Today I would visit Lord of the Rings land of Rohan near Poolburn dam. I initially woke up at 8:30 am but decided to reset my alarm for 9:30 am. At the designated time, I roused myself and headed to the toilet block with my laptop and phone. Plugging them into a power socket, I took my time there, attending to various morning rituals such as peeing, brushing my teeth, and styling my hair with some gel. Following that, I returned to my car to fetch some soup. Carrying my belongings, including recharging my devices, I made my way to the kitchen and prepared a delicious pot of pumpkin soup. The flavor was simply incredible.
Unexpected Encounters at the Campsite
It was 10:30 am, and I felt the need to leave, assuming that check-out time was typically around 10 am. As I was in the kitchen area, the owner, Pete, entered. Seeing that I was the only guest remaining, he assured me that it was okay and mentioned that the check-out time only applied to those staying in the lodges. Pete engaged in a friendly conversation with me, sharing insights about the area, including Saturday duck shooting activities. He also spoke about the locals’ perspective on Aucklanders, referring to them as JAFA: Just Another F***ing Aucklander. According to Pete, Auckland was a large multicultural city with a significant Polynesian population.
At approximately 11:30 am, I departed from the camping site, heading towards Poolburn Dam, home to the Poolburn Reservoir. This reservoir served as a backdrop in Lord of the Rings, specifically in the scene depicting the people of Rohan escaping from pillagers.
Poolburn Dam Adventure: Chasing Lord of the Rings Landscapes
I departed Omakau, and the dam was approximately 15 kilometers away. Prior to reaching the Omakau gas station, I took a left turn onto the one-way bridge. After covering 3 kilometers, I halted on a prominent hill to capture the breathtaking landscape. The scenery was truly remarkable, and I could already identify the reminiscent features of Rohan. I took some photos, including shots of the road behind me, showcasing the path I had just traversed.
Continuing my journey, I soon came across the Poolburn Hotel, where I made a right turn, heading towards the Poolburn Dam. After driving for 5-6 kilometers, I followed the directional sign, turning left. The path ahead transformed into a gravel road, and I continued for 1 kilometer until the next right turn, just before a small farm (depicted on the left side above on this page). I share these directions in the hope that they may guide someone else on a similar adventure one day.
Upon making the right turn before the small farm, the gravel road’s condition took a turn for the worse. It became rough, forcing me to slow down to 10-20 kilometers per hour instead of the usual 40. A sign indicated that the dam was still 13 kilometers away. I sighed, realizing it would be time-consuming, and uncertainty crept in as I remembered seeing a sign stating the road was closed from May to September. As fate would have it, the road was indeed closed.
I continued along the road at a significantly slower pace. Throughout the journey, I encountered two cars, which, in my opinion, was quite a few in this remote area. The landscape was stunning, prompting me to frequently stop the car and capture images through the window, almost like being on a safari tour. It truly felt like the land of Rohan
Navigating cautiously over bumps and uneven roads that caused my car to tremble at higher speeds (imagine driving at 15 kilometers per hour and still having to slow down), the slow progress was a bit frustrating. However, the breathtaking landscape made up for it, and I found solace in that. After covering 10 kilometers, with only 3 kilometers left to reach my destination, I encountered a closed fence. Accepting it as a sign to call it a day, I acknowledged that I wouldn’t see the reservoir. Nevertheless, the enchanting landscape itself was more than satisfying. Some movie locations were just too remote to access.
Grocery Shopping in Alexandra: Surprising Discoveries and Fuel Discounts
I retraced my route, and after 40 minutes, I found myself back on the main road toward Omakau. It was 2:30 pm, and hunger was setting in. Despite my empty stomach, I opted to continue driving to Alexandra and pick up some groceries there. My plan for the day was to cover a significant portion of the route to Queenstown. Although I could reach Queenstown in 2-3 hours, I intentionally chose to avoid it, as there was a free campsite along the way that caught my interest.
At approximately 3 pm, I located a supermarket using Google Maps in Alexandra and pulled over. Before diving into my grocery shopping, I made a quick stop at the gas station for a bathroom break. Once that was done, I headed to the supermarket, taking my time to browse through the aisles. As I perused the shelves, I couldn’t help but notice the prices, which struck me as surprisingly high compared to Australia. It was an unexpected revelation, considering I had always associated Australia with higher costs. On average, a loaf of bread was priced around 2.50 dollars, and I couldn’t find any of the familiar inexpensive 1-dollar bread options. Nevertheless, I opted for quality bread despite the relatively higher cost.
I purchased Coke Zero, the loaf of bread, some snacks, and decided to try out a peculiar dried beef product. However, at the checkout, I found myself a bit frustrated. My receipt totaled 38 dollars, and I realized that if it had reached 40 dollars, I could have benefited from a fuel discount. It was a bit disappointing, especially considering that in Australia, you typically receive the discount with a 30-dollar bill.
Following my shopping, I fueled up for 40 dollars and proceeded on my journey toward Cromwell. I had explored Alexandra and Cromwell the previous day, and now my plan was to head to Cromwell and then take the road leading to Queenstown.
Scenic Drive from Cromwell to Queenstown: Capturing the Beauty of the Journey
Yesterday, I mentioned the scenic drive from Cromwell to Alexandra, and today I captured some picturesque moments at two rest stops along the way. While I only took one photo directly showcasing the road, the entire journey was truly incredible.
At around 4:30 pm, I reached Cromwell. Initially, I visited the public library to give my laptop an extra boost, aiming for a full 100% charge. Although I spent 30 minutes there before it closed, my laptop only reached 94%. Undeterred, I headed back to my car and stopped by the local Subway. After grabbing a pizza sub, I set my GPS for the campsite, approximately 30 kilometers away. The journey to the campsite was breathtaking, with a stunning canyon river on the left adorned with vibrant yellow and red trees. Each day in this country unfolded new and awe-inspiring landscapes. Whenever I found a suitable spot, like a lookout, I couldn’t resist capturing some pictures of the picturesque surroundings.
Movie Location Exploration: The Argonath and Plans for Tomorrow
Resuming my journey, I continued on the highway for 40 minutes before taking a left turn onto a gravel road, with the river now on the left side. The scenery was breathtaking, prompting me to capture the view in some pictures (last two images above). Initially, I had doubts as there were no signs indicating a camping area, and the road had a significant decline. However, drawn in by the stunning views, I decided to proceed. After navigating through 200 meters of winding roads, I reached the campsite Rum Curries. The view was undeniably spectacular—without a doubt, the best camping site with the most breathtaking scenery I had encountered so far. Truly amazing.
The river brought back memories of the movie once again, namely the Argonath. The two rocky sides (lower row, second and third picture) resembled the river with the imposing statues.
The movie location was close by, and my guide for the movie locations mentioned that it was only accessible by boat. It was situated 6 kilometers south of my current location, and I planned to explore it tomorrow morning. After parking my car, I spent the evening watching How I Met Your Mother, typing reports, and eventually went to bed around 11 pm. Despite the cold night, it was a somewhat uncomfortable experience.
