A hui hou Hawaii

February 19, 2014 2 Comments

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Time for something different

Last day in Hawaii, it;s been incredible but it’s time to go. A day of wandering around with our packs and waiting. When we hit the two hour mark we walked through a park and had that awkward moment where we arrived at the same picnic table as someone else. We decided to share and as odd as it sounds it became one of the highlight of the trip. a moment of pure kindness, Cindy and Jill, retirees from the mainland making us feel welcome in their country. Cindy offering to let us stay with her in the wilds of California less than a minute into the conversation. A reminder that humanity can be beautiful, as the sunset on this place in-between worlds.

Travel

manoa falls

February 18, 2014 1 Comment

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last sunbeams fall on our last full day in hawaii

Chasing the fading light our last hike was my first real head shaking in awe moments. And to put it in perspective there were still loud mainland tourists around every other bend, and the scenery was able to completely absorb us to a different world, where dinosaurs could be roaming around the corner (all be it with roars with a valley girl twang). There are so few things in adult life that give us that wide eyed grinning happiness, so glad I didn’t miss this.

Travel

waahila ridge

February 17, 2014 1 Comment

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up and down the mountain

How many places in the world have a hike beginning with a pine forest full of wild chickens? Actually now I come to think about it every hike with done in Oahu has begun with chickens at the base, and this isn’t even the island they call “Chicken Island”! I think I’m going to miss waking up to a rooster crowing. With our accommodation half way up the mountain we’re counting down our last days in Hawaii with some hikes over Waikiki and finally some relaxing beach days, we’ll be fit going up and down everyday! Ice cream definitely well earned!

Travel

kamaile’unu ridge

February 14, 2014 2 Comments

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rock scrambling

No better way to bid farewell to the west coast with some good old fashioned rock scrambling. Referred to as the most grueling hike on Oahu, I made it far enough to enjoy a panoramic view of Makaha Valley, and no further, why would you? Of course Dylan ran to the peak daily. Pulling yourself up rocks and searching for pink markers was surprisingly fun and the view made distances that seemed to be a world away insignificant. Did it really take that long to get to Yokohama Bay?
On the way up a sight I will never get use to, a hunter with a gun casually slung over his shoulder. A lovely friendly guy, with a sympathetic grin about the steep slope. He was out since 5am looking for mountain goats. The prikly underbrush was more of a challenge for me, ah but the view, if only we had seen a whale it would have been perfect.
Then a breath of fresh air, a new, slightly more expensive airbnb on the hill above Waikiki, but without needing to rent a car we were coming out on top. Steep roads to the new place were definitely made up for by the stunning view of a sunset city.