Feb 5th
Made our way to Waitomo first thing this morning and just outside booked an adventure for this afternoon, then got plotted up at the campsite kitchen cause I got a signal on the computer. It is really a nice campsite with a swimming pool and hot tub and everything. We started our tour at 3pm and after we were all kitted up and had walked to the cave site, we abseiled down into a huge hole, it was quite scary. It was 27m to the bottom and was great when you got started but taking that first step over the edge and just dangling by a bit of string was the hardest part. We then took a walk along one cave and you had to keep walking through water and the water had quite big eels in it. Jim was touching the eels and they were horribly friendly kept coming round you, well I hate anything like snakes so I was not that impressed with that but jim loved Cause we were walking in the dark, after our little play with the cave eels, it was quite scary not knowing where they were but the glowworms sort of took your mind off them as the glowworms were sooo pretty and there were soooo many of them. We stood in the dark just watching they were awesome. Then when we turned the lights on our hats on and actually saw them it was even more of an experience. The look like maggots with glowing bums and they put down all this thread to catch their meals on, very clever and quite beautiful to see/ we then got on huge innertubes and floated along looking up at the glowworms (am glad I had wetsuit on to stop them eels coming too close). It really was lovely and I didn’t worry about the eel at the time, just since!!!! The guide kept making loud noises and trying to scare people but it was quite relaxing and peaceful down there. We then went into another part of the cave (which is absolutely enormous, miles long with different tunnels and caverns. We crawled through mud up to a beautiful cavern and then crawled back, why on earth anyone would want to go to a spa and get covered in mud is beyond me but it was quite good getting through those small gaps and being up to climb up and over even though slippy. In yet another part of the cave (after we had washed mud off in water full of eels!!!) everyone had a go a caving, the art of getting your body through small spaces (I thought I had better save my arm for the climb out) but jim got through one very small hole/tunnel and robin, of course, got through everything without too much effort. After another walk through some beautiful rock formations we had a picnic of hot drinks and chocolate (in a cave, felt a bit bizarre) then we had the climb out, 27m looked quite high but you know the opening of the cave is indescribable, like another world, as you walk to it from the dark of the caves like just by the glowworms and your miners helmet its eerie, just mist then gradually more light and greenery, was quite stunning. Anyway we then had to climb out, once again just a small rope for safety and yes it did get quite tough getting over some bits, a bit of stretching, pulling and pushing, it was the pushing off the rocks with your feet to get over the ledge was a bit strange, but we all made it up.
It was really an awesome adventure though we all stank to high heaven, so we were grateful for the hot shower. Jim had said to me on the way down just before I absailed over the edge, why am I doing this at my age, but jim loved it and has said he will let me book some more adventures for him. I reckon skydiving might be next!!!!! Robin is up for it and they are quite easygoing over here at the moment as its slower than usual tourist wise which is good for us as they consider taking robin even though he is only 10!! Its really silly the caving trip we went on say 15 on the brosure but robin was the quickest one on it..
Anyway cause we did not finish the trip until 8.30 we rushed in a posh restaurant for dinner and it was lovely, both the food and the setting, would have been lovely and romantic had jim not been half asleep!! No it was fantastic sitting watching the night sky and chilling and its lovely to be sitting outside eating especially since I know there is snow and damp at home…

Feb 6th
Happy Waitangi day. The nz ers are celebrating the day the treaty wih the English was signed. I would protest not celebrate, still I believe there were some protests too. We went to the Waitomo museum first thing and if I had gone there before I went in the cave yesterday I might never have gone in the cave. Ignorance is definitely bliss. Learning sometimes just scares the heck out of me!!!! Small museum but learned loads, especially about the spiders, centipedes and other organisms that live in the caves, we also learned how often people have accidents and perish. Very interesting!! In the rugby club in waitomo there was an axeman contest and jim found it quite fascinating so we ended up watching a few contests, it was surprising how well the old boys did but I could not get worked up over watching men chop logs with old fashioned axes when they could have purchased a chain saw!!!
