(Picture taken in Rotorua, on the north island of New Zealand. The blurriness of the water is not due to my poor photographic skills. It is steam rising from the water. Rotorua is in an active volcanic region.)

Beautiful and fabulous New Zealand. Land of hobbits, elves, men and dwarves, living together in harmony.

And now the destination for ye who are tired and weary, those who are tempest tossed; the homeless, hungry, poor, the wretched, sinful lost. The huddled masses who yearn to be free gather there. From a weary world of darkness, come ye unto her. Her yoke is easy, her burden light, there’s rest on the peaceful shore, she lifts her lamp eternally beside the golden door.

I came across this little tid-bit of news on Channel NewsAsia. It made me laugh that there could be this mass exodus to that sweet little place across the Tasman.

It reminded me of the day after the Australian election four weeks ago. The Bear and I were discussing the horrible result and the possible bleak future ahead of us. Disheartened and furious, the Bear declared:

"Fuck this. I'm moving to New Zealand."

It seems he is not the only one. Many hobbits, elves, dwarves and men from several shires will be in search of Gandalf the Grey, to destroy the one ring that enslaves them all.