It was back in 2007 when I last jumped off a perfectly sound building. Flash forward a dozen or so years and here I am back on top of the Sky Tower in Auckland, New Zealand.
It was a rather misty day in Auckland. I was super pumped to jump again but the low clouds had me nervous.
Once again, I made my way up to the tippy top of the Tower via elevator and looked out over downtown Auckland.
There were five of us jumping that morning and when asked who wanted to jump first, I hesitated. In that moment of hesitation one of the other people in my group shot their hand up and volunteered. That started a domino effect of every one else going ahead of me.
The waiting was the worst part.
I watched as everyone else jumped until it was just me on the platform.
As I was getting clipped in the guys manning the equipment asked me a few questions and told me to wave at the camera above me. They were excited to hear that I came back to do this jump again.
I told them how that first jump went and they said “oh yeah, we don’t do it that way anymore.” I explained how, on my first jump, they stopped me ten feet after jumping and had me look up for a photo. Not this time. They strapped a GoPro to my hand and walked me out to the ledge.
Back to the weather. It was misting. I was nervous that I was going to slip and fall and flail all the way down to downtown. They counted me down and I didn’t jump when they reached zero. A second or two later I pushed off and plummeted to the ground.
It was exhilarating.
The wind in my hair. Tiny raindrops splattering on me. And the ground – getting closer.
I made a point to look around at the surrounding buildings – as well as scream for joy – because it’s such a unique view and experienced. To jump off of a building in a busy downtown is not something one sees every day. The Kiwi’s are crazy like that. And I mean that in the best way possible.
After landing safely and finding my partner waiting for me, I was ready to do it again. I was so amped up! Alas, we had a flight to catch so this was the one and only time I could jump.
I was unclipped from my harness and free to walk about the Earth and the city once more. I will say this to anyone out there who is hesitant about doing a jump like this: don’t hesitate. Just jump. It’s an amazing experience that you won’t regret.
In my last story, I told you that the beer at The Green Dragon was made locally. Well, today is your lucky day because I am going to tell you where that brewery is and how you can get there. But first, you’re probably going to want the name of where we are going. It’s Good George Brewing, of course!
You can probably do that research on your own, but you want a real “boots on the ground” first-hand account of the place, yes? Ok, good. Here I go…
It’s in Hamilton.
Ok, are you still with me? Yes? Great.
This was an impromptu visit for us because we had only planned on Hobbiton and then driving back to Auckland. It was well worth it. Anyway, back to it!
After leaving Hobbiton, it will be an approximately 45-minute drive into Hamilton proper. When you input the name into your GPS make sure you put Good George Dining Hall in there. Otherwise you’ll be finding the head office which is definitely not the place for eating and drinking.
It might not look like much on the outside, because it used to be a church, but on the inside it is warm (literally, on this day) and inviting.
Looking over the menu we saw that they didn’t just do beers. They had numerous ciders, wines, and hard alcohol options for purchase as well. Yes, all of it (except the wine) is made by the good folks at Good George. I am saying that because their logo was on the labels of the drinks. I may be jumping to conclusions but dare I say that they make it all in house? Yes. I’m going to not even research this further and boldly claim that!
Ok, I researched further. I don’t want to look like an ass and boldly claim something that could be a lie. “All brewing, distilling, bottling, and canning is done on site.” – Good George website. No outsourcing done here. Just good, local, quality drinks and food.
There are plenty of things to choose from on the menu. If you’re a beer person, fantastic. Ciders? Yeah, they’ve got that. Maybe you’re a bit of a wino, but in a responsible way? Oh yeah, they have that too. You like something a bit harder? Yes yes. I mentioned all of their menu choices just above but I feel the need to reiterate.
Not knowing what to try we each went with our own tasting rack.
If you look closely you can see my drink choices on the receipt
I am not one to pull the wool over one’s eyes and I won’t be starting now. Each drink was unique and flavourful. The rosé cider was probably my favorite. I tend to gravitate toward hazy and sour drinks so the refreshingly aromatic cider was delightful. We did also eat here but by the time the food arrived I devoured it before I could get a photo/before I could remember to take a photo.
