Left Raglan after a quick shower, kinda negated by packing luggage on to the bus. It's been a full bus since Auckland, which means the compartment is jammed. If people don't make an effort to really stack the bags like a giant game of Tetris, bags have to go in the food locket, or on the bus. Of course, people aren't that bothered. But things get done quicker when you just help out, so I'm like a troll in the back hold.
Headed to Waitomo to do some caving. Lots of people just chilling, but others either tubing, or doing some more adventurous abseiling - like me! 'Haggas Honking Holes' is the name of the tour, and we're kitted out in wetsuits, jackets, white gumboots and helmets with a flashlight. Practise racking and unracking the ropes from our harnesses on a grassy slope, then descend to the cave entrance.
The first challenge is an abseil into a pitch black hole. Have to swing out into the dark and hang there before releasing the rack lock and dropping down. The two Kiwis (Richard and Katie) go first, disappearing over the edge. I'm next - can't see the bottom at all, even when suspended - the others' lights aren't even visible. I rappel quickly down, and discover at the bottom that the others have switched off the headlamps, to create an illusion of depth for those of us coming afterwards. After unclipping, I huddle in the corner and do likewise. The Canadians, Brian and Christie follow, and we move with Tony, along the underground stream. The next abseil is down a waterfall, and I go first. It's much shorter than the last one though, and I find myself almost horizontal in the pool of water at the bottom. I take some comfort in the fact that everyone else bar Katie makes the same mistake.
A few more waterfall abseils, some crawling through tiny ducts, and a blind descent - sliding down a tunnel, too narrow for abseiling. We spot a grey water spider, and Tony tells how it can run across the surface tension, and also hide underwater. He also gives us a lesson on glowworms - "cannibalistic maggots with shining shit". We climb our way out before we get too cold - quick shower, then dry in the sun. Excellent time!
Headed to Waitomo to do some caving. Lots of people just chilling, but others either tubing, or doing some more adventurous abseiling - like me! 'Haggas Honking Holes' is the name of the tour, and we're kitted out in wetsuits, jackets, white gumboots and helmets with a flashlight. Practise racking and unracking the ropes from our harnesses on a grassy slope, then descend to the cave entrance.
The first challenge is an abseil into a pitch black hole. Have to swing out into the dark and hang there before releasing the rack lock and dropping down. The two Kiwis (Richard and Katie) go first, disappearing over the edge. I'm next - can't see the bottom at all, even when suspended - the others' lights aren't even visible. I rappel quickly down, and discover at the bottom that the others have switched off the headlamps, to create an illusion of depth for those of us coming afterwards. After unclipping, I huddle in the corner and do likewise. The Canadians, Brian and Christie follow, and we move with Tony, along the underground stream. The next abseil is down a waterfall, and I go first. It's much shorter than the last one though, and I find myself almost horizontal in the pool of water at the bottom. I take some comfort in the fact that everyone else bar Katie makes the same mistake.
A few more waterfall abseils, some crawling through tiny ducts, and a blind descent - sliding down a tunnel, too narrow for abseiling. We spot a grey water spider, and Tony tells how it can run across the surface tension, and also hide underwater. He also gives us a lesson on glowworms - "cannibalistic maggots with shining shit". We climb our way out before we get too cold - quick shower, then dry in the sun. Excellent time!
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