While Raglan is best known for the intense waves and rugged coastline that make it a surfer’s paradise, it is quite an enjoyable area for non-surfers too. The shoreline views speak for themselves:

Surfers below patiently wait for the perfect wave. The water looks oddly calm in these photos; I promise the waves were huge.

After stopping at the town center for a supermarket trip and lunch, we continue up into the hills of Raglan to stay at a forrest retreat overlooking the shore. The hostel is affiliated with a surf camp so lots of my fellow passengers opt to take advantage of a class. I use the afternoon to catch up on photo editing and then walk along this stretch of road overlooking the main beach just before sunset.

Just before sunset I rush up to Inspiration Point and meet fellow travelers who have congregated to watch the sun dip below the horizon.

Here are my new friends Rick and Casper from the Netherlands:

I love this little amphitheater. What a great performance space… can you imagine a jazz quartet playing at sunset or an evening performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream?

A few die hard surfers make the most of the final rays of sunlight.

My friend Susan has purchased Chocolate Moose (a chocolate porter from an Auckland brewery) and she generously offers me one. I’m not normally a beer drinker, but in this case my taste buds approve. Thank you Susan!

Our hostel is located in the middle of nowhere so our group makes use of the kitchen for dinner. Earlier in the day at our grocery store stop, several travelers wisely teamed up to purchase veggies, meat, and seasonings for a hearty group dish. I was out of the loop and my measly ham sandwich looks dull by comparison! But it’s fun to hang out with everyone in the kitchen as they buzz around preparing food. It feels like summer camp.

Tomorrow night we’re in for a treat: an overnight cultural stop with a Maori family just outside of Rotorua. Tune in tomorrow for photos and video footage of me dancing…!