We were lucky to have done the Tongariro Alpine Crossing yesterday. Today we hear that the wind is doing about 110 kmph at the saddle and hence today's crossing has been canceled. We have a 2 and a half hour drive to the Waitomo Caves, but we got to see a doctor first to assess where we stand with the blister and our readiness for the Milford Track. We find a doctor at Taumarunui, who advises against doing the Milford Track and prescribes medication. After seeing the doctor, Rashmi decides to still do the Milford Track.
We get to the caves mid afternoon. We buy tickets to the Ruakuri Caves and the Glowworm caves. The original plan was to do the black water rafting here, but it was cold and there was no enthusiasm to jump into cold water.
We forgot to carry our camera to the Ruakuri caves. The limestone formation were equisite, there were beautiful formations like pleated curtains in one part of the caves, pretty. We were shown fossiled seas shells which had turned into stone and of course glow worms.
Glow worms are the larvae of some insect, which emit light to attract their prey. The caves are dark and humid and the glow worms look like stars ina clear night sky. In the main glow worm cave, photography is rohibited. Among the many thing here, there is a section called as the cathedral, where the acoustics is supposedly very good. Visitors are encouraged to sing to check out the acoustics.
We retired early, since we had a long journey the next day, first a 2.5 hours drive to Auckland, then a 1.5 hours flight to Queenstown and then a 2 hour bus ride to Te Anau and on Monday we would be starting the Milford Track.
No comments:
Post a Comment