Wish I had some extra money for this one!!!

[Lairënuriel]

http://www.travelstoreusa.com/pages/4890/Lord_of_the_Rings_Tour_and_Cruise:_The_Ultimate_Journey_to_Middle_earth.htm

The Wizard's Journey looks like my pick.
Although I am pretty leery of cruises - never been on one, but it seems like the ultimate party that you can't leave thing.
Also, there would be the added expense of the Canada to Australia and back to Canada trip

[Beren One-Hand]

Definitely another vote for the Wizard's Journey.  That would be amazing to experience all of that.

Lairënuriel, you definitely know how to find interesting facts and articles on LOTR's related stuff.   

[Lairënuriel]

I am a MAJOR dork!!!
I'm into faeries too and you don't want to even get me started on them!!!
That said - our house is the favourite for all the neighborhood kids (especially girls) to play at!!!

[Melian]

Some really nice landscape in New Zeeland that I'd love to experience first hand some day.

*points to topic title*

[Beren One-Hand]

Lairënuriel, do you like the fairies in "Pan's Labyrinth"?  It's too bad the "one" got eaten, though.   

[Lairënuriel]

Pan's Labyrinth was very beautiful - we need more movies like it!!!
I keep reading all kinds of articles about fantasy being 'so big' right now but I don't think there are enough filmakers that really get it or love it.  Peter Jackson is one and so is Tim Burton.  An example is Eragon.  We discussed it before but it was soooooo disappointing and could have been fabulous!

[Beren One-Hand]

I watched Eragon a few weeks ago and thought it wasn't bad.  However, I did not read the book, so cannot comment beyond that.

[Lairënuriel]

The book is way better than the movie - I'm sad that the movie was such a flop that we won't see book two made into a movie and it's all ELVES!!!

[Melian]

Saying that the book is better than the film is such a cliché but in this case it really, really is true.

The special effects team made a way better job in the film than the actors, it didn't feel like any of them really made an effort, in fact the only believable character became Eragon's father.

I've read 2 of the 3 books anyone knows when the third is coming out?

[Beren One-Hand]

But the book is usually better than the film - in most cases, which doesn't make it a cliche.  But sometimes in order to adapt a book and turn it into a film, things have to be cut out or comprised a bit.  A movie will rarely completely represent a book. 

[Lairënuriel]

No idea when the third book is coming out - I'm waiting too.

There is an excerpt here:

http://www.alagaesia.com/fricaya/excerpt.html

[Beren One-Hand]

I imagine those Eragon books would be pretty good.  Maybe sometime I will read them.

[Pulsifer]

Well, I've always remained leery of the Eragon books . . . but if Melian recommends them, that carries a lot of weight with me. Maybe I'll try them out. Should keep me entertained on the subway, at least

(Yay for thirty minute commutes to Oslo each way . . . yeah . . .)