(Just a quick post as running out of time and internet access)
We visited the Weta workshop and got to see how they make a lot of the props for movies. Excellent tour but we were not allowed to take photos except in the gift shop.
After the morning at Weta, we went on a tour to see some of the locations for Lord of the Rings filming. This location was where the very first scene was filmed and it was chosen for the trees which look quite strange with lots of spindly side growing branches. They are originally grown in USA where they take 40 years to reach maturity, but in NZ they are fully grown in 20 years and much more stretched out branches. The area is very hilly and you can see by the size of the people how tall these trees are – creates quite a spooky effect.
The houses up the hills all have cable cars to get to them, and some have decks built to park their cars if they take them up to the hilltops.
