Waitomo Caves

   We've left Auckland for good and are heading down to Wellington with some stops along the way of course. We've been in Waitomo, which is famous for its caves and gloworms, since yesterday afternoon. We went on a forest walk in the evening and got to see the gloworms light up the forest canopy. The worms are actually larvae of flies which have incandesant poop that they use to attract bugs who get tangelled up in webs they hang from the cave walls.

   Today we got all suited up to go blackwater rafting in the caves. The first thing we had to do is rappelle 110 ft. into a tiny hole in the rocks and from there a zip line took us to where the underground river was. Then a big jump into the freezing water with an inner tube and we were off!

The rafting is more like drifting seeing as the current isn't very strong. But the views of the gloworms on the roof of the cave were amazing, it was like looking up at the night sky. Once we ditched the tubes we where stuck walking through the water, sometimes up to our armpits, and crawling through passages in the rocks. The final event was climbing up two waterfalls before breaking into the light and coming to a calm pool of water in the middle of the forest.

   This trip is opening up so many amazing opportunities and I'm feeling more adventurous than I ever have. I may have caught the travel bug!

Giraffes!

The work this week has been pretty brutal mainly because of the unpredictable weather out here. Its been raining one day then hot and humid and today was even a mix of both. Despite the rain in the afternoon we still managed to make it to the Hamilton Zoo for a look around. We were definitely in the right place at the right time because it was feeding time for the giraffes! One of the zookeepers took us up to a platform and gave us a handfull of carrots to feed to them. They are absolutely massive animals but really gentle at the same time. It made my day despite the bad weather!And with only a half day of work left I can't wait to finish and then start the adventure part of the tour! On Sunday we'll be heading to Waitomo to see glow worms and to go blackwater rafting!

Night on the Town

We headed back into Auckland this weekend and got to see a lot more of the city, including the nightlife. On Friday we all me up at a pub down the street from the volunteer house. After a couple of drinks a few of us wandered off and found a cute little lounge called the Corner Store. The bartender was hillarious so we stuck around for some laughs before heading back home.

On Saturday Tara and Brittany, the other two girls from North America in the group, and I finally got our chance to get out on our own and explore. After much deliberation we decided the beach was a must, the closest one to the city was in Mission Bay. The fifteen minute bus ride took us to a beautiful street with an array of restraunts on one side and  the white sands of the beach on the other. We had lunch in the sun on the balcony of one of the restraunts before heading down to the waterfront. Laying out for only about an hour and a half and I of course came back with a huge sunburn, even after applying the SPF multiple times. There was still some time to kill when we left the beach so we walked further down the road and found Kelly Tarltons Underwater Experience. I finally got to see live pengiuns! Along with giant manta rays and sharks it was a lot of fun.

The evening started off at a backpackers bar, which was a little grungy but the drinks where nice and cheap. And then we headed down to an area called the waterfront which was a little marina area surrounded by a ton of different clubs and bars. With no cover to pay we hopped from place to place and danced the night away. It was so much fun an a lot different than the nightlife back home!

Sunday we went to the Auckland Museum. The entire first floor is dedicated to the history of the Maori people of New Zealand. Its really interesting to get a background of the culture before we get to experience a traditional Maori feast as part of our tour. The day ended on a delicious note with an ice cream cone from Moovenpick. I would call the weekend a success :).

The Waikato

Sunday- Mount Eden is an extinct volcano in the middle of Auckland, one of sixty that the city is built on. The hike up is gorgeous, with lots of lush gardens and trees that I've never seen before, including a silver fern which has an irridescant underbelly that can be seen in the dark. When you reach the top you are looking into a massive crater which formed when the volcano errupted many years ago. Someone had run down into it and begun to spell something with leftover volcanic rocks. The view from the top is amazing, the sun was just setting and we where able to watch the street lights and the city come alive at night.

From Auckland we travelled to the Waikato district to see our B&B and where we would be working for our conservation project. At the Forty Winks Bed and Breakfast we where met by the cutest 93 year old lady named Edith. After settling in, or letting my pack eplode in my case, we headed out to the peat lakes which are set in the middle of rolling farmland. For the next two weeks we are going to be '"freeing" the native plants from weed overgrowth, and chopping down massive prickley gore plants. We're also doing some work in Yarndley Bush, which is a nature reserve, and the Otorohanga Kiwi house, which houses two of the endangered birds and has a breeding program for many other at risk species.

So much interesting work to do and then the adventure tour starts, I may have to try bungee jumping while I'm down here!

Auckland!

I made it! Even after a 4 hour delay getting into the LA airport becuase of fog still managed to make the connection it Auckland. The hostel is smelly but I suppose they're all that way other than that I'm safe and sound. Missing you already Winnipeg, well not so much the snow, but everything else :).

La Mar

This day is getting older,
in fading light its beautiful.
This wind is blowing colder,
and too soon I feel it's pull.

Still, I took all my chances,
Earned myself an even score.
Try to learn my lessons well.
And I don't have the answers,
for those questions anymore.
Only love can be both heaven and hell.

So sturdy up, sturdy up your heart,
for the road is long ahead.
I'll be with you even though we're apart,
but your road is yours to tread.
And so it goes, and so it goes,
and so it goes, slows your mind mind mind...

-The Beautiful Girls