Travel Bug Experiences

September 22, 2025 — My inner nerd has officially left Middle-earth levels of excited and entered full wizard mode.

We finally arrived in Auckland, New Zealand and immediately set off on an independent tour to Hobbiton! As if that wasn't exciting enough, it also happened to be Bilbo Baggins' birthday - otherwise known as International Hobbit Day. Clearly, the universe knew exactly what it was doing.

After a scenic one-hour drive, we arrived in the Shire and joined a group of fellow Lord of the Rings and Hobbit fans. Honestly, I have never seen so many grown adults this excited over tiny doors and gardens. And yes... I was absolutely one of them.

This was hands-down one of the BEST tours we have ever done.
Every corner looked like a movie set because, well... it WAS a movie set. I fully expected Gandalf to come rolling down the hill at any moment telling us we were late for an adventure.

For anyone with mobility concerns, there is a golf cart option, but it needs to be booked months ahead because they only have one. If you can walk the tour, you'll get to see all the little hidden details the cart skips. Just be warned: there are lots of steps, hills, uneven paths, and moments where you question your life choices halfway up an incline. I did this tour one month before my hip replacement, so by the end I felt less like an elf and more like Gollum crawling toward Precious. Still completely worth it.

Now we're already planning our return to New Zealand to see more Hobbit and Lord of the Rings filming locations... because apparently one visit to Middle-earth is simply not enough.

Papeete, Tahiti 🇵🇫

We arrived in Papeete on Sunday, September 15 and quickly realized Sundays here are for two things: relaxing…and closing every shop in sight 😆 Most places were shut, so we hustled to the market before it closed at 10am. If you’re hoping for souvenirs, just know—you may leave with a snack and a mild sense of confusion instead.

In true “why not?” vacation fashion, we booked a $55 per person island tour right off the street. Because clearly, that always ends well 😂

The tour included:�• Venus Point (gorgeous lighthouse and beach—okay, strong start!)�• A waterfall (aka a surprise leg workout featuring uneven steps and gravel)�• Three waterfalls (less intense, but still a “watch your step” situation)�• Botanical Garden (peaceful, lush, and a chance to pretend we weren’t melting)�• Grotto de Maraa (beautiful and definitely worth the stop!)

Now for the full experience… the bus AC was broken, so we enjoyed a complimentary tropical sauna 🥵 And our guide? Let’s just say they were very committed…to chatting with the driver. The rest of us enjoyed a scenic, self-guided mystery tour 😄

Despite it all, we laughed, saw some amazing sights, and soaked in Tahiti’s natural beauty. Maybe not the best tour—but definitely one we won’t forget!