Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 2, 2006 17:43:30 GMT 12
My sister treated me today to a nice jaunt with Mum down to Waitomo. It has been around 25 years since we visited the famous caves as kids. I wasn't even sure if I was that keen to go into the caves as I've sen it all before, but as she offered to pay the extortionate fee they charge, I was happy.
I have to say it's still as interesting and visually stnning as I'd found the place as a kid. I know a lot of people from Cambridge who, when they have visitors from abroad staying, will take them to see the caves. Today I truly realised why. It is a really wonderful and unique experience. But added to that, the drive from Cambridge to Waitomo is simply amazing. Real true Waikato and King Country rural landscape, which in good weather as it was today, is a delight to see.
After the caves we decided to go one town further to Te Kuiti for a gander and have lunch. That's a town that never seems to change, a sentiment agreeable with me these days as our landscape continually seems to evolve for the sake of change. The only addition to the town noticeable was a huge statue of a shearing doing something to a sheep!
We then headed back north and called in at Otorohanga, where we went along to the Kiwi House. Again it had been decades since the three of us had been there, and I was most impressed. I had never been so close to such beatiful birds as the kaka, wood pigeon, falcon and harrier hawk. It was really neat too to see a pukeko chick, and more rarely seen (around these parts) weka chicks. There was also the obligatory amusing dancing and antics from a kea. Such wonderful birds.
If anyone is touring through that way I highly recommend the Waitomo Caves and the Otorohanga Kiwi House. The former was around $30 a head and upwards depending on which cave you visit. The latter was $15 for an adult. The experience of both, priceless.
"Don't leave town till you've seen the country".
I have to say it's still as interesting and visually stnning as I'd found the place as a kid. I know a lot of people from Cambridge who, when they have visitors from abroad staying, will take them to see the caves. Today I truly realised why. It is a really wonderful and unique experience. But added to that, the drive from Cambridge to Waitomo is simply amazing. Real true Waikato and King Country rural landscape, which in good weather as it was today, is a delight to see.
After the caves we decided to go one town further to Te Kuiti for a gander and have lunch. That's a town that never seems to change, a sentiment agreeable with me these days as our landscape continually seems to evolve for the sake of change. The only addition to the town noticeable was a huge statue of a shearing doing something to a sheep!
We then headed back north and called in at Otorohanga, where we went along to the Kiwi House. Again it had been decades since the three of us had been there, and I was most impressed. I had never been so close to such beatiful birds as the kaka, wood pigeon, falcon and harrier hawk. It was really neat too to see a pukeko chick, and more rarely seen (around these parts) weka chicks. There was also the obligatory amusing dancing and antics from a kea. Such wonderful birds.
If anyone is touring through that way I highly recommend the Waitomo Caves and the Otorohanga Kiwi House. The former was around $30 a head and upwards depending on which cave you visit. The latter was $15 for an adult. The experience of both, priceless.
"Don't leave town till you've seen the country".