In December 2007 The photovan went for its first 'major' tour of a few days . I chose the East Coast and this is where it began ....
There are plenty of scenic bays on the East coast ...
This is "Hawaii'
All the way to Te Araroa , 21 km down the road is the worlds most easterly lighthouse . I had about 1/4 of a tank of fuel left and had seen no fuel stations for 100km . This place had some locked pumps .....
This is believed to be the worlds largest Pohutukawa tree , maybe 350 years old , 21.2 meteres high and 40 meter trunk at its widest point ...
Tokomaru bay had some interesting old buildings . This one had a sign asking for contributions for upkeep "if you want to photograph this building " , ok I did crop this picture and do a shadows adjustment ...
Not good enough so I drove back to Opotiki about 25 km further and back up the way I had driven the first day to find a decent campsite . I drove another 40km and decided to turn around and head toward Whakatane , I was getting very tired but wanted a place with decent scenery . OK , view from the beach , the people on the beachfront were packed like sardines but luckily there was a quiet spot around the back ....
[Those sixes are all eights by now actually ]
I went through Rotorua on my way and stopped to photograph some of the lakes along the way .
Hinehopu bay ....
This is "Hawaii'
All the way to Te Araroa , 21 km down the road is the worlds most easterly lighthouse . I had about 1/4 of a tank of fuel left and had seen no fuel stations for 100km . This place had some locked pumps .....
After going into a shop to get someone to unlock the fuel pumps I took a few images around the town .
"Shaggy " the horse wandered across a field ...
The road to the lighthouse ... looking through a dirty windscreen .....
700 steps up to the lighthouse for a decent view !
and then the steps back down again .....
On the way back I stopped to get some shots of this horse who turned to show me his good side
And looking back toward the lighthouse and island
I camped that night in Te Araroa camp site - the owner doesn't have locks on his doors apparently
The photovan in action !
The night sky .....
The early morning beach ....
Walking back to the campsite from the beach ....
On the road again .....
Te Puia springs .....
More old buildings ...
Manganuka track campsite - I would have stayed there if someone hadn't lit an annoying fire that smoked me out .....
Another possible option for an overnight stay ....
From the hill next to the campsite ....
The sunset wasn't looking too promising so I played around with filters ....
That's mount Tarawera ..... just did a drive-by this time .
I stopped in at Rotorua and photographed some of the thermal activity on the side of the road . I'm pretty sure that place is going to blow up one day - it was only 120 years ago that Tarawera exploded
And that's how the photovan's first major tour went , and this is how it ended ...