Rambling Junketeers

A different view of Na Pali

2008-04-27T03:45:00.010-04:00

After being told a dozen times by Karissa to enjoy myself rather then hover over her being sick... I listened and tried to enjoy the trip and its views as much as possible.

On our way out, just minutes from the harbor, a cup of coffee just finished and dawn barely 30 minutes behind us, we coasted up next to a pod of dolphins bobbing around at the surface of the water. This is apparently how they sleep, turning off one half of their brain at a time to rest it, allowing them to just swim along slowly.

Riding against 4'-6' swells along the southern coast of Kauai we made out way to the channel and along this mix of cliff and broken red rock slopes, occasionally punctuated with pristine white beaches that grow and shrink throughout the year or a waterfall fed by rainwater trickling through the porous rock. The ship's captain brought us in close at a few points, but during the winter the surf on the north shore is rough, keeping any boats from coming in to land.

I could talk forever about the gorgeous views, instead, I'll just show you some of the ones I loved:

The passage from Na Pali to Ni'ihau was about an hour and a half, running with the currents rushing through the straights. Long pitching motions turned the ship into abit of a ride, with most of us staying inside the cabin to stay dry, when not having to make motions to the rail.

Lehua island is just starting to sprout vegetation. Why it's happening now and not previously I honestly don't know, nor was told, however the next few years should be amazing, before Karissa and I are dead, it should look as lush as Ni'ihau only a few hundred yards across the water. This is the place we dove, and more to come on that later.

As we left the snorkeling spot and headed back into the channel we caught a whale breaching. Apparently, with the motor of the engine nearby, they get curious and will breach inorder to see what's going on above the surface. We got to see her on three seperate breaches, but my timing with the camera was less then perfect.

Our last bit of nature was as we were coming into dock. A sea turtle was just hanging out below the surface of the water... our first (and only) honu in the Hawaiian islands.

The Napali Coast and Ni'ihau (a 7 hour tour)

2008-04-27T03:44:00.003-04:00

The second week we were in Kauai, we thought we might be well enough to go on our first of what we were sure would be about a dozen touristy outings on this trip. We had heard about a cruise that brings us up the coast of the island, then out to the forbidden island of Ni'ihau for snorkeling. This captured my imagination. Ni'ihau is an island that only people who had been born on were allowed to live on, plus the Robinson family (who own the island), and as of very recently some rather high tech military something. We were told that you can see some of the most endangered species off of its coast. We did the resort time share sales pitch, and boom-- 7 hour cruise!

We arrived at 6am, and were warned that the water would be rough, but we were sure we were up for it. The captain and staff were very friendly as we set off. After less than an hour we saw dolphins and slowed to watch them for a bit. I took a few photos and then began to feel a little queezy, so I handed Dj the camera. After that I was done, seasick every time the boat stopped, started, or changed speed. After convincing Dj that he had to see this one for both of us, I stayed at the railing until we got to the snorkeling spot. It came as a really welcome break from the boat, but as soon as we began to move while I was aboard-- done. So Dj will have to tell you all about the rest of this trip.

Wandering the garden isle

2008-04-24T02:10:00.004-04:00

As we were ill nearly the entire time we were in Kauai, our plans continued to change as we realized hiking and kayaking would not be possible every day. Instead we drove. We drove all over the island making sure to soak in as much as we possibly could.

Our first stop was in scenic Hanapepe where they were having an orchid festival. There is a revival movement attempt being made by the art community in this town. Lots of fun cute shops with local art work from traditional crafts like quilting to marbelized silk. It was great. There was also a gorgeous Zen temple.

There was also the standard kitschy tourist stuff. On Kauai they have a popular souvenir called a red dirt shirt. The dirt in Kauai has so much red iron in it that it will dye anything and everything red-- a handful of someones based an industry on this. It made me wonder how the dye would work for batiks...

Unfortunately it was here that my camera died, much to my disappointment, AT the orchid show. We tried to come back the next day, but by the time we got there they had closed up for the day. Instead we went for shave ice. Jo-Jo's came highly recommended, and it truly was the best shave ice we had while on Hawaii-- not too sweet, real fruit rather than artificial flavorings-- it was a drive and totally worth it. I got coconut and adzuki beans in mine and Dj got mac nut ice cream in his -- really super tasty.

After that we turned around and hit the craft fair that runs 4 days a week in Kapaa. Nothing there was highly innovative or exciting. Some pretty hand made jewelry, sarongs that were mass hand made in indonesia, and conch and coconut kitsch was really the majority of our findings. There were no price tags and the vendors were extraordinarily attentive. Everything was overpriced, but when we went back a week later (dressed just a little nicer) we found that the price of everything had gone up at least 50%-- we left annoyed and mostly empty handed....

At the end of our stay at the Hilton, we found a rental that had a last minute cancellation, kayaks, and other fun gear for about the same price as the hostel would have cost. This seemed perfect, and we packed ourselves up and moved in. It was a small studio apartment on the back of a house. It wasn't fancy, but more than adequate.

Getting to Kauai

2008-04-21T03:43:00.005-04:00

When we called to confirm our farm in Kauai, we found out that yet another farm has closed. Unfortunately there were very few farms on the list for this island, and none left that could take us. Fortunately we planned ahead for this and had some space in the travel budget for a place to stay a little while if we needed it. We've also decided to push off our trip to Europe as the cost of staying there seems to rise daily... So even still a little more fun room. Enter the Kauai Hilton-- and we are so glad that we opted for something nice, because we spent almost the whole time we were there ill. We are guessing it was the flu as that was what was going around and I will spare you the gory details.

