Waitomo Caves

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Pic-and-Word-Challenge_Wk282-Cavern

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cavern
a large cave
or chamber in a cave
 

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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

 

 

 

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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

give out steady light without flame.
****

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

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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

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Pic-and-Word-Challenge_Wk239-Winding

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winding

a twisting movement or course.
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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

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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

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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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Lens-Artist-PC-51-Unique

 

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As soon as I saw this week’s theme…

…I thought of the Waitomo Caves in New Zealand.

These photos come from Ruakuri Cave.

Photography is not permitted in the Glow Worm Cave.

None of the stalactites, stalagmite formations are the same

The average growth rate of

a stalagmite/stalactite is around 0.13 mm per year

(the fastest growth rate being 3 mm per year).

 

Therefore, at an average growth rate

these formations would increase

by approximately ONE centimetre

(half an inch) every century.

And while many appear to be similar…

…they are all unique.

In Ruakuri Cave photography is permitted.

While the glow worms  are nowhere as prolific

as in the Glow Worm Cave there were some.

As to be expected a hand held camera

could only partly record the light.

As soon as we spoke of a New Zealand

North Island road trip…

Waitomo was first stop on our list.

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Lens-Artist Photo Challenge Patti:  Unique

Lens-Artist Photo Challenge Leya:  Unique

Lens-Artist Photo Challenge Amy:  Unique

Lens-Artist Photo Challenge Tina:  Unique

 

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Wordless Wednesday18_1212-Stalactites

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Ruakuri Cave,

Waitomo, New Zealand.

Stalactites grow about 1 centimetre every 100 years.

Just imagine how old the joined stalactite and stalagmite,

in the centre of this image, are.

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Hope you enjoyed.

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