http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Waitomo/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Oceania , New Zealand , North Island , Waitomo en-us Thu, 04 Dec 2008 23:02:30 UTC Thu, 04 Dec 2008 23:02:30 UTC Good morning allI think this is going to be a really long blog because not only has it been a while since I last updated but I have also done a lot in that time.So the morning after I last updated we headed on the Kiwi Experience to Rotorua. On the way we stopped for a walk in the rain. It was along a canyon over a dodgy bridge and back which was actually a lot of fun and had impressive scenary. R http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Waitomo/blog-272904.html Waitomo and the Caves Today we are travelling to Rotorua but first we have a stop of at Waitomo and the caves there famous for the glow worms. Before i get into that once again I was feeling like CRAP Definetly gone down a few notches since the previous day. I think it was here that i really started feeling really ill and had lots of discomfort under my arm. However like a brave soldier I http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Waitomo/blog-259096.html We left Raglan on Monday morning and before heading to the Bay of Islands North of Auckland we took a side trip to Waitomo. This area is renowned for its limestone caves and glow worms. Having seen plenty of glow worms and caves on the South Island I canrsquot say that we were all that psyched to see more but it was more or less on the way. On the way into town we happened upon the ldquoS http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Waitomo/blog-258842.html It's been a while since my last entry. The Kiwi Experience bus keeps me busy with activities every night it also keeps my credit cards busyMy last entry I stated I was heading into Taupo. Well I didn't do too much in Taupojust skydived 12000 feet out of an airplane over the largest lake in New Zealand Yeah I can't believe I did it either. It's just basically something you have to do when y http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Waitomo/blog-253318.html On Tuesday we headed to Waitomo from Roturua after an awesome couple of days Waitomo is a town of 30 people according to our driver guide... it basically has a hostel and a bar. It is also the home of the Waitomo Caves where you can go see glow worms and go blackwater rafting. I felt that I had spent my adventure budget for a couple days so I decided to just hang out at the hostel for the ev http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Waitomo/blog-237089.html Day 55 Slices of toast 14 Lumps of prime beef 10 Trimmed Angoran rabbits 2 Electric shocks 1It wasn't a great start to the day when I was woken up at six this morning as the two women I was sharing a dorm with got up to start to start their packing everyone knows that if you're leaving early you pack up all your stuff the night before especially if it's in plastic bags. Right. Having http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Waitomo/blog-229515.html So I was finally able to take me and my diseased leg out of Auckland and I couldnrsquot wait. Auckland wasnrsquot my kind of place I don't if this was due to having to stay there against my will due to the doctors in Auckland saying so they have too much power but it was all in all just a city with nothing major happening to make it a good city. So it was Monday start of a new week and I'm http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Waitomo/blog-226382.html The day began on a bus. We stopped the bus about 2 hours into the ride to see the location where lord of the rings was filmed. There we got a guided tour of the farm and the events that took place during the filming. Though I havenrsquot seen the movies it was still interesting to know that I was therehellip.maybe perhaps Irsquoll watch them now. After the movie set we ate lunch and quickl http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Waitomo/blog-219462.html If you are wondering about pictures. The site is finally back up and I will add pictures for these blogs in a couple days when we have more time. Sorry check back they are worth it. August 5 2007Last night as I was going through the books in the Hobbit hotel I read the guest book. Apparently there is a donkey and a pig that sleeps above the hobbit holes. Some people were also graced with the http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Waitomo/blog-189057.html May 19 left Auckland around lunch time after sleeping in. Had quiet lunch in a cosy little roadside place and drove towards Waitomo. Picked out a 1hour walk from the 202 day walks in New Zealand book and went on my way. Nice farmland walk up and down hills and through some forest with some great lookouts. Was supposed to end up at the Ruakuri caves however I had started out at the wrong pla http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Waitomo/blog-160545.html We had survived our first night in the Van otherwise known as ldquoDollyrdquo. The bed is quite comfortable and we have one good pillow but the other pillow I swear is plastic Itrsquos got a cover on it to stop you from peeing on it so itrsquos now referred to as the ldquoPiss Pillowrdquo We setoff early 8.30 and head south along the M1 before joining the M3. Our first stop was a http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Waitomo/blog-160305.html A split day. I went off caving doing two different activities in the morning and afternoon with a company called Waitomo Adventures. With 5 others we were minibused to TumuTumu cave. We donned our wetsuits and stylish white wellies and then after a short walk descended through a small entrance into the caves. The cave follows the course of a stream. At first it felt very claustrophobic. The cave http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Waitomo/blog-152432.html Taupo to WaitomonbspAustralasia raquonbspNew Zealand raquonbspNorth Island raquonbspWaitomo By jenronApril 18th 2007 Left Taupo and decided on a scenic route to Raglan via the Tongariro National Park. We headed down the desert road. The sky was lovely and clear with the snow capped volcanoes. We visited the site of the Tangiwai rail disaster where a lehar volcanic mud slide destroy http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Waitomo/blog-152428.html Today we went on a day trip to Waitomo caves. It was an early rise and longish 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 12 hours The caves were amazing. They are full of Glow http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Waitomo/blog-148388.html This morning we left Rotorua for a day trip to Waitomo. There is basically only the caves here to see so we decided not to stay here the night just go for the day to see the glowworm caves. The journey took about 2.5 hours. We arrived at