Cathy Robinson Strong, a 1970s BJ State Desk reporter who has spent several decades in New Zealand, is doubling back to Dubai – this time for a wedding.

She spent three years in Dubai, United Arab Emirate, teaching journalism, mostly to daughters of Arab royalty.

Posted Cathy:

“Yeah, going to Dubai next week for Hessah's wedding. I'm going from Middle Earth to Middle East. Hope to see lots of UAE friends.”

UAE is short for United Arab Emirate

Middle Earth is where the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy was filmed. You know, the Shire of the Hobbits like Bilbo Baggins and Frodo, a favorite of Roger Mezger and Ann Sheldon Mezger who both used Frodo for their passwords when they were in the BJ newsroom, and the wizard Gandalf. And – shudder! – Mordor.

“The Lord of the Rings” movie trilogy was filmed entirely in New Zealand:  Matamata, Wellington, Nelson, Canterbury, Mackenzie Country, Southern Lakes, Fiordland, Hutt River, Harcourt Park, Kaitoke Regional Park, Queen Elizabeth Park near Paraparaumus and Waitarere Forest.

Going to weddings is old hat to Cathy, but usually it’s in New Zealand to marry off a daughter: Penelope to John Pint, originally from Minnesota; Rebecca, to Dion; and Amanda, to Jeff Shima.

It wasn’t that long ago that Cathy flew to Washington State with Rebecca and Dion’s daughter to visit Cathy’s sister, Janet Mullins, on Bainbridge Island in the state of Washington.

Cathy lives about an hour away from Wellington on the Kapiti Coast’s Te Horo Beach. She has taught snowboarding down New Zealand mountains, given journalism lectures in Japan, water-skiied, kayaked and flown to Boston to jump in a hot tub with friend Pam McCarthy, retired North Canton Hoover High teacher.

Cathy is a senior lecturer at Massey University's Wellington campus, setting up Massey’s multi-media master’s program.

If you want to visit or phone Cathy, her New Zealand office number is  021 2172112.

If you catch her at home, you’ll hear the ocean roar because she lives about an hour away from Wellington on the Kapiti Coast’s Te Horo Beach. 

New Zealand is midway between Australia and Fiji with the Tasman Sea to the west and the Pacific Ocean to the east. Mostly, if I remember my geography right.