DRIVING PIHA

A NIGHT AT PIHA! SO, I TAKE A GIGGLING FILIPINA (WHO WON NUMEROUS SWIMMING AWARDS AT SCHOOL) TO PIHA BEACH, COMPLETELY SURE SHE CAN HANDLE ANY WAVE ON EARTH. THEN REALIZE THE WEST COAST DID NOT ATTEND HER SCHOOL PRIZE GIVING, AND DOES NOT CARE ABOUT HER MEDALS AT ALL.

WE RENTED A HOLIDAY HOME CLINGING TO THE HILLS ABOVE PIHA BEACH ON THE WEST COAST OF AUCKLAND NEW ZEALAND, HIGH UP ABOVE THE HORIZON FOR 2 SIMPLE REASONS:
(1) RIDICULOUS VIEWS OVER THE TASMAN SEA AND NO SIGN OF ANY CITY LIGHTS WHATSOEVER
(2) IF/WHEN A TSUNAMI HITS, WE'D AT LEAST LIKE A SMALL HEAD START ON NOT BECOMING PART OF THE FISH POPULATION.

DOWN BELOW IS A PECULIARLY DARK "FERROMAGNETIC" PR IRON-RICH BLACK SAND BLOWN STRAIGHT ACROSS FROM AUSTRALIA.

AND IT GETS HOT.

VERY HOT. TOO-HOT-TO-WALK-ON-HOT, COOKING ANYONE WALKS ON IT BAREFOOT-HOT, RIPS TEARING ALONG THE SHORE, APTLY NAMED LION ROCK LOOMS LIKE A VOLCANIC SPHINX.

UP IN THE HOLIDAY HOME, A GIGGLY FILIPINA CHAMPION SWIMMER FALLS EVEN MORE IN LOVE WITH THE WILD COAST VIBE, THEN IMMEDIATELY WANTS TO KNOW WHY THIS DRAMATIC SURF TOWN DOES NOT HAVE A SINGLE STREET STALL SELLING PANCIT. SO THIS YOUTUBE VIDEO IS BASICALLY ONE NIGHT DRIVING TO AND FROM PIHA: RAW OCEAN ENERGY, SCORCHING BLACK SAND, A SUSPICIOUSLY HIGH HOUSE, A CONFIDENT SWIMMER QUIETLY REWRITING HER RISK ASSESSMENT, ZERO NOODLE CARTS AND A CONSTANT HALF SERIOUS CHECK OF THE HORIZON JUST IN CASE NATURE DECIDES TO DO A FULL CHANNEL RESET.