Once upon a time, there was a beautiful land tucked away in a far-flung corner of the earth. The gods must have been kind when they touched this land.
Beautiful rolling plains merged with mystical forests that surrounded mirrored lakes beneath majestic snow-topped mountains… and most of all, the sweet scent of fresh air.
Never have I seen nature at its best, and at its best it was.
From ‘base camp’ Queenstown, I headed towards Glenorchy and beyond, in my gallant Vitz.
Not quite the ideal vehicle, I must admit.
Every turn in the road presented stunning scenery as never seen before.
How much more can my camera cope with?
If I had to stop at every corner it would have taken me all day to get to my destination… and I was on a mission.
And it was here where Middle Earth was created, where hobbits lived a happy and wonderful life. Where King Theodon made his unforgettable speech before leading his armies into battle against Mordor.
I let my fantasies take flight and imagined the scenes that took place here.
Did I hear a rustle of leaves as Treebeard moved quickly through the forest or get a fleeting glimpse of the beautiful Elf Queen wisp by, or hear the thundering drums of the armies of Mordor on the plains?
Was that the wizard, Gandolf, with his blinding staff, or Smeagol scurrying in a stream looking for his precious?
More than likely, it was just my imagination.
It was a pity that my journey came to an abrupt end. My brave Vitz could not navigate what was ahead. The river washed away what was left of the dirt road. Yes, an SUV would have been a sounder solution, or better still, to take one of the The Lord of the Rings tours, and there are many.
Did I hear a rustle of leaves as Treebeard moved quickly through the forest or get a fleeting glimpse of the beautiful Elf Queen wisp by, or hear the thundering drums of the armies of Mordor on the plains?
They seem amazing and I will definitely return to get on board with the knowledgeable and experienced guides who love to share their own stories and discuss the movies.
As I made the reluctant U-turn, I reminisced on such a wonderful day. I was ready for a good dinner and an early night.
Now, I am not fond of hamburgers, especially those of the chain type. In fact, I find them rather horrible.
“I’m famished,” I told the concierge. “Where can I get a real substantial and tasty meal?”
“Head down to Fergburger in Shotover Street, you won’t regret it,” he smiled back.
“Hmmm,” I thought to my doubting self. At least I’ll give it a look.
There was a riot outside the place. I mean, not only was it full, but it spilled into the road.
This is no ordinary hamburger joint. Vegetables are garden-fresh. The bread is baked on site and nothing touches the freezer.
The meat is prime, be it beef, lamb or pork.
This must be the best hamburger in the world and it has become part of the Queenstown experience. Thank you very much, Mr Concierge.
Queenstown itself can either be a laid-back nature holiday or an adrenaline junkie’s dream, or a bit of both. Whatever takes your fancy.
Some choice adventures include sky swings, jet boat rides zooming at a zillion miles per hour, river surfing, bungee jumping, of course, parasailing, water-rafting... the list goes on. I, myself, enjoyed the solitude, in touch with nature, as never seen before.
Only 20 minutes from Queenstown lies the small and quaint town of gold-rush Arrowtown.
As the gold dried up, the town has become an interesting tourist attraction and would warrant a day’s visit.
I had the pleasure to work on The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. We recorded most of Gimli’s voice in our studio in Malta.
I enjoyed the solitude, in touch with nature, as never seen before
Philippa Boyens, co-producer and co-screenwriter orchestrated the session. We became good friends and remain so.
On my return to New Zealand I visited Philippa and a few friends from the crew. Sound editor, Mike Hopkins, called me into his office, pulled out an ‘Oscar’ and said: “You deserve a little part of this for the work you did on Two Towers.” What a beautiful gesture.
Also a good friend of mine, sous-chef Sam Farrugia, has moved to Queenstown and is working at Public Kitchen & Bar. Now, isn’t that a good reason to re-return to New Zealand?
Getting there
Emirates operates daily flights to Christchurch via Dubai and Sydney/Bangkok.
Until January 31, fly to Dubai via Cyprus on Monday/Wednesday/Friday and Saturday or via Tripoli on Tuesday/Thursday/Sunday.
From February 1, fly via Cyprus on Monday/Wednesday/Thursday/Saturday and via Tripoli on Tuesday/Friday/Sunday.