Tonight I walked south on Hahei Beach, the light a golden hue on the cliffs at the far end of the sandy stretch. I marveled at the orange bluffs with huge trees growing over the edge supporting a rope swing weathered by kids of summers passed. Water etches patterns of fire into the sand and snails are formed from sea plants.

Walking up wooden stairs, I rose into the giant tree branches and now looked down through them back at the waves rolling in. Soon I was on a curving path that wound through large green hills on top of a piece of land that reached out into the sea which is part of the Te Pare Historic Reserve. Up it rose, and soon I saw the whole beach and beyond. Miles stretched out and I could even spot the far off Cathedral Cove that I visited a few days earlier. Cicadas and crickets hummed in chorus as my flip flops smacked against my sand coated feet. I found a spot in the tall grasses at the top of the bluff and watched the sun sink behind the horizon. Looking down the cliffs behind me, waves crashed against large rocks and my legs felt wobbly as I peered over the unguarded edge. After I savored my last moments of sun and sea from up high, I made my way back barefoot along the beach.

I walked in the waves that were yellow then faded into pink, still lit by what light was left in the sky. Looking down at my feet pushing through the waves as they rolled back into the sea gave me a feeling of being swept away with them. Their glimmering surface moved so quickly back into the sea it almost seemed like I moved backward as well. It’s the feeling one gets when sitting in a parked car and another next to you rolls back. You suddenly feel that you are moving forward and check your brakes. I’m not checking my brakes here, just going with the flow, enjoying the ease and relaxed atmosphere that the shores of New Zealand have bestowed on me.

To visit this stunning sunset spot just walk south along Hahei Beach until you see the stairs that lead up to a wonderful walkway to the point. For more information, you can visit this website.