There And Back Again

Hey, I’m back home! I’m depressed that the trip is over but now I’m starting to get used to being home. My mom was the happiest person in the world when she saw Tom and I in the airport. She almost killed me when she hugged my brother and I. All of my friends wont stop asking me questions about the trip. Because of this amazing journey I am now a bigger Lord of the Rings fan than I used to be. Im starting to hang up my flag and Tom’s knives, and our action figures in my room. The room will look beautiful with all LOTR every where you look. The tour has changed our lives and will change many other lives for many years. Im miss seeing mountains now that im back and I also miss our tour group and especially our tour guides Vic and Raewyn. They were all amazing to me. Uncle Max got an awesome tattoo and that was the bravest thing he ever did!

Tim

Truer words were never spoken, but it doesn’t say it all. Back to the grind. Back to the grime. Middle Earth only exists now in my memories and my pics. I have over 1500 and its going to take a long time to download, I have been home 2 days now and thats all I’ve done so far. And it makes it hard to get back in the swing of things, I’m suffering from NZ withdrawal. The boys are already back at school. I don’t go back to work till the 10th of november, which is good, becuase I know I couldn’t handle that right now. In the next few days I will be adding stories from our trip, here. But then what,, this blog was only a journal of our trip to NZ. And we are done,, does it end there? I haven’t decided yet,,, Namarie Max
ps don’t forget to check out the pics with the link to the right or click here

some more pics to wet your appetitite or go to my link

Hello There,,,

            The Fellowship is no more.  The Ring has been destroyed, and all thats left is the journey home. We are spending a couple of days relaxing in Queenstown, getting our strength back for the long journey back.  Last night we had a farewell Dinner and our Most Gracious Hosts Vic and Raewyn gave out awards.  I recieved the Gandalf Award for successfully leading 2 Hobbits through Middle Earth. Tom receieved the Gimli Award for recognising Brett Beattie as the true Gimli and a true Hero.  Timmy received the Ring Bearer Award, for carrying the One Ring all through Middle Earth. It was a very nice ending to a Fantastic Journey. This Trip has been the trip of our lives!!! It could not have been more perfect. It has been everything I dreamed it could be and more.  The country is absolutely beautiful, The people are friendly and kind and sincere, not to mention truely honorable.  I’ve met some people whom I hope will become life -long friends. I have many stories and countless pictures to share, when I get home in the next couple of days I will post all of them,, Namarie  Max

Hello There,,

       Today is the last day of our Fellowship. We went to see Amon Hen by ouselves today, becuase no one else wanted to ride Horses for an hour and 1/2. But we did. It was just the three of us and our Guide PER, who was very nice and funny. Tommy rode his first Horse. He handled Oscar like he was born to it. Oscar was the only horse in our ride who appeared in the movie, Timmy had Ginger and I rode Seth, a very bossy and frisky Stallion, at one point mine and Tommys horse took off for greener pastures and we had to wrangle them back and wrestle back control,me with one hand because I was still holding a camera with the other hand. Per said I looked like an American Cowboy, A natural.  It was a little scary, But Tom also handled his horse like a pro.  Timmy couldn’t get his horse to walk, it was a very lazy horse, He just wanted to sit in the sun.  The trip lasted about 4 1/2 hrs but that included the 3 hr drive to and from our Hotel, along mountainous side roads, very beautul.  Tonight , we have our last Dinner with the rest of our Fellowship atop the mountain in the Skitower Restaurant, The only way up there is by Ski Gondola,,, See everyone soon  Namarie Max

Hello There,,

         Today we went to the place where the Rohirram and the refugees from Edoras, ran into the Wargs of Isengard.  Its up on a hill called Deer heights and it overlooks Queenstown, spectacular views, we took many, many pictures, Tomorrow we go horseback riding, and the Twins are guarenteed Horses that were in the movie, Vic arranged it,, How exciting,, its an 1 1/2 hr ride to places that took place in the movie, I can’t wait,,, Queenstown is so beautful, I think its the most beautiful town/city that I have ever been to.  No kidding,, it’s nestled between 2 mtn ranges and by a beautiful lake,, and its warm here., we don’t need 3 layers of clothes,,, soon we will be leaving and heading home, I’m sad, I want to live here,, forever, I know I’ll definitely be coming back, probably next year, New Zealand is now my favorite place in the world,,,,,, Max

Check out my pics,,, we have been all over the countryside-tramping to every LOTR site we can, too many things to tell here yet,I will as soon as I can, but right now its expensive to be on the internet, I’ve already paid 77 dollars for 2 hrs,,, yikes,,, what i wouldn’t do for LOTR.. 

Hello from Middle -Earth,
sorry everyone for not writing sooner, but internet is very far between and when I can get it, its too expensive. Anyway, on to better things. We met the caligrapher and map maker on the films, Daniel Reeve. He designed all the artwork , books and maps and designed all the writing in the movies. Everytime you see writing, a map or a book, it was done in his hand. He created writing styles for all the characters, and can write anything you want in those hands. He kindly wrote special messages for all of us in any hand or language we wanted, i’ll try and post pics of them, plus he designed , a drum roll please , my TATTOO, yes thats right , I got a tatto the day we met Daniel and he was kind enough to design it,, I went to the same place and had the same artist who did the fellowship from the movies, it hurt like HELL!
The next day, we visited the Elven Cloak factory, yes I bought a cloak, everyone was very jealous, but its a limited edition, so much so, that they insisted on taking my name and address for their books.
Following that day we met Gimli, not John Davies, but technically his stunt double, but we call him the REAL Gimlin because he was in make up 189 days, while Davies was only in make up 30 days. If you watch the film, you can tell the difference. He was absolutely charming, Raewyn insisted he sit between the Twins all through Dinner, they were so excited. He was shy and quiet, but I think he enjoyed talking to me, with all my wild stories of crime in Chicago. We kind of dominated the evening, I think.
Edoras was rainy and freezing but Gandalf the White and Aragorn of Gondor, made it to the top, I’ll post pics when I can. AND today was Pelennor Fields, with spectacular views. We also met the Author of the LOTR guidebooks, but I’m running out of time again, and it really is too expensive to stay online much longer, check out the link to some of the pics i’ve downloading so far, Namarie Max

I wanted to say a few more words about Chris rutten. Him and his wife Donna, were incredibly gracious to us, They opened there beautful home to us. Donna brought out their own photos albums to show us, and we had tea and cookies in her kitchen, It was a very surreal experience, almost like enjoying an afternoon with some old kiwi friends, chatting about lord of the rings. Chris was in every movie. He played The Witch King, Aragorns body and riding dble, a gondorian soldier and part of the Rohirrim. The Horse picture above was his horse Chief, He asked if I wanted a ride, but modestly reared its head and I passed. Hahahaha .  There living room and kitchen have beautiful views of the Tasman Sea and Skull Island, the island in King Kong. He told me on a clear day you could see all Mt Ruapuha, The mtn we visited the day before.