I didn't sleep very good in the bunks last night but still managed to roll out by 7:30. I packed everything up and was on my way. It was sunny and warm way up there but the wind was still very brisk until I got down into the shelter of the trees. I made very few stops on the way back and over an hour later, I made it to my car. I took off my hot, muddy boots and drove twenty minutes back to town.
I got a quick breakfast and drove an hour west to the Cape Egmont lighthouse. I was the biggest lighthouse I've seen yet here in NZ and was up above a pretty, rocky beach. I attempted to walk up to it but it was sitting in a cow pasture inside their fence and cattle were all around it. I went passed the fence (sshhh...) and the cows were sure curious what I was and what I was doing. I took a couple pics and headed north.
I drove for a few hours near the coast until I rolled into a small village where the Elephant Rock and the Three Sisters resided. I knew it was best to see these rock formations during low tide so I hoped that when I showed up, it would be. I walked down on the beach, which was actually a black sand beach and I rounded the point to where the rocks were. The Elephant Rock was huge, and I went around its right side to get a better angle to see if it really looked like an animal. Of course the tide was coming in so I could only go so far even with my pant legs rolled up. With a little imagination, it did look like an elephant. I could see further down the beach, a rock archway and three other single rocks. I waded through the water down that direction and came to the arch first. It was so big and really neat. The tide was really making its way in at that point so I got a few more pictures of the sisters and headed back.
I drove for about three more hours on top of the three I just did and arrived in Waihi. I came back to Alison and David's to catch up with them and settle down before I head to the South Island. It was so good to see them again. We sat and talked for quite awhile then headed for bed.
