New Zealand - Day 5 - Greymouth

We woke up and decided to go cave tubing for the day. Feeling clever, we went to the trouble of Googling the cave rafting company and finding a map. The website told us that it was a bright green building next to McDonald's. Right! Time to find McDonald's. We walked out the front door, started for the car and laughed. It was right across the street and sure enough, a bright green unmissable building was next door.

We booked on the 1:15 pm tour and to kill time wen tfor a wander around town and took a trip to the Ware whare (warehouse)

At 1pm, we met at the caving HQ and got kitted out in all the gear we needed to stay warm. Socks, thermal pants, 2 polyprop tops, a thick brown top, huge set of waders, a wet suit jacket, Gimp hat, gloves and a helmet! Whew, all set.

We took a 35 min van ride to Nelson Creek and got ready to set off. A tall Australian man was dubbed Gigantor by the guide and Carl, being 2nd tallest was "Slightly smaller Gigantor".

The bush bash down to the river was steep and slippery and Carl had a bad fall which resulted in a twisted knee. Once the guide and I made sure he was OK we took photos of him lying on the ground.

We wandered up stream before hopping in our tractor tubes and floating back down through the rapids. We had a terrifying sled ride down a stone chute to the mouth of the cave where the guide joined our tubes together and pulled us in to the blackness.

Inside we enjoyed a moro bar and some hot chocolate while staring up at the amazing light show the glow worms provided.

Once we got back to Greymouth a hot spa and glass of wine/beer were in order followed by more Monteith's back at the hotel bar and an early night.