It's like Lord of the Rings!

If you have ever watched Flight of the Conchords, you may have noticed a facetious poster on Murray’s office wall that features a lovely photo of New Zealand landscape with the caption: New Zealand, It’s like Lord of the Rings.  As I have traveled and tramped in various places in NZ, I have overheard many a traveler gasp and claim, “wow, it’s like lord of the rings!”  Meanwhile, I made a point to not say those six words, knowing how cliché they are.  After all, before we came here and briefly after telling someone we were heading to New Zealand, they would inevitably state, “you know that’s where lord of the rings was filmed” or “I’ve heard it’s just like lord of the rings there.”  Then we went to the Matukituki Valley for a weekend of tramping and camping and there I was unable to contain myself as I exclaimed, this is like lord of the rings!  See for yourself…

Could these trees come alive?

From hike up French Ridge

Nick constructed a cool pool in the river.

The shire is just around the corner.

The start of the valley is full of sheep and cattle 

moooooooo!

Not all rivers have bridges.

One of many suspension bridges.