LATE CITY

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 271, 6 February 1928, Page 11

LATE CITY

WONDERFUL TRIP WAITOMO caves visited railway excursion m A wonderful trip.’* That was the unanimous comment of the hi people who visited the WaiTomo Caves yesterday. well-filled excursion train left Auckland at 8-30 o’clock yesterday niornin* and picked up other passengers en route. Travelling was delightful. A free trick gave the train an unnsual freedom from stops and the countryside, freshened by rain, looked more plcturthan usual. The absence of dust added to the enjoyable conditions. Hangatiki was reached at 1 o'clock after a non-stop run from Frankton junction through country where the oeat fires were still burning for miles and the smoke turned huge mountains into dim shadows of blue. Waiting motor-cars and buses soon whisked the 253 picnickers to the caves, where parties were formed for the waiting guides. As usual the highest praise went to the “Glow-worm" Cave, the most beautiful of the three. Here, deep dewn in the caverns of the earth, myriad constellations, more lovely than any stars, glimmer in velvet § loom. But the other caves are beautiful in a less spectacular way and well worth a visit. The homeward journey was made comfortably and up to time. Picnickers who were unable to obtain f,,od at the Waitomo Caves Hostel, •because all the maids were away,” patronised th© little refreshment room at Hangatiki Station, where a record business was done. Tea and sandwiches tasted much better in the cool shade of nearby trees. The Railway Department proposes to run another Sunday excursion to the caves during the season.