It was gorgeous and well... resorty. I will share:

Just next to the hotel was the ocean. There are no words that could capture the view of the Kauai ocean, so I just figured I'd have to show you.

Leaving the big island.

2008-04-03T04:30:00.002-04:00

We had a 9-something am flight, which meant leaving Hedonesia at 7am at the latest. Now, we've been living on aloha time for quite a while now... ( I think we even practiced before we left) So we got up and got the car packed up, and Heidi and Briana had made coffee so we could have a cup together before we took off. We are so grateful for our time on the big island and at Hedonesia, we've learned quite a bit, and have made some amazing friends. We'll miss a lot of the amazing people there, the fascinating places, and the mind blowing views.

On the flight out we found ourselves on the same plane as another girl, Christine, who we had met a few days prior. We sat together and chatted though the short, noisy flight to Oahu. This flight was on Aloha airlines-- who had just declared bankruptcy-- a few days later they announced that they would not be honoring any more tickets and that they would be closed for good.

The next flight to Kaua'i was quiet, quick, and on time. We waited a little while for the shuttle from the Kaua'i Hilton to come get us-- and were quickly at the Kaua'i Hilton-- mmm luxurious. Within a day of getting here I had a nasty cold, the next day Dj had it too. Since then we've been staying in the sun trying to bake the cold out of ourselves and get a little healthier. Aside from an unfortunately slowly subsiding cough we are mostly feeling better and are planning to do a lot of exploring tomorrow.

2008-04-03T03:56:00.002-04:00

Kahena Beach was really our favorite place to go while on the big island. I've written about it before, but felt the need to share some pictures from our last drum circle Sunday there. This is about half the climb down to Kahena.

This is the half-way point view.
That is the drum circle-- a little less circular.
This is the view up the cliff.
There is an older gentleman who we believe lives at Kahena, he keeps an eye on everything there.
This tree is an icon for this beach.
A great view of the canopy and black sand.
Just to get a little scale-- sorry for the bleached picture. This only shows about 1/3 of the cliff.

This may be what we miss the most from the big island.

Steam Vents

2008-04-03T02:06:00.002-04:00

One of our last trips on the big island was to the volcanic steam vents. These are part of a lava flow that went through the east side of the big island in the 1950's. There are big pockets and cracks in the now hardened lava that hold heat, and as this is a rainy area steam as well. Some of these pockets have puka or holes just large enough for a person to get through and on the other side are large steamy cavey spaces. Many have been loved by locals and had benches and wooden ladders to ease the experience.

The first cave that we came up to had a very tiny hole to get in. I was a little apprehensive and let almost everyone else go in first. I aimed for feet first and it was surprisingly easy to get in and very large on the inside. We stayed there for a while and then decided to move on to a warmer puka. The next puka that we went to was much larger, and we needed a ladder to get down into it. The cave space had 3 small benches, but there was barely room for the four of us that went. We brought lots of water and went through it quickly, and we left with very soft skin. Unfortunately my camera would not have been safe here between the heat and the steam, so I left it at hedo.

R.I.P. Two-dogs

2008-04-03T01:31:00.004-04:00

Karissa and I were lucky to meet a local guy in our first week on the Big Island, and ran into him literally every day for the better part of the next month and a half. Gary Poretsky, known by his friends as Gary Two-dogs (not to be confused with the other Gary, Gary No-dogs), had been on the island for most of his life... and what a life he'd lived. Sailing from island to island, until he'd settled on the Big Island, he'd bought a parcel of land out at Sea View before they'd even had running water out there (Sea View is now one of the nicer places to live on the east side of the island, complete with electricity and county water). Always quick with a story, a joke, and a laugh that literally filled whole rooms, loud and full of bass, Gary was something rare, raised in a Jewish family, he was a born-again Christian who held to the belief of love.

The last time Karissa and I saw Gary was the day before he was leaving for Thailand. The week before he'd been complaining to us about a major toothache, which just kept getting worse... eventually leading to him going to a dentist in Hilo and being told that he'd need an entire tooth removed, another two heavily drilled, and oral surgery that would have cost him more then most Hawaiians make in a year. For the population on the west coast that lacks dental insurance (which is the majority in Hawaii), Thailand is considered the safest option. Bangkok and Chiang Mai have western trained and equipped doctors of all sorts... except with the current exchange rate and the lack of back-breaking insurance costs, they can operate in a fee range that's viable, while being infinitely safer then the Mexican option...

While traveling in Chiang Mai after his surgery, Gary was shot three times at a bar by a mentally unstable Australian man. He died before reaching the hospital... and I can only pray that he felt no pain.

The Puna population will miss Gary, his funeral service is expected to overflow wherever it is, as he was loved by both sides of the heated debate between natives and locals. We didn't get a chance to meet his mother before we left the island, but we did meet up with a number of Gary's friends for a candle-light vigil on the Sea View lawn. His mother passed on word through Uncle Manu that she was bringing his ashes back and that Gary would be buried or scattered on the island he'd adopted and loved.

Even though I would probably have never seen Gary again after this trip, having someone so caring and who lived So well taken from this world is a tragedy, and I'm sorry no one will ever hear him explain what makes someone a Haole, or the stories of the Island's creation, or the plight of the native children...

I ka 'ôlelo no ke ola, i ka 'ôlelo no ka make.

In the language or word is life, in the language or word is death.

Champagne ponds

2008-04-03T01:05:00.002-04:00

Now this was an experience! Perhaps even one of my favorite from the big island (although nothing may ever top our visit to the lava...) Heidi and Briana brought us there as a surprise. They wouldn't tell us where we were going-- just to bring snorkels, wear bathing suits, and bring towels. Well I know I don't need to say this but these girls rock! I doubt that we would have ever been able to find them on our own.

