West Coast of NZ Calls Back New Yorker

The west coast of the south island in New Zealand is even more wild than the east. Once you get past Haste, make a right, and head North, there is no darker place after sunset. The trees and mountains just seem to swallow you. I remember it was so dark–that even with the highbeams on–you could barely make out giant three foot possums sitting in the road. I hate those buggers.

Anyways, EscapeArtist is featuring a great story by Stephanie Giordano on her month visiting Phia on the ‘wild west coast’ of the north island. From her story, “There was a level of relaxation and comfort that surpassed any home environment I’ve ever made for myself. I felt like I was home. On the other hand, when the weekend rolled around, whether on the beach or in Auckland, it was easy to find the hotspots of the area. So for people like me, who want to have it all, Piha is heavenly. I can count the number of days on one hand on which I didn’t wear my bathing suit. It was amazing to me how a place so close to the largest city in the country can feel so down to earth and genuinely local.”

Sounds nice, right? A typical story that could be re-created in almost any town in NZ…except Milton. Nobody likes Milton.

Check out more of her story here!