This is just like being in a movie, and I love it. (LAUGHS) This is epic. My gosh. Oh my goodness. That's not a little eel, Angus. Go! (YELLS) UPBEAT MUSIC Captions by Madison Batten. Edited by Desney Shaw. www.able.co.nz Captions were made possible with funding from NZ On Air. Copyright Able 2016 LIGHT-HEARTED MUSIC We spent the last couple of weeks trying to guess where on earth we're going on this mystery adventure in Aotearoa. Let's have a look, shall we? Should we check it? (SQUEALS) Where are we going? Where are we going? OK, we are going to... Hamilton! Awesome. I used to live there. I would have never guessed. That's your old hunting ground. Yeah. And we're going to the Tron? Yeah. Oh, this is exciting! Cool. Let's go, let's go, let's go. All right. Wasn't me. Toby and I, we'd known each other for quite a few years but just never really chatted. Maybe we were both a little bit shy of each other. We're not sure. But, um, yeah, we ended up getting together, and we're close to a year now. And it's good. One of the primary things that I do is in music ` producing music festivals... Yeah, it's gonna be cool to spend some time away with Shav. She's a pretty good person to travel with. We've done quite a bit of overseas travel together, and so it's really nice to be going and checking out our own backyard in NZ. And having a couple days away with him ` just the two of us ` I'm really looking forward to it. It's gonna be great. Kia ora. Hi. How are you? Hi. Good, thank you. Apparently we have a booking for a car. So, you're gonna be in a black Mazda 3. Ooh. Thank you for choosing Avis. Have a great day. Thank you very much. What? You're driving? Yeah. Aw! He always drives. Thank you. See you. Bye. Thank you. See ya. UPBEAT MUSIC Driving around the Waikato, I haven't spent a great amount of time here ever. So this is quite a new area for me. And I'm` I'm really interested to see what it holds, actually. You know, it's just nice to get around different parts of our country. Check in at the luxurious Sarnia Park Lodge before you drive to Hobbiton for a dinner you will never forget. We're going to Hobbiton! Is that, like, Lord of the Rings? Where the hobbits live? Yes. That's cool. I've always wanted to go there. I've always wanted to go there too. Do they have real hobbits there? Absolutely. And Sarnia Park Lodge ` it says it's luxurious. Luxurious. Yes. Time to get pampered. Yeah. Love it. REGAL MUSIC Now, if there's one thing I absolutely love in life, it's a good driveway that's tree-lined. I'm having thoughts of Downton Abbey, you know? (LAUGHS) Something very grand. And then when the house comes into view, you're like, 'Wowza.' Toby, we are going to have a very nice weekend away. Our bedroom is probably the biggest hotel room I've ever stayed in. The bathroom is probably almost as big as some apartments I've stayed in before, to be honest. It's crazy. It's good. It's good I like big spaces. OK. Hobbiton movie set. And tourist farm. 600M. Woohoo! I wonder if they have people who dress up as the characters. Do you think? Hmm... Are we gonna see Gandalf? Hmmm... BOOMING VOICE: You shall not pass. UPBEAT FOLK MUSIC Hobbiton is absolutely magical. You` You're in the movies. (LAUGHS) It straight away, um, took me back to watching the films. What I absolutely love is seeing the detail of these sets. And then all the pine cones. < That's so cool. Little windows. Little seat. And the little lanterns. They're really cool. It's a lot bigger than I thought. I didn't expect it to be such a big tourist attraction. It's really cool. It's a really special place. It's not just a set. You're taken to a different place. You're taken to Hobbiton. We are in Hobbiton. We're in the Green Dragon, therefore, tonight we feast like hobbits. You can throw those table manners out the window,... ALL LAUGH ...stand up, reach for your food. Fill up your plates, fill your stomachs and enjoy, guys. Oh my... Whoa. (LAUGHS) Come on, use your fingers. Be a hobbit. This is like` You know in the movies when a family sits down to Christmas dinner, and it looks like this? Or it's like... You know, if the` when the hobbits sat down for a feast, this is exactly what I imagine they'd eat. Like, they've done it so well. It's like, you know, in that party scene in the first film. This is what they'd sit down to and enjoy. The atmosphere in that room ` you feel like you're a hobbit. You're feasting at a hobbit feast. What fun. And everyone's feeling very jolly, and you feel that from everyone. This is just like being in a movie, and I love it. (LAUGHS) I just keep going back to this one word, and it's 'magical'. OK. So, we have got the lights on in Hobbiton. We're