Upon arrival back at Hedonesia, we were given the most choice accommodations for 3 days-- bamboo hut. Its pretty, breezy, and close to everything. We visited Hilo, I painted a sign and an art car, and have also sewed a top. We visited the farmers markets, and tried to firm up plans for the rest of the wwoofing on this trip. We had a very hard time finding space on any of the farms on the big island, but were offered the option to stay until our flight to Kauai here at Hedo. Our work stay is minimal, Dj had to figure out a computer problem and I was asked to paint what I wanted to... This is hard to say no to.
We called the place we were planning on staying in Kauai, and were told to call again in a week. This is always a worry, but there is tons of camping there so its not too big a worry. We also decided to confirm our farm in San Francisco. They can't provide us with housing until May 1st, which is no real worry. The farm is an indoor urban farm called Fort Awesome. When I told them that I was doing mural work at the last farm, they told me that they would much rather have a muralist or two than farm help. So as of May 1st I will be painting a mural for them-- this rocks. We love Puna, but are starting to get really psyched for Kauai, California, and our journey cross country.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Over the hump
The morning following our adventure to the lava, Karissa, myself and two of our friends (Natalie and Caroline) headed over to Kona-side for our own various reasons. There are three general ways to get from the east side of the island to the west; the north road, the south road or along the saddle. Karissa and I had previously gone both other ways, which are gorgeous in their own right, however on our way to Kona we headed between the volcanoes.
The saddle is named for the space of land between Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, forming this large saddle like feature along the middle of the island. Very few people live out there, most of the land is on long term lease to the U.S. Government and is used for a series of military installations. The amazing part falls where the installations don't, large tracts of the drive is taken up along a plateau, cool without being too cold, but looming to both left and right are the snow covered peaks of the two mountains and straight ahead, where the road dips off the edge, the blue waters of the Pacific. Breathless view that sadly, no camera could do justice as it goes literally 180 degrees.
As we started our descent into Kona we came down through a cloud that was raining on the shoreline below. I've descended through rain storms before when flying, but its an entirely different experience doing it in a rental car. Visibility became nothing. Even the brake lights of the car in front of us, who we only knew was there from the occasions when he'd slow down enough for us to roll up within a couple car lengths, didn't pierce the dark misting cloud.
After dropping off Natalie and Caroline, we were able to begin our own adventures in Kona. Covered in the posts Karissa got up just before this one. Please excuse the non-consecutive log entries. This is what we get for having a "blog date."
The saddle is named for the space of land between Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, forming this large saddle like feature along the middle of the island. Very few people live out there, most of the land is on long term lease to the U.S. Government and is used for a series of military installations. The amazing part falls where the installations don't, large tracts of the drive is taken up along a plateau, cool without being too cold, but looming to both left and right are the snow covered peaks of the two mountains and straight ahead, where the road dips off the edge, the blue waters of the Pacific. Breathless view that sadly, no camera could do justice as it goes literally 180 degrees.
As we started our descent into Kona we came down through a cloud that was raining on the shoreline below. I've descended through rain storms before when flying, but its an entirely different experience doing it in a rental car. Visibility became nothing. Even the brake lights of the car in front of us, who we only knew was there from the occasions when he'd slow down enough for us to roll up within a couple car lengths, didn't pierce the dark misting cloud.
After dropping off Natalie and Caroline, we were able to begin our own adventures in Kona. Covered in the posts Karissa got up just before this one. Please excuse the non-consecutive log entries. This is what we get for having a "blog date."
To Kona... and beyond!!!
The next day we went to Kona. We originally planned on camping at one of the beaches, but after dropping off two other people the sun began to set and it began to rain. We decided to see if we could priceline.com a room for the evening. We hopped into a internet cafe and gave it a shot, but there was no luck. We thought one more try was worth it and went to two of the hotels we knew had specials up. One woman gave us the local rate and took really good care of us and we had a room in civilization for a night and it was wonderful. We quickly stashed our stuff in our room, got changed, and ran off for a date in Kona's harbor. It was a lot like Baltimore's inner harbor. It was colorful, kitschy, but fun and a lot like a boardwalk. There was even an arcade with ski ball. We went out to dinner and had sea food and some Mai Tais highly recommended by the waitress (they were really tasty).
In the morning we left the hotel, grabbed a small breakfast, and headed to the ocean. We found a gorgeous public beach and explored the tidal pools for a while before heading to return the jeep. A few days earlier I had called to see what the cost of extending the Jeep would be. The man at corporate was really rude to me, and it was impossible to get any information out of him. When we went to return the Jeep I spoke to the woman about this, and she set us up with a GREAT deal for a compact for 1 or 3 weeks. They were out of compacts so instead she gave us the new Chevy HHR -- cool car.
