supercallifragilisticexpiallidociuos

Life is grand. Just thought I'd let you all know that.

Updates, updates... yes, lets see...

The rest of Mike's trip blog will be posted eventually when I get access to my own laptop but until then, you may know that he and I broke up. It was ok. It hurt a little, but things change and people move on.

So then my Grandparents visited over the first two weeks of February. What a trip that was. I'm so glad they did though, it turned out to be the last time I saw my Grandpa. He passed away earlier this week. I believe I have somewhat of a blog of their trip typed out to so that should be coming up soon too.

Then, my looooong time friend Lauren came out to visit on her spring break. That was fantastic. I'm so glad at least one of my friends could see a snippet of my life out here, there's no way I could ever explain it adequately to people with words or pictures.



And most importantly, I'm now completely head over heals for a boy named Decker. I'm ueually the hesitant kind to say stuff like this publicly but I know that I love him more than I've ever loved anyone. I'm moving to Colorado to his hometown in early May and have hardly any idea when I'll be back to Michigan though we hope to make a trip to catch a couple festivals anyways.

Still Alive

Aloha all! I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while, I haven't had internet access much lately!

I'm currently staying in the Princeville Hotel with my Grandparents, who are visiting until the 16th and then am planning on moving to a farm for worktrade after they leave.

On Jan 1st, I was talking with a friend, Decker, who I met through Sierra, and told him my boyfriend was coming to visit on the 16th. "Oh," he said, "my buddy John is coming that day too!" So we kept in touch and we went to the airport together in Rich's van. I'd needed a ride anyways, what luck!

Jan. 16th
Mike came in around 9pm and John at 9:30. We left the airport and headed back to Kapahi. We stopped at G.O.'s where Decker (and Tim) is staying, hung about for a bit then headed wearily to Rich and Jami's and stayed in their shack for the night. (Thank you so much you guys, if you read this!) I didn't sleep very well that night, but only because I was so happy to have Mike by my side again.

Jan. 17th
The next morning we started walking down to Kealia Beach and the bus stop that would take us into Lihue to get a month's bus pass. We got to the beach and had a little time before the bus thanks to a guy in a truck that gave us a lift about half way. Mike jumped in the water while I searched my bag for the sunscreen.

We were waiting for the bus when we saw Heidi drive by on her way to her class that she teaches and she called me and asked if we wanted a ride. What good fortune we'd had already! She dropped us off by the mall and we went to the bus stop there to find out where we could get the passes. Mike asked the next bus driver where to go and she said it was by Big Save but we had no idea where that was and thought she meant somewhere there in that mall. So we walked around for a while looking for it but no luck. Finally Mike went in and asked at K-mart. Turned out we were supposed to take that bus that he asked TO Big Save--So that's why the driver looked kind of perplexed when he got back off the bus! So, back on track, we took the bus to Big Save and there was the DMV and we bought our passes and picked up some route listings. Our next plan had been to stop at Salt Pond Beach and then head to Mike's friend/client Henri's house in Kekaha but we'd spent so much time getting those passes that we decided to go right to Henri's so we'd be sure to have some light after our visit to find our next spot to spend the night.

Kekaha is the Western-most town in the USA and isn't much to speak of after their store was finished by a hurricane several years ago and then their sugar refinery shut down just a few years back. We found Henri's apartment, Mike exchanged some broken nite-stix for some new ones and Henri offered that we could spend the night there. We spent the evening chatting, eating and went to bed very tired, but happy.

Jan. 18th
On the 18th we were hoping to get to Polihale beach on the western most coast. Henri had a couple friends he asked to take us out there but nobody was going that day. So, we spent the day at the beach down the street and went shopping and mike made sushi for everyone. Spent another night at Henri's

Jan. 19th
On the 19th we went to the beach again. We finally got tired of waiting around for someone to say they were going to polihale so we head out by ourselves on foot. We walked probably 3 or 4 miles until we were picked up by this really nice guy, Steph. We spent the rest of the the day and most of the next with him and his friend Tom out on the beach and dunes of Polihale. Steph showed us where to look for "sunnies," rare seashells named sunrise shells both for their colors and you have to get up at sunrise to find them before someone else does!

On the afternoon of the 20th we had to leave polihale for lack of supplies; mostly water. Steph and Tom dropped us off at Salt Pond beach park where we set up my hammock like a tent on the ground. It worked pretty well that way though the ground was pretty hard and we didnt have any padding.

