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This morning we were up and ready to leave at 8.00am. We headed straight to the Waitomo caves ready for our 10.00am trip in Haggas Honking Holes! Seven of us made the 15 minute bus journey with our guides Tony and Rob to the hut to don our wetsuits and wellies (Gumboots in NZ). After a brief training session on the hill we headed straight for the cave. We climbed a couple of ladders down then were straight into our first abseil. After making ourselves secure we had to dangle over the edge of the 25 metre drop before releasing our 'lock' and feeding the rope through our hands, ensuring we were leaning back with our feet wide and flat on the wall to keep us sturdy. The drop seemed never ending but we both made it to the bottom safely, if a little breathless. The next two abseils were 10 and 5 metres long and, although shorter, were through freezing waterfalls. At the bottom of the 3rd descent we both ended up on our bums in a big puddle. After the abseils we walked through the caves, on our hands and knees at times, squeezing through holes and admiring the rock formations and glow-worms. After a break for lemon squash and a chocolate fish (chocolate covered marshmallow) we started to head out of the cave, at this point we were 85 metres underground.
Our ascent was a combination of rock climbs and ladders, Sarah being the chief safety officer at the base of one ladder, shouting 'climbing' everytime somebody was on the ladder and ensuring we were all safely attached on to the safety rope. Soon we were back in the fresh air, but the 5 minute walk back to the hut proved difficult as our legs felt like lead and the waterfilled gumboots must have added about 4kg to each leg. We quickly showered and got warm and dry before heading back to meet the coach at around 2.00pm. Laura got a Kumara (sweet potato), sweetcorn and bacon patty (looked like a fishcake) and salad and we headed off towards Maketu.
After a brief photo opp at a giant kiwi fruit (!) we arrived in Maketu just after 6.00pm. We were welcomed by our host 'Uncle Boy', a lovely eldery maori, who gave us an introduction into maori culture and the facilities of the marae complex. After a traditional maori welcome of a nose touch - called a hongi - we enjoyed a traditional hangi meal of salad, pumpkin, sweet potato, spuds, stuffing, chicken and lamb, followed by pavlova, fruit salad and jelly - yum!
After tea we were treated to a cultural show by the local youths (aged between 11 and 25) who performed traditional songs and dances before the men of the group were taught the Haka and us girls were taught the Poi, a more cheery and friendlier song and dance, before performing in front of each other. The group were awesome, with scary tongues and wide eyes, which, although we tried, we couldn't re-create! By the time we had finished dancing and taking photos it was 10.00pm and time to set up our beds in the communal Marae, our shared bedroom for the evening.
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