It's party business, precious

   Having been to New Zealand I'm now fairly certain it doesn't actually exist on this plane of reality. I've just spent ten days nerding around the north island and everything feels like it was designed in a computer to be plopped down in the middle of the ocean. Or maybe we went, Bermuda Triangle style, through some portal and ended up in some wonderful Fantasy Land. It was somehow too beautiful to feel real.

   We did Auckland (with a very jet-lagged visit to the Auckland Art Gallery, and Auckland Zoo) - Waitomo Caves - Mata Mata/Hobbiton - Rotorua - Wellington (with Te Papa, Weta Cave, LotR film locations along Hutt Valley, and Martinborough wine country) and it was all great. What will always stay with me though is the tour we took through the Hobbiton Movie Set. It was nothing short of magical. I was right: I cried. Like a fucking baby.

   I've petted a wallaby and an emu, I've seen glow worms, I've had ale in The Green Dragon, I've spent hours in hot mineral baths, I've been to Rivendell, I've talked to a whole bunch of nerds at Weta Cave, and I've had a veritable shitload of great wine. I've cried from joy and from frustration, and I've been surrounded by the most otherworldly nature I've ever laid eyes on.

   But listen, since New Zealand is quite exactly on the other side of the planet it will at its shortest take us Swedes anywhere between 27 and 34 hours single trip to get there depending on layovers and such. It fucking sucks. My butt still hurts. To add insult to injury, my lightsaber key ring kept getting stuck in security and so I decided to leave it behind. Also! Try and be a vegan tourist and see how much fun it is. I'll tell you this much; you have to like coriander.

   Was it worth it? Absolutely!
   Will I ever do it again? Doubtfully.
   Do I want to do it again? Why yes precious, I do...