The champagne ponds are a series of volcanically heated ponds with an outlet to the ocean so the water is BEAUTIFUL. Now the big trick here is that they are on the other side of a gated community called Kapoho hiding behind a seemingly empty bit of the island. In order to access these wonders of the big island one must park on the side of the road before the gate, and walk through the community.

Even the community is stunning, the plumeria, hybiscus, and many assorted versions of palm trees are just amazing to walk by. It seems more a blessing to have to walk the near mile or so to get to the ponds.

This is apparently what happens to some palms that go untrimmed..-- so cool!
Plumeria!
Now when you finally reach the ponds there is a tiny public access path behind a house. This brings you to another tiny path with water on either side that leads to a landing with a ladder where you can jump in. The water is warm, maybe a few degrees above body temperature and has currents of cool water running through it. There are apparently 2 resident sea turtles that we unfortunately missed, as well as a whole slew of fish; clown fish, angel fish, eels, and tiny minnows among others that we did get to see. The water here is amazingly clear-- there is really something miraculous about this place.

Hamakua or bust

2008-04-03T00:57:00.002-04:00

Waipio Valley, the Hawaiian Valley of Kings. It was from here that the rulers of the Big Island came for generations, and today it is the last place to find the traditions of the island... assuming you can get to it.

Karissa and I took the ride along the Hamakua coast until the end of the road. Only 12 miles (as the crow flies) separate the end of 240 to the dirt road that leads up into Hawi, however those miles don't take into account the rise and fall of the 10 valleys from Waipio to Kupenau, each one a climb from near sea level to between 2 and 3 thousand feet. The only ways down into the valley are by foot or ATV, with the ATVs being strictly controlled by the local populace and county officials... needless to say, we weren't on the short list of people approved for their use. A group of people staying at the Hostel did however take the 4 day trek into the valley (1 day to the river, one day to the far end of the valley, and then returning), with two of them continuing along the Z-trail up and into the next valley.

Just to the left of the picture on the right is a waterfall, the largest on the island at 1400 feet, Hi'ilawe Falls, whose pools at the base are considered to be the only "clean" water in the valley, where irrigation runs from, and to where hikers need to head in order to resupply on water for the day (ofcourse, boiling or other treatment is required).

On the west side of Waipio Valley, the Z-trail climbs you up the 2000+ foot cliffside to the entrance of Waimanu Valley. The climb is apparently a trip-killer, considered by the Sierra club to be the hardest hike on the Big Island. Because Waipio is still populated (although by a native populace that is less then happy to have hikers coming through) there're some possibilities of food and water there, once across into Waimanu though, the traveler is on his own. Our friends who continued the hike, Kenny and Paul, were by this point foraging for as much of their daily nourishment as possible, and the Valleys were quick to deliver, however before they could complete their climb into the next valley, a medical emergency (a wicked slice to Kenny's knee while he was dropping coconuts from the top of a palm) ended with them being airlifted to Kona. A point I may have missed, Kenny is quite literally a professional, an eco-tourism guide who, should he be fully rehabbed, will be leading a group through the central pacific islands this summer. There's a reason Karissa and I didn't attempt that trail.

On the drive up the coast we took our time doing the sightseeing routine, and in our travels ended up on one of the peninsulas stretched out into the pacific. A few years ago the entire peninsula, then entirely jungle and scrub plain, was bought by a developer, now carved (quite literally, we got to see some of the dynamite split roadways) into parcels, the land is being sold by the developer for agriculture (who says Happy Cows come from California), resorts, McMansion lots and other goods... price of the largest lot (86 acres running along the entire eastern facing shoreline) is a cool $2.1 million. I give it a few months before Hilton, Marriot or some other buys it up... the views from the private (whoops, I mean unmarked) road were of the pacific leading all the way to just catching the tip of Hilo. If only I had that sort of cash lying around... anyone care to finance an eco/creative resort?

Just a few more flower photos

2008-04-03T00:42:00.002-04:00

Well maybe just a little more than a few-- Happy Spring!

Akatsuka Orchid

2008-04-03T00:17:00.004-04:00

While heading back from Volcano Village towards Puna Karissa and I passed by an orchid grower that had bus upon bus stopped outside. While normally a bevy of buses would be a sign to us to avoid the tourist trap at all costs, in this case, we figured we had nothing better to do then to wander around seeing things, so in we went, and it was well worth the price of admission (free).

Inside the warehouse that Akatsuka Orchids uses to house their flowering and ready to sell orchids were row upon row of some of the most delicate flowers I'd ever seen. Beyond where we were allowed to go were further rows of greenhouses, each the size of the warehouse we were already in, and all packed with their carefully cross-bred plants. Akatsuka is one of the premier breeders of orchids, having in their collection the near-perfect Volcano Queen. This plant, which flowers for a total of 2 months out of the year, is still the highest rated orchid to be bred in Hawaii, and is the basis for a number of their amazing spindly blooms. No matter how much I type about these flowers though, the pictures will do a better job.

For sale there, beyond the incredible selection of every family of orchid imaginable were various different indigenous plants, from the Ti tree to plumeria. Most interesting to me atleast (while Karissa was wandering about adding almost a gigabyte of stock photography to her collection) were a collection of air-plants. These are various plants that, due to the high humidity found in parts of Hawaii, are capable of living with their roots entirely exposed to air, as if to demonstrate this, the entire collection was suspended at eye level, the roots dangling inches from the floor. Kinda reminds you about the climate that we've been living in.

