April 2018 ~ Bloggings of a Kiwi

PIHA

Sometimes I forget just how truly beautiful the city where I live is and just how close I am to some of the most beautiful beaches and attractions Auckland is known for. Today I caught up with two of my good friends for a day out exploring, starting off at Piha beach. No matter how many times I visit Piha, I'm always at a loss for words - the beautiful green landscapes and pretty blue sky with white marshmallow clouds made for a gorgeous setting for today's expedition. The weather was on and off, spitting throughout the time spent on the beach. Me and Lynnice made the trek up Lion's Rock to overlook Piha when we arrived, despite my usual restrictions I have when it comes to anything physical because of my Brittle Asthma (Exercise is a huge trigger) I managed to slowly, huff my way up to the top almost in a jelly-legged fashion. It felt so good feeling the fresh air hitting against my face and wrapping the smell of the ocean around me like a blanket. I sat for a good 15-20 minutes reflecting on how fortunate I am to have such a country to call home, to have access to a beautiful beach without worry and enjoy the little moments so many take for granted. The view was undeniably breathtaking, it was hard to leave. You could spend an entire day just sitting there and get lost in day dream.

After spending a brief moment on Lion's Rock, we walked down to the water and I spent time treading through the ocean, embracing how magical and flawless the waves looked lapping onto the shore - the way the water rushed around my legs, soaking my clothes. I met an old woman who was standing beside me, smiling ear-to-ear taking in the cold but refreshing salty water. We exchanged kind words, describing how amazing we felt being outside in nature at that moment. It was nice, even though a stranger, in that short time frame we spent talking I felt like I was talking to a well acquainted friend. Lynnice and Shez if not equally were enjoying their time breathing in the ocean air, feeling the sand beneath their soles and treading through the water in between capturing memories of our time at Piha.

Below are some photos I captured on my camera during our trip:

I love the 'Mist' in the far background, magic

The kind stranger I met in the Ocean

ARATAKI VISITOR CENTRE

Our second trip of the day led us to the Arataki Visitor centre - a great place to learn more about New Zealand native Wildlife, the Waitakere Ranges and taking hiking trails for the Hiker Enthusiasts. It is also an amazing place to visit the look out points that overlook the Waitakere Ranges, West Auckland and on the horizon - Auckland City. We stayed there for well over an hour, exploring inside the centre, taking our time to take in our surroundings at the look out points and walked 15 minutes into the Hillary Trail and back. I felt like I was in a Fairytale - walking through an enchanted forest of pure green, moss, ferns and gorgeous trees. The air was crisp and fresh, Wood pigeons and other birds flew above us or stayed perched on the tree branches.

Arataki is a magical place, a taste of how pretty our city is and what is right on our doorsteps. Its a nice place to catch up with friends and I was so happy I was able to spend time there today and get in some filming and photo snaps.

It was the perfect ending to a day of singing along to tracks like "Black Velvet", "You're still the one", "Blurry", "Broken", "Blue lady" and other classic tracks during our long car rides back and forth. I'm lucky to have the few friends that I do and to be able to go out to different places every now and then and share the same love for nature and outdoor activities. And unwind and have a bit of fun.

Arataki photos I captured: