Auckland, New Zealand (i)

Wed 16.10.

Yesterday we landed in New Zealand, specifically in Auckland. We immediately felt a bit cold because, unlike Hawaii, it was about 15 degrees colder here.

This morning we put on our winter clothes and prepared for our tour. The road to Hobbiton™ the Movie Set took us two hours through the countryside. During the journey, we were able to see some of the scenery. As many claim, the landscape is somewhat similar to that of Switzerland. Except that there are no mountains here, only hills in the north. Arriving at the film set, we received very interesting information about the film's production. For example, an artificial tree was created with over 60,000 leaves. The cottages and all the other props were cute because everything was miniature. We are glad that it didn't rain during our tour and that we were allowed to warm up in the bar next to the fireplace. After lunch, we went to the Waitomo Cave. A river flows through the darkness of this cave. There are also thousands of small glow worms that illuminate the cave with a bluish color. These glow worms are not related to the familiar fireflies. The phenomenon that gives rise to the magic of the starry sky of the Waitomo Caves is truly unique. It is all due to special luminescent insects similar to fireflies but typically New Zealanders: these insects, called 'glow-worms', populate the caves by the thousands, making them look like a real starry sky. The insects, similar to midges, emit light in their larval stage to capture prey: hence the presence of all these luminous points capable of turning on and off in an instant. The different intensity of the light, which is perceived as green or blue, is due to their nutritional status. From the boat we were on, we were able to admire the ceiling of the cave, which looks like a sky illuminated by blue stars. It was truly a beautiful experience. Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take photos, so I have uploaded a sample photo that is quite close to reality.