After finishing our food and bev we wandered over to the little storefront inside the dining hall. There you could buy canned or bottled versions of some of the drinks on tap. We found a lemon gin (a gift for someone else) and a passionfruit cider (for us). Let. Me. Tell. You. I wish I had more of the cider. We brought it allllll the way back home and saved it for ourselves. I miss it dearly. I want some more.
Securing the booze and OMG The Green Dragon mugs!
Good George is a welcome compliment after spending the morning in Hobbiton. It was a great place to unwind, reflect, and enjoy some truly tasty food and drinks. If you get the chance, please visit them.
Thank you for visiting and I will see you next time!
Nearly 20 years ago the final installment of the Lord of the Rings trilogy debuted in cinemas around the world. Thus ending, so it would appear at that time, our journey to Middle Earth. The original LOTR trilogy had a profound effect on me. I saw each film multiple times in theatres. I bought the DVDs. I was gifted the Extended Editions. I loved every single bit of those films.
As it would be, I was not alone.
People from all around the world flocked to theatres, bought the videos, and a whole new fandom was born. The only thing that was missing was to go and visit. In 2007 I made a mid-semester trip to New Zealand. I participated in a few LOTR tours and loved New Zealand. The one place I could not get to, because I didn’t have a car, was to Hobbiton. I had read and seen numerous things about how they had preserved the film set and it was open for tours.
I would not be denied a second time.
Armed with an actual car (yay!) and a partner who was as equally enthralled by the films as I was, we made our way to Hobbiton. After a roughly two-hour drive from Auckland, we arrived at the car park. We checked in, hopped on a bus, and were whisked away to the set.
I swear, I can hear Howard Shore’s score as I look at this image. It’s even playing in my head as I type these words. Also, yeah, there were some goosebumps.
Now, I don’t think I need to tell you that I was truly and absolutely giddy with delight upon seeing the rolling green hills, the farm animals grazing about, and finally The Shire. The set is on an active farm. Meaning that there are various animals roaming the grounds because they live there.
Walking the path into Hobbiton really made me feel nostalgic. I remember watching the trailer for Fellowship of the Ring debut before Tim Burton’s Planet of the Apes and it made me hum with anticipation. I had read the books as a younger person, and even seen the animated Hobbit movie, and I was excited to see them bring a Hobbit to life. The walk in did not disappoint.
This is the same entrance Gandalf The Grey uses when he arrives in Hobbiton for Bilbo’s party! This means that Sir Ian McKellan and Elijah Wood stood right there! I’m not one to get giddy or starstruck easily, but I did here and there wasn’t even anyone actually there. I was, to say the least, excited.
Walking around, and being guided by our amazing tour guide Kate, we could see the attention to detail. Various little things indicated who lived where. Whether it was an item hanging in a window or a workbench nestled up to the hillside, each item told a story. All of this was done knowing it would not make it on the screen long enough to be noticed. The craftspeople and artisans take immense pride in their work and it shows. It was a wonderful thing to see first hand and enjoyable to experience.
Slowly but surely we made our way to the top of the small valley. That’s where the most famous resident of Hobbiton lives. I’m talking of course about Bilbo Baggins.
I can’t get over it. Words escaped me at this moment because it was such an out-of-body experience. Listening to our guide, Kate, tell us about how the set was all built and how she herself was an extra in The Hobbit prequels really drove home how magical this place really is. The people who work there are locals and they take huge pride in visitors coming from all around the world to see their little slice of heaven.
Honestly, we could not have picked a more beautiful day to visit if we tried. Being winter, it was still a bit nippy but not too cold. The clouds were out and provided an exquisite backdrop for all of our photos.
After seeing the spot where Bilbo had his 111th birthday party we made our way to The Green Dragon. It is an actual working pub/restaurant open only to guests on the tour. The walk across the bridge to get there was one of my favorite things.
It. Is. Perfect.
Inside the Green Dragon is a cozy space where we were offered a special ale brewed specifically for the tour. We discovered that the brewery that makes the ale was close to the film set. But, that’s another story for another post. Stay tuned!
Roaring fires. Malt beers. But no red meat right off the bone, sorry Gimli.
