So this weekend Stephen and I set out on an adventure. Armed with a beautiful forecast and one of the hottest days of the summer we set out for Cave Stream. Cave Stream is literally as it sounds – a cave with a stream running through it….
Anyways, it has been something that has been on my NZ bucket list, so off we went for the day.
It was a good thing it was a hot day, because the first thing you do when walking into the cave is submerge yourself (past waist deep for me) in a pool of water. Note that this water is ice cold and really gets your heart pumping. From there it was on for another 45 minutes until we came out the other side. 
I didn’t take my camera through the cave with me. It would have been seriously WET. Climbing up the waterfalls was quite a feat at times – Stephen even had to pull me up one (Mr. very tall man).
At the end you end up in this gully and have to climb up a ladder (bars attached to the rock). You have now reached the top of the cave, but to get out its sliding on your bum along the edge of the drop, holding onto the chain and strategically placed footing until you make it out. Just to show you all, after we had made it out (soaking wet) we walked back to the car, grabbed the camera and headed back out to the cave exit to take some photos.
I must say it was an immensely cool experience – Stephen really liked it 🙂 Be sure to wear some warm clothes though and boots are recommended.
So, part two of adventure day was at Castle Hill. For me this place has a memory of my first road trip around the South Island about 5 months after I first arrived in New Zealand. This is where my car broke down and started spazzing out! Needless to say I didn’t make it to Castle Hill that time, but now we were finally here.
Castle Hill is a pretty cool place – its basically a hill with cool shaped rocks formed by glaciers. We found a spot up in the shade of a cool shaped rock and had some yummy sandwiches and then proceeded to take photos and check out the rock formations.
With that, it was the close of the day and time to head back to Christchurch to make tea for the night 🙂 What adventure is next?
Just Living the List 
Hi Lexy
It sounded great up until you mentioned the cold water. I think I’ll stick to swimming (or in my case floating serenely) in the cool but relatively warmer underground waters of the cenotes here in Yucatan.
Sandwiches after exercise are always yummy – bit like Mars or snickers bars when you reach the top of a climb in winter.
Glad you had a buddy along – safer and nice to share the experience.
Keep up the good work on the list.
Brian
(Yes. I’m chilling in Mexico. It’s snowing in the UK)
LikeLike
Lexy,
The only thing greater than your adventures is knowing how much you appreciate them! So glad “Mr tall guy” was with you! And….were you actually ballet-leaping off those rocks! miss ya, aunt beck
LikeLike