Trip to Waitomo Glow Worm Caves

Black Water Rafting in the Caves



Our Camper Van for the weekend


I can’t believe I have completed my first week of student teaching. It was quite an interesting week and I loved seeing all the different techniques used in NZ. We ended the week with a fun outing. All of the teachers and even the principal drove to downtown Howick to a local restaurant. It was nice socializing with the teachers in a different environment.

On Saturday, Karyn and I woke up early and went on a 6 mile run around the village. We then came home and packed for our fun weekend trip to Waitomo GlowWorm Caves. We took a motor home on a 2 and ½ hour trip south of Auckland. Grant is the CEO of Tourism Holdings Limited (THL) and had to speak at a special ceremony on Sunday on behalf of his organization. Therefore, we all packed into a motor home and took a road trip to Waitomo Caves.

It was very interesting to find that the further south you travel in NZ the colder it gets. I feel like everything I know has been turned upside down. Everything from driving on the left side of the road instead of the right, measuring with kilometers instead of miles, Celsius instead of Fahrenheit, water draining down the sink/toilet, and the light switches are all turned around in NZ. I feel like I live in an upside down world!

Saturday afternoon I went Black Water Rafting in Ruakuri Cave. We sat in a tube and went on a 3-hour tour of the cave. We had to jump off waterfalls, climb through the cave and even find our way out in the dark. After the adventure in the Cave, we then went to a local pub where we met up with a lot of Grant’s coworkers and had a nice dinner.

Sunday morning I attended Karakia (Blessing and Dedication of the Waitomo Glowworm Caves Visitor Center). It was a very special experience for the Ngati Mamiapoti Tribe because it was the re-opening of their special building over 400 people attended. The original building burned to the ground December of 2005. I am so honored that Grant allowed me to have the opportunity to experience this special ceremony and I will cherish it forever. THL rebuilt the Visitor Center and will manage the building until 2027 and then they will turn it over to the Ngati Mamiapoti Tribe.

Overall, I had a great weekend trip with my NZ Family! Next weekend I get the chance to travel with my supervising teacher to another part of NZ.

Food of the Day: The Peanut Slab-Whittaker’s Chocolate (Daddy you would love this!!!)