Super Quest in Waitomo

My final trip with Outdoor Education was with the Year 11s and it was my favorite! We traveled to Waitomo, home of the famous glow worm caves, and participated in a couple of different activities. There were about 28 students and so they were split into four groups and four teachers took control of the four groups. I really liked it this way because then I was actually in charge of eight students and there wasn't anyone looking over my shoulder. It was just me and my students. I had more confidence and more fun than I have had during any other part of my student teaching experience.

The Group

Our first activity was the Super Quest. The students had to use a treasure map to find certain locations and perform a task to receive a clue. The first task was to get in line on the log in alphabetical order according to first names and they could only touch the ground eight times. My group was quite successful.

We got done really fast and actually caught up to the group that started an hour before us. We let them finish their second task and move on before we jumped to the second task, which was to get five inner tubes over the wooden pole and then back off again. I was surprised with how quickly they did this. They just threw the tubes over the top and then threw the tubes up and over. Other groups have tried this but it takes too long and they resort to a different strategy. Man, my group was good!

Our third task was to cross the river without getting wet. In the process of crossing, the map fell out of a student's pocket and into the river, to be lost forever. I thought that with being the teacher and everything there would be a different way for me to cross, but false. I had to put two feet on one side of the inner tube, lean over the rope and put my hand on the other side of the tube, and shimmy across. Once I reached the other side the tube slipped out and my bum almost got wet. One of my students came to my rescue and helped pull me over to the ladder where I was successful in reaching dry land.

After making it safely across the river, we came to a little cave. The task was for all of the students to fit inside. Being claustrophobic, I opted out of this and took pictures.

Going in one by one

Most of the students were inside when our guide confessed that the cave was full of wetters. I didn't know what these were and he told me they were like giant crickets. I don't do bugs so I definitely wasn't going to make an attempt at going inside the cave.

A wetter

This picture isn't blown up, they really are big bugs!

I wish you could have seen the look on this boy's face as he went inside, saw a wetter, and came back out. He was absolutely terrified! So with much hesitation, he was the last one in and barely went inside. As soon as our guide gave him the all clear, he jumped out pretty quickly.

Trying to be brave

Our next few clues led us to a cave where we only had the light of a candle to lead the ten of us through. It was really hard to see anything but we made it safely to a cairn which held the key to the treasure chest.

Descending into the cave



View from the entrance to the cave

We took our key, listened to the next clue, and headed off to find the hidden treasure. When we got there, the students quickly found the chest and we all enjoyed some chocolate and sparkling grape juice. The students had a wonderful time.

Listening to our guide, Sir Wiz, talk about team work and our Super Quest experience.

We finished our trip by rafting through a cave filled with glow worms. It was an incredible experience! It is called black water rafting and I did it a few weeks before with the girls from my program. This trip was more fun for various reasons. It's hard to explain without hand motions and I don't have any pictures yet so ask me about it when I get home!