The Glowworm Caves

December 20, 2014

We had breakfast in the apartment this morning, then packed up and headed down to Spellbound, the place we went for our glowworm cave tour.  It is interesting because Danika had the glowworm caves on her bucket list before we ever knew we were going to New Zealand.  It is so nice that she is able to check this off her list.

We were there 15 minutes early, so we had a chance to look around the general store where I found a postcard of the caves that I really liked.  Here is the postcard...

We sat out in front of the General Store while we waited for our shuttle to leave. This is the extent of the town of Waitomo.  The meaning of Waitomo is "water hole".

We got on a bus with 8 other people so that the total was 12.  Our guide was Norm and he was probably in his mid fifties.  He had been caving since he was a boy and he was so knowledgeable. He was telling us all sorts of things about the area as we went on our 29 minute drive to the caves.  

One of the stories he told us is that as kids, they would get really dirty caving.  Instead of showering or bathing when they got home, they would go swimming through a local underground cave with a river running through it in  their clothes.  They would jump off rocks, go through river and waterfalls and all sorts.  By the time they were done, they were clean.  Thus they named that run through the caves the Laundry Run.

Once we got close to the caves, he let us out of the van early so that we could walk down the rest of the way and enjoy the surroundings.

We met him at the bottom where he had assembled all of our helmets.  We took a few pictures before going into the cave.

The first part of the hike in, he talked about stalactites, stalagmites, and flowstone.  He also showed us how the glowworms, which are really maggots, drop these lines down to catch their food.  They glisten in the headlights of our helmets and you can see them hanging down from the ceiling.

At one point, only 20 meters in to the cave, he had us all turn off our headlamps.  It was so dark that we could not see anything, including our hands right in front of our faces.  It was really strange on the way out when we stopped in the exact same spot and could see glowworms because our eyes had adjusted so much while we were down there. Our camera barely caught some of the glowworms.

 

Spellbound, pur tour company was really terrific.  They sent these pictures for us so that we would be able to have pictures from inside the caves.  This is their picture of the hanging webs.

Once you hike down into the cave, you get on a raft so that you can float beneath the glowworm stars. When we came to the spot where we got on the raft, we sat four across for three rows and then our guide was behind.

This is one of the pictures they sent...

Norm said no photos and no talking for this part of it.  Then he took us down this long and narrow cave with a low ceiling that was filled with glowworms.  It was simply magical!  There is really no way to describe it, and pictures just don't do it justice.  As one lady put it, "I am glad we cannot take pictures because that way we have to commit it to memory, and that makes it all the more beautiful."

We spent quite a bit of time in this cave while Norm guided the boat slowly and turned it so that everyone on the boat could see both sides.  The reflection of the worms in the water was magnificent.  There were even low hanging caves that you could bend down and look into and see all of the glowworms inside. This next picture they sent us is really what it is like when you are down in the raft. It felt so magical!

After we had been in there for a while, Norm asked us to stop focusing on the lights and instead focus on the darkness.  He said if we did this, we would be able to see the contour of the cave.  It was really interesting to do this and see the change in perspective.  You really started noticing the shape of the cave.  I was so happy that he asked us to do this because I feel like it added a whole new dimension to the experience.

Here is the close-up they sent of the hanging webs...

And another one that they sent of the ceiling...

We spent a long time down in the cave.  We were not rushed at all, it was really nice to be able to take our time.  After about 45 minutes on the raft, we headed back out.

After we came out of this cave, we stopped for hot chocolate, tea, coffee, and biscuits.  It was such a lovely day, and this felt so English to me.  We really enjoyed the little break.  However, this is when my eyes started itching and I started to sneeze.  I was definitely allergic to something, but my allergy pills were back at the car!  Bummer...

The views for our break were gorgeous, so I really couldn't complain.

So, sneezes and all, we set off for the second cave.  It suddenly got much cooler, and I was so happy because it calmed my allergies a bit.  This cave we walked through without helmets, and it was lit throughout.  We saw the skeletons of a goat, a moa (which is an ostrich type bird), and a cow that had most likely fallen through a hole in the ceiling.  He said the farmers hated the caves because they lost animals there.

This cave was not so much a glowworm cave,  but a nice hike through different types of formations.  There were several holes in the ceilings that let shafts of light through as well.

These are the bones of a moa that died in the cave.

Then it was time to hike out and be on our way...

Back at the van we hopped in for the 20 minute ride back.  By the time we got back, my allergies were so bad that I headed straight to the restroom to wash my face to see if I could get some of the pollen off.  Then David went to the car and got my allergy pills and I took one.  It really helped with the itching, but not with the swelling.  My left eye had swollen almost entirely shut.  I look so scary!

We decided to make sandwiches and sit and have lunch sitting on a bench with a nice view.  We have thought about going out to lunch several times, but each time we look at prices. An INEXPENSIVE lunch here is $20 per person, so we decide it is much better to buy fresh bread and cheese and ham and peanut butter and jelly.  It tastes fabulous, we always find a beautiful location to eat, and it is a fraction of the cost!

After lunch, we had a 2 1/2 hour drive to Ohakune where we are staying tonight.  The drive is gorgeous and I can't help but take pictures.  Ohakune is pretty much half way between Waitomo (glowworm caves) and Wellington (the capital of New Zealand and the very bottom of the north island).

It is nice here in Ohakune even though it is raining. We have a two bedroom place, and there are laundry facilities, so we can get some laundry done.  That is always a good thing when traveling as a family!  There is also a trampoline which is giving Jason some much needed exercise!

We walked to a little takeout Indian food restaurant for dinner.  $72 (New Zealand, about $58 U.S.) for 3 curries, naans, rice, raita and a basket of onion bhajis for appetizers.  The curries were excellent and we are all stuffed!  Time for shower and bed!