We took our new wheels on a tour of the coast for the day. We stopped at hand made craft galleries, general stores, and other assorted cool stuff shops. We saw farms and the observatory shiny on top of the mountain. We stopped at a mac nut farm and got treats and an amazing view.
We continued on around the coast till we got back to Puna.
In the morning we left the hotel, grabbed a small breakfast, and headed to the ocean. We found a gorgeous public beach and explored the tidal pools for a while before heading to return the jeep. A few days earlier I had called to see what the cost of extending the Jeep would be. The man at corporate was really rude to me, and it was impossible to get any information out of him. When we went to return the Jeep I spoke to the woman about this, and she set us up with a GREAT deal for a compact for 1 or 3 weeks. They were out of compacts so instead she gave us the new Chevy HHR -- cool car.
We took our new wheels on a tour of the coast for the day. We stopped at hand made craft galleries, general stores, and other assorted cool stuff shops. We saw farms and the observatory shiny on top of the mountain. We stopped at a mac nut farm and got treats and an amazing view.
We continued on around the coast till we got back to Puna.
LAVA!!!
Before leaving for Kona, Dj and I were packing and getting ready when we overheard that the newly flowing lava was about to overtake the parking lot where we had parked our car a few nights before. We planned to catch the lava before it was dark in case there was any hiking over the lava shield.
When we got there we saw smoke coming up off the ground, and realized that the flow was pretty close. Then we noticed that there were crowds of people much closer than the smoke and that the lava had come as close as a 2 minute walk from the parking lot.
After walking towards the crowd, it got really warm -- like walking towards a campfire. Then it was really HOT and we were standing in front of a lightly glowing
mass about 10 feet away.
People left their offerings for Pele. Most were polite, packets of tobacco wrapped in banana leaves (the traditional), personally created offerings, effigies of past relationships all tossed onto the red glowing molten rock. Some were less respectful, drunk people were running up and putting empty beer bottles in the path of the lava, throwing large rocks at it, and just generally being idiots.
The local tradition here is to run at the lava with a long stick, poke it, and pull out some still gooey magma to manipulate into a shape before it cools. When we first heard of this we laughed, but when we got there everyone seemed to need to have a go. A few families had their children doing it too... Dj needed to give it a shot too.
As it got darker the lava started to flow steadily towards the parking lot and the road.
Soon after that we left, covered in grime and ready for dinner in Pahoa.
mass about 10 feet away.
People left their offerings for Pele. Most were polite, packets of tobacco wrapped in banana leaves (the traditional), personally created offerings, effigies of past relationships all tossed onto the red glowing molten rock. Some were less respectful, drunk people were running up and putting empty beer bottles in the path of the lava, throwing large rocks at it, and just generally being idiots.
The local tradition here is to run at the lava with a long stick, poke it, and pull out some still gooey magma to manipulate into a shape before it cools. When we first heard of this we laughed, but when we got there everyone seemed to need to have a go. A few families had their children doing it too... Dj needed to give it a shot too.
Some more pics:
As it got darker the lava started to flow steadily towards the parking lot and the road.
Soon after that we left, covered in grime and ready for dinner in Pahoa.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
AFK
Hey folks. Karissa and I just wrapped up packing up our space here that we've been in for the last weeks. We're heading over to the Kona-side for a few days. We'll be without internet, and our computers are in a safe lockup out here until we can get back to them. Cell phones still work intermittently.
Sneak peak:
Upcoming post about Karissa and I being on the lava flows as they covered up the old parking lot and road that was used to get there...
Sneak peak:
Upcoming post about Karissa and I being on the lava flows as they covered up the old parking lot and road that was used to get there...
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Maku'u Farmer's Market
Dj and I hit this market almost every Sunday. We get our fresh produce and some lunch there, maybe a few snacks to bring to the beach for drum circle. There are all sorts of interesting people, Polynesian and folk crafts, crepe, coffee, green papaya salad, and every other amazing asian food, children with nouns for names like "nettle root", glass blowers, wood workers, and many other great and colorful things to see.
Mural Complete
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Waterfalls and lava flows
On Saturday we got going as early as we could and headed to Rainbow falls and the boiling pots with Justin and Ariel, a Canadian couple volunteering here as well. We drove up through Hilo, and grabbed breakfast at the Health food market along the way.
The waterfalls were beautiful, and there was a trail to the top of the falls under a HUGE banyon. That is Dj in the green T-shirt, right next to the tree.
That's Justin in the tree.
The boiling pots were up the river a bit. They consist of little pools and tiny falls where people were jumping off of cliffs and diving in.
Later we hit the hot ponds and went for a dip before coming home to make some pizza, and gear up for the lava flow.
