Friday, 9 January 2015

iFriendly visit to Hobbiton - B1 B2 C1

The Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit movie trilogies

iFriendly visit to Hobbiton



Our visit to The Shire was much better than we had ever imagined... It was awesome... Far out! (as they like to say in New Zealand).

(Far out: Sounds American if you ask me, but pronounced with a New Zealand accent!)

Apparently, when film scouts found the Alexanders' sheep and beef farm just outside of Matamata, they knew it would be the perfect setting for Sir Peter Jackson's adaptation of the classic works of J.R.R Tolkien.  The Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit movie trilogies.

For those of you who are fans of the book or the movie, it is an amazing experience...

The coach picks you up and drives you straight to the film set, then it drops you off so that you can walk around.  A guide walks around with you and tells you the best place to take a photo.

Walking around was a very cool experience... You could probably imagine how I felt when we went to see the third part of the Hobbit Trilogy in Wellington.... a mere two days later! Very exciting, and seeing the movie set on the big screen was thrilling! To think I had actually walked around there and sat outside Bilbo Baggin's house...

Here are some shots from our visit...

Hobbit house... Did you know that this is just a facade??  There is actually nothing behind the door but earth.

 Knock knock!  Who's there? iFriendly.  iFriendly who?  iFriendly teacher!

 Peter Jackson employed staff to walk around the village everyday... to wash clothes, do some gardening etc... To make it look like people actually lived there.
 The Honey Maker's house...


Bilbo Baggin's house... Bag End!

Homework:

B1:  Underline all the vocabulary that you do not understand and look up the words in a dictionary.

B2 / C1:  Have you had the opportunity to visit a movie set?  Why don't you tell me about it?
or; find out about a movie set near you and write about it.


Thursday, 1 January 2015

ifriendly tour of New Zealand & Australia - (in Spanglish)

Plan definitivo

The plan is to visit all these places, make a note of all our the amazing experiences and blog, blog, blog away!! 

Some rest and recuperation is needed after a tough 12 weeks as a freelance teacher... but I feel that 2015 is going to be even better... well, it looks like it's gonna start off well! 

Dia 2: Llegada a Auckland. Salida el mismo día y alojamiento en Hahei. Playa.
Día 3: Cathedral Cove. Hot water beach. Salimos para Cambrigde y nos quedamos allí.
Día 4: Waitomo Caves. Hobbiton. Rotorua 
Día 5: Waimangu. Wai-o-tapu thermal wonderland. Lago Taupo de camino.
Día 6: Tongariro Alpine Crossing y dormimos en el mismo sitio.
Dia 7: Ruta en coche hacia Wellington. Podemos ver el lago Taupo si no lo hemos visto antes y luego salir, o llegar a Wellington temprano y pasar el día allí. Podríamos comer en Martinborough, the “gourmet capital of the north island

Día 8: Ferry por la mañana y llegada a Abel Tasman National Park.
Día 9: En Abel Tasman National Park y dormimos en Ratanui Lodge 
Dia 10: Salir de Abel Tasman. Dormir en Hokitika pasando por Punakaiki y Greymouth 
Dia 11: Hokitika hasta el Franz Josef glacier 
Dia 12: Desde el glaciar hasta Queenstown pasando por Wanaka 
Día 13: Queenstown excursiones por allí y segunda noche
Dia 14: Salir hasta Te Anau, podemos comer allí y seguir hasta Milford Sound que son 2 horas. Crucero nocturno en Milford Sound

Día 15: Desde Milford Sound. Intentar llegar lo más cerca posible de Catlins. Pendiente de que me confirmen en Curio Bay, si no reservar otro sitio.
Día 16: Catlins- Dunedin- Península de Otago 
Dia 17: Dunedín-Monte Cook- Tekapo 
Día 18: Glentanner - Monte Cook- Lake Tecapo- Christchurch 
Dia 19: Vuelo de Christchurch a Auckland.
Dia 20: Según nos apetezca entre quedarnos por Auckland y Paihia-Cabo Reinga 
Dia 21: Volver a Auckland y vuelo hacia Melbourne.

Día 22: Great Ocean Road y dormir por el camino 
Dia 23: Volver a Melbourne 
Día 24: Vuelo a Hamilton Island y 3 noches allí 
Día 25: Playa
Día 26: Playa 
Día 27: Vuelo a Sydney 
Dia 28: Sydney (pensar si ir a las Blue Mountains).
Día 29: Sydney Opera house
Dia 30: Vuelo de vuelta.


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