630 Feet Above New Zealand, and 300 Feet Below

I can tell you that this sort of adventure would never occur in the United States.  We had one guide for four people, Gavin.  Gavin drove us to the site, taught us what to do, did our safety checks, even took the pictures.  The four of us were completely in his hands.  If any of us had been hurt, there was no witness to back Gavin up in saying that we had not followed the rules.  There was no official representative at the back of the line, just Gavin at the front.  To exit the caves, each of us had to climb a 100-foot ladder into the gloom.  Gavin went first, leaving the rest of us in the bowels of the earth alone.  Michael was trained to attach each climber to the safety line, Gavin asked us if we each trusted him, and then he left. (!!)  Does that sound like a lawsuit waiting to happen?? To us Americans it did.  But, as I was informed at some point during our stay, "We don't have those down here."  Which made for much more exciting, authentic experiences. 

If you haven't been out of the States, please go.  You can live without lawyers out there....