On a Japan Travel Facebook group I belong to, someone almost inevitably will post (for advice) the itinerary of an upcoming trip to Tokyo. It tends to look something like this: 6am Tsukiji fish market; 9am Asakusa temple; 11am Harajuki; 12pm Meiji Shrine; 1pm Shibuya crossing; 2pm Akihabara; 3pm Ginza shopping, 4pm cat café, 5pm dinner at Jiro’s sushi restaurant etc.
It’s perfectly understandable, of course. Who wouldn’t want to maximize their precious sightseeing time in a foreign city? On the other hand, is that the best way to approach travel (and life) – running from site to site, checking your watch, “executing a plan”?
What was it John Lennon said, “Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans”?
My wife Donica and I have no plans at all as we wander around downtown Auckland on our first day in New Zealand. Suddenly, as we’re passing by the SkyCity complex, we notice a sign advertising “Weta Workshop Unleashed.” I wonder what that is? As it turns out, New Zealand has a thriving film industry, and Weta is responsible for much of it—especially the special effects. Think Peter Jackson and Lord of the Rings. And lo and behold, Weta Workshop offers a nifty back-studio tour, right here in the heart of Auckland! Who knew? We’re doing it!
The whole experience is a little surreal, a little escape-roomish. First we enter a storeroom, where we’re told to count all the boxes while we wait for our guide. The “winner” is then asked to find the secret passage, which turns out to be hidden behind a pair of huge crates. We then proceed to another chamber where an animatronic demon, dressed as head of security, greets us and delivers a vaguely-humorous shpiel about the tour. It’s not a great animatronic – the words don’t quite sync with the mouth, but no matter.
Ten minutes later, we head into the first of many “workshops,” where all the special effects are supposedly created. The main conceit is that the studio is working on three new movies: a “nail-biting horror, a fantasy epic, and a mind-bending sci-fi.” Each workshop showcases the preparation for each film, from notes, blue prints and graphics to props, equipment and materials. Each area also includes computer screens and such where we can watch videos and do various interactive activities like applying virtual makeup to our faces.
It’s all a lot of fun – and entirely fake. Clearly they’re not making movies here; this is purely a tourist attraction, a “simulation” of a working studio. The fact that we can actually touch all the equipment – which is all glued and nailed down to the work desks – is a bit of tip off. Even more obvious is that these movies aren’t real. Weta Workshop clearly made up all three films for this attraction! Again, no matter.
The important thing is that “Weta Workshop Unleashed” is fun! There’s an alien autopsy. A walk through a creepy sci-fi haunted house. A scaled-down fantasy castle, rendered to the smallest detail. There’s even a giant alien goddess at the end who “comes alive” with ominous music thundering in the background. It’s all a great value and a tiny glimpse into New Zealand’s brand of film (and theme park) making.
Best of all, none of it was planned. We stumbled upon the attraction and took advantage of the opportunity. Thank goodness we had no itinerary!
(It’s so easy, isn’t it, to get caught up in planning and then feel exhausted after the trip is over. Who hasn’t felt like they need a vacation after the vacation? And the same is true at home; we pack our weekends so full of activity that Monday morning actually comes as a relief! Whew.
The next time you have some free time, why not try an experiment? Go to an interesting neighborhood – one you don’t know very well – and just wander. Do it for an afternoon. Do it all day long. Put your watch away in your pocket. When you’re hungry, find a place to eat. When you’re thirsty, stop in a café. Along the way, open yourself up to whatever you stumble upon. It may be someone’s beautiful garden. Or a lovely conversation with a dog owner. Or an orange tree ripe for the picking (with the owner’s permission of course). Make “no plan” your next plan and see what happens!)