The Green Dragon is the end of the tour and it is a perfect way to end the roughly two-hour visit. You can grab a pint, yes Pippin it comes in pints, and cozy up to a fireplace, or take a seat outside and drink in (literally and figuratively) the landscape that is Hobbiton.
Because they were actively constructing a new Hobbit house experience (below) we were each gifted a handmade, not sold in stores, mug. You can find people selling theirs on certain sites but it’s best to just go to Hobbiton. Trust me.
The grounds from Bilbo’s house.
Out of all of the things we ended up doing in New Zealand this was by far my favorite. The magic I felt walking into the set was unlike anything I’ve felt in a long long time. It’s also made me nostalgic for the movies and I am going to log off now and go start rewatching the Lord of the Rings trilogy again. Thanks for stopping by and I will see you next time!
The entire point of this trip to New Zealand was to see some world class soccer (or football, depending on where you’re from). I think it’s time for me to revisit the second match we saw while in Auckland.
I’ll quickly recap the first game day experience (or you can click here) and then we’ll get going. We saw Japan vs Sweden play each other. Sweden jumped out to an early lead and built on it. Japan tried to come back and very nearly did. Ultimately the Japanese fell short even though they looked to be the class of the tournament. Sweden prevailed and set up a date against Spain.
Seeing Sweden beat not only the USA but also my second adopted team, Japan, made me want to see them lose even more. Funnily enough, we discovered that Sweden was also staying in our hotel. Did I walk around in my Spain jersey the day of the game hoping that one of the players might catch a glimpse? Maybe. I may be a little bit petty.
After the bao bun blunder of the first game, we decided to eat before we headed to the stadium. If you’re wondering what happened with the bao buns, I encourage you to read my previous post linked above.
It was a very easy trip to make, again, thanks to Auckland Transport. We decided to arrive earlier this time around because we wanted to see what sort of merchandise we could get and to see if we could get our faces painted.
It was a “No” to both.
We had seen most of the merchandise at the Fan Zone in downtown Auckland, so the items at the stadium were the same. The face painting stations were already full and had decent lines, so that was a nonstarter as well. Zero for two.
Eden Park was a welcoming and pretty as ever though.
The staff as we entered the stadium were excited and pleasant. The people working the concessions were equally as happy. Maybe they were excited because it was the final game to be played in New Zealand and after this, they’d be able to relax? Who can say?
Speaking of the final game, yes, this was in fact the World Cup Semifinal. This game would decide who would make it to the World Cup Final in Sydney. The loser would play in the third place game in Brisbane (my favorite Australian city).
Yes, that is a Spain jersey circa the 2008 Euro’s.
Having seen the Swedes beat our beloved USA we knew we would be supporting whoever would be going up against them. It was Japan the first time (which didn’t work out) and now our affection and support moved to the Iberian Peninsula and Spain.
Pregame introductions and anthems
I mentioned in the first New Zealand post that I had been to a couple of World Cups before this one. I had been to 2014 in Brazil and I was at the 1999 Final at the Rose Bowl. I hadn’t realized until this game that I had been to three group stage matches, a quarterfinal, a semifinal, and a World Cup Final. This leaves only the Round of 16 for me to see and I would have been to each round of a FIFA World Cup. *Makes note for 2026*
The first half was incredibly tense. Both teams had decent chances but lacked that final touch to get the ball over the line. Both teams looked reticent to concede the first goal and held shape defensively.
Then the second half started.
It was fast-paced. The teams were chasing each other up and down the pitch. Chances were had. Goalies made fantastic saves. Then, when it looked like we would be heading to a scoreless draw and extra time, Salma Paralluelo took a clean crack at goal after a deflection and sent the ball into the back of the net and the stadium ERUPTED.
Reaction after the first goal
Sweden would not go down without a fight, naturally. They struck back in the 88th minute and leveled the score at 1-1. The crowd was less enthused about Sweden scoring. It was a pro-Spain crowd that night. But then, a funny thing happened, Spain got a corner in the 89th minute. The ball was quickly put back in play and Olga Carmona took one touch to settle the ball and then fired it in. The ball careened off the bottom of the top post and into the back of the goal. I’m getting goosebumps remembering the goal. The moment. The goal. The crowd. They were all incredible.
