall, New Zealand is described as a place of peace and relaxation, but also offers opportunities for adventure.  What more could you want?

Ciao,

Lauren


(Also, for those who don't know Lord of the Rings, Isengard is basically a large fortress.)  =)