about 11am and booked on a tour of the caves. I found my mind was wandering so i didn't pay full attention to our guide when he was telling us about the caves http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Waitomo/blog-148385.html Jaysus As everyone as now started saying Got up early again these early starts are starting to kill me.We stopped of at the Te Puia geothermal reserve. At first I thought bugger this I've already seen geysers in Bolivia but I went along anyway as the Bolivian ones were viewed in mainly the dark.At first we were going to follow a guide around but she wanted to go and show us the meeting ho http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Waitomo/blog-134152.html On the way to Waitomo home of interesting caves we stopped to see another hot water park and Maori cultural centre for a while which had a Geyser. A Canadian girl on the bus was confused as to why we were stopping at a park to see some old people geezers. It took every ounce of self restraint I had but she lives on.Also saw a kiwi bird there which was nice. they have long beaks are noctur http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Waitomo/blog-133254.html We bid adieu to Barbara and Steven our hospitable bed and breakfast hosts in Auckland and made our way down to the CBD central business district hoping to find a bookstore open on Waitangi day New Zealandrsquos July 4th. Unfortunately the stars had not aligned in our favor this morning as most Kiwisrsquos had favored a day of rest over hocking books to tourists. After some hemming and http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Waitomo/blog-128021.html Our first stop this morning was actually just outside of Rotorua at the Te Puia Geothermal Reserve. Here we were led by a Maori on a guided walk through the Reserve where learned a bit about all the thermal activiy around this area and we saw our first live Kiwis although they lived in a Kiwi bird house Since they are nocturnal birds and pretty close to be extinct our chances of ever seei http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Waitomo/blog-125811.html We arrived at lunch time and were amazed at the location of Waitomo. It is basically just caves in the middle of nowhere with a couple of cafe's hotels and activity company's that have presumably popped up as tourism to the area increased. It is a beautiful place with amazing views and is almost silent except from the birds and insects and the odd car traveling through. We had a quick lunch http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Waitomo/blog-124183.html So wow. I have to say New Zealand is amazing but damn does their internet suck. I can't get into anything here so I'm sorry but until I get to a better computer these are going to be super short entries and no pictures ... I really hope I can find something soon I left home on Monday and made it here on Wednesday the 16th didn't really happen for me.... We flew on New Zealand Air and w http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Waitomo/blog-120493.html We arrived in Otorohanga after a scenic drive through green hills and rocky landscape. We were however eluded by rock formations and waterfalls that were on the map but somehow Kendra's directions giving never got us to the right spots We stayed at our first hostel of the trip which turned out to be quite good we would recommend the Otokiwi Lodge if anyone is ever in the area. The Kiwi House wa http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Waitomo/blog-118051.html Fri 22 DecWent on the Black Abyss trip at Waitomo caves. Started off with a bit of abseilling with a 30m descent down thru a small gap into a labyrinth of caves and then onto a flying fox through a glowworm cave with lights out. Did a bit of blackwater rafting by launching ourselves off some rocks into some water about 15 ft down on a bit of tubing. Walked through the caves for a bit and then cli http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Waitomo/blog-114391.html So that afternoon... I had to go into the next town Otorunga or similar in order to get some cash out as there was no ATM in Waitomo. Mild panic when the ATM rejected bith my cards. Barb at the ANZ helped me get some cash out from my card though so I was saved Found a second hand store and bought some more novels as I've gone through the four that I bought with me Mike you are gonna love on http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Waitomo/blog-112288.html I got up far too early this morning and went for a walk where you could go through a few little natural caves next to a gushing river. Just gorgeous and green and the grey around me slowly lifted to a more daylight overcast grey I came back for some breakfast then off to Waitomo Cave Horse Treks which is right up in the hills about 1015 minutes up winding roads in beautiful countryside. I'd sp http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Waitomo/blog-112039.html Hi people Well i arrived in Auckland all jolly but my luggage did notit has been 2 days now and i'm starting to hum a biti've been told my bag could get here some time before christmas or if not before then they'll see if santa poos can drop it off on his round.Despite this setback i decided to make the best of it and to have a wander around Auckland and take some photosthese you can see in th http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Waitomo/blog-110279.html 251106After we had something to eat we went to a farm show called Billy Blacks. It started off with us learning something about how farmers had to clear the land in the old days without ladders for chopping trees down and how they moved them with just metal lifting boards and horses and carts. Uncle Andy was asked to go up on stage with another bloke and they had this big saw and had to try an http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Waitomo/blog-106344.html after the worst night of the trip we headed in to waitomo to see more bugs. glow worms in fact. well actually they should be called glowmaggots since they're the larval stage of the a type of fungus gnat.deja too the black water tour offered by our hosts the night before. basically they put you in a wetsuit and an inner tube then send you through the maze of rapids running through the variou http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Waitomo/blog-104757.html we left akaroa in the early am after hanging out with a couple of staffers the night before. i was hoping to trade in my book in the hostel library but someone had already taken the one i was eyeing.we had quite of bit of time to make our flight so deja spotted a little gallery on the highway on the way up. it's called the lavendale gallery and is run by the seo family. it's a beautiful proper http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Waitomo/blog-104756.html