Internet, What to wear, Maori, Glow worms

Kia Ora (pronounced K'ora) - welcome, hello (and goodbye) in Maori,

Internet
The internet here in New Zealand, like the pace of life, is slow and slower. I folded an entire load of laundry, with the door open to 70 degree weather, while waiting for one email to open. So decided to blog. (For all those loved ones who have emailed am hoping to get fast internet connections in Australia to catch up!)

What to wear
We've been wearing summer clothes - through on a cute sundress or t-shirt and shorts and as long as you don't open your mouth you can fit right in here! Flip flops - or jandels as they call them -round out the outfit. Usually once a day we've been throwing on our togs (bathing suits) to go swimming in the ocean or pool. Today we touched the Tasman Sea for the first time in Clark's Beach, where we are staying, just south of Auckland.

Maori Tamaki Village
We spent two nights on a beatiful lake near Rotorua called Blue Lake. It was very much like an Adirondack lake - only the weather here is nice a lot longer of the year. While in the area we visited the Maori village of Tamaki. They have set it up to replicate a village in the 1800's. We took a bus out to the rural village and they required the bus to have a chief. Paul was selected and had to act as a fellow chief would have in the 1800's - participating in the welcome, leading his 'tribe' and more. He did a great job. It's an amazing culture. We talked to local Maori people before we went and this is a site that enables Maori to represent their culture the way they want to. It also gives them an income while they get to practice traditional skills. The entire evening, including a luau type show and food, of Hangi, prepared the traditional way by cooking underground for seven hours, rwas enlighting and entertaining. (The warriors coming out with their facial tattoos and spears were very impressive.)

Glow worms and caves
Today we spent in Waitomo (Wai meaning water in Maori and tomo meaning hole = water hole) going through two caves seeing glow worms. This area of the country is filled with caves formed by limestone being worn away by water. We went with a guide from Spellbound and 6 other adults donning construction hats with headlamps and headed into the cave. Shortly afterward we turned off the headlamps and stood in complete darkness. We could not even see our fingers in front of your eyes. Further into the cold cave (needed jackets and long pants though above ground it was about 70) we walked till we got in a red inflatable raft and journeyed down an underground river while glow worms lit the way above like starts shining in the night. It was, "spectacular" as Amelia said. A walk in another cave, where we saw the bones of several animals including those of an extinct Moa, a wingless ostrich size bird, who had wandered in to the dark cave and died, rounded off the morning.

Off to Auckland and Barry Court Inn tomorrow.

Much happiness to all,

Jackie