When I left Rotorua, the tourist trap, I drove off to the coast, to Whakatane where I slept in the Lloyd's Lodge kept by Dick and Kate. As we were only a few guests - a Swiss couple, a Taiwanese Australian, an Indian Kiwi and myself - we all had our own rooms. The Lodge itself is an old house that still is decorated the way it was made up 50 years ago. Yt in a surprisingly good state.
Not a very big town but the start of a beautiful coast line, Whakatane is named after a Maori chief's daughter who intervened where a woman wasn't supposed to, namely operate a canoe (or one of those big ones). When going out to great visitors, the men had left the women in the canoe. At some point the canoe started drifting off to the open sea. That's when this young lady undertook action against all 'savoir-vivre' and saved the canoe and its precious cargo. She has a statue in the harbor.
From Whakatane I had decided to follow the coast road all the way around to Gisborne and Napier.
The Pohutekawa tree is also called the Christmas tree as it blooms red around Christmas. It is a sturdy tree that grows into fabulous shapes when tortured by the winds.
Ohiwa harbor bay is an oyster farm area and a beautiful collection of little islands nested in lush vegetation (two dangerous words I'll want to use all the time here). It was hard to stop driving on that road because it was so beautiful. You'll see on my pictures that the wind was blowing very hard.
Opotiki, Opape, Hawai, Whiatianga, Okahu Point. I only stopped in Te Kaha, on a little peninsula where I found a spot sitting on some rocks, under large trees and with my feet on the dark beach sand, teased by some gulls.
Actually I made many stops on that road albeit to take pictures.
(SEE ALL PICTURES ON https://photos.app.goo.gl/420LbsUaP8E0Pspn2)
That afternoon, I kept driving until Te Araroa where I hoped to stay in a lodge that was recommended by the Lonely planet but heard that the owner had just sold this last lodging opportunity in the village. Mel's Place was apparently the place to go to. In Hicks bay on Onepoto (short bay) Beach Road. Mel and her husband moved to this bit of family ground some 19 years ago. There was only rocks and some grass then but they planted trees and after a while built their cottage and the side building that serves as a lodge. I took a picture of the view from the dorm, beautiful!
At Mel's, the sun wakes you up really early because there are no curtains. However she recommends that you wake up even earlier to drive to the East Cape lighthouse to see the sun rise even earlier. You'll be the first ones on the whole planet to see the sun on that calendar day!
I drove to the lighthouse around mid-day and even though it was well worth the trip over the gravel road, I was sorry I hadn't done it at day brake.
Tikitiki holds an old church that is probably the only Maori decorated building you get to visit freely. Normally the Maori carvings and paintings are on the Marae, the council houses, that are private to the Maori community.
Down in Ruatoria, the tourism information centre is held by a Maori. I assaulted him with questions about the Maori, about their political positions, about their economical views, on some key facts and figures and about much more. Thank you for your patience with me dear man!
The East coast of the cape is very different from the West. It is a coast of wide beaches and dryer weather. This is the coast where they shot "The Whale Rider"
GO SEE THE WHALE RIDER if you haven't seen it yet.
I spent that night in Tolaga Bay. Tolaga Bay has a delicious micro climate that makes you never want to leave......
It is also home to the longest pier in, was that in Australasia? I as more interested in the weather and the gorgeous looking streets in this small town. Streets called Endeavour, Resolution, Discovery and Adventure. It was hard to leave that cosy little cabin at the camping place next to the pier and my four and eight year-old neighbours.
From Tolaga Bay on the landscapes lost some of their fabulousness so it was easier to make a faster progress. I briefly stopped in Gisborne for books (nothing interesting), lunch and checking my emails. My ride ended on the Mahia peninsula. I drove around a bit to find something else than the motel in Mahia Beach the guide said was the only place but a lodge I found in Mahia was closed.
After checking into the motel I walked out the gates and onto the beach, adding some shells to my newly started collection. I was also tempted by a bit of driftwood that is now resting on the parcel shelve in the back of my car.
The Mahia peninsula hold a very nice little forest of native trees.
And that was the end of my trip around the East Cape.
From there I drove down to Napier to meet Collin, a friend of my sister Sophie. That's where i'm typing from right now. More in a next post.
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