New Zealand: International Hobbit Day!

When visiting Hobbiton for the second time, does it get boring?

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I’ve had a chance to visit Hobbiton during the 2018 International Hobbit Day. Although I’ve been there last year, there are some good reasons why I did not regret visiting again this year.

First, creating memories with a new friend. It was a beautiful weekend trip with my new flatmate who was curious about whether hobbits really exist or not. I enjoyed the time with her as we had culture and language exchange along the way. Hence, the journey was extraordinary. I am reminded that it is not only about where you go, it is also about who you travel with.

Secondly, lesser people in spring/autumn season. Going to Hobbiton in spring, I found that there are lesser tourists as compared with summer. ‘No crowd, no fun’ however ‘Less crowd, more fun. Additionally, spring can make you feel supercharged and rejuvenated. Finally, value for money. With a promo from Intercity, we were able to experience how to be a Hobbit during the International Hobbiton Day and capture good memories.

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Although these are valid reasons to visit Hobbiton more than once, there are some realities people need to be aware of especially when using public transport to get there. For instance, trips can be delayed. Although we arrived on time at the i-site,  we had to wait for the Hobbiton bus for another one hour. The truth is, customers do not like waiting these days. So in relation to this, we had to keep ourselves busy while waiting. As a result, we end up buying things from a store we did not intend to do initially.

Next, it gets A LITTLE boring since you will hear the same information and the same Movie Set experience (and especially so if the tour guide is having a bad day. Just like you and me). Hearing the same facts over and over again may not be as interesting as it used to be. In economics, we call it total utility theory which means the amount of satisfaction you get from a product or service may not be the same when you have another unit of the same product or service (marginal utility).

In brief, there are still good reasons to visit places for the second (or more) time. We just have to be aware of the trade offs–the reality over fantasy.

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