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February 2, 2013

CAVE DIVING, New Zealand

CAVE DIVING IN WAITOMO, NEW ZEALAND
NEXT OFF THE BUCKET LIST: THE LOST WORLD

February 2, 2013



"Don't know how he was less scared than me lol"
"Going down a 100m... so scared!"



"Look how tinny the RIVER looks below me!!!!"

"Going down with the beautiful sunlight!"
"On the way down together!"

"Still going down!"

"Our ropes hanging... when we touched ground"
"In the Cave!!! We made it alive!"
"Hiking"


"Nicole in the last bit of sunlight"

"Anthony in the last bit of sunlight"


"YEAHHH we did it"

"The glow worms lighting up the cave"







"WE MADE IT OUT!"


CHECK OFF THE BUCKET LIST: CAVE DIVING

Once again, we got to check another item off our bucket-list! Although, I have to say that this has to be the scariest thing we have ever done!!! We traveled 100 meters (328 feet) down under the Earth's surface! We reached "The Lost World."


We Abseiled (rappelled) 100m slowly into the Lost World, after about a 30 minute descent, we embarked on a journey back to the surface though another spectacular dry cavern. The abseil is at least twice the height of any other cave at Waitomo (since the lost tour only does its tours in the deepest cave) and the beauty of this iconic cavern is unsurpassed. As we descended we began to notice the mist filtered light that gave unreal qualities to the strange plants and formations, hence the name "The Lost World."


While we were very scared to have to repel ourselves over 100 meters, we were very excited to see formations that took well over a few hundred thousand years to form. We walked through the cavern (upstream) to a small little passage where glow worms lit up the pitch black cavern. We were only able to see with the lanterns on our helmets. After about two hours climbing, swimming, and abseiling we finally made it to the ladder that would lead us out! Little did we know that this ladder was over 40 meters high!!! (Over 140 feet). The first instructor went up to make sure that everyone was tied in to the harness incase someone fell while one remained below to tie us into the harness. With only four people left the last instructor in the cavern informed Anthony and I that we would need to tie ourselves into the harness to climb up the ladder (while he went up and left us alone, to lead the other group)!!! Luckily Robyn (my cousin) had taught Anthony a thing or two about belaying so he was able to strap me in for the climb up!! The ladder was very cold because the temperature in the cavern was 40 degrees!!! I was very confident going up the ladder till I felt how slippery and muddy it was. All I was thinking was one slip would have me falling even further than I had on my bungy jump!!! When I made it up I passed down the climbing equipment to Anthony (who had been alone in the cavern for about 20 minutes). At first there was no tug showing that Anthony was still below waiting to climb till after five minutes the instructor and I felt a tug!! Anthony had to strap himself in and climb all the way up with only the instructor's saftey harness (which doesn't hold a lot of weight)!! When he reached the top he told us that the delay was because he turned off his light to enjoy the beautiful glow worms and to hear the water in the river that flowed through the cave with no distractions (he got lost in the moment!)!!!


Well with that it was only a short 30 minute hike up the mountain to get to the cabin to finally conclude our journey through the Lost World!


We hope you enjoy the photos as much as we enjoyed the experience11 Till next time!


P.S. Mom…. see the photos are up to show we made it out alive :) hehe


Nicole


8 comments:

  1. I am not going to write what came to mind when I saw these pictures!!! (which are amazing by the way)... I am glad you survived and enjoyed it! (my nerves and heart didn't enjoy it so much)! Why did they leave you to put your own harnesses? Well it doesn't matter I guess because you enjoyed and survived it and it was amazing for you I am sure... How many more of these sort of adventures are on the bucket list?.. I need to prepare...Pictures are incredible!!! I love you ... Be safe!!!!

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  2. I guess that I enjoyed the pictures. They are incredible. But I imagine a little scary for me. I ask myself how is that you and especially Anthony (I thought he was kind of scared of heights) enjoy these dangerous adventures. Here are some instructions:

    1) Throw away as far as possible your bucket list.
    2) Make an appointment with the first available psichiatrist.

    HA, HA, HA...

    But seriously, I hope you will keep enjoing every minute of your trip, but that you will be doing safer things. I think when you "visit" the sharks, it will be nothing compared with you've done so far. BE SAFE!

    Love you both a lot.

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  3. Pictures are amazing! They are beautiful --love the glow worms lighting up the cave--Everything is incredible, but I rather not have you both being the ones in these pictures. It looks like a fantasy adventure from a science and fiction movie--Great! But this was for real, and it looks very dangerous.

    Love you both.
    Baba

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  4. This is incredible! You two are so brave!! I still can't believe you did this...so worth it though! The scene once you got to the bottom was amazing! I love you guys!!! So glad you're enjoying this adventure!

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  5. Breathtaking picture. Can't believe the two of two of you are so brave.Hope the rest of your bucket list is less scary.just come back alive.Your guardian angel is working overtime..Enjoy and stay safe.Love you.....

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  6. Ahhhhh!! That's honestly my frist reaction along with "Nicole, please don't kill my best friend." Eeek looks awesome, I've always wanted to do this ever since I watched "Caves" on Planet Earth lool

    Be safe and have funn!!!

    xo,
    Kat

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  7. Oh no that was amazing but it looks scary. Please be safe, but keep enjoying every moment.
    Love you, titi Maru

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  8. Life is beautiful! This experience was absolutely unforgettable! XOXO

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