We were all slightly reluctant to go back to the van. But the quickly-gathering rain clouds in the distance and our grumbling stomachs urged us on. “Better try to wipe those off before you get back in,” Vic said as we reached the van, motioning to Josh’s brown feet. “I don’t want to find any surprises on my floor mats.”
We returned to the Shire’s Rest just as the clouds opened up in a proper downpour, which we watched from the cozy interior where we had a hobbit-inspired meal: sandwich triangles, miniature oranges, and small meat pies. There was even SobeRing Thought beer for sale, the nearly non-alcoholic beer brewed specifically by Harrington’s Breweries in Christchurch for the films. For the party scene in Hobbiton in “The Fellowship of the Ring,” the production crew needed an authentic-looking beer that wouldn’t get the actors drunk after multiple takes. The result was SobeRing Thought (a clever – or perhaps painful – pun by the manufacturer), which is made with only 1 percent alcohol. Today, it’s predominantly a novelty beer that only a fan of the trilogy would be likely to seek out.“How is it?” Josh asked, turning a bottle of the brew in his hands and glancing skeptically over at Vic.
“Not bad,” Vic said. “Though, coming from a Kiwi, I’m not sure how much weight that holds with you Americans.” “Americans” of course came out “Ameericans,” and Josh laughed, but I don’t think it was because of Vic’s accent.
Josh decided against the $3 hobbit beer, and replaced it in the cooler he’d plucked it from. As he returned to his seat, Jen cleared her throat.
“I propose a toast,” Jen announced, holding up her small water glass. “To new friends and great adventures. To our fellowship.”
1 comment:
My husband & I are vegan, meaning we don't use or consume any animal products at all. The Alexanders were thoughtful enough to provide us with vegan food; that doesn't always happen, so we were very grateful. :)
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