Sunday 5 December - It was absolutely tipping it down in the morning. I had to catch a 9am bus to Waitomo Caves so caught a taxi to the bus stop as I didn't want to get drenched. Arrived at Waitomo around 11.30am and I was staying at KiwiPaka YHA. Didn't think much of the hostel even though there were beds and not bunks. The cleaners forgot to make up my room and the woman on reception was really unfriendly. Was booked in to do Black Water Rafting Tumu-Tumu TOObing at 2.30pm. It took about 20 minutes to reach to changing hut my the caves. There were about 12 of us in total and everybody was really nice and friendly. There was a family there from Somerset. We put on wetsuits and gumboots, but the wetsuits were wet when we put them on which is not nice. Got our helmets with lights on and had a 15 minute walk down to the cave entrance. To get into the cave we had to climb down a vertical ladder for about 50 metres. The entrance was not big. Had so much fun down in the caves. We were underground for about 3 hours in total. Had to walk, wade and swim through the cold underground river that went through the caves. We also had to crawl/slither through really small/narrow holes and tunnels. It was great although one of the gaps was so small that I nearly got stuck. I had to squeeze and push my way through - definately diet time for me when I get home. The caves were incredible - the rock formations were amazing and there were loads of glow worms. When we turned our torches off in a cave without glow worms I literally couldn't see my hand in front of my face. But in a glow worm gave I could just about manage to see my hand and also make out my white gumboots. Blackwater rafting doesn't quite live up to its name. We basically sat in a big rubber ring and drifted down the river. It was fun and relaxing - not exciting like I thought it would be. I didn't have the best look with the rafting/toobing. I fell out of mine as soon as I sat in it. When we got to the end of the toobing stretch we had to basically turn round and go back to the start of the toobing to put them back. The guides turned it into a race which I won. However the only reason I won was that I was at the back, so therefore when we had to turn round I was at the front. I had also managed to fall out of my ring again, so instead of trying to get back into it I just swam or ran with it, so I won! It was really so much fun, but very tiring climbing over rocks with a wet wetsuit and boots full of water. But I would do it again! The town of Waitamo is little more than a couple of hostels, cafes and cave places. I tried to get something to eat after 8pm and found everywhere shut - crappy town!