Waitomo Caves

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Today we went on a day trip to Waitomo caves. It was an early rise and long-ish journey, but still well worth it. Unfortunately due to the coach time we only got an hour in Waitomo, so we had to do the shortest tour available (45 minutes). I really fancied a tour where you got to slide down a slope and jump of a waterfall, but that took 2 1/2 hours

The caves were amazing. They are full of Glow Worms, which when in the dark do just that. The tour guide took us down into the caves and explained about them, the caves and then boarded us onto a boat. He took us into what would have been a pitch black cave if it wasn't for the thousands of glow worms above us.....amazing. Unfortunately no pictures were allowed, so I just had to do with postcards.

Apparently they glow when they are hungry and use their glow to attract insects and use slimy chain like secretions to catch them for food. There life is pretty pointless really. Once they hatch and become flys they cannot eat and there only aim is to reproduce. So basically they reproduce, lay their eggs and then either starve to death or get caught in their own species web and eaten. What a great life!!

Then we took the coach back to Rotorua. Think we are either going to a Maori night or a polynesian spa tonight. Should be fun.

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Photos

CAVES
People coming out of the caves after us