Auckland to Rotorua

07 Auckland to Rotorua (Sun. Feb. 8)

Today we left Auckland after breakfast at around 7:30 AM. Our travels today followed the main road on North Island bringing us through the city of Hamilton. After passing Hamilton we got off the main road and headed towards Waitomo Caves. The country side since leaving Auckland is mostly country farm lands with rolling hills, English hedges, and small forest tracts. We pass by many milk cow farms. Also, many homes and farms along our route have horses, some even have jumps set up and on one track of land there were many jumps set up for what seemed as cross country training. Some of the jumps were on hills, some on flat lands, others seem to mimic short hedges. All along our route today we have seen horses, cows (many), mules, a Shetland pony, sheep, deer, a few alpaca, and even several red deer (on farms). The main crop we have seen here is corn, corn and more corn for the animals.

We made our way to Waitomo Caves. To enter the caves, we only had to go through a door and there we were. Our guide said we were not to take pictures in the cave. I said okay (hope some of my pictures came out okay - is what I meant). Our guide brought us down a number of steps past formations and finally to the floor of the cavern. The cavern ceiling at the center must be over 150 feet high. Here there were still many stalagmites and stalactites and water dripping from the ceiling and cones. The guide said it is believed that if you are hit by falling water it is lucky; well I must be a very lucky person because it felt like it was raining on me. We were brought to a section where there was water and it is here that we started to see the glow worms. At one place, when they turned some back lighting on, you could see the strings the worms let down to catch dinner. Not as much color as other caves we have been in more of a white/cream color and not as damp.

After viewing this cavern, we made our way to the underground water river where we got into a boat. Mind you it is very dark and the only light to see while we get in the boat is by a flashlight. Once everyone is in and sitting, the flashlights go out. It is amazing how much you can see by flashlight. When they go out it is very dark, but our eyes have adjusted well enough to just make out shapes (by the glow of the glow worms maybe). Our boat guide is standing in the bow of the boat and is using ropes, which are fastened to the walls, to maneuver the boat around. He guides the boat using the ropes and going hand over hand to bring us around the cavern. There are so many glow worms on the ceiling it looks like you are looking up at the stars in the sky at night. It looks like the milky way running down the middle of the cavern and other stars shining to the sides of that. Very impressive.

We were literally going around in circles in this section of the cavern looking at the glow worms, until I figured out that we were waiting for the other boat that left before us to come back. Finally the boat before us returns empty and we make our way out of the caverns going out a water cave. We go through a section where the cavern ceiling is low, the guide has to duck, and then we are at a section that looks like a lava tube or tunnel and the exit to the outside is just up ahead. The guide indicates that if we want we can now take pictures.

We left the Waitomo Caves and head for Rotorua (which means second lake). On our way we go by the area where the Shire and Hobbiton film location were located. Of course we are about 10 miles away from the site (see picture). Oh well. I still have pictures of the area around it. The town where the Shire film locations was is called Matamata and the town erected a sign which reads "Hobbiton". I guess they are taking tourism to the next level. You can go to the area which is a large dairy farm and they have opened that section up for tourist at $50.00 a person and there is not much there but they are starting to recreate the location. The tour guide said she was really surprised how many tourist go there.

We continued on to Rotorua and made a stop at Te Puia which has hot springs and mud pots. Because of time constraints, we only saw two geysers, but one was shooting up about 100 feet and the other about 80 feet. The mud pots were at least active. One of the "pots" you could see the mud start to dome up before the air bubble would burst through and spit mud up. It was neat to try to catch the mud eruption on film at just the right moment. Of course I shake to much now days to get any pictures with good focus to them, but hopefully Carmen or I got something decent.

From there we went to the hotel to freshen up before going to the Mari Cultural Center. Now as we were told, we the tourists, act out the coming of a tribe to the tribe that lives here. Someone has to be our chief. Guess who got volunteered? If you thought it was me, you are right. I had to stand in front of the warriors, while they made faces, stuck out their tongues, and acted aggressive. I am to stand there, not smiling, and when the last warrior places a stick or leaf down, I am to go pick it up and walk backwards to where I started. (If I kick it, step on it or any other type of action other than pick it up, that means that we do not come for peace.) It was pretty interesting. Some of the "stick" work came pretty close to my nose, but I did not flinch.

After our dinner, we returned to the hotel where I am now writing this blog entry. By the way the hotel does not have wifi so I may not get to post the blog until later.

As usual Bob has not mentioned how hot, hot is was today.

Until later.