New Zealand Trip

Post two.
Once recovered we got back in the car and drove to East Cape Lighthouse.
http://www.maritimenz.govt.nz/Commercial/Shipping-safety/Aids-to-navigation/Lighthouses-of-NZ/East-cape-lighthouse.asp

The drive out there was about 20kms on mostly gravel road (or metal as the kiwis call it) but right beside the coast so at times we were only meters away from the water. There were a few scattered farmhouses but this is really remote country up here and just so rugged and beautiful. Horses were even tethered on the water side of the road, those guys had the best paddock in the world as far as views went.This is the part of the world that receives the first rays of daylight of the new dawn and I kept joking with dh that on a really clear day you could actually see the international date line snaking across the water.
The lighthouse was originally located on East Island but after a short time they had to relocate as the island itself was crumbling away and the keeper could not raise any crops to feed himself or his lifestock.

East Island

Oh look there it is. Only 700 steps to go.

The view from the top.

At the top.

 The view was well worth the climb. We could see down the east coast toward Gisborne and back along the coast the way we had come. Not too many people make this journey because of the steep climb up to the top but it was a sight worth seeing. We retraced out steps back to Te Araroa and stopped to look at the 600 year old Pohutakawa tree in the school grounds. This thing is just massive. Well it has had many years to grow. It is right beside the sea too so not the best growing conditions for it but it is still in good condition and will be there for many more years I imagine.

 I saw the story of this small house explained as a storage hut for food. Not sure if that is true in this case or will be a sort of 'place of offering' here.

That is me standing in there to give you some idea of size.

See little me in there.

 Growing well in a harsh environment. There was some debate as to actual age as the sign at the tree says 350+ years old but all the other info I found was 600+ years old so I can only assume the sign is 300 years old. Doing well for a sign that old really.

 We went back to the motel and I actually got those pipis cooked and they were just as yummy as I remember them.