I have been dreaming of being a hobbit since I was ten years old and saw The Lord of the Rings for the first time. When I was planning my trip to New Zealand, the entire reason I decided on the North Island was because that’s where Hobbiton is located. Originally I was dying to go to the South Island but I knew if I skipped out on Hobbiton I would never forgive myself. Today I decided to share you with the very scary story of that time I nearly missed out on visiting Hobbiton, New Zealand.
I decided to go with Hobbiton Tours and was looking forward to this day for months. I kept looking at their website and social media, and I was telling everyone I met about how I couldn’t wait to explore.
I was scheduled to be picked up from my YHA Rotorua hostel bright and early. After the early morning wake up call I quickly rushed outside to wait for my bus, as that is where I was told in my email to wait. After waiting nearly half an hour I was looking down the street, getting very anxious because the bus hadn’t come yet when I saw a giant bus painted for Lord of the Rings make a quick stop down the street then continue on.
“Weird, but they’ll be back” I kept telling myself. “They will go around the block and swing around to pick me up.”
As the minutes passed I began to panic. The next morning I had my bungee jump in Taupo. If I missed out on Hobbiton, my entire reason for even being in New Zealand…It’s a thought I still can hardly finish, 4 years later.
After about another 20 minutes I went inside and asked reception to use their phone (I was travelling without one, smart, I know). They called for me, and the person on the phone said that the bus has a certain pick up point, so whoever the lady was that emailed me saying that the bus would pick me up from my hostel was wrong. I could hardly talk; the lump in my throat was so large. I was struggling not to cry.
They were able to schedule me in for the next day, but I had my bungee jump.
I quickly called Taupo bungee to see if I could reschedule my jump. The lady I spoke to said I could move it to the afternoon, but there was a good chance that my jump would be cancelled anyways due to maintenance.
I was saved!
It was not the original plan I had, but in the end it was all going to work out fine, which I never thought it would.
I’m usually so neurotic about the plans I make and sticking to them, this incident just goes to prove that sometimes, plans need to change and its okay.
I ended up spending the day wandering around Rotorua with one of my hostel mates and had an amazing time exploring, which is something I otherwise would not have gotten to do.
I’m sure it would have been even better if it all went to plan though 
Have you ever had important travel plans change on you?
