Glow little glowworm, glimmer, glimmer....

You have to be of a certain age to know those lyrics. I thought the Mills Brothers just made them up in the '50s for me to dance to, but lo and behold...there is a glowworm cave in Fjorland National Park and we went there!!!!

Close your eyes and imagine the darkest night in Mississippi (or North Carolina). Next pretend you have looked up into the sky and Whammo! you are stunned by the extraordinary number of stars in the sky.

Well, when you have taken a boat on Lake TeAnau, and then walked through a tunnel with a rushing river running through it, and finally got on a boat and floated around a black lake in the dark, saying nothing...you have the same experience.  On the walls of the cave -- in total darkness -- are thousands of tiny -- really tiny -- green lights (just like the standby lights on the computer only smaller). These little critters glow more brightly the hungrier they are, and lost insects fly toward them. Unbeknownst to the bug, the worm has woven a thread of sticky stuff that hangs down from its body... once they are there -- they are goners.  These little suckers are vicious, too...if one of their own kind wanders too close to their turf -- whoosh! they are in the stomach of their neighbor! What a lesson in the struggle that is called "life".

That is just one of the wonderful experiences we have had here in New Zealand.  Seems there are more amazing things at every turn of the corner. Our time here is nearly over, and I find myself wanting MORE!!

First, I can't decide whether the people or more extraordinary or the place...I love these folks with their funky accent -- even they admit they don't know how to speak "the King's English" -- we were told we were visiting a "pear" station -- I assumed it was a fruit cellar...but it was a power plant -- under the mountains -- (felt like a coal miner on that one!) Our new-found friend's name is Heether -- we say Heather.  Even she laughs at it...and the minister at church was "Kyle" -- until we read his name -- Karl.

Glowworm cave on Sunday -- after church at Lakeside Presbyterian.  Great day.  Monday we drove to the south of the island -- wound up at Riverton ALMOST the most southernly place, but not quite.  On the way saw herds of cattle and red deer/elk (donated by Teddy Roosevelt), fishing villages, and surfers -- now I guarantee you the waves were not the Hawaii-50 type, but the six kids in the water were having fun. Driving on, we dined at a Beach House restaurant, and while there the other folks excitedly pointed out the pod of dolphin frolicking up Mitchell Sound.  They were really having fun, and natives say that only happens once or twice a year -- so we were lucky.

Yesterday we took our "special" trip of this visit...a day long trip out Doubtful Sound.  Coach ride to Manapuri where we boarded the boat...then across Manapuri Lake to dock and again ride a coach overland.  We rose to a high pass and had a vista of the sound from above -- then descended past those "cold rainforest temperate" zones - and down to where there was a smattering of deciduous fall colored trees...then on a boat again.

Fjords are simply one of God's special creations...these are covered with plant/lichen growth --to the extent that when it rains (nearly all the time) the water leeches the tannin out of the plants, and the brown water descends to the sound -- making it actually brown water close to the shore. Their extreme verticality in close proximity to each other and to the islands make the scenery simply beautiful.  Add to that the appearance of the Fjordland Crested Penguin who had returned to mate, the sea lions basking in the sun with their babies, and those albatrosses as they crossed the clear blue sky, and you have a perfect day.  We also met a couple from Texas and spent the entire time ooohhhing and aaaahhhing with them. She teaches "butterfly gardens", Anita, so you know Vaughn offered a free week in the mountains of North Carolina if she would come and share her knowledge with us. I won't hold my breath until they do...

Today is a catch-up day with a trip to Milford Sound and preparations for departure. We fly out of Queenstown tomorrow, and spend two nights in Auckland before flying out to Seoul for one night and on to Malaysia and the first of our international "pseudo-sons"visit.  And -- instead of wearing those heavy coats...we will be in equatorial weather - shedding as much as is legally possible and enduring 90+ temps.

I hope to get the pix on line on Friday -- MY FRiday--not yours :-)

What an adventure!