Auckland hop on bus tour, Aug 2023

My best thing to do when you arrive at a new city, especially if you have jet lag and your hotel isn't ready, is join the hop on hop off bus!

The logo of the Auckland shipping yards

We arrived in Auckland super early in the morning.  The World Cup ambassadors were delightful and fun to talk to.  We got to our downtown hotel, dropped the luggage and picked up hop-on hop off bus tickets at the ferry building.

We managed to see the heart of downtown with hardly anyone around on Sunday morning.  I later read a 1980s Lonely Planet where Tony Wheeler (one of the originals) said "Don't arrive in Auckland on Sunday, you will think it is uninhabited."  Guess that hasn't changed!

Auckland Sky Tower in the distance.  We didn't go up, but oh well, something for next time.

We got off the bus to stop at the library.  We love checking out the local library!  This has a slightly dated feel, but was clearly loved.

Perfect timing-after once around on the bus our hotel was ready.  It was a 2 bedroom suite up on the 40th floor!

They have information built into the sidewalks-lovely!

After seeing it from up high, we got a chance to see the port up close on a morning run.

Even their public bathrooms are interesting.

These are for the Wold Cup celebrations downtown.

It really was a spectacular way to live for a few days.

This is the hotel across the street from ours where the US Team stayed.

That is the bus taking the US team to the stadium!  When we realized, we joined the crowd and stood around for a long time.  

They finally came out...and there was a city bus blocking our view!  Still cracks me up.  Totally worth it.

Hobbiton! Aug 2023

Visited Hobbiton while in New Zealand and it was perfect.  The site is everything you want and we were lucky to have sun.

The Green Dragon Inn

The site is literally in the middle of a sheep farm.  The starting point is a cafe where you buy tickets and meet up with your group.  On the bus for about 10 minutes-with a video by Peter Jackson and the farmer, until you arrive at the Shire.

We took the 1 hour tour plus lunch.  The tour is a pleasant meander so that everyone has time to take tons of pictures.

We learned that the original Lord of the Rings set was temporary and they burned it for that one scene.  They returned the land to sheep pasture as promised, but then rebuilt it for The Hobbit.  At that point everyone realized that tourists wanted to visit, so it was a permanent build.

Most of the doors don't have a room behind them, but they are building one that should be ready in 2024.

There were at least 3 other tours going on, but they are staggered so you don't interfere with each other. 

Each home has a theme-this is outside the bee keepers home.

Hobbit size is interesting.  I felt only a little large wandering the lanes.

Up close to items and hobbit holes we all feel like giants.

Classic!

The site was scouted by helicopter and I can imagine this image was key to picking this particular sheep farm.  The party tree and party tent (and new construction) viewed from a hilltop 

and up close.  There is a special to do on Bilbo's birthday, Sept 22.

The mill pond

Sketches like you see in the end credits.

The only door that opens just a few feet.  Everyone took a turn standing just inside.

Lunch at the Green Dragon-better food than I would expect from a tourist site!

Amazing detail

A final view of the mill from the Green Dragon.  Can't wait to return and see the new hobbit house!

Books and cats October 2023 - January 2024

 

Books and cats, a classic combination

Ready!

Looking for a new set of mysteries to love

-by Lisa Brackmann

Rock Paper Tiger:  Not enough actual mystery, just running around confused.

-by Samantha Jayne Allen

Pay Dirt Road:   Not sure where her life is going, gets involved.  Okay but not great.

-by ACF Bookens

Stitch X for Murder:  Too cozy for me to read another.

Action!

-by Lucy Foley

The Guest List:  A wedding on an island-trapped suspects amid lots of drama.  I did figure it out, but it was interesting enough.  I would read more from the author and she has a few.

-by Specer Quinn

Thereby Hangs a Tail:  ex-cop and his dog, but you only hear the dog's POV.  Cute and a fun way to cut out a lot of unnecessary info.  Might read another, but it might get old after a few.

-by Terry Pratchett

Thud: Mainly a Commander Vimes story.  Wherein Trolls and Dwarves have history.  

Going Postal: First in the Von Lipwig:  Love this!  Imagining the post office from the ground up, run by a con man with a heart of gold who actually does a good job.

Making Money:  Now do a bank!

Raising Steam:  Now do trains!  This set was super delightful, love Von Lipwig.

Unseen Academicals:  The university meets football.  Okay for a bit more about the university.

-by Harlan Ellison

short stories including I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream:  Good to read the classics.

-by Martha Wells

System Collapse:  The newest Murderbot!  This one is nice and complicated.  I'm already looking forward to rereading it.

Kids/YA

-by Peggy Gifford

Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Stuart Little:  Checking out kids books and this caught my eye.  Super cute.

-by E.L. Konigsburg

The View From Saturday:  Group of misfits come together, do well in academic bowl quiz.  The kids are better developed than most.

You can pack around me.

-by Rick Riordan

Camp Half-Blood Confidential:  Short stories about all the other kids at the camp.  Did the audio book on a car trip.

-by Neal Shusterman

Unwind:  I really enjoyed his Scythe series so decided to check out this earlier work.  Turns out to have some similar themes, good writing, liked it enough to get the next in the series.

