Day 2: This morning we were ready for the guided glowworm expedition at the Waitomo Caves . Mom and I went to sign up for the earliest possible tour so we could be on our way to Rotorua later that afternoon. Our tour guide was a young girl who had been christened Savitri by her Indian holy guru. She was as carefree and charming as a hippie. At the entrance to the caves, we donned our protective hard hats fitted with lights. This was the closest thing to adventure my mom had done in years. She was nervous but a great sport nevertheless.
The caves are dark and damp but Savitri did not switch on her flashlight immediately. She wanted us all to hold hands and feel our way through the pitch black of the cave. And then, as our eyes got accustomed to the dark, we saw them. Glowworms, one, two, then thousands started to appear on the roof of the cave. We were blown away.
Glowworms are the larval stage in the life of an insect called the fungus gnat. Although they are most spectacular in caves, they can be found wherever conditions are damp, food is plenty, and there is an overhanging wall. The scientific name of the New Zealand species is Arachnocampa Luminosa which is one of many creatures that produces natural light called bioluminescence. The light is the result of a chemical reaction that involves several components combining to emit a blue-green light. The light is used to attract food or insects brought into the cave through the rivers. And do you know that the light of a hungry glowworm shines a little brighter?
Mesmerized by the glow, we hardly realized that we had reached a river inside the cave. A boat was waiting to take us on the most spectacular part of this tour. We hopped on in the dark as Savitri expertly took to the oars. As we glided into the glowworm grotto, we were simply wonderstruck. Millions of glowworms twinkled like stars on a clear black night, only closer. We just gaped at our magical sky and made a million wishes. Our tour ended with a visit to another cave rich in stalagmites and other fancy cave formations. Then it was time for 'cuppa and bikkies'. Our outdoor tea party was complete with hot chocolate, tea, and cookies.
It was a gorgeous afternoon, as we set off for Rotorua. Woolly joined us from Waitomo for the rest of our trip. We drove through the forested Mamaku ranges and the meandering highways to reach the shores of Lake Rotorua by early evening. Rotorua is a much more bustling town compared to Waitomo and the hub of Maori cultural activities. The large information center was teeming with tourists. They promptly helped us locate a hostel and also booked us on a Hangi dinner feast that night.
We barely had time to navigate to the hostel, check in, and dump our bags. The bus was already here to escort us to the Hangi feast. After mingling and cocktails at the reception hall, we were shown into the open air auditorium-like setting where the Maori tribes showcased traditional dances. It completely reminded us of a Hawaiian Luau, except that the Maori dancing is way more aggressive than the Hula. They're both equally touristy and yet a must-do. Then the pork and vegetables were unearthed from their natural earth oven pit and dinner was served. The Hangi food is cooked for hours in a pit held with wire baskets and heated stones, producing rich, succulent flavors. The meal was delicious, even for a vegetarian.
The caves are dark and damp but Savitri did not switch on her flashlight immediately. She wanted us all to hold hands and feel our way through the pitch black of the cave. And then, as our eyes got accustomed to the dark, we saw them. Glowworms, one, two, then thousands started to appear on the roof of the cave. We were blown away.
Glowworms are the larval stage in the life of an insect called the fungus gnat. Although they are most spectacular in caves, they can be found wherever conditions are damp, food is plenty, and there is an overhanging wall. The scientific name of the New Zealand species is Arachnocampa Luminosa which is one of many creatures that produces natural light called bioluminescence. The light is the result of a chemical reaction that involves several components combining to emit a blue-green light. The light is used to attract food or insects brought into the cave through the rivers. And do you know that the light of a hungry glowworm shines a little brighter?
Mesmerized by the glow, we hardly realized that we had reached a river inside the cave. A boat was waiting to take us on the most spectacular part of this tour. We hopped on in the dark as Savitri expertly took to the oars. As we glided into the glowworm grotto, we were simply wonderstruck. Millions of glowworms twinkled like stars on a clear black night, only closer. We just gaped at our magical sky and made a million wishes. Our tour ended with a visit to another cave rich in stalagmites and other fancy cave formations. Then it was time for 'cuppa and bikkies'. Our outdoor tea party was complete with hot chocolate, tea, and cookies.
It was a gorgeous afternoon, as we set off for Rotorua. Woolly joined us from Waitomo for the rest of our trip. We drove through the forested Mamaku ranges and the meandering highways to reach the shores of Lake Rotorua by early evening. Rotorua is a much more bustling town compared to Waitomo and the hub of Maori cultural activities. The large information center was teeming with tourists. They promptly helped us locate a hostel and also booked us on a Hangi dinner feast that night.
We barely had time to navigate to the hostel, check in, and dump our bags. The bus was already here to escort us to the Hangi feast. After mingling and cocktails at the reception hall, we were shown into the open air auditorium-like setting where the Maori tribes showcased traditional dances. It completely reminded us of a Hawaiian Luau, except that the Maori dancing is way more aggressive than the Hula. They're both equally touristy and yet a must-do. Then the pork and vegetables were unearthed from their natural earth oven pit and dinner was served. The Hangi food is cooked for hours in a pit held with wire baskets and heated stones, producing rich, succulent flavors. The meal was delicious, even for a vegetarian. 
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