Hunting Dinosaurs

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With great success we’ve been living in a tent since the 13th of August. After hitch hiking from the Lihue airport to the end of the road on the north shore of Kauai and stumbling upon a full moon dance party complete with lasers, fog machine and three different DJs. We hiked out the Na Pali coast to Kalalau beach. Camped in a cave for the week; hiking up the valley to crystal clear fresh water pools, swimming around the point at the end of the beach to the natural arch, water falls and deserted beach at Honapu and lounging with some valley legends. It was pretty easy to see why people had been living in and out of Kalalau for 25+ years. It looked like Jurassic Park and felt like The Beach without the drama. Easily one the most unreal landscapes I have ever seen. In fact the entire Kauai vibe has been other-worldly. I now understand what is meant by the spirit of aloha. .
 
After we had to leave Kalalau beach, due to a goat hunt, we met up with Mackenzie, another volunteer traveler that had worked at the Kahumana farm on Oahu. She was a gracious host and let us crash at the house she was taking care of for the week on the East shore. From there we headed to the South shore and rented a car for four days of easy mobility. With the car we drove to the far end of the island and up to Waimea canyon and Koke’e state park. 

There may be 60,000 total people living on this island; the largest town probably has about 10,000 inhabitants. Needless to say this is not the island if you’re looking for city lifestyle, however, the hospitality has been unmatchable. It’s great when a ride picks you up and gives you some plugs on the local scene and then takes you to exactly where you want to go. When almost every ride turns out that way, you start to get spoiled, and then when they start offering you money, it gets a little ridiculous. People have continually gone out of their way to make sure life is good and that has extended beyond rides. Park ranger’s birthday parties, family camping parties and an uncommon friendliness have been common place. 

At the moment we’re trying to muster up some kayaks so that we can head back out the Na Pali coast. If they don’t manifest then I could be headed to a farm for another wwoofing experience or I could be headed to the big island. Taking it all one day at a time.

“Howzit?”

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It’s good. Up here on the north shore, country living, with every other store a surf shop or shrimp truck and the beach several feet away it’s pretty hard not to be good. It’s kind of like taking a slightly malfunctioned time machine back to when hitchhiking was a fairly common mode of travel. Back when community was something everybody could get into. Back to when kids played outside. Then on the weekends the time machine malfunctions and the two lane Kamehameha highway gets a heavy dose of tourism. A reminder that you are living in a paradise, a getaway, a “wonderful day trip”. I can only imagine when the winter swell picks up and this place turns into the center of the surfing universe. But for now it’s great for a beginner haole with hair that is a bit too long and a beard a little too shaggy for the rat race. 

The farm I have been staying at is more of a vacation rental than a fields and tractors kind of place. There are a couple of raised beds growing veggies for the host and his friends. Other than that it is primarily tropical plants, fruit, avocado and coconut trees. I have been doing jungle landscaping for the past three weeks  and have a much better appreciation for how fast everything grows out here. Next week I will be headed back to the Kahumana farm to help build their aquaponics system. Then it is off to Kuai on the 13th with my German brother Ben Jammin. Oahu has been such a solid two months, I really appreciate all of the hospitality and good vibes everyone have shared. Aloha my friends!

Photos: My kitchen/bedroom, living room/bathroom, view from my deck, pipeline looking real flat.