Cave

A bit off the beaten track, Waipu Caves get fewer visitors than Waitomo Caves in New Zealand. Both are large caves with glowworms and limestone formations, but we don't expect guided boat tours past the stalactites and stalagmites in Waipu.

We found the hard way to Waipu Caves with our daughter today, as the path got darker and darker. We felt something slippery underneath our feet, a flash of fear that quickly turned to tension. My daughter hesitated when we suggested taking off shoes to delve the depths, panicking.

Like a reflex, my daughter shut her mouth and stopped moving. The creepy walk scared the crap out of her, the way one feels trying to smuggle hard currency across the border. She had good reason to be afraid. "Can we go back?" my daughter murmured. Cave walk was pretty darn wonky: black and wet. We paused regularly. 

"The destination is over there," said my wife, by way of encouragement, gesturing at a distant horizon. 

Ten minutes passed, and our eyes were adjusting more and more to the darkness, our feet to the skiddy mud and icy water. Bit by bit, we tiptoed down and were in complete darkness. It was then those luminescent tails of glowworms showed up like a Milky Way.

Seldom had we been so satisfied with every ounce of our efforts.