I will be heading to New Zealand next month for a 10-day vacation in and around Wellington. Ubisoft, makers of “Peter Jackson’s King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie” headed a contest a while back where the winners receive an all-expense paid trip to Wellington to visit the WETA studios, and I’ll be escorting them!
My journey begins on April 6th and I arrive on the 8th (the 7th will magically disappear from my calendar thanks to the wonder of crossing a ton of time zones), I have a few things already planned, my wife and I want to take some city and LOTR location tours, and we plan on seeing some friends I have made over the years while working on Lord of the Rings, King Kong and Narnia websites. Of course I also want to do some lounging about in the pre-fall goodness that is Wellywood. I will be shooting some video to be featured on the site, so keep an eye out for those!
I plan on having a ton of photos and goodies to show you from my trip, and if you know of any cool places to visit in the area, drop me a line!
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The Genre Traveler and Beyond Boundaries Travel Team Up for Special Weekend Package to See the Lord of the Rings Musical in Toronto
For Immediate Release: On Memorial Day Weekend, some fortunate Lord of the Rings fans not only will get to see the World Premiere musical in Toronto – already receiving rave reviews from theatre goers – but will also get the chance to meet the producer and cast in a private Q&A session.
This one-of-a-kind tour, offered only by Beyond Boundaries Travel in cooperation with The Genre Traveler, features three nights accommodations at the Delta Chelsea Hotel, a luxury hotel in the heart of downtown Toronto; a private Q&A session with producer Kevin Wallace and the cast, exclusively arranged for travelers on this tour; an intensive, behind-the-scenes workshop with actors and crew; a Gala Lord of the Rings Costume Party; and, of course, tickets to see the musical.
“We strive to make our tours as fun and interactive as possible,” says Jeannie Barresi, co-founder of Beyond Boundaries Travel. “That’s why we worked so hard to arrange the Q&A session with the producer and cast, as well as the intensive, hands-on workshop.”
“What’s so special about these kinds of tours,” says Carma Spence-Pothitt, editor of The Genre Traveler, “is the opportunity to meet interesting, intelligent people who share an interest with you, in this case, an appreciation for J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic work.”
All this – 4 days and 3 nights, May 26-29, 2006 – is only $799 double occupancy. This price also includes three breakfast meals, all taxes, meal gratuities and baggage handling. A deposit of $250 is due upon reservation, with the balance due by March 28. Reservations need to be made by April 1 to ensure space.
Previews of Lord of the Rings, directed by Matthew Warchus, opened on February 4 at the Princess of Wales Theatre in Toronto and will run until March 22. Fans who have seen the preview said it was worth the wait. One even said, “It was unlike reading or watching Middle Earth, it was like being there!” The official Gala opening is scheduled for March 23. Toronto will be the only place to see this production for at least nine months, when it is scheduled to open in London.
For more information about, or to make reservations for, this once-in-a-lifetime tour, contact Beyond Boundaries travel at (800) 487-1136 or (719) 471-0222, or visit lotrfantrips.com. Information can also be found at The Genre Traveler’s website, www.thegenretraveler.com, and blog, thegenretraveler.braveblog.com.
About The Genre Traveler:
The Genre Traveler, which debuted in October 2005, is a quarterly online travel magazine for science fiction, fantasy and horror enthusiasts. Topics covered include genre-themed attractions, events and vacation packages, as well as ideas for creating your own genre-themed getaways. Also included are websites, gadgets and other items that support genre-themed travel and seeing the world through genre-colored glasses.
About Beyond Boundaries Travel:
Beyond Boundaries Travel, established in 1991, designs themed tours for fans sharing common interests such as Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Pirates of the Caribbean and others. Tour designers always include a good dose of historical and educational information, film locations and lots of fun. Beyond Boundaries’ Fan Trips have been featured in Frommer’s and Fodor’s, as well as several newspapers and magazines, including The New York Times and The Chicago Tribune. A recent book about Harry Potter devoted more than 18 pages to Beyond Boundaries’ trips, which were described as the “tour of choice” for fans.
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Bruce Hopkins aka Gamling the Old pointed out that since both he and Bernard Hill will be at the Fellowship Festival in London later this month, this would be a rare opportunity to see both of them actng together. Rumours are that some lucky fans may get to be involved in some interactive drama with them – but this is only a RUMOUR at this point. But if you want another reason to book a ticket to the Festival, just remember – every ticket purchased enters you in the draw for a free trip to New Zealand to tour LOTR locations – courtesy of Red Carpet Tours.
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