Flew into Auckland yesterday. It's the largest city in NZ... really big and I haven't really checked anything out yet. I met up with a buddy of mine and we had made separate plans for today but plan on hanging out together. She went canyoning - swimming, rapelling and cliff diving while I had the chance to see glow worms.
I missed it twice on the South Island so I took a bus ride up to Waitomo caves and saw the worms. It was really cool! I thought they would be bigger but they are the size of a pin head. The place didn't allow photos because it dims the the glow worms lights so I got some postcards that will have to do. Anyway, we took a short walk in a cave and saw some limestone stalactites, stalacmites and a column (when the two stalactite and stalacmite join) and ended in an underground stream with a boat ride out.
In the cave, we saw a huge cavern called the cathedral. In the Christmas season, choirs go down with an audience and sing because the accoustics are really great. In the other months, various opera singers have concerts.
On the way out of the cave via boat, there were hundreds of glowing dots on the ceiling. They looked like constellations in the sky but green. They glow because they are hungry - the more hungry they are the brighter they shine - interesting fact. And they only live for 11 months. Once hatched from the glowing larva, they look alittle like a mosquito.
The bus driver was full of interesting facts:
- The Monterey pine trees are imported from the Monterey, California area. In the States, it takes about 80-100 years for the pine trees to grow and be ready for harvest. In NZ, it takes about 25 years. The country has given people tax deductions for those who plant lots of these trees. Considering they only take 25 years to grow and be ready for harvest a lot of people grow a plot full and by the time they want to retire, they have a plot full of pine ready for harvest and a nice retirement fund. 60% of New Zealanders have this retirement fund.
- Birds will not live in the pine trees so the government has a program to plant the blue gum eucalyptus trees for birds and other creatures to create a nice habitat.
- A queen chain is public land between any natural water (creek, river, lake, ocean, etc) to about 20 meters from the high water mark. Therefore, all places with water will always have a walking path nearby for all to enjoy. Private property can start after the queen chain ends so no one can claim waterfront property.
- Manuka trees are locally grown. In the States, manuka is called tea tree and the oil is used as rubbing oils such as in massage therapy.
- Oh and the most interesting was the kiwi fruit. It was imported from China and became a big export in NZ the 1930's. Kiwi's grow on vines just like grapes. I actually took a few pics of this.
Tomorrow if the weather is nice we're going to the beach. It's been kinda rainy and overcast so hopefully, it'll be nice.
I missed it twice on the South Island so I took a bus ride up to Waitomo caves and saw the worms. It was really cool! I thought they would be bigger but they are the size of a pin head. The place didn't allow photos because it dims the the glow worms lights so I got some postcards that will have to do. Anyway, we took a short walk in a cave and saw some limestone stalactites, stalacmites and a column (when the two stalactite and stalacmite join) and ended in an underground stream with a boat ride out.
In the cave, we saw a huge cavern called the cathedral. In the Christmas season, choirs go down with an audience and sing because the accoustics are really great. In the other months, various opera singers have concerts.
On the way out of the cave via boat, there were hundreds of glowing dots on the ceiling. They looked like constellations in the sky but green. They glow because they are hungry - the more hungry they are the brighter they shine - interesting fact. And they only live for 11 months. Once hatched from the glowing larva, they look alittle like a mosquito.
The bus driver was full of interesting facts:
- The Monterey pine trees are imported from the Monterey, California area. In the States, it takes about 80-100 years for the pine trees to grow and be ready for harvest. In NZ, it takes about 25 years. The country has given people tax deductions for those who plant lots of these trees. Considering they only take 25 years to grow and be ready for harvest a lot of people grow a plot full and by the time they want to retire, they have a plot full of pine ready for harvest and a nice retirement fund. 60% of New Zealanders have this retirement fund.
- Birds will not live in the pine trees so the government has a program to plant the blue gum eucalyptus trees for birds and other creatures to create a nice habitat.
- A queen chain is public land between any natural water (creek, river, lake, ocean, etc) to about 20 meters from the high water mark. Therefore, all places with water will always have a walking path nearby for all to enjoy. Private property can start after the queen chain ends so no one can claim waterfront property.
- Manuka trees are locally grown. In the States, manuka is called tea tree and the oil is used as rubbing oils such as in massage therapy.
- Oh and the most interesting was the kiwi fruit. It was imported from China and became a big export in NZ the 1930's. Kiwi's grow on vines just like grapes. I actually took a few pics of this.
Tomorrow if the weather is nice we're going to the beach. It's been kinda rainy and overcast so hopefully, it'll be nice.
Kiwi growing on the vine near Waitomo caves.
No comments:
Post a Comment