Spent Valentine's day in Auckland making more plans and hanging out with a friend in town for the day. It's now Friday and we are off on the airport shuttle to pick up the rental car to head down the coast to Raglan. I was excited to get a manual transmission until Russ reminded me that I would be shifting with the left hand...Yup that would be a bit much to remember...so we have an automatic. I get in and there is a sticker on the dash saying "keep left"..I have to keep repeating it in my head...stay left...stay left...not hard unless you are turning or in a rotary....
We spend 2 hours on the road and arrive in Raglan, a cute little surf town on the west coast.
We drive out to Kaiora Surf Camp where we will be staying for the weekend, it is high above the sea in a tropical garden..really cute and tucked away, good thing we rented a car. We drop our stuff and head down to the sea to watch the surfers on the break, surfers and lots of kite surfers too...We then head out to the venue on the hills above the sea, and one stage downj in a protected valley, the other up high on the hill. It is a bit cool and windy tonight but the bands start and things warm up!! Highlight of the night was Salmonella Dub..a New Zealand band who we have been hearing as we toured the country..they are excellent!!! also tonight was Olmecha Supreme...great!!!! They ended with the motorcycle song..it was crazy!!!! really great time!!! We got back to the lodge in the pouring rain..and saw the glowworms lining the walkway back to our rooms..
Back to the beach this morning, another gorgeous day, some good food at a cafe in town, a short nap and then back to the venue for more music. Soundsplash is also an eco festival...lots of tents and info on conservation and recycling..reduce..reuse..recycle...the eventy is a zero waste event...last year they recycled 80 % of all waste over the 3 days, this year they are hoping for 100%! the eco zone did a great job with info and displays. Tonight the weather is warmer and the tunes are on fire!!! We race from tent to tent as all the performers are on fire tonight. Dubhead,wicked draw and G corp rocked the heavyweight tent...on the mainstage Junior Kelly from Jamaica was hot and the most anticipated locals Katchafire were everything I was waiting for!!!! Back to the heavyweight where UK's Overproof soundsystem were on...we were in the front row...even tho Russ didn't want too...The were incredibble!!!The whole place was rockin! They left the stage around 2am and noone was leaving..soooo Sunshine soundsystem and loads of others took the stage for a good old kiwi jam!!! The rapper from Olmecha joined them as well as some of the boys from overproof..huge dance party..probably went til 6 or 7 am...we took off around 4am..AWESOME time at soundsplash!!!
got up and out on the road by 10am...saw one of the boys from Olmecha supreme packing his car at the surf lodge as we were leaving..still wearing what he had on this am early when we saw him last....so glad we ventured to Raglan!!
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