Glowworms, Sheep and Geezers

Whilst staying in Auckland before our cruise, we had booked a full-day tour to cover a lot of the sights of New Zealand’s North Island.

After an early pick up from our hotel, we journeyed through the lush green countryside to Waitomo and the famous caves which are home to Arachnocampa Luminosa, a species of indigenous glowworm . After a guided tour of the caves, we boarded a boat and sailed in silence through the amazingly magical display of thousands of twinkling natural lights emitted from these creatures.

Back on the bus and off this time to the Agrodome on the outskirts of Rotorua for a demonstration of sheep shearing and to watch the sheepdogs in action rounding up the flocks. Well, we were in New Zealand so sheep had to be involved as there are so many! a tractor ride then took us to hand feed more sheep and deer.

Our next stop was the Maori cultural centre Te Puia and we were greeted with a traditional dance show then took a short walk to the geothermal reserve.

The highlight of my day, although I rather liked the sheep, was the sight of Pohutu Geezer erupting and the bubbling mud pools.

The drive back to Auckland was around three and a half hours but well worth it. It also meant that when our cruise stopped in Tauranga, we could explore the local area rather than rush off with everyone else to Rotorua as that is the closest port.

Staying for a few nights pre-cruise is a great way to start a holiday especially one as far away from the UK as Australasia and these long day trips are definitely a good way to cover large areas. If you plan your time well, it is amazing what you can see on your holiday .