Natural fairy lights

I love fairy lights – they are so pwetty! I stocked up on half-price fairy lights in The Warehouse in the Boxing Day sales. I guess it's a girl thing. ;-)

Tonight, I got to see hundreds of natural fairy lights at the Te Anau Glowworm Caves. After a lovely evening cruise across Lake Te Anau, we got to enter the first part of the Aurora Cave system. The Glowworm Grotto is 250 metres into the system and the pathway is well constructed with handrails and safety barriers. Be prepared to duck as you enter; the entrance is reasonably low, and there are two other bends before you can walk fully upright. The caves are dimly lit and there are also a few (easy) steps along the way, so be prepared.

I was surprised how noisy it was inside the caves. There are constant rapids rushing past, and lots of mini-water waterfalls which are still carving out the rock formations. We then boarded a Disney-style boat, waiting for us in a dark little outlet and moved along by a pulley system. We were in total darkness at this stage, except for the fairy lighting provided by the tiny glowworms. As we were pulled into the grotto, I couldn’t help being reminded of a certain boat scene from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Definitely not one for claustrophobes, but enjoyable for the rest of us.

The Glowworm Grotto was simply amazing. It was serenely quiet; we could hear the rushing water in the distance, but our silence and stillness around these beautiful creatures seemed entirely appropriate. There were two different shades of pale blue-green light; we learned later that the dimmer lights were being created by newly-hatched glowworms, who might be 2-3 weeks old. How sweet! If you look closely, you can see what resembles miniature fishing lines hanging below each glow worms. The light attracts their prey, which are then caught in the fishing lines, much like a spider’s web.

If your time in Te Anau is limited and you’re wondering which excursions to fit in over others, I’d strongly recommend a trip to the Glowworm Caves. Not to be missed!

Paradise on earth

They say you should see your own country before you see anyone else’s. (Who are they? Never mind – it’s what they say that’s important.) I agree, but have tended to do a bit of both, ie little bits of travel around New Zealand and overseas. It is not until now, however, that I have made it to the Deep South. I’ve heard from everyone how beautiful the South Island is, and believed it, but now have finally seen with my own eyes.

I arrived in Te Anau last night to a perfect sunset on the lake. Today, we went for a drive up to Milford Sound. The drive takes about 2 ½ hours depending on how many of the mini excursions you decide to take along the route and whether the traffic lights are in your favour at the Homer Tunnel. The view of The Chasm, a series of waterfalls over the Cleddau River, was absolutely breathtaking. Photos cannot possibly capture the power of the water rushing down across the rocks. I don’t even know where to begin describing it, so will let this movie clip give you a teeny tiny glimpse.


We had a picnic lunch at Milford Sound, then took a cruise. Technically, Milford is a fiord, not a sound, and we saw glimpses of snow on top of the mountains, even though it is currently the middle of summer. We spent an amazing 1 hour 40 mins going all the way out to the Tasman Sea, then cruising back through the sound to the harbour. Along the way, we saw stunning waterfalls, some of them permanent, but many formed temporarily several hours after rainfall. This cute little group of sea lions congregate at Seal Rock. This part of the world is truly paradise on earth, and it’s no surprise that Fiordland in New Zealand is considered to be one of the ten natural wonders of the world.