Exploring Waikato

I know, I know! I have been the biggest slacker not updating my blog. Let's just say I haven't had much time with all of the adventuring that I have been doing! It has been one incredible month and I'm finding myself beyond in love with New Zealand (minus the fact that as I am sitting here writing this, there is a cyclone going on outside). First time for everything!

Where to begin... Or go back to... Ah! The time I went exploring through the Waikato hills in search of the Port Waikato Caves and got completely lost.. Yes, let's go there.

A few Saturdays ago, my friend Richard and myself decided it would be a lovely day to do some exploring in some random caves that a sign was supposedly guiding us to. So, we drove along in the direction the sign pointed towards through the most beautiful, lush, green hills I've ever seen. The sign said it was only 20k to the caves but as we drove 2 hours along the windiest road I have ever been on in my life, dodging the largest pot holes I've ever seen, it did not seem we were ever going to find the "caves" this sign said were there. After repeating "ok, just around this corner and then we will turn around" about 20 times, one the most beautiful places I've ever seen appeared before me.

It was a scene straight out of The Hobbit. The massive limestone rocks traced the edges of almost every hill in sight, some forming caves and while another housed palms as well as other types of flora.

We continued on for a few more minutes until we knew we had to have gone way over 20k's, if not double that, and turned around. On the way back, Richard and I spotted some small caves up on the side of a large hill and concluded that we at least had to explore some type of cave if possible.

So, we climbed over some fences and scared the wool off of some sheep; walked through the coldest stream I've ever been in (yes, of course barefoot!) and clambered up steep sheets of limestone to sit upon a rock and embrace this mesmeric view--

Cannot say how happy I was we got "lost!"

There are so many places kept secret in this country and seeing as we only saw 3 cars and about 4 houses on this adventure, this is most definitely one of them.

More to come soon :)