Well holy friggin’ crap. I have 12 days left in the land of the long white cloud.
I arrived back in Raglan on New Year’s Eve and was immediately greeted by familiar faces and friends from my last time here and acquainted myself with all the new faces as well at the Raglan backpacker. Raglan is one of the hotspots for music, art, and entertainment in NZ so I bought a ticket to the NYE concert on Volcom Lane. I honestly couldn’t wipe the smile off my face for the whole day. I had slightly forgetten what great energy exists here and there was definitely a skip in my step as I walked around the streets. The concert was rocking and the weather was warm as the fireworks display went on over the river at midnight. We all danced the night away. What I really love about Raglan is just how peaceful and patient people are here. Even in a small venue, packed with 400 people drinking and smoking, there was no pushing or roughness, just people smiling and dancing to the reggae beats. Not an bitter soul around.
Being back here, naturally, I am back surfing almost every day. I think I’ve only missed 3 days out of 2 weeks. Not too shabby I reckon. But the real kicker is that the water is so bloody warm I don’t have to wear a wetsuit. The surf started picking up a few days after after my arrival so I thought it be good time to start playing on a smaller board. So as of lately I’ve been out surfing on a 6’8” board and really enjoying the feel of it. It’s been much easier to turn but I’m still working on that bit. But holy frig I caught an AMAZING wave the other day. Like it couldn’t have been more perfect. The water was glassy as, and the waves, perfectly clean. Then it came, I reckon about 4 feet it was, and I caught it at perfect timing. I just glided down like it was nothing. When I actually surfed down to the bottom of the wave I was so bloody excited that I fell off the board. I didn’t care though. I was on cloud nine for the rest of the day.
So my confidence is definitely improving in the bigger waves, thus my surfing is improving. And getting out everyday is just such a great way to spend the day. Not to mention great exercise. But man, when it’s that fun and rewarding, I tell ya, it doesn’t feel like exercise at all.
I’m so glad though I decided to stay here for a couple of weeks during my last month in NZ. I helped out a few days here and there with the cleaning to cover my surf board rental but otherwise I’ve been just soaking it all in, going to work in my office every day for a few hours. In a wee ploy to make myself feel somewhat productive, I’ve claimed one of the hammocks that overlooks the courtyard as my office. Quite a bit of work goes on here too. I get a lot of reading done, napping, watching the planes and gliders fly overhead. Not to mention the social aspect of it all. You can lay there, swaying in the wind, and drink beer, eat and have people sit near you and you barely have to move. It’s quite luxurious. I love the hammock.
As for other random events taking place in Raglan town, the other night we had a girl’s evening at Suz’s house. Her and her partner Tim own the backpacker and she invited all the girls who work here out to their place. They have a cozy house that overlooks Whale Bay and we had a lovely meal and watched the surfers go nuts at the Indicators point break. We picked fresh strawberries from her garden for dessert and ate a lovely meal and drank ginger wine. Twas lovely, tell yer mother. And just the other night and yesterday I surfed Ruapuke beach for the first time. A friend from Fox came down for a surf for a few days so we drove out for an evening surf at Ruapuke. My word, the swell was quite huge for me but I attempted. Attempted I did, succeeded to catch a wave- no. I got a good washing about, but it’s still worth paddling out at dusk with the sun setting right in front of you. Then yesterday we woke up for an early morning departure back out to Ruapuke and we in the water by 8am. Again, the swell was pretty big for me and I had a hard time getting out, but man did I ever improve my duck diving. Haha, frig there was lots of duck diving done and the waves I caught were near nil. But it was all good, and spent a good day’s work at the beach and in the water. So tomorrow, if conditions allow, I’m surfing Manu Bay on my last day in Raglan. Wish me luck.
Ok, so hopefully I didn’t bore you too much with all the surfing jibber-jabber but it’s definitely something I want to keep doing for ever and ever and ever. And seeing that I am going to back on PEI soon, I have a mission. It’s an island, there HAS to be some surf somewhere. HAS to be. Eastern point I reckon. So come spring the search for the surf begins.
Anywho, 12 days to go in NZ…One week in B.C…One week in Toronto/Kingston…5:30pm February 14th I step on snow covered red soil again. See you then…