gonna get this night tour underway. So, we have got some handmade lanterns. We only have enough for one between two. So you need to find yourselves a lantern buddy. Grab them close. Let them know they're yours. ALL LAUGH As you come past me... I'm with Arnold. Got it. Do you know how to work it? Yes. Ooh. There's a really special feeling about this place, especially being here at dusk. We get to walk around the Shire again ` but in the dark. Look at the tree all lit up. It's very pretty. Looking across the lake, just seeing it all lit up at night, is actually quite romantic, even though there's a few other people around. It's still... (LAUGHS) It was really really cool. Toby, you know what? It's pretty special. (CHUCKLES) Wow. So cool. Aw. Now, we all remember what happens out here in the movies? ALL: Birthday parties. Birthday parties. Thank you very much. Do we know whose birthday it is? Bilbo's. Bilbo's. On to it. FAST-PACED FOLK MUSIC ALL CLAP IN RHYTHM Nice touch. Nice touch to have the wee dance at the end because, you know, that's what the hobbits did. They did a jig together, and they danced around, and they were foolish. And, yeah, it's cool to see everyone else doing that. I'm quite a good dancer, so I thought this maybe was my time to shine. Um, so I was quite excited to get into it. It's funny watching Toby dance. (LAUGHS) He's a good dancer. ALL CHEER Be in to win your own NZ escape, including flights, car hire, accommodation and activities. Head to ournzescape.tv to enter. This is epic. My gosh. This is gonna be amazing. Oh my goodness. That's not a little eel, Angus. Go! (YELLS) 1 Waking up in Sarnia Park this morning, we know we've got a big day ahead of us. We don't know what we're doing, but it's going to be busy. And, yeah, this is the perfect way to start our day. Find out what we're doing today. I'm ready, Toby. I've got my driving glasses on. I'm in the hot seat today. READS: Burn off last night's feast with an energising cycle ride along the stunning Waikato River Trail. Oh. Along the river. That's gonna be lovely. Oh, look, Toby, you can ride a bike. I know. Off-roading. (SQUEALS) This is mountain biking. And you're going along a trail, and you're right in amongst nature. It's really fun to be out amongst it and doing something. Getting a bit of exercise in. And the surrounds are just, you know, stunning. Really beautiful. Something about being on a bike ` you just feel like you're a kid again, eh? Do a lot of walking, but it's cool to be on a bike. It's a really good pace to see the countryside. Um, you know, when you're driving, it's a bit quick. When you're walking, sometimes it's a bit slow. So, you know, there's a little bit of adrenaline there. Little bit of exercise but not too strenuous. Yeah. It's cool. Wow. Look at this, babe. This is epic. My gosh. The mighty Waikato. Yeah. Wow. Uh, that's a lot of water. (LAUGHS) So cool. It's a long way up, huh? Yeah. Isn't it nice just to be out amongst it, you know? In nature? Yeah. Roaring river underneath us. So cool how it's just right on our doorstep too. Yeah. Stuff like this. That's one of the best things about NZ, eh? Everything's so accessible. Yeah, yeah. I want to be able to mark these times and remember these times and tell all my family and my friends about this trip, and so a little selfie here and there. Yeah, it's great. Ready to get on your bike, mate? Yeah, let's do it. OK. I'm someone who loves to incorporate food into an activity. And being able to, you know, do a bit of mountain biking, get a little bit of a sweat up, and then, you know, stop off at a cafe. It's really cool just stopping for a chat and relaxing. It was a nice bit of easy riding, huh? Yeah, it was. It was cool. Good way to start the morning. Bit of exercise. Man, I haven't cycled like that in a long time. (CHUCKLES) Yeah, you did good. Yeah, you did good. You did real good out there. You did good. I know I did. Even without your training wheels. You were amazing. Hey. You can't use my jokes. Should we do the next thing? Yup. Next activity. You ready? Here we go. I love this. I love how it's a surprise. OK. (READS) 'Who says romance is dead? 