The lady at the call centre I rang to book my bus assured me that the glowworm caves of Waitomo were "incredible" and I would "never forget it." Well, they were nice, they really were, but I have to say I think I was more entertained by the rabbit shaving.

The actual glowworms did not disappoint, but the trip itself was short and overpriced (like most things in New Zealand, I've found). Our guide, who was great in every way except that she had the most irritating voice in the world, took us down into the caves and explained a bit about the geology, discovery, glowworm life cycle, blah blah blah, and then we piled into a boat and floated down the river to a big cavern. It was pitch black and lit only by the lights of millions of matchstick-sized glowworms. It looked like a really bright starry sky, or a city from an aeroplane. The glowworms use bioluminescence to lure insects (including the adult flies they become) to their sticky threads, and then eat them. They shine brighter the hungrier they are, and switch off if it's too noisy.

I was travelling on an Intercity Bus and we were going to leave Waitomo straight away but I put in a special request to stop at the Rabbit Shearing Shed which I had heard about. They have 350 angora rabbits and shear 4 of them every day and you can watch! The driver agreed, and everyone from the bus piled in to see a big fat fluffy rabbit get tied up like a roasting pig on a spit and be shorn. The rabbit, while clearly not having the time of her life, didn't seem particularly upset, and it was amazing to watch the huge piles of fur come off and the punky skinhead look the rabbit sported afterwards.