RAGLAN: a junction of passions

If New Zealand´s towns were guys, then Raglan would be the most good-looking surfer dude in the country! Locals and travelers just love Raglan. And no wonder! It may well be one of the best surf spots in the North Island and it´s even considered- by the Lonely Planet- one of the most charming towns of the whole of New Zealand. I can´t actually confirm this last fact, but for sure it´s a must do, a spot you cannot miss, if you visit this area of the World.

So Raglan it was where Vanessa and I went this past weekend for a writing retreat. We needed a peaceful and natural place to get inspired and work on the play we are currently writing so, after a couple of hours coasting alongside hills and farms, we finally arrived to this attractive little town nestled in the Raglan Harbour. We were immediately stirred by the art emanating from every home or business: handmade jewelry, dresses, bags and shoes; rustic cafés and houses that looked like UFOs; cozy backpackers with saunas, books and hammocks. Even in the most unexpected corner you´ll come across a creative gate or ingenious balcony.

But what impressed me the most of this artistic town was mainly the peace it conveys to whomever enters its domain. As soon as you step into Raglan you are overwhelmed by the silence, the nature and by the quietness of the locals. You feel as if time had stopped, as if you were floating underwater, in slow motion: cruising around town, gliding towards the beach, meandering along the roads…

Raglan is indeed the ideal place to escape from the noise, the rush and the agitated life of more crowded towns. However, after a while of laying back and relaxing my mind in the limbo, I suddenly feel the urge to move about, to activate myself and get stimulation in one way or another. In Raglan I felt just like when you go to a concert with great music and, instead of dancing, you just sit and enjoy, motionless on a chair. I can do that for a while, but sooner or later my legs will start bouncing, my head swaying with the rhythm, and my fingers tapping the table.

Because of this restlessness, I was curious to comprehend why many young travelers choose Raglan to settle. So when I ordered a Mocha in the busiest café in town, I decided to question the foreign waitress about this. Her name was Aneta and she had been living in Raglan for 7 months so far. Besides preparing delicious mochas, she also surfs, hikes and enjoys outdoor activities. She told me that, because Raglan offers all of these facilities, she had chosen to stay there all those months. Of course, in due time she made wonderful friends and is currently flatting with them. I met other young people in their early thirties, all keen on surf and relaxing life, all choosing Raglan because of the same reasons as Aneta.

It was in one of my strolls around town, that I came across the cozy and colorful flower shop named Lilypot. Right away I felt the impulse to check out the place. I still don´t know if I was attracted by the old bicycle with a basket full of flowers stationed on the sidewalk or the artistic violet sign over the entrance door. But, anyhow, I walked in and was kindly welcomed by this smiling lady that I will call Di. Di runs Lilypot, makes all the beautiful flower arrangements and initiated the whole business on her own. She decided to make something out of her passion for flowers, so with a bunch of 5 dollar arrangements, she knocked on every door in town and was immediately supported by the neighbors. Her business is now growing, blooming like a flower in spring, and even selling around the world! If you go to Raglan, you should visit this lovely little flower shop.

But it was after chatting with Di that it dawned to me: Raglan is a junction where passions meet, where passions converge and where art blossoms. This is why people settle in Raglan in spite of the quietness and stillness of the place. All that calmness that stroke me so hard is only superficial. In Raglan, people are constantly creating, inventing and crafting. In Raglan, people surf, people paint, people write. Passions are welcome, passions are developed, and passions are respected. Raglan is a junction of passions.

I do admire every person I met in Raglan. All of them adapted their lives to what makes them happy, to what fulfills them at the end of the day. One needs to be very brave to follow one´s heart no matter what´s at stake. And not everybody has the guts to do so. All these brave people are the ones that smile when they are about to go to bed and the ones beaming early in the morning.

Fortunately, there´s no need to go to Raglan to be able to smile… So gain, courage, my friend, and follow your passion, no matter where it leads you to!