On the 21st we set out do some shopping in waimea and went and made dinner at Henri's. I took a very refreshing shower and we went back to Salt Pond for another night.

On the 22nd
We explored the Salt Pond beach and the tide pools surrounding it. There we saw a big monk seal lounging on the sand. He was completely relaxed and acted oblivious as I took pictures of Mike lying down behind him. The woman cleaning up the park told us not to get too close though, he might bite! He didn't seem the least bit vicious but as we were leaving a man went and started roping off the area.
We then went back to Henri's and the beach nearby. I went to the bathroom accross the street and as I was walking back, Rich and Sierra drove by and saw me! I was so excited to see them, I had just been thinking about Sierra that morning and wishing to see her. She said she had just been thinking about me, too, when they drove by and she thought "hey, that looks like Heidi!" Incredible.
They were on their way back to polihale after a supply run which was just where Mike was set on going back to. Perfect. We went and got our things from Henri's and set out with them in a van FULL of coconuts. Heaven.

The next day, the 23rd, we had to move down the beach due to missile practice at the military base to the South. Mike and I walked all the way to the cliffs at the Northern end of the beach. We stayed another night at polihale, playing music, eating and swimming with Rich, Sierra and Ben.

We left early in the morning of the 24th. We picked up the rest of our things from Henri's and rode to Kapaa with the Bighams. We walked up and down and back again, all around Kapaa, figuring out what to do that night. We thought about staying at the international hostel there but decided not to spend the money. We felt rejuvinated after a well needed load of laundy at the laundromat, then took the bus up to Princeville. We stopped at the store and the library there then went down a little trail I knew to the beach. We went well around a little point and set up my hammock between two branches of a very large tree. The hammock worked alright though we were inches from the ground with both of us in it and when he tide came in the waves started hitting our bottoms. That was cold so Mike got out and slept on the beach. I was higher without him and slept for a little while like that though after a while I couldn't stand the dampness that had already started from before and got out as well. I don't think I slept the rest of the night.

On the morning of the 25th we walked back up the trail and went down to to Heidi and Anthony's. I dropped off a few things there then we went down the little cliff trail there at the condos. Mike was exuberant to see the sealife in the rocks and tidepools down there. Crabs, crayfish, opihi mullusks and some sea turtles in their cave.
We then caught the bus from princeville down to Hanalei and had dinner of fajitas at the polynesian cafe--too much to eat!
We hitched a ride intending to spend night at haena beach, but when we got a ride from Uiam (Yam, rhyming with mom) offered a tent and air mattress on his land in ___ valley. He and his parter Katrina have a nice little spot with a 10x10 shack (we learned you dont need a building permit for uner 10x10 structures, that's why they're so common). They have a beautiful daughter, Ariya (papaya), 1 year old, such a cheerful baby! Their friends Kumar and Irie Sky were there too and they were all just deciding to head to polihale the next day. We decided to go along.

So, on the 26th, we were headed out for one more trip down the bumpy road to polihale again! We stopped at Papayas, the natural foods store, and several places for coconuts along the way. We got to the bumpy road, but the gate was locked closed! We asked some locals nearby who told of us of another road to take. What a maze those dirt roads are, but we found our way and camped again by queen's pond.

The 27th was spent completely on the beach. You know, sunshine and salt water.

On the 28th we left early in the morning after I made a pre-dawn saeshell hunt. I found a few sunrise pieces.
Our new friends dropped us off by Henri's, where we both took a shower and then went to Waimea for supplies. Mike bought shirts and gifts for a box to send home as well.
Back in Kekaha (Henri's town) we went to the post office to send off Mike's things (though, now as I write this, the box is lost in the mail, probably confiscated due to one of the winebottles breaking. What a shame!) and paid a visit to the laundromat. We had dinner and spent one last night at Henri's.

In the morning of the 29th we got a ride from patrick and will to Kipu falls near Lihue. There, Mike jumped off the appx. 25 ft. cliff and went off th rope swing a couple times as well. We then hiked to Lihue, had lunch at the mall and decided to take the bus back to Hanapepe for the afternoon.
We went to a couple thrift stores and walked to the ocean then back to the bus stop for Lihue again. We rode bus to Big Save where we took seperate busses, his to the airport and mine back North. This was the end of Mike's vacation.