To Finish Later

-by Tim Urban
What's Our Problem?  As in, what is going on with civilization right now.  It is VERY long and I made it through the first part before it had to go back to the library.  The summary is that when people are emotional, they use the primitive brain rather than the thinking brain which makes poorer decisions.  This aligns with my reading about trauma.

DNF

-by Howard Marks

The Most Important Thing:  oof the writing got repetitious fast.  The whole book is, What if you ask a more in depth questions, not just the first surface question that comes to mind.  

-by Jamison Shea

I Feed Her To The Beast and The Beast is Me:  supposed to be in the horror genre, but I couldn't handle the setting-Paris ballet

-by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

Assistant to the Villain:  seems cute and clever but I could not get into it

-by John Scalzi

Starter Villain: has great reviews and a clever premise, but again could not get into it.

-by David Brin

The Postman:  Inspired by reading Going Postal but it was just too long to finish.  Super reasonable for it's time and I did like that it had a more positive outlook.

Look what I brought it!  As soon as it stopped moving the cats were no longer interested.  I brought it outside, put it under the bushes, and 5 minutes later it was gone.

Books and fireworks June - September 2023

 Books

and Fireworks

-by Louise Penny
All The Devils Are Here:  We continue to focus on family

World of Curiosities: hmm, I didn't love the villain, and I saw through the red herrings.  But I am caught up-woo hoo!!

We had special seating very close to the launch site!  Fantastic experience.

-by Samuel R Delaney

The Einstein Interaction:  a retelling of Orpheus, but in a deep, sci-fi version.  I'm not sure I really understand it all, lots of references to mythology, class, language.  

-by Martinus Evans

The Slow AF Run Club:  I'm signed up for a 10K and getting back into running.  Listened to this on audio, read by the author.  All the basic info you need, delivered straight.  Excellent for beginners who feel like they aren't real runners.

-by Yukito Ayatsuji and Hiro Kiyohara

The Decagon House Murders, vol 1:  Japanese university students in a mystery book club go to a creepy island where unsolved murders happen.  I thought this would be a stand alone, but it is just the beginning.  Didn't love it enough to continue.  The people are too trope-y and it looks like it is a bunch of filler.

-by Susanna Clark

Piranesi: I don't have anything to compare this too.  Maybe a touch like Italo Calvino.  Our guy lives in a seemingly infinite house where every room has statues.  There is an ocean trapped in the house.  He slowly uncovers exactly what is going on.

-by Sierra Godfrey 

A Very Typical Family: Sibling relationship under tragic circumstances 

-by Emily St. John Mandel

The Glass Hotel: A few of the people from Station 11 are around the edges, but it is a totally different story.  Love the writing.

-by Jennette McCurdy

I'm Glad My Mom Died:  Autobiography of an abusive/narcissist/eating disordered/hoarder mom who forces her daughter into acting.  She becomes a star, but is super messed up.  Works her way out, writes a gripping book.  

-by Janice Hallett

The Appeal:  A murder mystery told by emails/messages being read third hand.  Different in a good way!

The Twyford Code:  A twisty tale told by dictation.  Also fun!

-by Carl Hiaasen

Squeeze Me:  I thought this was one of his kids book from long ago.  Turns out to be 2020 and all about our political troubles.  If you are not a Trump fan, this book is for you.  Fantastic writing as usual from Hiaasen.

-by Patrick Radden Keefe

Empire of Pain The Secret History of the Sackler Empire:  I could not put this down, finished it in 24 hours.  The Sackler family, owners of Perdue Pharma, makers of OxyContin, kickstarted the opioid epidemic and made billions.  Completely evil unrepentant family.  The book is riveting, might have to watch some of the tv versions.

-by Blake Synder

Save The Cat:  If you want to write a screenplay, read this first.  I will never write a screen play, lol.  I loved this book!  It is clear but complex.  Short but complete.  I see/understand more going on in movies and tv!  Some of the examples and language is dated, but not enough to prevent learning.

-by Martha Wells

All the Murderbot stories.  I have read them all before, but this time listened on audiobook.  Still fantastic.  Comfort reading for me.

-by Jenny Xie

Holding Pattern:  Out of her long term relationship, disinterested in her graduate studies, helping with her mom's upcoming wedding is a lot of emotions to juggle.  It was ok.

-by Wilson Rawls:

Where The Red Fern Grows:  Rereading a childhood book-is it different?  I had forgotten all of the parts except the ending, which is still very very sad.  For a children's book it has a lot of death and some of it was hard to hear but effective.

Since I am caught up on Gamache, I'm looking for another mystery series.  Will audition a few.

-by Laura Lippman

Baltimore Blues:  Tess was a reporter, is floundering for what to do with her life.  She takes to private investigation to help a friend and is good at it.  Solid writing, but I don't know Baltimore, so I miss a bit of the color.

-by Jacqueline Winspear

Birds of a Feather:  Second in the Masie Dobbs books.  1930s London and countryside.  Mostly ok, but maybe I am tired of England as a setting.

DNF

-by Ivy Pochoda

Sing Her Down:  Just couldn't get into it

-by Adalyn Grace

Belladonna:  Too much florid language for me.

-by Grady Hendrix

How to Sell a Haunted House:  Loved the other book, but this dragged too much.