What a difference it makes when you select the right tour! It was called the glow worm tour but it was much more. We loved Bay of Islands, New Zealand. The country was so beautiful and green! Our tour guide was so much fun and so very knowledgeable of his town and country.
We started our trip in Kiri Kiri at the Waitangi pier. Waitangi means crying water. Apparently there’s a lot of rain here and it shows. The green, green grass and the forest trees along with the beautiful lakes were worth seeing. Another reason for the beauty is that we are standing on volcanic rich soil from the volcanic fields on the island.
We stopped to view a beautiful little waterfall in the Waitangi River. It’s one of those that you can sit and just listen to the splashing of the water over the falls. The falls are called Haruru, meaning continuous noise or roar in the Māori language which is still spoken and taught here. The lagoon on the downstream side of the falls was New Zealand’s first river port, used by both the Maori people and early missionaries.
We drove by many farms and it really made me homesick for my childhood years. Our “farm” wasn’t anywhere near the size of these but as a child growing up, ours was huge.
Along our drive we saw many beautiful horses, sheep, goats, and so many different types of cattle that we lost count.
When we arrived at the Manginangina reserve we really didn’t know what to expect, however it was a beautiful walk through the amazing and huge trees. These Kauri trees were giants in this small forest. They are ecologically and spiritually significant to Māori, and kauri health is seen as a sign of the wellbeing of the forest and the people.
The trees grow naturally. At one time, the kauri forests covered more than a million hectares of Aotearoa, the Māori word for New Zealand. It was a short but beautiful walk through the forest. In some areas, prior to walking through the forest, you had to sanitize your shoes with their chemicals. It kept the transference of other types of bad algae, bugs, etc. that can easily get tracked in and will kill the trees as they are a protected species. We had a boardwalk to walk on so we didn’t have that issue.
The 2nd best part of the trip (the best part is coming later) was our stop at a boutique Chocolate Factory named Mariana Confections. We always seem to find sweets along our routes. We bought so much chocolate. When we walked in we could see them making these delicious treats through a window. There was so much butter in the bowls that my arteries did a flip! We had some great samples which of course enticed us to buy. And buy we did!
Next door we walked through a wood shop. It was cute and quaint. These were made from trees in New Zealand (not the protected ones). I picked up the cutest little wooden cat. I love it.
Now to our favorite stop. The Bakehouse. Oh my goodness. This place was the best! We had the most amazing pastry meat pies I’ve ever tasted. Mine was a cheeseburger pie. It had the meat, cheese, pickles and mustard all cooked inside the mouth watering pastry. It looked like a bowl with a lid on top. It was a huge meal. Chuck and I both had one and I had dessert but saved it for the evening treat. It was a coffee and walnut dessert bar. It was so delicious. We didn’t buy one of the famous Lolly cakes known to New Zealand but I did take a bite that was offered to me. It was very heavy and sweet with colored marshmallows. It was different. We also drank a can of therapeutic spring water which, mixed with lemon, is what is known as the drink Lemon & Paeroa (or L&P) “World Famous in New Zealand.” It was pretty good. Tasted like a sprite but not as sweet.
After lunch, most of the women and “older” folks need a bathroom break. What better place than to visit the most photographed toilets in the world. The Hundertwasser toilets were completed in 1999 and named after the architect and visual artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser who conceived the idea. It is one of the few public restrooms worldwide seen both as an international work of art and a tourist attraction in its own right. It’s one of those that you just have to be there. Hopefully the photos will help visualize it. It was pretty cool.
Now, our last stop for what the tour was called. The glow worms. A very interesting experience that I’ll try to visualize for you and put a few pictures here from the web. We were not allowed to take photos or videos because the cave is known as sacred land. Apparently some natives bones are buried here. The cave has no bats or animals of any kind except the glow worms and their food supply which is flies and bugs from the murky water below.
It is known for its population of Arachnocampa luminosa glow worm species found exclusively in New Zealand.
This cave, Raukuri is part of the waitomo streamway system that also includes the Lucky Strike, and Tumutumu Cave.
The stalactites, stalagmites and other cave formations grew from water dripping from the ceiling or flowing over the walls and leaving behind limestone deposits. The stalagmites form upward from the floor while the stalactites form down from the ceiling. When these formations connect they are called pillars or columns and if they twist around each other they are called helictite. We saw lots of these and if you weren’t careful you would get bonked in the head by one.
The worms hang from the ceiling of the cave and when you are in complete darkness, we turned off our flashlights, they glow like a milky way. It was an amazing sight to see.
The worms are actually larvae that hatch in the cave. They weave a cocoon and their body glows to attract prey. The gentle, ethereal glow acts like a beacon for smaller insects and flies. Lured by the light, these unsuspecting creatures get close enough for the glowworm to capture them in its sticky threads and then they get to enjoy a delicious meal!
It was an interesting day on our last stop on New Zealand. Our next stop in a couple of days is Sydney Australia. We are told by the captain our trip over will be rough. Still very thankful we have no issues with seasickness!
May God bless you always!
Chuck and Lea Ann
WorldTravelReynolds 