"Welcome to the middle of Middle Earth!"

So says the sign at the Wellington airport, and I do feel welcomed. I've been on the ground here in New Zealand for about six hours. My first, somewhat surprising impression is that the Kiwis proudly embrace the attention that the Lord of the Rings/Hobbit movies have fostered for this country. The Air New Zealand safety video, for example, is completely Hobbit themed and includes a cameo from Peter Jackson (and Gollum). There are billboards for the movies scattered about, and some of the planes have been painted to look like dragons. 

The other major impression, or perhaps confirmation of what I've already learned over the past year, is the incredible casual generosity of the Kiwis. Today I was picked up at the airport in the early morning by a woman who'd never met me (and yet has been an incredible help to me already); I'm staying in the stunning house of a woman I've met only once (see picture below); and I just picked up my car from a man who I'd only corresponded with over email until today. Each and every thank you I proffer is met with a simple "it's no bother" and then usually an additional offer of assistance of some sort. 

More to come in the days ahead but, at long last, I'm here.