Volcano (the village)

2008-04-03T00:03:00.002-04:00

On the south side of the big island there is a little village called Volcano. The air quality tends to be a little rough here from the vog (volcanic air pollution). Despite this, there is a very active group of artists and creative studios in this one little village.

We visited some amazing galleries. One was a glass gallery and studio that worked in an extraordinary palette-- vibrant greens, oranges, reds, purples, magentas, and turquoise.

The next Gallery was a compilation of many different artists called Volcano Garden Arts. It was run by a rather obnoxious man who had fabulous taste. Inside ran the gamut from shadow box collages, meditating cats, and exquisite paintings. Outside was the real treasure though. Behind the gallery was a small tented structure holding garden ornaments and small statues, and behind that were some rather interesting gardens.The featured exhibit was a clearing in pine trees the size of a house. It was really very serene in there.

Beyond that there were a few other little garden spots, but this one really amused me the most.They are little men in a circle with the most disgruntled looks on their faces. It made me laugh out loud when I saw it.

2008-04-02T22:29:00.005-04:00

Akaka Falls is the tallest waterfall on the eastern side of the Big Island. At abit over 400 feet, the water that comes cascading over the side is thunderous, even from about a football field away. Unfortunatly, the second set of waterfalls that occur just downstream from the major falls were closed when we visited (they were re-pouring the walkway), however the hike out to the falls was still gorgeous, even if abit shorter then the route we'd intended to take.

On the way there, you cross over a small stream that feeds into the river below the falls. Bamboo grows plentifully there, keeping the stream hidden until right before you come upon it. Quite a sight and we ended up having to stand behind a pack of Japanese tourists who were taking turns documenting their own trip. Their guide was quite helpful, and Karissa and I picked up some info following behind them, even if my Japanese is rusty at best...

The falls themselves are breathtaking. The cave behind the waterfall is much larger then it looks in the picture, with mist constantly swirling behind it... to me atleast, this was what I was expecting when going to find a true tropical fall. Ofcourse, nobody is allowed to go swimming under there, not just due to it being part of a county owned forest preserve, but also due to the relatively frequent rocks that you can watch tumble from the heights. Getting hit with one of those would certainly be a vacation ender.

Trip to see the lava (the state reccomended way!)

2008-04-02T21:45:00.005-04:00

After returning from Kona, we received news that they had opened up a new viewing site for the lava where it had begun to enter the water with a short hike path across the lava shield. We of course had to see this new site as soon as we could.

When we got up to the sign that detailed the new regulations and times that people were welcome we realized this would be a very different experience. There were tourists as far as the eye can see, cars lining the sides of the road, and little stands where people sold disposable cameras and water bottles at exorbitant prices. We walked down the path marked with glow tape and lined with security guards following behind families, hopeful photographers, and other tourists. When we got to the viewing site we were surprised by how very far away the lava was. We were about a mile if not more from the flow. Now I'm all for safety, especially when there are children involved-- this was a little silly.

Far in the distance plumes of steam came up from the water and there was almost a faint glow from a rock in the water. As the sun began to set, we saw what I can only conjecture should be amazing if we were just a quarter of a mile closer. Through the zoom lens on Briana's camera we could see 3 glowing fingers of lava flowing down a rock into the ocean with clouds of steam and smoke billowing around it. I'd love to say that I could capture such a picture with my cute little burnt orange point and shoot digital-- but that would be a lie. I took many pictures, a few even showed an idea that there might be something shiny in the distance...

While we were there we saw the shelf that was supporting the lava flowing into the ocean collapse. For a brief moment we saw the glowing molten rock flow into the ocean easily with our own eyes-- but minutes later it was again covered. I understand why one would not want to be on the edge of such an occurrence but the extent that they were keeping people away seemed extreme to me. In the end the experience was disappointing and a little lack-luster after having the previous experience that we did.

If you ever go to the big island of Hawaii and hear of a group about to hike the long walk out to the existing flow over the land -- take it-- stay off the shelf by the ocean, be safe and use your brain-- but take it. The hygienic, state approved, safe trip to the viewing site could never ever compare to the real life heat of hiking across jagged lava shield to the lava oozing down the mountain.

Blogs delayed in paradise

2008-04-01T18:52:00.003-04:00

Its been a little over two weeks since I've had a real chance to update anyone-- sorry about that. Dj and I spent our last week and some in the Puna district doing as many things as we could, and getting in our favorites at least twice... It's been a CRAZY 2 weeks and I have tons of photos and stories to tell and will be working on that today.

Last Thursday we hopped 2 flights to get us to Kauai. We landed at the awesome Hilton ( I think Dj needed a little civilization), and instantly had bad upper respiratory infections. Fun! But then, if you gotta be sick somewhere, the Hilton in Kauai works. Now that we are finally feeling better, we will be catching everyone up and sharing the great photos we got from the end of our Pahoa trip and from the beginning of our Kauai trip. Hope all of you had a great first few days of spring, and are all well.

3 days in Bamboo

2008-03-11T20:36:00.005-04:00

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.

Over the hump

2008-03-11T20:31:00.002-04:00

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."

To Kona... and beyond!!!

2008-03-11T19:56:00.005-04:00

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.

LAVA!!!

2008-03-11T18:59:00.008-04:00

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.

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.

AFK

2008-03-05T17:51:00.002-05:00

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...

Maku'u Farmer's Market

2008-03-04T16:17:00.005-05:00

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

2008-03-04T16:12:00.003-05:00

I finished my mural this weekend. The writing in the bottom right corner was requested by the hostel owner as there are earth and fire murals on the property as well.

