Feb 10: Glowworms

aliceesor

Feb 9, 2024: Papamoa Beach (near Tauranga) -> Taupo

Today was moving day! We beetled off, and while the others stopped for ice cream, F, mum and I took a brief visit to nearby Kiwi house. Kiwis are nocturnal, so it’s only possible to see them at night, or at enclosures where they mimic night with “moonlighting,” like this place. We let our eyes adjust and watched the Kiwis eating and walking around. They are about the size of a chicken, but with wimpy chests and super strong legs and beak.

We also saw Tuatara, which turned out not to be the size of a small dolphin, but rather the size of a zucchini (and not much more mobile, but definitely grow less quickly!)  They are endemic here and haven’t evolved much since the Jurrasic era. They breathe every 30 seconds or so, only finish growing when they’re around 35, so my sloth mascot has competition!

They are NOT lizards, so don’t use the L-word.

Today’s main excitement was visiting the Waitomo Glowworm Caves.

What makes the glow is not actually worms. It’s the larvae of fungus gnats, and their bioluminescence lights up the limestone caves with an eerie blue light.
John, Jessi, Flis, and I took the “black water rafting” version, which involved no rafts at all. 
We used wetsuits, rubber boots, helmets with headlamps, and small inner tubes, though not in the tight spaces!

We jumped off waterfalls (backwards!) into our inner tubes.  And two gals from Auz out-sung us (in lyric completeness, if not quality :P).

We crawled through narrow crevices, which John described as a rebirthing experience.
We were able to navigate our way out of the near darkness using only the glowy goo light.
We’re overnighting in Taupo, where the parents made us a lovely sendoff dinner in order to be ready to start the Tongariro Northern Circuit tomorrow.

Alice

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