So the journey to Raglan isn’t so bad, but takes about 5 hours as arrive at 5pm to the hostel Raglan Backpackers. The bus from Hamilton was amusing as was full of the local school kids who seem to live ages out from their school as bus takes about an hour.

The hostel is really sweet and there are 2 people who were on the bus who are also staying at the same place, so that’s cool as they are friendly and nice. Both German as the hostel actually is mostly German, Swiss or French. So the German girl Wiebke is heading for a walk to see the sunset, so go with her just walking about the hostel area. The hostel looks out to a mini beach and there is a nice walkway bridge across the ocean, which also looks out at the mountains so very picturesque and relaxing to walk around. There isn’t an amazing sunset as the mountain is in the way, but the sky is full of colours so makes up for it and reflecting on the ocean so makes more some good pictures. And at least it is warm enough for walking about.

For the rest of the evening, the hostel is really busy in the kitchen area with some really good cooking going on, putting some of us backpackers to shame. Sitting outside mostly with Wiebke and just chilling there is a big group who are all travelling together partying a little in the kitchen, but only until 9pm when it is quiet time and the hot-tub also shuts. So it’s a nice chilled night overall and spend an hour or so chatting the other dorm guys about the places they have been to in NZ already and taking their recommendations for places to visit and stay.

April 11th 2016