Waterfalls and lava flows

2008-03-02T20:43:00.006-05:00

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.

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!!!

2008-03-02T20:26:00.003-05:00

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.

Detour

2008-02-28T23:03:00.002-05:00

I can't believe it's been a week without us posting. Things here have been alot of the same for the past week or so; work in the morning (mural or groundwork) with occasional jaunts off to Kehena beach or the warm ponds. I suppose after 4 weeks in paradise, even the miraculously beautiful becomes somehow the norm.

The biggest news of the last week was our continued inability to get in touch with the farm on Molokai we were to be staying at. This morning their number came back as disconnected. We scrambled for fall-back options. Unlike the rest of the Hawaiian islands, Molokai lacks enough state parks with campgrounds, meaning that without a farm or other workstay program, we'd be doing the turtle analogy more literally then we'd intended.

After getting in touch with the other two wwoof farms on Molokai, only to be told they were only accepting long term apprentices, we decided to extend our stay on the Big Island until our flight to Kauai. Disaster averted, we're spending tonight lining up the next farm on the island.

The mural should be finished tomorrow. While Karissa handles that, I'll be going to Hilo to pick up our rental car. 7 days with a car. Having saved up a half week's supply of Free Days here, I don't think it'll take a week for our next post.

Life here part 2

2008-02-19T23:38:00.005-05:00

Someone asked whether we have electricity in our hut. No we don't. Our hut is tiny, and we spend very little time there. There is room enough for a full sized bed, a bed side book case, and not much else. The walls are screened and there is no protection from the elements. Fortunately we are in Hawaii and the elements are relatively friendly...

We have spent the past month doing work trade at an ecohostel in scenic Pahoa, HI. The property here is long and narrow.As you come in you pass the owner's house (with all kinds of housy amenities-- this is also where you pass my mural), then you pass a big barn, then it opens up into 3 levels of space. In the barn, there is a kitchen with an outdoor sink area, a fridge, stove, outlets, internet, tv, and most of the other basic amenities you would expect to need. Down the hill to your right are a few of the sleeping sites and gardens. If you continue straight, you will pass Bamboo hut:

And the manager's hut:

And past this is the path to our hut. Our hut is secured on the top of a cliff:

While we have no electricity, this is the view that I open my eyes to every morning:

The big joke is that if lava were to come crawling through here, Ocean View (our spot) would be the only thing spared. It is a serious hike to get up and down from there. The lay out is nice, it gives everyone a sense of privacy without being too big. There are 10 bed spaces so it stays relatively communal and small. While no one is under any requirement to share food, everyone learns that its much more cost effective to share food so we usually go in on something with a few others who are looking for dinner at the same time. Things are very laid back and informal here and everyone runs on their own schedule-- its pretty comfortable.

The mural is nearing completion.

2008-02-16T20:14:00.004-05:00

I have been working on this mural for about 2 and a half weeks now. Dj started helping me as of this past Tuesday, and we've really been making some headway. I love the opportunity to get to use rainbows and moons. There will be some stars in the background as well. Its great that this island appreciates such fun art. We've been hearing lotsa people ask when it'll be up so here is what we have so far.

Aloha!

Congratulations!

2008-02-16T18:43:00.005-05:00

Briana and Heidi went away to Oahu for Valentine's day to get married! They came back Friday, and we threw them a party. Everyone contributed something. Dj and I went to the market, got some chocolate and milk chocolate chips and tons of different things to dip into them. By the end we made chocolate covered strawberries, almonds, sweet potato and beet chips, sprouted coconut, espresso beans, fresh papaya, fresh banana, and dried pineapple. It was really easy, a lot of fun, and everyone was jazzed.

One of the newer volunteers, Caroline, made flower arrangements from the flowers growing in the yard. (Yes birds of paradise grow wild here).

Mojo went out and got an Ahi and purple sweet potatoes, and Justin cooked them.

There were all kinds of great treats, decorations, and music. There was wine and champagne and lots of cheerful people; it was really a splendid night.

Visiting Hilo

2008-02-16T15:35:00.004-05:00

On Tuesday we decided that we would get started with work early on Wednesday and then find a way into Hilo. Dj and I spent the whole week working together on the mural, so it's been easy to coordinate our schedules. We finished our work trade, emptied a back pack, and aimed for Hilo's farmers market. We walked down the road a little, stuck out our thumbs and nearly right away had a ride. While hitchhiking on the mainland is considered muy dangerous, on Hawaii its a standard form of travel. As most of the roads don't go very fast, it is totally common to get offered rides in the back of a pick up. I've decided this is a way better way to travel the island in a car. Its like your own private little tour bus.

On the way in we hit Cafe 100, home of the infamous Loco Moco. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this dish, its a local favorite- a burger, topped with an egg, on a bed of white rice, smothered in gravy. Horrifying right? We got a teriyaki version...

After that we walked a few miles into the downtown area, wandered the shops, people watched, and enjoyed our first "real" shave ice. Burried deep inside powdery ice was a little pile of sweet adzuki beans, I went for lilicoi, vanilla, and coconut. The lilicoi was great, the vanilla and coconut were way too sweet.

We wandered some more, then decided to catch the bus back to Pahoa.

By the end of the day we had walked more miles than we had expected to, but came home to a group of the kids here singing and playing guitar.

Reggae-fest Kona side

2008-02-16T14:32:00.010-05:00

On Saturday we went to a Reggae Festival in Kona. We teamed up with the two managers here, Heidi and Briana:

Their car turtle made the trip admirably. On the way there we saw 11 waterfalls. Many were a result of the heavy rains. The water cascaded off the cliff right onto the road.