Went on a bushwalk and through some more caves which was really great I think we all enjoy exploring on our own now and there are so few other people about it is like you are alone on earth sometimes. Then into the car cause we have decided to try to get to the south island quickly as we are running out of time. Drove through some beautiful places and stopped just to stare occasionally. Tried to get accommodation in Wanganui but they had their annual sportsman competition going on and there was no rooms at any of the inns. Ended up in Bulls, found accommodation in a pub. Yeh!!! Said jim. So we left him in the pub and robin and I went exploring. There was not much to Bulls apart from the artwork which was ia little bizarre and the wonderful old fashioned milk churns they had everywhere instead of bins and just for decoration. Went back to ask jim what he wanted to eat as everywhere was due to shut, they all shut at 9pm around here. Jim was glad of our arrival and we saved him from several kiwis who had celebrated Waitangi day all day and were getting a bit mouthy about the poms and rugby. We are going to get up early in the morning and dash to Wellington to see if we can get tickets for the last day of the sevens, jim spent the rest of the night watching the sevens, replays and listening to the critiques on tv.. Kenya beat South Africa and it was a joy to watch, says jim. We had kebabs for dinner and I would not recommend kebabs over here, stick to the ones in England!

Feb 7th
England won the nz 7s!!! and what a great victory!!
We made it to Wellington by midday and had a bit of trouble finding a hotel that was not full but not much it was just jim did not want to pay the prices so we got booked in and went up to our rooms. I was going to take a picture as they looked so luxurious but we were in a panic to go and obtain tickets to the 7s so I was rushed out the door. Had a lovely walk from webb street where our hotel is to the grounds and started to try to get tickets. Its so disappointing when you fail to get tickets and even 5 mins seems like hours. We eventually got 2 tickets then had a panic cause it seemed like ages before we could get another, then low and behold a couple offered us one for only 50dollars, less than face value. Of course, we were so excited to have found another ticket we did not check it properly and we just walked through security and low and behold jims ticket would not go through the machine, we had bought a ticket from yesterdays game!!!! We were sooo disappointed and I felt gutted I had bought dodgy ticket. Never mind, we had a bit of a laugh about it and went back to square one of asking everyone to sell us a ticket. Having no luck but lots of fun we asked a passing journalish jokingly to lend us his pass and guess what, that very very very nice man had a spare in his pocket so I went through with him while jim and robin used the tickets, I didn’t even get to buy him a drink but did thank him loads. How nice was he.
Cannot describe the party atmosphere adequately, everyone except us was in fancy dress, it was such a party, everyone happy, singing and dancing, drinking and watching the rugby. Fantastic and when England got through to the final with New Zealand well, what a game!!! The kiwis were all so sure that they were going to win and they were all so happy, especially when we played sooo badly in the first half. Well the second half was a bit different, and in the last few seconds when we had all but given up, England scored, the final whistle went and England had to kick the conversion to win !!!!! Jim threw up his hands and wacked me right on my bad arm and sent shock waves of pain, so I had to sit down but it was a fantastic moment though did feel a bit sad for the kiwis being beaten in their own back yard. Jim does not he thinks its sweet we beat them here!!!In fact I don’t think I have seen him so happy in a while. Robin has never seen so many happy drunks. Robin really enjoyed all the games and high fives with all the teams as our seats were front row!!!! All the teams and players come round to high five when they are knocked out of competition and robin loved that. He loved the fact that Scotland won the bowl and England won the cup!!!!!!
All the English players came over and Jim asked them to pose with our flag and they did, we also got a picture of the with the cup. Its really nice the players come and talk and greet their supporters, we all loved it. On the walk home robin kept saying never mind to all the kiwis!! Sweet.
During the day we had an hammers fan see our flag from the other side of the stadium and came over to say hi. Nice chap called Nick King, from Deptford but now living here. It is surprising how many people knew WHU but no one seemed to know Steeple Bumpstead, still we will put sb on the map!!
The party atmosphere continued after we left the stadium with street entertainers (the Scottish were out in force with their bagpipes and marching bands) and we had a great time walking back to hotel. Jim had to get a beer in a shop as the bars were full and would not let robin in!! we bought Chinese to eat back at the hotel and turned the tv on but I do not think anyone watched. I feel asleep with black dirty feet in that lovely clean bed, I cannot believe the state of my feet feel bad at having gone to bed like that but I was a little bit drunk, obviously too drunk to care about clean sheets and dirty feet. Great day and night!!