We both had a wonderful time those two weeks, though there were moments, hours even, of frustration and distance between us. From here we also decided to take our sepperate ways in life as well as by bus. We were not staying together in a long distance relationship. I took it kind of harsh at first, and didn't really understand, but now see how things are better this way and am enjoying my time being free. I'm in Hawaii! Life is grand.

Oh Kalalau

From journals kept in the valley:

Sat., Dec. 22nd - early morning
The hike in wasn't as bad as I was expecting. My pack didn't ever really feel all that heavy until I was just plain tired of walking. We, good friends Ben, Sierra and myself, hiked two miles to Hanakapiai (ha-nah-kah-pee-ai) in the nearly full moonlight on Thursday and spent the night there. We rose early Friday morning and hiked another 8 miles here to a camp spot called Honeymoon Suite. The ground here is covered in narrow leafed plantain, perfect for packing on all the little cuts and scratches from hiking all that way barefoot.
Later
I slept alright in my new hammock last night though I got a little cold from underneath. This morning we went down to check out the beach and helped some guys come in off a boat. Then Sierra and I hiked up-valley to Rich's camp where we are now. That was a very tiring hike. After 8 miles it seems like 1 wouldn't be bad at all but it was a lot of steep, up hill. After dropping off our backpacks we went down to the river and bathed at "Outlaw Pools." I took a nap on a rock between two small waterfalls... so peaceful. The Mosquitoes though... ouch. We went back up to the camp, cleaned it up some, I set up my hammock, made a water run and then Ben showed up. Sierra's gone to gather taro and things for dinner now and I'm cozy and dry in my hammock. Long day.

Christmas Eve 2007
Yesterday I went roaming with Sierra. We walked a labyrinth and did a whole ton of weeding at "Community Garden." I also saw the "Unforgotten Garden" and we gathered oranges, breadfruit and kukui nuts. We took the kukui nuts up to "Big Pools" and smashed them up to rub on the oils after we bathed in the pools. Then we gathered shrimp from some pools around "Outlaw Heao" and headed back to clean a scrape on my finger that was starting to get sore and infected. We met Ben who had found four coconuts and we boiled water for my finger at "Couch Camp," then hiked back to Rich's, took a nap and had dinner of a salad of fresh greens from the valley with olive oil, nut. yeast and honey, breadfruit(baked in the fire, then peeled and cut up and fried, tastes just like potatoes and gravy!) and green papaya and wild lemongrass tea. Oh, life is good. It's so beautiful here! Almost everything you would think of in a tropical paradise, besides the voracious mosquitoes...
Today we hiked up to a camp on a ridge ("The Shelf") that Sierra and Ben are going to set up at. Sierra and I watched a helicopter come and land on a ridge further up valley. It's supposed to be illegal to land in the valley so the people here seem to think something suspicious is going on up there. We saw its blinking light where it landed then it took off and went out the opposite side of the valley as it came from. We want to go check out what's happening up there but then again we're scared to.
My hammock is treating me well though I've been sleeping with a tarp wrapped around me and my sleeping bag to keep it insulated.

Christmas 2007
It's a warm night. Either that or I'm really hot from the hike home to my hammock.
Christmas was a memorable one! I woke up and hunted for some lilikoi and got stuff ready to go as we had planned to meet at Couch Camp to make a big breakfast. I took everything down then washed most all my clothed in the river then cleaned up Couch Camp and scavenged some trash camps then Ben and Sierra came along. We cooked some DELICIOUS banana pancakes with lilikoi and honey on top. Oh, they were so good.
Presently, along came Santiago and he and Ben decided to go investigate the helicopter activity up-valley. Sierra and I took the breakfast things back to Rich's and got ready to go down the Christmas celebration at the "Sanctuary," a community kitchen camp on the bluff over the ocean. We brought along with us a taro root, two cocos and a little rack of bananas and headed down the "Hippie Highway."
A guy we ran into on the trail asked me (while Sierra was talking to Daniel) if this was the way up to all the ancient Hawaiian walls. I was like, "yeah man, they're all over!" He didn't seem to get it and thought there were some really big ones somewhere.. You see, the ancient Menehunes used the Kalalau Valley for growing food and they had the whole valley cleared and terraced with lava rocks, which I guess are scientifically traced back to Maui, not Kauai. Whoa. And now the valley is still covered with 3-4 foot tall terraces but the jungle has completely taken over and people have to find just the right spot to clear out and get a little sun for their gardens.
We arrived at the Sanctuary and immediately fell into the wonderful Rainbow Phamily scene happening. Sierra started making baskets out of sage and hao and then this guy, Neil, comes up to us and asks if we'd like to make any calls home with his satellite phone. What a treat! I called my mom and said hello but somehow lost the signal and ended up leaving a message a while later.
Meanwhile there was food and music galore. Fire baked pizzas all night and taro, coconut, and chocolaty, raw goodness bliss balls. I am stuffed. What a wonderful day.
On our way home we stopped by the river and watched the moon... I should sleep well tonight.

