We’re a long way down in the Waitomo Caves.Really I’d like to sound official, truly scholarly when I describe these magnificent caves. But I’d be faking it. I was too busy trying to keep my eyes in their sockets as I took in all the amazing sights to retain whatever our hard-working guide endeavored to teach us.
A mineral formation can be as delicate as a veil.Here we were in New Zeand, and everywhere we visited was utterly beautiful and entirely distinctive from the prior site. Auckland wasn’t at all like Rotorua, which resembled neither the Redwoods nor Huka Falls, and Craters of the Moon (nor places we’d visit later like Taupo and Pirongia and Hamilton Gardens) were like any of them. (Later in Australia’s Gold Coast, we visited familyand birds of Australia Part 1 of 2 plus Part 2 of 2, then we marveled at the Spectacular Views in and Around Gold Coast, enjoyed a delicious meal on the beach, saw some wild things and cute things at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, had fun with Rita Rigby, met the beasts of Brisbane and the beauty there, and enjoyed Sydney this much and that much, as well as the purring there!
And — New Zealand’s Waitomo Glowworms Caves were all their own too. We walked down, down, down, and then down, down, down some more while trying not to get bugs in our hair or smack our heads on nature’s sculptures along the way made of limestone and fossils.
This photo might look like nothing — but those pinpricks of light from glowworms! They exist in New Zealand! What you can’t see because without electric light its so dang dark down there, is that the GLOWWORMS give off spiderweb-like strings to ensnare their dinners.
The white dots in the immense darkness are glowworms.Looking for an adventurous new job? They’re always looking for explorers to map out new tunnels. These are just mannequins, but they give an idea of what’s required…
The explorers who map out the caves are quite heroic.Have you visited a limestone cave?
Happiness Between Tails by da-AL 
I wonder if those little luminous creatures speak with a New Zealand accent ( a little attempt at mirth). I have four brothers who in New Zealand and I also spent 7 years there as a child. One of the brothers had them in the back yard of his batch (summer cottage) but he has since sold the place, unfortunately. I remember on starry nights, you could look up and see all the stars shining brillianly overhead (including a visible spiral from the milky way scattered over the centre of the zodiac), and then I would look below to his garden path, and see a smaller collection of blinking little stars as we walked through. If you like nature and celestial poetry, amongst others various subjects, come visit my blog some time. Best regards.
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Thanks for sharing your lovely memory 🙂
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Indeed your site is lovely!
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Thanks for your like of my post, “Mr. Smith Goes To Washington;” you are very kind.
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We visited the cave in 2002. Quite the experience seeing the glow. Just don’t think about what is actually hanging above your heads. Yikes. Thanks for sharing. Allan
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Lolol very true, Allan!
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What a place to go on exploration. Fantastic daAl
Regards
Shiva
🌷🎶
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