Postgame scenes on the pitch
Spain would hold off Sweden and move on to the final. I am not going to lie, I enjoyed seeing the Swedish players heartbroken. There’s some schadenfreude involved because of how they knocked out my USA. Also, the couple sitting in front of us, wearing Minnesota Vikings(???) gear were exceptionally annoying cheering for Sweden and seeing them sad made me happy.
Spain would defeat England 1-0 to become just the 5th country to hoist the trophy since its inception in 1991. Watching Spain celebrate winning the entire tournament gave me another fun fact about myself: At each World Cup I have been to, I have seen the winner play. In 1999, it was the Final and I saw Brandi Chastain seal the deal against China at the Rose Bowl. In 2014, it was seeing Germany defeat my USA 1-0 in Recife. I think that’s pretty cool.
After the game was over, we slowly made our way through the crowd back to the train and then to our hotel. Like after the Sweden-Japan game, the Sky Tower was lit up in the colors of the winning team.
Auckland Sky Tower in Spanish Red and Yellow
The next morning, we woke up and looked out of our hotel window and saw something we didn’t expect to see: the Swedish team bus. We saw them wandering around the car park, as a team, and into the lobby of the hotel. They were getting ready to fly to Brisbane for the 3rd Place match. That’s something about a semifinal they tend to forget: the loser still has another match to play. It’s not the game they wanted to be in but they have it nonetheless.
Sweden would rebound after their loss to Spain. They beat Australia 2-0 to claim 3rd place for the FOURTH time! They now hold the record for most 3rd place finishes at a Women’s World Cup. They are nothing if not consistent. I used to say that about the US Women but this tournament really humbled them and us fans.
Having said all of that, it was an incredible semifinal with the top two ranked teams (according to FIFA) in the world. It was a fantastic game to witness live and I was excited to share another moment with my partner that we will remember forever.
Yes, “quick” is in quotation marks. Why, you may ask? Because it wasn’t such a quick trip. Doi.
From the CBD, Central Business District, of Auckland up to the Bay of Islands it was about a 3.5 hour drive. Our idea of a “quick” trip up north was quickly (there’s that word again) dashed. Nevertheless, we pressed on. We were determined to see some more of the country, outside of the most popular spots.
The drive was very beautiful. There were rolling green hills, scenic vistas, and numerous roundabouts. This country, they love their roundabouts. As someone who had only ever driven on the right side of the road, driving on the left was initially daunting but once I got the feel for it (and the turn signal and windshield wipers being on the opposite sides of the steering column) I was as cool as you like.
Did I once get pulled over for speeding but was then let off with a warning and told to spend the money, that would’ve been on the ticket, in town at a local shop? Who can say.
After driving for a long time, we decided that it would be best to actually find someplace to go as opposed to just inputting “Bay of Islands” into the GPS. We exited the main road, found a little marina to park at and we looked up someplace to go.
After some searching we decided to set out to Opito Bay. It was close by and there looked to be a trail we could walk to get a view of the water and islands. Because at this point, we needed to get out of the car for a bit, take in some scenery, and breathe in that fresh sea air.
At Opito Bay there was a small car park right next to the water and people’s homes (jealous!). From the car park it was an easy hike up a well-maintained trail to the Tareha Point Scenic Lookout. On our way up, and down for that matter, we saw a few of the local residents on their daily walk on the trail. I mean, I would be out there too if I lived there.
That video is from the near end of the trail to the lookout point. It was, as you can see, stunning. The weather was in full cooperation that day and we could see for miles and miles.
This will turn into Instagram for a hot minute as I show you what we saw.
To the right
To the left
The whole thing in panorama
Just, wow. Right?
After seeing some of the other natural wonders New Zealand has to offer, it was nice to visit a place that was not as crowded. This is truly the place to check out if you want to get away from the city. There are numerous islands and spots that we did not have time for but are keen on visiting on our next go around.
Thank you for visiting, and I will see you next time!
John Kidde Writes 