Cave, glow worms and tin dogs

Day 14 NZ Sun April 17

Phone went at 5.30am, only once as if it realised it had made a mistake mid ring…it had. The real wake up call came at 6.15 by which time I was showered and dressed.

We’re on the road to Auckland passing grassy mounds that once were piles of volcanic material bursting through the surface of the earth millions or at least thousands of years ago. They are called fumeroles. I’m losing count of all the strange happenings that have formed New Zealand. 

Power poles fly by with silver bands near the top to stop the opossums.

‘Why not let them fry?’ we ask.

‘Because they disrupt the services, and people complain.’

Pass a castle, not mediaeval but has a  moat, and houses dolls, called Pam’s Castle. We didn't stop.

A corrugated iron sheep and dog stand on the side of the road created by Osama Tin Laden (according to our driver)  Apparently the tinsmith has brought the town of Tirau from the brink of extinction with his tin art. The dog is an information centre and the sheep sells guess what? No prize for the one who said woollen products.

Is it a dog or a sheep?

We are in the most fertile part of the country, the Waikato district, with the most productive dairy farming in New Zealand. Although, according to our driver the Canterbury farmers are catching up fast. These are cows that graze freely outside (as opposed to standing around in a shed) about 1.3 – 1.5 cows per acre, probably what makes the milk, butter  and ice cream so yummy.

Free ranging cows.

Photo op at Lake Karapiro formed by a dam.

Lake Karapiro

 

The country we are travelling through (Cambridge and Matamata) reminds me of England with its hedgerows, and rolling green hills dotted with cows and horses. Strangely enough olives grow well here, there are 25 – 30 olive groves.

 

We stop at Waitomo to explore the caves and see the glow worms. First we walk through one part of the caves to a largish open area. Our guide asks if we have any singers. 'No' we say but, collectivley we sing Happy Birthday to Edna. She is 91 today, and more spry than many of our party. A woman in the group behind us sings ‘Amazing Grace.’ It is eerily beautiful, echoing in the cavern. 

We stumble into a boat, for once keeping quiet as requested and float through the dark. A cluster of glow worms on the roof look like a stained glass window in a cathedral. Again...eerie. Then to the ridiculous...Marie our group leader has us wearing shower caps filched from our hotel rooms. Some go overboard (not literally) with the decorations.

Shower cap parade. 

Later we come across Ed Hillary’s Walkway in a little town called Otorohanga, with panels of memorabilia about New Zealand. Very small exhibition but effective.

NZ hero.  

Made it to Auckland in the evening. I discovered the Jade ring I bought at Waitomo Caves has a largish crack in the gold surrounds so am po’d about that. Hotel guests get 3 hours free internet unless they are part of a group. We get only 15 minutes.  So am po’d about that too! Never mind the food was marvellous.