Glowworms

We started the day by renting a car—Darryl’s first experience driving with the steering wheel on the opposite side and navigating on the left. Surprisingly, it was a smooth transition. The 2.5-hour drive took us through lush, green rolling pastures and mountains dotted with sheep, cows, and horses. Our first impression of New Zealand is that it’s incredibly clean, well-kept, and features beautiful homes along the way.

We arrived in the renowned Waitomo Caves region and explored three distinct caves. Aranui Cave, the smallest, offered an intimate setting with stunning stalactites and stalagmites. Ruakuri Cave impressed us with its limestone formations and underground waterfalls. Finally, the Waitomo Caves captivated us with their mesmerizing glowworms, viewed first on foot and then by boat. We also took a peaceful walk on the Ruakuri Bushwalk, a lush forest trail featuring a striking natural bridge.

Our accommodation for the night, the Waitomo Caves B&B Guest Lodge, is set amidst a charming garden. Dinner, however, proved tricky—one of the two restaurants in the small village was fully booked, and the other was hosting a private event. Our only option was grabbing burgers from the general store—a stark contrast to last night’s exquisite six-course dinner, one of Jane’s favorites.

Darryl is now enjoying the Cleveland Browns game live at 7 a.m. Monday morning. Our early wake-up at 5:30 a.m. worked perfectly for catching the game. We’ve been sleeping well so far, which has made our days even more enjoyable.