Yes yes I know, I am a nerd. But Hobiton was so much fun! It is a really fiun place to hangout and discover this marvel of creation. The work and money put into those decors is mind blowing. It is a true work of art. I haighly recommend going to Hobbiton. You know what you're getting into before hands anyway. It will be busy but you'll have fun! 

I stopped in Auckland and in Wellington in the North. I prefered Wellington for its nature and scenery. The city is smaller and offers a great diversity of shops, restaurant and museums. I am not a city girl so I spent half a day at most walking around those towns. It's probably not enough to get it all in but it was good enough for me. 

The Maori culture is very present everywhere and it is great! I loved the history, the legends, the food, the art and so on. I really appreciated the Te Papa Tongarewa museum exhibition on Maori traditions. It is really important to elevate and highight the native culture. 

South island litteraly blew my mind away. I have been traveling quite a lot and seen quite a bit but this is probably one of the most majestic place I got to experience. The lakes are gigantic and the montains are very dramatic. You can find relics of glaciers everywhere as you go. The water will be cold and "gatorade" blue. It is mind blowing. 

When you hear about New Zealand your mind goes to the fern and the kiwi. Well it is for a good reason. There is fern everywhere! And the kiwis are one of the most protected species of the country. Did you know that most mamals living in New Zealand were brought by the settlers as only birds were living on the island? Well now you do. 

As I am a geophysicist, I am always looking into geology and seismology of the areas I visit. New Zealand is  very active country when it comes to earthquakes. It is right above a subduction zone and cut by the Alpine fault. The city of Christchurch was hit by a very strong earthquake in 2011 and has a museum explaining how, why and where it happened. It is worth looking into it before you go!