We got there early and headed to the beach. We chilled and explored the little tidal pools.

Kona is HOT and DRY. It was really nice to dry out after the wet and soggy weather. The concert was at the old Kona airport, and we were all out on the tarmac. The music was good, the vendors were all local mostly selling local crafts and foods. We tried pork teriyaki and pork lau lau the former rocked, the latter rocked less... Here are a bunch of the kids from our hostel on the tarmac.

The shave ice was refreshing tho...

We got back very late and exhausted. On Sunday we slept in, chilled out, and recuperated.

The Mural Begins!

2008-02-06T22:30:00.000-05:00

After a long and sleep deprived weekend I began my mural. Tuesday morning I began preparing the wall for my mural and then sketching on the wall. It was graciously not raining, Heidi and Briana (the managers here) offered us a ride to Kona for a music festival, and we finally got in a good nap. When we woke up the barn was teaming with new guests- all with a great story and something interesting to share. Some will stay a while and become work traders like Dj and myself, and some will move on at the end of their vacations. Snowy made a green Thai curry to thank me for cooking the night before and it was delicious!

Today was equally low key. Finally recovered from the storms and refreshed by a few brief visions of sun, I began painting the outlines and background for my mural. It felt good to get a lot of work done. This afternoon I spent some time chatting with some of the new work traders, catching up on some artwork, and discussing Heidi and Briana's up and coming wedding next week. Tonight we are having a dueling curry pot luck- one chicken and one veg. I'm sitting in the barn smelling the roasting sweet potatoes and listening to people jamming out on drums and guitars outside the door. We got sun, a gentler perspective for a day, and are looking forward to a great night.

Sleepy Mondays

2008-02-06T22:09:00.001-05:00

Monday was sleepy after the previous nights interruptions, but we weathered through the day. Snowy and Ollie came back for a few days to end their trip on a high note. By morning, the rain had slowed to a stop but still no sunshine. We quickly did our 3 hours service (it was my cleaning day) and then ran with Snowy and Ollie to the warm ponds to swim and celebrate the brief pause in the rain.

When we got there, the water level was high and the water was FULL of little fish. I borrowed Ollie's snorkel to look at them for a little while. There were super cold and hot spots and the water looked nearly oily the way they light shined through the temperature changes. After this we went to another local beach to watch the surfers and the waves. The water looked like an aquamarine- where the waves crested nearly glowed a bright aqua, and the rest of the ocean a deeper grayed blue green. We stayed for a while and wandered through a local park that had been labeled "keep out Kapu", but was actually a state park that locals wanted to keep the visitors down...

We hit the market on the way back, and I made a big tofu stir fry and then fell asleep early.

Second Sunday

2008-02-06T21:39:00.001-05:00

On Sunday morning we got up and got ready to go to church. The weather didn't seem too keen on cooperating...

We hitched a ride north of Pahoa with the Managers here. From there Dj and I hitched with a surfer guy in a light blue jeep about a block away from the Eagles Arie where they hold the local Unitarian Universalist meetings. This would have been great any other day but between the monsoon-like conditions, and the surfer guy's rag top being open-- we were soaked. Deep down to the core WET. The church meeting was pleasant, fun even. We discussed transcendentalism and the transcendentalists. They had a small turn out with a hand full of kids. After we were offered a ride to their regular Sunday potluck. Lunch was tasty, and was followed by lilicoi pie that was made by an elderly gentleman who as of yet refuses to share the recipe. Dj was asked to lead a discussion in a few weeks, he seems really into it.

After lunch we came back to the hostel. Apparently the Giants won the Super Bowl - Dj kept track online. We had a visit from a local Boston transplant that looked pretty bummed.

The rain here has been a constant for days. Saturday night the storming was pretty rough, and Sunday's was way worse. The massive rain (30 in in 24 hours) created landslides on one side of the island, flooding on another, and downed power lines interspersed through out. We were fortunately just incessantly rained on. Sunday night there was lightning super close, serious wind blowing the rain on us, and we began to hit our breaking point with being wet and cold. After the lightning struck a little too close for comfort we ran to the barn to escape the ensuing deluge. We didn't get a whole lot of sleep and it really just wasn't a whole lot of fun. Eventually the storm passed, we went up to bed- damp, but safe, and crashed out for a few hours before the next storm. The next morning we found out that the managers cabin had been hit by lightning, no one was hurt, nothing burned-- but it was a little scary.

Food always brings people together...

2008-02-02T01:08:00.000-05:00

3 cans of black beans
4 cans of red kidney beans
1 can of sweet corn
1 can of tomato sauce
1 whole apple chopped
1 onion chopped
2 carrots shredded
4 cloves garlic chopped
1 yellow pepper chopped
1/2 can chipotle peppers in adobo less seeds to taste
salt
black pepper
chili powder
cumin
1 bottle dark brown beer

-Saute onion, garlic, apple,carrots, pepper until onions are translucent
- Add chipotles and sauce and beans bring to simmer
- Add beer and all other ingredients, stir and reduce for at least 1 hour (better if more)

Last night we made vegetarian chili for the hostel. Some people contributed a can of beans, spices, or their own dishes. There was fresh guacamole, fresh cornbread, and lots of other treats. It was a whole lot of fun to get everyone together for such a feast. Everyone seemed to get a homeyness for the evening. At the end of the night Kenny, a volunteer here, Gary, a local, and Bone, a guest here all started playing music on their guitars and drums. It was super awesome. They even played a few Paul Simon tunes.

