Heading Around East Cape

All Photos, Waiotahi, Eastland. May 2009. Ajr
There's no such thing as a dull moment when you make the trip from Opotiki, right around East Cape and down into Gisborne. I did it recently in two days (I've done it previously in one day), and even with an overnight stay at the half-way point of Te Kaha, it pushing it. I would much rather do the trip over a week because, simply put, it's a photographer's heaven - especially if you're photographing anything to do with Maori culture, as I was. I came home with hundreds of photos just from that leg of the journey, yet there was SO much more I never had time to stop and see - which begs a return trip of course. One stop I did make was at this rest area on the side of the road near Waiotahi Beach. I loved the way the silvery sign shimmered against that perfect blue sky. In Maori it says Te Maori a Te Whenua. In English on the other side, Welcome to Our Smoke-Free Area. I'm not sure if one is a translation of the other - maybe if any te Reo speakers reading this can leave a comment? That would be great.