Dec. 26
It's true, I think I slept better than I have in a while, though today has been a tired, cold and wet one... I woke up late, after the first helicopters had started flying. It was pretty drizzly so I stuck around Rich's instead of heading to meet Ben and Sierra at Couch Camp as planned. Eventually they came up and we cooked some oatmeal and hung around some. Then they headed out to take care of a rotting dead goat by Outlaw Pools and possibly hike up to Big Pools. I, meanwhile, took a nap and slept into the afternoon. I woke and hung out at Rich's (still drizzling), played his nice little baby Taylor guitar and went for a walk up Spirit Ridge which gave me a spectacular view of the valley. If only I'd have had my camera... it would have gotten so wet and dirty though. I picked guava plums and lilikoi for lunch. Now I'm sitting in my hammock again, a little cold and damp and wondering if they'll be back this way again tonight... It's getting dark. How will I sleep tonight after having napped a good part of the day?

End of journals. Let's see if I can remember the rest of the time...

Sierra did come up that night. We chatted and cooked falafel and quinoa and stayed warm and dry around our little fire. It rained throughout the night, and I'd decided by the time I got out of my hammock in the morning of the 27th that it was time to move from the valley to the bluff where it was drier.
After saying goodbye to Rich's camp and the giant mango trees I was camped by, I walked with Sierra down the main trail to the minor trail that led to her camp (she wanted to go check up with Ben) and then continued the rest of the way down myself. I arrived at the Sanctuary in time for some fresh bread and stew and a fire to warm/dry up by.
I went and set up my hammock a while later then Sierra came down to figure out when we were going to hike out. I had originally said I wanted to leave Fri the 28th but since being down the aptly named Sanctuary I had really come to feel at home so we decided to stay another day.
I sat up around the fire with some folks until quite late (or early) half because I was enjoying myself so much and half because I was hesitant to leave the warmth if I didn't have a tarp to curl up in. The highlight of the night was when a cat, who we had seen climb up a tree inside the camp, fell out of the tree onto the tarp roof right above, almost on top of, someone's head. He then climbs to the edge of the tarp and literally stumbles right off the edge. We then see that his head is stuck in a cheese wrapper and the poor thing couldn't see at all! He stumbles around the camp for a little bit, almost into the fire until someone can get him and remove his little space helmet. :)
I ended up sleeping at Spencer's camp as he offered me some extra blankets. I slept in one of his fleece sleeping bags, the same as I had and stayed warm on the ground though I had to keep my head completely covered, both for warmth and for protection against the mosquitoes. I woke in the morning, had some coffee with hot cocoa mix and then went up to Ginger Pools to wash. I met up with Shawn, who had sprained his ankle the day before and was mostly confined to his camp. When I had finished washing, I returned to the Sanctuary and my hammock, telling Shawn I'd be back with some salves and some remedies. I got my satchel with all my necessities and went back up again. It was just me and him for a while, making conversation and keeping each other company. It seems we have a bit in common, he's a really cool guy. A little while later, Santiago and Jay come along and join in on the conversation and company. Soon, we have a little party going on as Spencer, Niel, Torrie, Sierra, Ben and Lonnejoin and others come and go. Shawn made some mulled wine ("is it mold? or mull-ed?") with cloves and fresh orange peel and Lonnie got out his shell jewelry collection. He gifted me with a little niihau shell bracelet, I wear it constantly. Sooner or later, it becomes dinner time-ish and everyone heads down the Sanctuary. Sierra and I lent our shoulders to help Shawn hobble down the trail.
That night was a party! Oh, it was the most fun. More good food, good music and good company. I've come to the conclusion that I have never bonded and become comfortable with such a group of people so quickly. I was not my usual corner personality that night. I was not a loud participant, but I WAS a participant. It was bliss.
Sierra and I discussed leaving in the morning and I was half trying to convince myself that I had to stay forever (at least a couple more days!) but I ended up being "sensible" and we decided to leave in the morning in order to allow myself a couple days to rest and readjust to the outside world before the family returned from their trip.
So, Sierra came down in the morning on the 29th and I packed my things up, said my farewells to my new friends and we set out up the coast on the now slippery, muddy, narrow, sometimes relatively treacherous trail. It took us most of the day, and when we finally got to Ke'e beach and the road Sierra asked a young, friendly looking couple if they would give us a ride to our homes, which they did. At first, it seemed so foreign to ride in a car, but soon it was a luxury and we were thrilled to receive rides that required hardly any more walking to our doors.
I arrived at the apartment to find Matt, Kim and Kela over. I jumped right in the shower and they left but they offered to bring me some soup soon. I was happy to see them and grateful for the warm meal, but very happy to clean off and rest.
The next day I was very sore. My legs, feet, everything. I did manage, though to get out to the store and buy some indulgent food, ice cream, chips and salsa and meat! I probably gained in that day whatever weight I'd lost living so lightly in the valley. Oh well. :)
So, the trip was certainly an adventure. It had it's moments of near breakdown and wanting to escape, but it had plenty of beautiful moments too. Overall, it was a complete success. I'd recommend it to anyone who wants really get off the beaten path and learn to live harmoniously with nature in the tropics.

