Finishing touches

Via more bus time then I'd like to log, I finished up on the Coromandal peninsula in Hahei- a truly lovely white-sand beach I literally couldn't help but pace looking out onto the islands scattered out in the bay.

Picture to the left was taken here @ dawn. I'd say it does a good job of telling the story of why the Maori's know NZ as Aotearoa- land of the long white cloud.

Everything felt like it was coming together and I seemed to be digesting some of the happenings over the last 7 weeks. It was also becoming more and more apparent that springs was definitely in the air and the sun has gotten strong enough to color my skin and my hair. The beach bum in me wanted to turn and run for the nearest surf break.

Thanks to thermal waters just below the sand and strategically timed low-tide, that night we got to dig pits into the sand @ Hot Water Beach and enjoy our own natural spa pool :). Warnings for sure b/c although rather luxurious, it can be scorching no joke. None the less, this all just sealed the deal- I had to have water! So, as soon as I could say 'C'ya later, bye!' to the bus, I was off running with a smile for I was FREE! The very next day I was geared up w/ a board and a wetsuit to reunite with Raglan, Manu Bay's beginners break and it's black sand beaches.

Full circle.

Raglan is where Dave posted up and the the first spot to steal my heart in NZ. It is known to be one of those towns that you just can't seem to part with and true to it, I was welcomed by all the great folk I had met earlier in the game. Hanging out w/ Dave again solidified that I/We had gotten what I/We came to get; accomplished what I/We set out to do; and therefore, I/We were chilling with a happy heart. We did it! We talked the talk roughly a year ago and now I was hanging out with him on his back porch over looking a jungle and a bay of water. He had made a good life for himself & his bike in a surf town on an island at the bottom of the world. I had traveled extensively and uncovered a good bit of a beautiful slice of the world. We couldn't help but dance around and congratulate one another b/c although we took off with different visions, we definitely look out for each others best and what more could you ask for?!?!

For total understanding, stare @ picture of night sky featured above that was taken off his deck.

So yea, Raglan is definitely a North Island must and a one of a kind stop but consider yourself warned...there are certainly forces bigger than you are aware of that could be pulling you into Raglan time!!! Not to mention cool happenings that keep you quenched and satisfied like killer whale (x3) sightings @ the kite surfing beach. Yep, they are real and they are massive and word gets around town for things like that b/c everyone knows everyone. Seriously!!

So, at the end of 3 (or maybe 4) sunny beautiful chilled out days filled w/ amazing food cooked by chef Tim from Austria (who deserves mad props); long but oh so good walks to and from town (what I will surely miss most) and laughs + good real life stories from well rounded young nomads that made up the rest of the house, I was ready to be set loose. Dave could see that I was ready for HOME and that made just about everything official. I just had one more must on the to-do list--

Tattoo.