Waitomo - Taupo - and Napier

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So very long since we had access to the net it's a little difficult to remember what we need to tell you about.

Let me think, ah yes the famous Shirley tours trip to Waitomo.
Shirley let me down here by traveling us for bloody miles in one direction only to have to return the same route later in the day to travel back to Taupo. We set off from Rotarua and took a two hour journey across the most beautiful countryside to the waitomo caves. These are set into a rather sheer cliff face made up of limestone. We visited two seperate cave complexes. The first had the most wonderful stalagmites and stalagtite formations and the caves extended some 600m meters below ground, all of which was a controlled walkway so no real difficulties. Now the second one was a little different in that it had a massive cavern and the second half of the visit was in a boat where you traveled along an underground stream. On this journey was in total silence and darkness to enable you to view the multitude of gloworms that lived in the ceiling of the cave. Really quite spectacular.
This of course was followed by the same journey that we had made at the start of the day back to Lake Taupo. Overall a long journey, but worth it. (just)

We spent the next day at Lake Taupo and enjoyed the tranquil setting and spectacular views across the massive lake. To get it into perspective the travel books equate the lake size to that of Singapore island. Not much help if you do not know Singapore but big never the less.

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Photos

Bugs in the Caves
Took this one of the bugs in the cave for you Julie

Comments

[kieron]

not impressed
don't know about julie but i am not impressed with the bugs either!!!!!!!!!!

[Edith and Lyn]

Looks like you are having a wonderful time.Edith wants one of those bugs, but only if it has blue eyes. No worries about Ediths birthday ,we understand that you were otherwise engaged. We will be watching you for the next week or so, so continue to update regularly. us two bisous