The Hangover, The Beach and a sublime Sunday.
An old friend of mine had arranged to pick me up on Sunday, and take me out with his dogs to a beach he knew for the day. I remembered this as my phone buzzed that Dave was on his way. Two seconds after reading the text, my body reminded me what I had done to it the night before, I stumbled into the bathroom for a shower and realising that I was still fully dressed, stumbled back into my room to strip off and grab a towel. I had time to throw a cup of instant coffee down my throat, write BM a hasty note to apologise for anything I couldn't remember from the night before, and slip it under her door as my phone buzzed again to say Dave was outside.
Dave, or Big Dave as he was known, was my boss years back at a motorcycle store in the UK.
He'd moved back to NZ a few years ago, and we'd not seen each other for a long time, I was looking forward to today, and had bought him a bottle of laphroaig, or lilly laphroaig as we knew it, for old times sake.
Shuffling out to Daves truck, I was met by two huge rhodesian ridgebacks, and a big hug from the man himself. Dave said that first things first, we'd stop for coffee. I've said this before, but again, this was going to be a good day, hangover be damned!
The drive out to Bethell beach consisted of the kind of roads most motorcyclists would die for, and occasionally on. Dave pointed out the adverse camber on blind tightening radius corners, mid corner bumps and various other hazards to the inattentive rider that littered the road.
We detoured across one of the gravel roads that spurred off the main road, and marvelled at the views across valleys to hidden lakes, and I marvelled at Daves drifting of the truck round gravelly tracks.
We arrived at Bethells, but not straight to the beach. Dave had treat for me arranged, and we pulled up to his friends Paul & Jo's house.
Tucked away in amongst the trees on the hillside overlooking the whole bay. I stepped out of Daves truck into another world. Lemon trees in the garden, a big shed full of petrol head toys, guitars all over the house, and again a bunch of the coolest, chilled out, friendliest folks it's been my pleasure to hang out with. I keep saying that about the people i've been introduced to over here, and either the entire country is full of good people, or the people I call friends have the best friends themselves.
We spent the day walking the dogs on the beach, watching the surf as the breakers rolled in, chatting, laughing, fixing up one of Pauls bikes, and just.... being.
Later on a couple more of their friends arrived, and we all ate and talked as the sun went down over this stunning etherial landscape.
I've not gone into detail of every part of that day, as I can't put the feeling of peace and..... well, I just can't find the words.
My only regret is that the previous nights excesses had started to wear me down, and before we left I was struggling to keep my eyes open.
Paul and Jo have invited me back anytime, and I can guarantee that I'll take them up on that.
It was the most sublime Sunday, the pictures can never do justice to the sheer beauty of that day but they may give some idea.
Love your adventurous heart.
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