When we got here the lava had stopped flowing. It has finally started again, and for the first time in a long time it is flowing in a spot where people can drive all but a mile in. We followed the lines of cars heading to the flows at dusk. Geared up with good boots, water bottles, and just a little healthy fear we parked in a lot that had a beacon light so people could find their way back. The air was thick, and we could smell the lava before we even set out. The walk was hard and long. We walked across the 1982 lava flow, now solid but full of large cracks, crumbling glassy hardened lava, and big hills and holes. At first heading toward lava was terrifying, lava is meant to be ran from... The solid lava glittered in our headlights, it was really beautiful. Early on, I found a fissure that lava had bubbled up from inside years ago We managed to shine enough light that I could take a picture.
After walking for what seemed like forever, we came up to about 50 yards away from the hot very slowly moving lava. We watched an ancient Ohia tree flare up in a giant fire way out in the distance, then noticed some of the shrubs not too far from us also flaring up from the heat. We turned back soon after realizing that we would need enough energy and time to get back. When we returned to the parking lot it was after 11:00, we had been on the lava shield for hours by that point and were completely exhausted. The uneven hike did us in. We have decided to go back again tomorrow night with some more friends earlier in the day to do the hike in while it is light.
The waterfalls were beautiful, and there was a trail to the top of the falls under a HUGE banyon. That is Dj in the green T-shirt, right next to the tree.
That's Justin in the tree.
After we got out to the top of the falls we all dipped our feet in. There were a few local families swimming. It was really gorgeous.
The boiling pots were up the river a bit. They consist of little pools and tiny falls where people were jumping off of cliffs and diving in.
Later we hit the hot ponds and went for a dip before coming home to make some pizza, and gear up for the lava flow.
When we got here the lava had stopped flowing. It has finally started again, and for the first time in a long time it is flowing in a spot where people can drive all but a mile in. We followed the lines of cars heading to the flows at dusk. Geared up with good boots, water bottles, and just a little healthy fear we parked in a lot that had a beacon light so people could find their way back. The air was thick, and we could smell the lava before we even set out. The walk was hard and long. We walked across the 1982 lava flow, now solid but full of large cracks, crumbling glassy hardened lava, and big hills and holes. At first heading toward lava was terrifying, lava is meant to be ran from... The solid lava glittered in our headlights, it was really beautiful. Early on, I found a fissure that lava had bubbled up from inside years ago We managed to shine enough light that I could take a picture.
After walking for what seemed like forever, we came up to about 50 yards away from the hot very slowly moving lava. We watched an ancient Ohia tree flare up in a giant fire way out in the distance, then noticed some of the shrubs not too far from us also flaring up from the heat. We turned back soon after realizing that we would need enough energy and time to get back. When we returned to the parking lot it was after 11:00, we had been on the lava shield for hours by that point and were completely exhausted. The uneven hike did us in. We have decided to go back again tomorrow night with some more friends earlier in the day to do the hike in while it is light.
Some new adventures!!!
We got an awesome deal renting a Jeep for a week. Now that we are both finished with our work assignments here we've been given a few days to continue to sleep here with nothing but free time. Now its time for some exploring...
That's Midnight, a work trader busy with rat assignment on the hood:
Having a chance to drive around the island under our own propulsion has been AWESOME!!! The first night that we had it we drove up to Hilo for a late night diner run. We went to Ken's Pancakes with Caroline, another volunteer here. It was like a traditional New Jersey Diner with a Polynesian flare. The coconut or macadamia nut pancakes are served with a variety of tropical fruit syrups-- coconut, lilicoi, or guava. They were totally awesome. After this we did what any other local would do in Hilo at 10:00 pm, we went to Walmart. Seemingly normal activity, the Walmart in Hawaii has a myriad of treasures. From a wall refrigerator unit displaying leis to the wall of rainbow aloha prints. Craft supplies here are dangerously tempting, and slightly unusual.
That's Midnight, a work trader busy with rat assignment on the hood:
Having a chance to drive around the island under our own propulsion has been AWESOME!!! The first night that we had it we drove up to Hilo for a late night diner run. We went to Ken's Pancakes with Caroline, another volunteer here. It was like a traditional New Jersey Diner with a Polynesian flare. The coconut or macadamia nut pancakes are served with a variety of tropical fruit syrups-- coconut, lilicoi, or guava. They were totally awesome. After this we did what any other local would do in Hilo at 10:00 pm, we went to Walmart. Seemingly normal activity, the Walmart in Hawaii has a myriad of treasures. From a wall refrigerator unit displaying leis to the wall of rainbow aloha prints. Craft supplies here are dangerously tempting, and slightly unusual.
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