Bruises ahoy

I wondered why Martyn was looking pale when he returned from the bathroom this morning. Maybe travellers tummy had struck. He was fine apart from a bit of mental trauma. apparently somebody in the gents was using a cubicle for the thing gents do in the cubicle. I didn't quite see the problem until Martyn informed me that the door to the cubicle was wide open. I didnt want to know anymore. Martyn did mention something about it being nice that the guy felt so at home in a campsite. I told him there is no way on earth he is ever feeling that at home even when we're at home.

So working on the theory that the day could only get better we set off - after telling a nice Swiss / German couple how to switch off the battery charger in their campervan so they could get some sleep.

We had determined to avoid all things Hobbity whilst out here but inadvertently we ended up driving past Weathertop (well the limestone rock formation where that bit was filmed anyway).

On to Nikau caves we went and as luck would have it we arrived just in time for the 10am tour which was us and an older couple. After a bit of negotiation it turned out they wanted to just go in and see the big bit of the cave so we ended up with just the two of us and the Swiss/German lady from previous campervan conversation as they had caught us up.

Having been caving once or twice before we thought to ask exactly what was involved. We were told definitely no squeezes and a 10m crawl on hands and knees which Martyn said was fine (he has ultimate veto on all subterranean activities as they are not really his thing). There was a stream involved as well. Judging from Swiss/German lady's attempts to hold up her 3/4 length trousers as we paddled into the stream she had not asked / been told what she was getting in to!

We must also remember to do a size comparison of Martyn and whoever we are asking about what is involved in a caving trip. with hindsight the bloke we asked was quite a lot smaller than Martyn so it probably wasn't a squeeze for him.

Suffice it to say it was a bit of a wiggle but we popped out the other end very soggy and a bit muddy having got up close and personal with glow worms (which just look like someone sneezed on the cave wall until you change the angle of your torch and see their little hanging sticky threads that look like pearl necklaces and then you turn your torch off and a delicate green milky way of shiny glow worm bottoms appears above your head)

Did you know the glow worm is the larva and it only eats about 4 times in 9 months before it pupates to form a bug with no mouth that then mates, lays 120 eggs and then gets stuck in the hanging mucus pearly drop wires of a larva which pulls it up and eats it.

The pretty little glow bugs don't seem so nice now do they?! But hey - Sabine, we've never seen so many bugs with torches in their butts! :)

Next stop Otorohanga Kiwi House just in case we don't see them in the wild. Think Beale Park but with native NZ birds and a nocturnal house so you are guaranteed to see Kiwi. They're bigger than I thought. also saw lots of other native birds.

After that we headed down to Waitomo for a slightly tackier glow worm experience but loads more
Glow worms on a leisurely boat trip through Waitomo cave so a bit more Martyns thing.

And then I glanced down at my knees. No knee pads on morning cave trip. bruises coming up nicely now.
Fortunately I have green shorts and blue shorts to choose from so I shall be able to coordinate my outfit with the shade of my bruises.

And there is a whole new me appearing from out beneath my peeling shoulders and back.

Peeling, bruises, mozzy bites, sea blown wind swept hair - gosh I'm looking great at the moment! Time limit allowed by campsite in shower tomorrow is 10 mins - luxury, last two nights were 5 and 7 but then not sure I'll bother as tomorrow morning I'm going to launch myself through a cave on an inner tube - woo hoo!!!!! (and Martyn is going to sit outside and read his book thankyou very much)