The Caudle Family: Onward to Taupo, NZ (part 3)

Next up, GLOWWORMS! This was truly amazing!! In New Zealand and parts of Australia, there are glowworms. We traveled to Waitomo, about a 2 hour drive from Matamata. Stunning views of rolling green hills all the way. To reach the glowworms, we first toured a large cave. It has stalactites and stalagmites and interesting and beautiful formations. In itself, the Waitomo Cave is worth a visit. However, we were there to see the Glowworms!

After our cave tour, we were led deep into the bottom of the cave where there is a stream that is running with boats! We climbed into a boat and using ropes our tour guide pulled our boat through the deep dark cave. We were all silent and excited. The glow worms were all over the ceiling! The cave ceiling looked like the night sky. Absolutely stunning! Photography isn't allowed inside the cave. So, unfortunately, I don't have a picture to share.

This was the stream that we were on that flows through the bottom of the cave. We exited the boats outside, here and then hiked back up to the top.

We didn't stay in Waitomo. After our cave tour, we ate lunch at the Cave Cafe and then got back in the car and drove about 1 1/2 hours to Taupo.

We had to stop the car several times to take pictures of the beautiful countryside that we passed though along the way.

We were still feeling the effects of our Hobbiton tour the day before... We thought this mount looked like it could be Weathertop!

During our drive, Lily lost her tooth! We were all excited, as this tooth had been lose for quite a while. We were having discussion in the car about whether the Tooth Fairy would bring Lily a Singapore dollar or a New Zealand dollar. In the end, it was a New Zealand dollar. Too fun!

Finally we arrived at Lake Taupo. We stayed at the Comfort Inn on Lake Taupo. It was a great little motor lodge that is on the lake front. We really loved Taupo. The town is small but it has a great vibe. Lake Taupo is host to IronMan New Zealand. Scott is wearing his Texas Iron shirt in the picture above, it's not the first time Texas Iron has been to Lake Taupo!

We loved the park that is in the town square. Wyatt loved this little seat that we called the dizzier!

A 3 kid swing! Awesome!

When we were playing in the park, this group of college age kids approached us and said that had to make a human pyramid, but they needed another person for the top. They wanted to borrow a child for the top of the pyramid. Madeline instantly volunteered! Too silly!

In Taupo, we visited the volcano center and learned all about the geothermal activity in this region. Madeline has just started a Unit of Inquiry at school that is covering volcanoes, so it was perfect timing!

These are the New Zealand Fern Trees. They are gorgeous and unique only to New Zealand.

We hiked the Craters of the Moon Geothermal Walk. It was amazing! Never before have I seen thermal activity in action like this. All along the walk, there are holes in the ground and steam coming out. It was a bit stinky, but spectacular!

Brilliant green moss grew all around each of the steam holes.

Pit of boiling mud!

We hiked up to the top for a view over the area. Closest is the Craters of the Moon path, then Taupo and in the distance, the Lake Taupo. The air was cold and crisp. Beautiful day!

After our Geothermal Walk, we had lunch and headed over to a Hot Springs for swimming! It felt a little crazy to be so bundled up with jackets and hats and gloves and then to be putting on our bathing suits. We went to DeBrett's Hot Springs and we had a ball! The Mineral Pools were very warm and relaxing. Additionally, they had a water park that was geothermally heated fresh water. There was even a water slide that Scott and the kids went down at least 2 dozen times!