Out of Office Adventures

Out of Office Adventures

My Travel Diaries

How New Zealand delivered unexpected magic

A sunset, a love bridge and a wonderful surprise

Claire Drinkwater's avatar
Claire Drinkwater
Sep 06, 2025
∙ Paid

In this story, a sunset conversation on the beach with a new friend shows me how far I've come.


"Would you like to join me at the beach later to watch the sunset and share this?" asked the handsome French man, holding up a bottle of wine.

Warm afternoon light filtered through the trees as our tour group gathered for a barbecue, hungrily filling our plates from the buffet. After a long journey, we'd just arrived at this coastal guesthouse at the edge of Abel Tasman National Park.

He looked at me, his dark eyes searching for my response.

"Absolutely," I replied with a smile. How could I say no to an invitation like that?

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