Mahalo, Kalalau, I will return.

The only thing I can think right now is: I miss Hannah!!





I would like more than anything to be able to take her with me into the Kalalau valley next week... I am heartsick.

Friends - always there when you need them

It has been raining ALL week... by Friday I was getting kind of depressed being cooped up for so long but then, thank the lord, Tim, a friend from back home in Michigan, called and invited me out on Saturday.
So Saturday afternoon I took the bus down to Kapaa and met him at small town coffee. He has a nice new scooter/moped and we cruised up the mountain for a little sightseeing. All the waterfalls in the mountains are flowing hard now after all the rain and we could see at least 6 or 7 in the distance. Lovely.
Then back down the hill we went to find somewhere to eat dinner. Tim suggested a little Italian place he'd seen so I said sure though I wasn't that hungry so I probably wasn't going to eat much. As we pulled up there are two other scooters parked outside so we think, "yeah, this will be a nice place." We head inside. As we walk in, we instantly notice everything is spotless, there are wine glasses on every table and it's generally a very formal cafe. (Though you wouldn't know from the outside!) A waiter gives us a table and we sit down with the menus feeling a bit awkward... We look inside the menus. Yes, as suspected, just the appetizers are $9.95 each. We discuss the situation and when the waiter comes back around we announce to him, "We've decided this isn't our scene." He almost looks relieved as we walk out the door laughing. :)
We head back down the street to a little place called Burrito Head which a friend of Tim's works. I got a mini quesadilla which was perfect for me at the time for $3! Oh yes. We hung around there for a while chatted with some locals and some tourists, made some calls, and discussed what to do next. We had been planning to go over to Blossoming Lotus to a DJ party at 9 but we go over there at 8 and the flyer says 10 so we head up to chill at Tim's for a bit.
When we come back down, we stand around for a little bit for the party to start. When it got started we went in and I stood back and surveyed the place while Tim went and danced. He tried to get me to dance but I wouldn't... it's just not really my thing. I'm more of a "corner person" as Sierra calls it and that's the way I like it. Just because I'm not out on the floor doesn't mean I'm not having a good time. After a while I moved upstairs and watched the dance floor from the railing. There were some pretty good beats, and I was moving quite a bit (for me) by 1am when it was winding down and we hit the road. The skies were finally clear and the stars up in Kapahi at Tim's were just fantastic. I saw a couple shooting stars that night.
In the morning we took a 4wheeler down the hill where Tim's staying and gathered some lilikoi (passion fruit) for on top of our pancakes. Yummy.
After breakfast Tim scootered me down the road and dropped me off at some property where my neighbor Matt was to teach a fire building class...

More on that and pictures later. Got to get some sleep.