Blackwater rafting and drive to the Coromandels
We woke up to rain, having had a bad nights sleep, we had left the window open without realising and all night I spent burying my head to avoid being bitten by mozzis. We only noticed in the morning! It had rained all night and was still going when we woke but didn't really matter as we were booked for caving at 9.30am.
As we checked in the lady informed us that the water levels were very high, they may rise too high for safety and at any time the trip could be cancelled, even half way through whilst we were in the water.
We met the guides having signed our safety forms, I hate doing that because it just highlights the risks when you're already nervous! I wanted to see glow worms so was happy to go along with the plan but was really not thrilled at the idea of getting into wet suits and sitting in a rubber ring or climbing up rocks or whatever they had prepared for us.
We all got given wet and very cold wetsuits that we had to peel inside out and then wriggle into, it's always a song and dance but this is the first time the suits have been wet putting them on. It was horrible but you're supposed to embrace it!!
I finally got mine on and was helping a Chinese lady who had started with hers inside-out and I jinxed it 'it would be so annoying if they cancelled it now that we're finally dressed'. The guide came in and cancelled it!! Edd was gutted, I have to admit I was relieved, for once I can honestly say I wasn't scared of the adrenalin scary stuff (I'm a pro since the sky dive) I just didn't want to get cold and wet for the sake of it.
They refunded us most of the money and used the rest to book us on a cave walk and boat trip through the glow worms. I got everything I wanted but poor Edd looked pretty deflated and disappointed. We spent 45minutes in the cave, 10 of them in a boat underneath a beautiful sky of glowing worms (if you think about it, which I did, I'm not sure I would want to be in a cave of normal worms over me, just because they glow doesn't mean they're not slimy!!) so I sat in the boat with my hood up. It was extremely cool, stunning and very magical.
Glow worms are interesting creatures. The mother lays about 120 eggs a year in clumps of 20. Of the 20 only one survives because when it hatches it eats all the others in its area. It then remains a glow worm for 9 months eating as much as it can to grow big, it attracts flies and mosquitos to eat with its glowing tail and web it makes. Finally it makes a cocoon to become an adult. As adults they reproduce and that's it, they only live for a few days before starving to death as they don't have a mouth or stomach. The whole cycle is about 11 months, rubbish, short life if you ask me!!
Our new friends Dani and Alex also had their caving experience cancelled and told us that they had managed to book another for 12.30 so as we got out the caves Edd was keen to run and join them. For the first time this trip I really didn't want to do the activity, I just didn't want to float in a river no matter how cool it was. We checked that Dani and Alex were on the same trip and Edd booked on too. We haven't been apart for 2 whole months so it was really weird saying goodbye and letting him set off with his new friends.
I sat in the front seat of the van and had the best catch up with Hannah. It was ridiculously late in England for her, we finished chatting at 2pm my end and 2am hers. We went through all the wedding plans, hen do stuff and travelling I could have gone on for way longer but poor Hannah needed some sleep.
Han left me with half an hour for some lunch and before I knew it Edd was back having had an amazing time. They had sat in rubber rings through tunnels of glow worms and jumped down little waterfalls from what I gather. They all seemed to love it but were rather quiet, I think partly so I didn't feel I'd missed out and partly because it sounded a bit physical and they were all a little exhausted. We chatted for a bit and then said our goodbyes, for the 4th time! We hit the road heading for the coromandels.
Three and a half hours later we pulled up at our campsite on hot water beach, it does as it says on the tin, you can go to the beach and dig yourself a hot tub, the water is very hot from volcanic activity. I got out the car feeling rather queasy from the wiggly drive up and over the mountains.
Edd spotted fish and chips and our dinner plans went out the window. We are now wrapped up with no signal or wifi in our car with it throwing down rain outside so all we can do it read or sleep! It's 20.30 and I could happily sleep right now, infact that's my job finished I think I'll be asleep very soon!!
We woke up to rain, having had a bad nights sleep, we had left the window open without realising and all night I spent burying my head to avoid being bitten by mozzis. We only noticed in the morning! It had rained all night and was still going when we woke but didn't really matter as we were booked for caving at 9.30am.
As we checked in the lady informed us that the water levels were very high, they may rise too high for safety and at any time the trip could be cancelled, even half way through whilst we were in the water. 
We met the guides having signed our safety forms, I hate doing that because it just highlights the risks when you're already nervous! I wanted to see glow worms so was happy to go along with the plan but was really not thrilled at the idea of getting into wet suits and sitting in a rubber ring or climbing up rocks or whatever they had prepared for us.
We all got given wet and very cold wetsuits that we had to peel inside out and then wriggle into, it's always a song and dance but this is the first time the suits have been wet putting them on. It was horrible but you're supposed to embrace it!! 
I finally got mine on and was helping a Chinese lady who had started with hers inside-out and I jinxed it 'it would be so annoying if they cancelled it now that we're finally dressed'. The guide came in and cancelled it!! Edd was gutted, I have to admit I was relieved, for once I can honestly say I wasn't scared of the adrenalin scary stuff (I'm a pro since the sky dive) I just didn't want to get cold and wet for the sake of it.
They refunded us most of the money and used the rest to book us on a cave walk and boat trip through the glow worms. I got everything I wanted but poor Edd looked pretty deflated and disappointed. We spent 45minutes in the cave, 10 of them in a boat underneath a beautiful sky of glowing worms (if you think about it, which I did, I'm not sure I would want to be in a cave of normal worms over me, just because they glow doesn't mean they're not slimy!!) so I sat in the boat with my hood up. It was extremely cool, stunning and very magical.
Glow worms are interesting creatures. The mother lays about 120 eggs a year in clumps of 20. Of the 20 only one survives because when it hatches it eats all the others in its area. It then remains a glow worm for 9 months eating as much as it can to grow big, it attracts flies and mosquitos to eat with its glowing tail and web it makes. Finally it makes a cocoon to become an adult. As adults they reproduce and that's it, they only live for a few days before starving to death as they don't have a mouth or stomach. The whole cycle is about 11 months, rubbish, short life if you ask me!!
Our new friends Dani and Alex also had their caving experience cancelled and told us that they had managed to book another for 12.30 so as we got out the caves Edd was keen to run and join them. For the first time this trip I really didn't want to do the activity, I just didn't want to float in a river no matter how cool it was. We checked that Dani and Alex were on the same trip and Edd booked on too. We haven't been apart for 2 whole months so it was really weird saying goodbye and letting him set off with his new friends.
I sat in the front seat of the van and had the best catch up with Hannah. It was ridiculously late in England for her, we finished chatting at 2pm my end and 2am hers. We went through all the wedding plans, hen do stuff and travelling I could have gone on for way longer but poor Hannah needed some sleep.
Han left me with half an hour for some lunch and before I knew it Edd was back having had an amazing time. They had sat in rubber rings through tunnels of glow worms and jumped down little waterfalls from what I gather. They all seemed to love it but were rather quiet, I think partly so I didn't feel I'd missed out and partly because it sounded a bit physical and they were all a little exhausted. We chatted for a bit and then said our goodbyes, for the 4th time! We hit the road heading for the coromandels.
Three and a half hours later we pulled up at our campsite on hot water beach, it does as it says on the tin, you can go to the beach and dig yourself a hot tub, the water is very hot from volcanic activity. I got out the car feeling rather queasy from the wiggly drive up and over the mountains. 
Edd spotted fish and chips and our dinner plans went out the window. We are now wrapped up with no signal or wifi in our car with it throwing down rain outside so all we can do it read or sleep! It's 20.30 and I could happily sleep right now, infact that's my job finished I think I'll be asleep very soon!!
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