Tube It

While in Waitomo you have to take a tour to explore the glow worm caves. You can take a leisurely walk, or a quiet boat ride......

 ......but instead we decided to Tube It!!

You get kitted up with a wet suit, helmet with head torch and a black inner tube ring.. They take you down into the cave and explain the Maori stories behind them, while swimming through the black waters. There were five of us in our group with our Maori guide Rodney.

While holding onto the feet of the person behind you, we were pulled by our guide through the black waters in complete darkness while looking up at the glow worms. It was really special, just like stars. But the whole time you can hear a waterfall in the background....

On reaching the waterfall you jump off backwards while sitting in your tube! I tipped too far and ended up with a mouthful, nosefull and facefull of water lol

You then have to pull yourself through the water using ropes attached to the walls of the caves. And the water was absolutely freezing I should add!

 And then the bit I was dreading, the steep slide into pitch blackness!!

But I did it!! Stuart enjoyed it a lot more than me, but it was a much more interesting way to see the glow worms.