Today I talked out the mural, got the final go ahead, and tomorrow I begin by drawing my sketch on the wall. I'm really excited about it. It's still raining, but my hours today were spent painting graphic signs explaining parts of the recycling system here. Mojo seemed happy with my work, so I think this is all going quite well. It looks like Dj and I will be staying here on this side of the island for at least a few more weeks.

Tonight, we made popcorn- one with spirulina and honey, the other with butter and salt. Hunkered down and are watching Finding Nemo. There is something really funny about watching the turtle scene with a bunch of surfers...

Hope everyone had a great week!

Life here part 1

2008-01-30T21:37:00.001-05:00

After nearly a full week here we began to find a routine. Wake up- this is the view when we wake up. It is super cloudy this week, but you can see the water from here:

Head down the cliff side to the Barn for breakfast. Here is the outdoor sink/kitchen area:

Then we head off for about 2 and a half to 3 hours of work. All this week we've been doing the same project as we were on Saturday. Its still a lot of fun which is good.

One of the most fun parts of this place is the bathroom setup. This is the shower:

This is the bathroom door, a screen slides out and locks from inside:

Otherwise things have kinda settled here. On Monday I finished my mural sketch and Mojo seemed to like it-- hopefully I'll have time to do it. It all depends on how soon I can get working on it.

I realized last night that we won't be here much longer and that time is going super-fast. We started to look at our new farm options and will be calling a few of them soon. I really love this place, its going to be hard to leave. There is an idea nagging at me that this won't be the first time I write that about a place though.

"Sundays are laid back here..."

2008-01-29T18:21:00.000-05:00

A quote that I heard in the barn as I walked up for breakfast which was quickly followed by "every day is laid back here." At which point I will explain that no one works on Sundays in Pahoa. Nothing is open, and none of us are expected to work either. Really laid back.

With this in mind we caught a ride to the farmers market just north of Pahoa. It was full of different foods- Vietnamese, Thai, Crepes, anything. Fresh vegetables, exotic fruits, and all manner of kitsch filled 3 rows of stalls. We stocked up on produce, chatted with a local wood worker, and then went for a mushroom cheese and onion crepe. It was AWESOME!!!

Then we grabbed a ride to Kehena Beach for the afternoon drum circle. While we were hanging out there, Dj met some jugglers working with pins and beanbags. He made a good effort to learn to juggle the pins. Kehena on Sundays is a really rich experience. There is incense burning everywhere, combined with the amazing blue of the water, the black of the sand, and the background rhythms courtesy of the drums and the waves. At one point it started raining so we all just hid out under the cliff side until it abated. We were just about to wrap ourselves up to find a way back to the hostel when a ton of the people that we knew from the hostel came down the cliff to the beach too. After they stayed about an hour or so we grabbed a ride back with them for dinner. It was a really gorgeous day.

Hard Labor, day two

2008-01-28T00:44:00.000-05:00

On Saturday we woke up for our daily dose of labor. A little sore from the day prior, but after a cup of coffee and a bowl of cereal we got our boots on and got ready to work again. We were brought down to the edge of the property and shown yet another method of beating back the jungle. We did a combo of breaking down the cane grass covering big sections of land and then harvested the grass underneath. We needed to sort the big rocks to build walls to plant new young trees, smaller rocks to reinforce the road, and so on. It was A LOT of fun. There was something really fun about digging in the dirt-- even if it was just digging.

We spent the evening at the hostel. There was a local rave, but we were ready for a night off. Apparently, so was most of the hostel and we ended up making a huge family style dinner. We made a sweet potato hash out of the local purple sweet potatoes, banana peppers, zucchini, green peppers and garlic. One of the other girls made a huge salad with local lettuce and fruits and veggies. We all split what we had, and finished the meal with a huge fruit salad. It was great. The papaya tasted nearly floral.

Hard labor, day one

2008-01-26T22:50:00.001-05:00

So after our initial first three days being guests here at Hedonesia, it was time to roll up our sleeves and get working. I will hopefully be doing a mural here, I'm working on sketches now. In the meantime, Dj and I offered to do some hard labor to get in shape for future farms. For our first day we began by fighting back the jungle in some of the ornamental plant plots. It was fascinating-- really interesting to see how the jungle weeds literally attack the other plants to gain a leg up on soil space or sunlight. We had to untangle vines from plants, pull up cane grass, and generally clear weeds from the various plots. We did that for three hours, then went out to the warm pools and another local beach in Kahena.

This beach is wicked! As you pull up on the side of the road, there are a handful of cars all parked together in front of a street sign. As you walk towards a little pathway, you find a cliff that has rocks arranged into a rough step pattern allowing a person to climb down the wall to a hidden black sand beach. The beach is mostly full of nudists and neo-hippies and some really friendly locals. Dj went into the water with a few of the other guys who drove with us and I sat and watched whales spraying out in the distance. Soon everyone forgot about the whales because it had started to drizzle and a huge rainbow appeared, beginning in the little cove where we were. We were literally at the end of the rainbow. After a little while a girl named Rain dropped by and offered us coconuts and lilicoi. The 6 of us there split the fruit and realized that the coconut was awesome dipped in the lilicoi. Really tasty. The beauty was just amazing. We climbed back up the cliff and then headed back to the hostel for a great night's sleep.

Photos for Pele

2008-01-26T21:54:00.000-05:00

On our last day before it was time to start working we hopped a ride with Lucy, another volunteer here, and Ollie and Snowey- a couple vacationing here who just happened to have a rental car. Ollie had the yen to go snorkling where Captain Cook died. We decided to take the scenic route through Volcanoes Park. At all the scenic stops along the way we stopped the car to look out and take photos. It was gorgeous-- I posted photos to blogger and I've enclosed a bunch here too.