'Head to Hamilton Gardens for a gourmet picnic amongst the beautiful scenery.' Aw. Aw, a picnic. How romantic. Yeah. LIGHT-HEARTED MUSIC Hamilton Gardens are actually blowing my mind. Walking around here is like traipsing across the globe because you are taken into all these different gardens that represent a different country and have a completely different feel. I'm actually gobsmacked. I'm going, 'Wow.' You feel like you're in some ancient civilisation now, right? Yeah. I used to live just down the road, and I had no idea that they were even here. To see what the other countries... how they make their gardens and the thought that goes into it and why they do different things, different ways, has actually inspired me to take a little bit of that back to my gardens at home, actually. Feels good to be able to sit down and have a nice romantic picnic. Just to be able to relax for a minute and have some nice food in a beautiful setting with Shav. I had zero idea that this place existed, and it's incredible. Yeah, it really is. Yeah. And you used to live down the road from here, and you didn't even know about it. I had no idea. Yeah. Driven past it. You know I like my gardens. Yes, I know you like your gardens. It's been a while since we've gone away, just the two of us, isn't it? Yeah. Yeah. Always with other friends and festivals and stuff like that. Um, it's pretty full on. It's cool just to spend some alone time with you. This has been cool. Just you and me. We got another clue. Should I read it for us? Why not. Here we go. READS: 'And now it's adventure time!!' Exclamation mark, exclamation mark. 'Drive to Waitomo and meet up with the Legendary Black Water Rafting crew 'for the thrill of your life.' We're going to the Waitomo caves. And we're doing the rafting. This is gonna be amazing. Cool. Awesome. Yay. Hello. Hey, guys. How are ya? Great. You ready to go black water rafting? We are. Absolutely, yes. Yes. OK, follow me. I know that we're rafting, so what does that mean? I mean, I've been white water rafting, but this is black water rafting. I guess that means, you know, you're down in the caves. I think it's gonna be cool, whatever it is. OK, guys. This is Ruakuri cave. You ready to go? Yeah. That's the entrance there? That is the entrance there. > Pretty small. Cool thing about this place is it gets bigger and bigger and bigger. You're looking a bit freaked, Toby. You all right? Are we gonna abseil down there? No, we're gonna climb. It's a bit slippery, but it gets better as you go. OK. Cool. Follow me. Looking at the entrance, it looks a bit small. Um, a little bit tight. But, um, I'm keen just to, sort of, slip down there and get into it. Feel like Batman. (LAUGHS) Do you get bats down here as well? No. No. Is that all you're worried about? (LAUGHS) No. Oh God. There's a little bit of intrepidation at this point. Ooh. Carry on in? Yup. What's right on top of me? A whole family of wetas ` the biggest wetas I've ever seen in my life. Oh my gosh, I'm right underneath them. Oh my gosh. Imagine that landing on your face. The cool thing about these, Shavaughn, is that they go... They're like sharks. They go into feeding frenzies, right? Whatever. And they` They do. They so do. Occasionally you find one with a missing leg. Oh, really? And they will have ripped their own leg off and eaten it. They` They're just the mentalist creatures. They cannibalise themselves. They` They do. Whoa, that's gnarly. It's a little big spooky with the wetas and it being so dark. They're big. They're big and they're scary. Oh my goodness. That's not a little eel, Angus. Hi, Carol. You're here for your hearing test. Yes, I am. Lovely. Come on through, please. (BEEP!) BOY: Hi, Mum. It's Eddy here. Huh! You are the best mum in the whole wide world. But sometimes you don't hear so well. Sometimes it makes me sad. I love you so much. (HEARTFELT MUSIC) I don't wanna be sad about your hearing anymore. CHILD: Something as little as a free hearing check can make a big difference. 1 I'm pretty excited to go caving. It's pretty cool when you go underground. You feel a bit like Indiana Jones, um, knowing you've got all this land mass above you. Feels like you're really having a good adventure, for sure. Angus, why do glow-worms actually glow? They glow to attract food up their ` ooh, careful ` up their fishing lines. See these little things? They're the glow-worms' fishing lines. Oh wow. And, so, they're attracting the insects from this thread to their glowing tail. < OK? And so then they'll suck them up like spaghetti and eat them up. This is different. (LAUGHS) I didn't know I'd be doing this today. Seeing all the life, you just` Every time you look up, you're like, 'Wow.' And I started thinking about, you know, just how ancient this place is. OK, guys, so, there's a little eel in here called Cecil. See him? Those are your favourite` Oh my goodness. That's not a little eel, Angus. Look at him. Wow. Hi, Cecil. This is so exhilarating, isn't it? It's pretty cool. Being underground ` it feels like you're in the abyss, right? Yeah. I never pictured myself coming caving or black water rafting. I'd never heard of it, actually. Me neither. It's been amazing, hasn't it? Yeah. You