Went up Lake Tanau yesterday - New Zealand's second largest lake. Out in the middle of nowhere we pulled into a little dock and headed down a trail to this very modern building. Inside we were educated about glow worms and the area. They took several small groups, mine was the last - least crowded ;) group to go. I was practically on my hands and knees to get in through the first part of the cave - felt a bit of panicy - claustrophobia for a second - especially when I thought about the size of the mountain that was on top of me at that exact moment... got over it with some deep breathing and trying to convince myself that even if another earthquake happened and even if I was under the mountain and even if it chose that exact moment to collapse - it'd be my time and at least I'd die in the most beautiful place on earth. All those if's helped ease my nerves :)
Anywho, glow worms. Icky slimey looking things from the video they showed us - in the light. But at night - or in the dark rather - awesome. You know you're in a boat, you know you're drifting up an underground river - but they look so much like little twinkly stars - sort of a blue hint - and you feel like it's the sky you're looking at and if you could just reach up you know you could touch the stars. An amazing feeling.
Also - waterfalls and the cave itself. And as the guide said, "Do you want to see my little Percy?" A tiny, 3 cm stalagtite :) Crazy old already - by human terms, but very young by earth terms.
Next up - Milford Sound.