Waitomo Caves
Sunday-Stills22-0724-Road-Tripping
Pic-and-Word-Challenge_Wk282-Cavern
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The cavernous spiral into and out of …
…the
Ruakari Cave
at…
…Waitomo Caves,
New Zealand
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Pic-and-Word-Challenge…Wk282-Cavern
Sunday-Stills-Favourite-Holiday-Spot
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Initially my thoughts turned to
Africa for this challenge.
However, a little more thought and
New Zealand it is.
New Zealand is sometimes referred to
as Australia’s seventh state;
and I must confess it is a
home away from home in my opinion.
Now for some random images from our
2018 road trip around a small part
of New Zealand’s North Island.
Near Matamata we spent a couple
of nights at Buckland’s Airbnb.
This window view, from our room,
was enough to keep me happy.
If the view appears too rural for your liking,
there is always accommodation in Matamata itself.
We were there to visit the Hobbit Movie set
which is less than 5 kilometres from
Buckland’s airbnb.
The third of Waitomo’s Cave was Ruakuri Cave.
The only cave where photography
was freely allowed.
To reach the cave floor we had
to negotiate the spiral down.
And there was no magic way of getting
out of the cave without negotiating
the same spiral to ground level.
While in the Ruakuri Cave…
…there are plenty of sights…
…to view or photograph.
Several nights were spent in Taupo,
located on the north-eastern shore
of Lake Taupo.
About 15 minutes out of Taupo is Huka Falls.
Not big in either width or height,
however, big in water throughput.
Taupo also provided an extensive range…
…of flora to photograph during our visit.
About 90 kilometres to the south of Taupo is
Tongariro National Park
where I was able to capture this image of
Mt Ruapehu
At Rotorua we spent a night or two at
Hamurana Lodge
a Boutique Hotel out of Rotorua.
Using Hamurana Lodge as our base
we were able to visit
Whakarewarewa – Living Maori Village…
…and enjoy lunch cooked in a thermal spring
the traditional Maori way.
We arrived back in Auckland a few days prior
to No 1 Son’s wedding.
Number 2 Son and his wife had been sort
of shadowing us during our road trip.
As Daughter-in-Law celebrated her
birthday the day before we arrived
in Auckland we all met up for
a family celebration.
Dinner in Auckland’s Sky Tower.
New Zealand is a peaceful friendly country
with a wide variety of attractions.
AND it is roughly a two and a half hour
flight from Melbourne.
Compare that with a 14 hour journey
from Sydney to Johannesburg.
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Sunday-Stills-Favourite-Vacation-Spot
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FOWChallenge-Glow
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glow
An ideal photo for this challenge.
Glow Worms in Ruakuri Cave
Waitomo, New Zealand.
Just in case you think I have posted a black square,
upon careful examination you will
see some glow worms.
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Fandango’s One Word Challenge:…Glow
One-Word-Sunday-Spiral
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One far away spiral one not so far away.
Ruakari cave
Ruakari cave
The Vatican’s
Spiral Staircase…
…complete with arches which could have
been used last week 🙂
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One Word Sunday Challenge: Spiral
Pic-and-Word-Challenge_Wk239-Winding
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winding
The walk to Waitomo’s
Ruakuri Cave entrance…
…is gentle.
However, once through the entrance we were
greeted by this long winding ramp
which took us down into the cave proper.
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Pic-and-Word-Challenge_Wk239 – Winding
Lens-Artist-PC-100-Long-Winding-Road
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This would be nearly as long a piece
of straight road as you would find in
the Great Ocean Road area.
Even on a quiet day it only takes one
overly cautious driver to have traffic
bumper to bumper.
Along winding walk down into the Ruakuri Cave
at Waitomo Glow Worm Caves
New Zealand.
And there is only one entry/exit,
so another long winding walk
up to ground level.
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Lens-Artist Photo Challenge Patti: Long-Winding-Road
Lens-Artist Photo Challenge Leya: Long-Winding-Road
Lens-Artist Photo Challenge Amy: Long-Winding-Road
Lens-Artist Photo Challenge Tina: Long-Winding-Road
MCoW-Mt-Elephant
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Decided to skip back across the ditch
to MY Corner of the World this week.
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If you use your imagination…
…it is not a great leap to think of this shape as
the top half of an elephant.
And I guess that was running through
early settlers/explorers minds when they named
this extinct (I hope) volcano
Mount Elephant.
Mount Elephant is just one of
half a dozen volcanic cones
(that I can think of off-hand)
which dot Victoria’s Western District farmland.
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My-Corner-of-the-World: #17
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MCoW-Ruakuri-Cave
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Still in New Zealand’s
North Island.
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Some images…
…inside Ruakuri Cave…
…one of three caves…
…at the
Waitomo Cave Complex
New Zealand.
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My-Corner-of-the-World: #16
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