warm enough? Yeah. I'm` I'm cold, but I'm not super cold. Yeah. It's good. You're looking good. Thanks, babe. You look hot too ` and in that wetsuit. Should we get cracking? Let's go. Yeah, OK. Come on. (SHRIEKS) Geez Louise. DRAMATIC MUSIC So, suddenly the cave opens up a little bit, and there's this big drop and a lot of rushing water. And you can't really see what's beyond this. And this is when Angus is saying to me, 'OK, just get you in a tube and pop your bottom in it, 'and jump backwards off this drop.' Three, two, one, go! (YELLS) Whoa! (LAUGHS) It was actually really fun. (LAUGHS) And off we go. Row, row, row your boat. Yeah, it's really cool just drifting down through the cave, seeing how high the roof is, and it sort of gives you some perspective into how far underground you actually are. Suddenly the` the peacefulness of the place you're in kind of... That's what floods over you. That was a little moment you wanna have to yourself and just enjoy. And this is when you go, 'This is really special that I get to do this. 'I'm really blessed that I'm here right now.' Wow, that's incredible. Oh my God. Did it. (LAUGHS) That was amazing. Yeah. Let's see if we can get out of here now. (LAUGHS) Angus, thank you. My heroes. (GRUNTS) That was incredible. It's amazing when you think how far underground we were. Incredible, eh? Yeah. Coming to the last part and the glow-worms are so high... Yeah. You realise... It's like you're in a cathedral. Yeah. Good? Thank you, my gentleman. Hit it, babe. We did it. Back up in the open air. And you come out to this. It's pretty awesome, huh? It's incredible. Yes. It was fun. I couldn't have guessed how cool it would be, actually. Yeah. Never been caving. Never been tubing. You feel at one with nature down there. You're kinda deep underground, and all there is is water. And especially when you turn the lights off and you're just under there, and the glow-worms... Yeah, it's pretty` definitely pretty special. I think we had a few moments down there. (LAUGHS) Last one. You ready? End of our epic trip around Aotearoa. Go. READS: Drive to Sky City in Hamilton for a gourmet end to an exhilarating day. We get dinner. (LAUGHS) Sky City. Sick. There's a` Hang on, it's Sky City in Hamilton. Yeah, there's one there as well. I` What? Yeah. I had no idea. Oh. What a perfect end to a perfect day. Love it. The time with Shav in Hamilton's been awesome. It's been so good to just get some time away with her. We're having some adventures, doing some really cool things, um, that we probably would never have thought to do. I've thoroughly enjoyed it. So, you guys make all these beers? Yeah, yeah, we do. Cool. Uh, can we get one of those tasting panels? Yep. It's a good idea. It's a good way of trying different beers. People wander in who have never heard of us before, so they don't even know where to start, you know? Yup. Yeah, exactly. All right. I can do this. I've gotta prove this to myself, that I can carry this to our table. < Thanks, guys. Thank you. Thank you. > Gotta put all my motoring skills to the test right now. (IMITATES CAR GOING PAST) What did you like most about the` this trip away? I loved every turn. It's been amazing that everything was a surprise. I thought Hobbiton was even way better than I could have imagined. Yeah, I really had no idea what it was like there. I thought it was just the little hobbit houses in the hills, and maybe three or four were there. Oh, food is here. Hello. Thank you. Oh, thank you. You're welcome. Wow. That looks amazing. Wow. Cool. Oh, yum-bo. You know how I always try to make you do a meaningful toast when we go out to dinner,... Yup. ...and you don't want to? Can you do it? (LAUGHS) Um, all right. Make it good. Here's to a wonderful weekend away with you, doing lots of adventures in NZ, which we don't normally do. Yeah. It's good. (CHUCKLES) Cheers. I didn't hear those three little words. I had fun. (LAUGHS) Yeah, you'll get away with that one. Cheers, babe. Nice. I had fun too. Cheers to that. Cheers to that. I don't wanna leave. Can this just keep going? Can we just keep doing this forever? What a cool couple of days I've had with Toby. I didn't know there was so much stuff going on here and so many things that you could do. We're so lucky as Kiwis. We're so blessed that we have all of this. Been blown away by all the activities and everything we've done and places we've been and stayed and everything like that. It's pretty perfect. We're gonna remember this trip for a long long time to come. Book now at Air NZ. Captions by Madison Batten. Edited by Desney Shaw. www.able.co.nz Captions were made possible with funding from NZ On Air. Copyright Able 2016