Devonport address to Hobbiton Movie Set private car — Khalid's family visit

It was one of those mid-March mornings where the sun tries its best, but the sea breeze still carries a hint of chill. I pulled up to the property in Devonport, a smart little place overlooking the harbour. The gardens were immaculate, all green lawns and splashes of colour, the kind of place that makes you feel you should have done more with your own patch of soil. A man came to the door just as I was about to check my watch. He was tall, dressed in simple but good quality clothes – a crisp, light-coloured shirt and smart trousers. He carried a single, neat carry-on bag. He had a calm presence about him.

He introduced himself as Khalid, and mentioned he was from Saudi Arabia, here visiting family in Auckland for a few weeks. Today's trip was to Hobbiton, a place I’d driven countless people to over the years. It's always a popular destination, especially for international visitors. He’d heard about it through friends and was keen to see the movie magic for himself. We loaded his bag into the boot, and he settled into the back seat, gazing out at the Hauraki Gulf as we navigated the local streets.

The drive out of Auckland always has its moments. Friday afternoons in March mean it’s busy. We joined the slow crawl heading south, hugging the motorway. Khalid seemed content to watch the world go by, a thoughtful expression on his face. He’d spent most of his time in the city with his nieces and nephews, enjoying the different pace of life. He told me, in his quiet way, about his home city – the heat, the very different architecture, the sense of community he missed when traveling. He appreciated the greenery and the more spread-out feel of New Zealand.

We made our usual stop at the BP in Ohinewai for a quick coffee. He bought a small bottle of water and stood for a moment, watching the trucks and cars pass. He mentioned that in his country, the scale of things can be monumental, vast deserts and towering modern cities. He found the rolling farmland of the Waikato a contrast, a gentle, cultivated landscape that felt very settled. I remember thinking how different our daily lives were, yet here we were, sharing the same quiet moment by the side of the road.

As we continued south, the landscape began to change. The farmland became more undulating, hinting at the rolling hills to come. We drove through Cambridge and then towards Matamata, where the anticipation in the air seemed to thicken. It’s a peculiar thing, Hobbiton. It’s not just a set; it’s a fully realised world that draws people in. Khalid had brought his camera, and I could see him fiddling with it in the back, ready for the photo opportunities. He told me he'd watched the films years ago, and it was a bit surreal to be heading to the actual location.

Arriving at the entrance to the Hobbiton Movie Set, I helped him with his bag. He thanked me warmly, his eyes crinkling at the corners. He was looking forward to the tour, to stepping into that little world for a few hours. He wasn’t in a rush to get back; his family was meeting him for dinner later, so he had plenty of time to soak it all in. I watched him walk towards the entrance building, a solitary figure blending into the stream of other visitors, all drawn by the same fantasy. As I turned the car around to head back towards Auckland, the sun was starting its descent, painting the sky with soft oranges and pinks. It had been another quiet journey, but one that left me with a sense of the vastness of the world and the simple, shared pleasure of experiencing something unique.