I’m a Raglan girl through and through, but as I got older, I thought I should move somewhere with more than one club and a full-sized supermarket. Now I love Raglan; everything about it is perfect for me, apart from its size at this age. I searched for somewhere to go with a similar vibe, and every person I talked to directed me across the ditch to what I thought was a little town called Byron Bay. I’ve been here for six months now, and let me tell you, it’s not just some small town.
I arrived here with little more than a suitcase and figured the rest would figure itself out. I thought, like Raglan, I’d be able to go to the main pub, and everyone who was there, drinking in the middle of the day, would be local and willing to direct me in the way of a place to live and a job. Maybe the plan would have been effective if I could find the main pub. Instead, this town is far from little with a wide variety of places to day drink. Who would have thought? And finding a local? It would have been easier to find a unicorn- I hadn’t met one for three weeks!
What was clear to me was that this was a town set up for mass tourism. Yes, there is the iconic arts factory, with its Raglan-type backpackers, but everywhere else, is more of a happy family-type vibe. I’m not complaining; it’s lovely, just tough to figure out who’s staying to become friends with. Once I met locals, I also realised that the ‘Raglan’ vibe people talk about was about 30 years before my arrival. There are still glimpses of it, but I think there’s more talk than the show!
It’s not a competition, and both places have benefits and drawbacks. I mean, I’m not complaining about the NZ summer temperatures, that’s just a Byron winter. I haven’t even got to summer here yet, and I’m not sure I’ll survive in the heat. Being able to surf every day in clear, warm waters with drop-ins from dolphins is not something I’ll ever complain about. There’s definitely something else in the water here because everyone is truly a god. These rumours are true; most either look like Hemsworth or a model. Going to the beach after 3 p.m. to see the hot dads is one of my favourite activities.
Moving made me appreciate Raglan more for what it is. It’s still sweet, small Raglan. It’s clear what it will end up like, and although I do love Byron now, I wish I could have visited 30 years ago. I think where I went wrong was looking for the same Raglan magic, but in turn, it made me so much more excited to go back and feel it and have a mince and cheese pie from the bakery. Best in NZ, I swear!
I can’t encourage you enough to move out of your wee town and get out there. It’s also time to get over the Aus/NZ rivalry! It’s beauuuutiful over here, and it’s pretty darn lovely that we can walk in and be treated as a citizen! It makes life easy, and it’s only fitting to make friends and explore our neighbours!