The old lava fields are awesome. Its really cool to see that people still leave gifts for the Hawaiian gods there.

Near the end of the park we saw the petroglyphs-- they were spectacular. The little holes are where ancient Hawaiians put the umbilical cords of their babies to ensure a long life.
After getting through the park we realized that we still had a long way to go, but the scenery was amazing.

By the time we arrived at Captain Cook's monument we were all exhausted and road weary and just wanted to get into the water. Unfortunately the spot we chose didn't seem to be the safest place to hop in. Instead we turned around, headed back the way we came and hit a beach about 3 miles up the road. It was picturesque with cliffs and all the other tropical trappings. The water was chilly but not too cold, and there was brightly colored coral and fish. We all managed to snorkle for a while, then piled back into the car to head back. We stopped at a local spot on the way back to get fish sandwiches. It was a super long day and we all barely dragged ourselves in for bed-- but it was totally awesome.

Hedonisia Hawaii

2008-01-24T04:06:00.001-05:00

This place is unbelievable!!! We are beginning our stay working in a fair trade work arrangement with an eco-hostel in Pahoa, Hawaii. The owner picked us up at the airport and brought us to one of the most amazing sushi restaurants I've ever been to, then drove us on to the hostel. We pulled in and the one of the managers, Heidi, showed us to our jungle hut. It is a serious hike to get up there, but the view is stunning. From lying down on the bed, you can see all the way out to the ocean. We dropped our things off, got the tour (I hope to take and upload pics of the whole place in the next few days), and were soon offered a ride to the nearby hot pools by the two managers and another wwoofer. This place was magical, it is the only way to describe it. It is surrounded on 3 sides by palm trees, and the third by the ocean. It was about 90 degrees and full of tiny tropical fish. After a little while a pocket sized gray kitten padded over near the pool.
Today we met up with a couple from Serbia and Whales respectively, staying here at Hedonisia also. They had a car and asked if we wanted to explore a little. We went into Hilo and spent some time visiting shops and then went to lunch. On the way back we met a local fisherman who had recognized me from the day before by my tattoo. We spoke with him for a while about his catch and Hawaii. The people are really amazingly friendly here. It seems like almost everyone we speak to has a huge smile and a great story to tell. After bumming around Hilo for a while we went to one of the nearby surfing beaches and watched the waves break on the rocks.
After we got back I broke out my art kit, and started working on a sketch for a possible mural. A lot of the other people here love to make different kinds of art too. After about 10 minutes the room was full of people drawing, working on photoshop, playing guitar, or making hemp bracelets. Its really awesome.

One back post-

2008-01-24T03:46:00.000-05:00

I wrote this post while waiting to be picked up at the Hilo airport:

After our 4 and a half hour delay at Newark airport I found myself mildly disappointed about not being able to see what I was flying over because of the late hour. Fortunately, the moon was full and the views were spectacular. Mountains were awe inducing in greys and sepia tones. Then somewhere over, I believe it was South Dakota, there was a series of roughly boxy shapes. Farm plots divided into different midnight tones most punctuated with a little light from a house or farm. It really reminded me of a Mondrian painting. The rest of the flight, while long, was uneventful. Upon arrival I smelled something oddly familiar, but couldn't figure out what it was. After standing outside in a light misting of rain, I recognized the scent. The combination of dried jasmine flowers, sandalwood shavings, and patchouli (what exactly is patchouli any who?) from my bridal shower.
Shortly after that I called my sister, Jenna who demanded that I called "even if its 3:00am". I called and there was no, "how was the flight?", only a "What does it look like?" Well for Jenna-- it looks like an airport, only it January and warm, and smells good. There are tropical trees also. Otherwise I don't see too much difference between Oahu and an interesting amalgam if different parts of Jersey rolled into one and very small. A mixture of the port Elizabeth section and some of the southeastern peninsula...
We've just landed in Hilo on the big island and its very clear we aren't in Kansas anymore.

Quick update

2008-01-23T01:49:00.000-05:00

We arrived safely in Honalulu a bit after 11:00pm (Hawaii time) last night. Turned around and were on a 9:20 am flight to the big island this morning. I hope you will all forgive a quick post tonight, I'll post pics tomorrow with a full update. For tonight -- Aloha!

Almost...

2008-01-21T14:44:00.001-05:00

But not quite.... We arrived at scenic Newark Airport, checked our luggage, took our shoes off to walk through all manner of contraption, sent our things through more contraptions, wandered through the little avian city, and sat at our terminal for a while, exhausted from the end of our moving this morning.

After a little while I saw a sign that said 1:20 departure now 4:30. Ugh! However Continental has comped our lunch (There is a such thing as a free lunch!) and we have found electrical outlets and cheap internet access. We are truly having our lemonade with our lemons. Honestly, I'm sure I won't feel this way after the 11 hours on the plane, but its just nice to sit still and make a little art, even if it is just a postcard.

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day!

Just a few more days till....

2008-01-19T02:21:00.000-05:00

This is our last Friday night in New Jersey for at least 5 months. We spent the evening saying good-bye to our cats and cleaning out the apartment. Tomorrow we'll finish painting our apartment back to white, say our good-bye's to Dj's father, our couch, and the rest of our stuff. Sunday we are going for church, bringing a final box to my parents, and having a last dinner with my brother, sister, and parents. Then Monday morning we drive to Adam's house to be driven to the airport. We will be hopping on an 11 hour flight to Honalulu to wwoof (www. wwoof. org) the following day for an Eco- Hostel in Pahoa on the Big Island.

We will have to see how this all goes.