Piha Beach
Kate arranged for the two of us to meet up with Nick and Marissa, friends of friends who currently live just outside of Auckland. We hopped on the train to get to their house. The train in New Zealand is so bright and clean! It was a very comfortable ride and not long before we were disembarking and climbing the steps to the main street, which led to this magnificent view:
Even the suburban neighborhoods in New Zealand have great vistas! After a warm welcome, Nick and Marissa drove us out to Piha Beach. Our first real sightseeing in New Zealand! It was a rainy, misty, cloudy kind of day that gave the beach a perfect mysterious, moody atmosphere.
I walked around in awe like this most of the time:
Photo credit: Kate
Piha is awesome. It’s gorgeous from every angle.
Walking along the black sand beach, you can walk in between the massive majestic cliffs. There are all kinds of amazing things to discover: caves, turquoise pools, expanses of moss-covered rock, and narrow streams carved through the rock that fill up with foam every time the water rushes in. My favorite was the tunnel carved straight through the mountain to the ocean on the other side.
And then you can climb up the barnacle-encrusted rocks into the cliffs for a whole new perspective. You can stand on the edge of the rocks, watching the wild aqua-green ocean crashing against jagged rocky cliffs beneath you as the wind hurls itself around you from all directions. It feels like standing at the edge of the world. In such powerful and distinct surroundings, I couldn't help but feel I was on the stage of some epic story. I could have sat down and watched those waves for days.
As you climb higher, the wild green tropical plants grow so enthusiastically that they obscure the trail. The whole place just lives and breathes, like it’s all part of a rugged and glorious celebration of being alive.
As it got dark, we reluctantly made our way back down to the beach. But the day wasn’t over. This beach gets the most stunning sunsets! While we were exploring the cliffs, the light had started to peek out from behind the clouds. By the time it was sinking lower, it was streaming in brilliant colors. The beach is a great spot to watch because you have the dramatic silhouettes of the rocks, big waves, and watery reflections that reach far out over the sand.
I feel so lucky I was able to experience this beautiful place. I’d been feeling a little down since arriving in New Zealand, but this visit turned the trip around. It was much-needed and so worth the stress and fears of getting here.
If you’re ever in New Zealand, visit Piha! It’s only about 40 minutes West of Auckland by car.
Photo credit: Kate
