Gold, glow-worms & grub!

First stop today, after saying farewell to Sunlover's Retreat, our amazing B&B, was Waihi , gold capital of NZ in 19th  &
early 20th centuries. Many houses show obvious previous wealth. There's a huge opencast mine at the end of  the high street, new extraction techniques keep it profitable. Next, walking up the Karangahake Gorge, through mines and railway tunnels. Beautiful scenery now the mines have closed and nature healed the scars.
Lastly to Waitomo, more gentle walks through the  river valley, limestone this  time, so full of the caves we'll be exploring tomorrow, with their glow-worms. A short walk after dark and more of the  little creatures, serenaded by moreporks, a shy native owl. I wonder why Terry Pratchett chose that one to team with Ankh.
Grub: green lipped mussels of course, in a cheese&tomato sauce.
As an afterthought, the sky is upside down, the snowman on the Moon is hanging from the top, and Betelgeuse is Orion's left knee rather than right shoulder. Confusing!