East Cape - nothing is there
There is the east part of North Island, which has pretty easy map - just one road around and one accros (and this one is gravel most of the time and takes a long time to go through). The plan was easy - take the road on coast, where should be a nice sights on the ocean and, at the end, hike to the East Cape lighthouse, which is interesting as it is the most easterly lighthouse in the World. Which also means that there isn't any other lighthouse, where the sunrise will be earlier. You got the idea, it was our place.
No problems on the road, the views were pretty nice, but it went slowly. In the middle, all of sudden, the radio stopped playing as well as our invertor charging our equipment. We stopped on one particularly nice spot, did our shooting and Vlada also found a car, which he consider as wreck (as all the other we saw on the way here, which were covered in grass as well). This was the place, where we found, that one fuss in gone and put there a new one. Short flash and no change. Suddenly, that wreck Vlada spotted before came with some Maori man inside. He was quite chatty, offered us some sea food and told us, that would we be able to find the fusses in his car, he should have some spare one. But have no idea, where it is. We just thanked him and it was one of our first observation, that people here are really friendly, on the other hand it can be quite hard to leave them.
In town (like two houses) we found a shop and bought new fusses. Quick try and another two blow up. Yes, it took some time to realize we have short circuit in car. After that it was easy to find it and repair, it was a bit of shock to us to see in which way the electricity is done (knots to put cables together looks funny). But after our quick repair, the radio played again and we were able to charge our equipment as well.
Short way to East Cape
, last 20km is just gravel road. And then 700 stairs to the lighthouse, the view is awesome as well as the facts about it. Originally it stayed on the island near by (which is 2km from shore, but it looks much more faraway from the island to the shore than opposite way). It was built in 1900 and moved to the shore in 1922, in 2002 they changed the original 1000W lamp for new one, which is just 50W. Sounds like impossible to me, that the new one is able to cover the same area.
It isn't allowed to camp on the parkplace and one is required to move to the campsite near by. Nothing for us, we want to see the sunrise and would we be able to sleep on the top we can save about an hour in the morning. Another two cars coming, but just we're moving slowly to the top. However, local guy came in and moved all cars to the campsite and we decided to go down as well and had a nice chat with him. He even invited us to see him tomorrow and do some shooting there as he is Maori and like their history. Also explained why it is prohibited to stay here, as they time to time decide to go hunting the rabbits and don't want to kill someone. Would you be thee, just stay in the campsite, he'll move you anyway.
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East Cape - nothing is there
This brings back great memories - best part of our stay in NZ was lodging at a sheep station near Gisborne on the East Cape run by a very nice couple who's great grandfather had built the station.
Enjoy your trip - wish I was there!
Mike