I had arrived with big expectations and a head torch, but reality soon crept in. Firstly, lava stone is the most painful rock to kneel on, no question. It even hurts, picking up a rock. After half an hour of fruitless searching, I found a single springtail, a juvenile Neelus murinus.
Read MoreOn noise and the dislike of handshakes and rice pudding.
Read MoreIt's coming up to the end of summer in New Zealand and almost the start of spring in the UK. Time goes quickly.
When I first left the UK to begin this journey, a couple of years ago, I didn't look back once.