Hawaii Part 1: There's no place like home, a story from the other side

I am chronicling my Maui vacation encounters starting tonight, the night back from the island, staying here in Portland, Oregon at some friends' house. They weren't my friends a few hours ago.  Now they are and I think that is mostly because of one thing: my sister.  These women have met or worked with my sister is some way in her life and have so loved her that they treat me like they would treat her.  One gave up her bed and room for my comfort and the other is taking me to the airport tomorrow.  I cannot wait to be home.  I long for home.

And so for this tale, though it is long and verbose, the theme is one written by Anne Frank: "Despite everything, I believe that people are really good at heart. "  I've had a glimpse of something very good.  I've been to a place with a tangible energy different from any other I've ever been.  I've met people and had experiences that opened my heart in ways it hadn't been in years.  There is no hyperbole here.

I wrote the following on Sunday, February 6, but had internet challenges while in Hana and haven't been able to post until coming back to the mainland.  Ah, well.  It will give me lots and lots to do... 

The best view of our hotel of the first night.

Aloha!

Here's my quickie update from Maui!  This is our (as in me and my friend "A") second day in Hawaii.  We flew in yesterday  and stayed in a hotel with a story.  It was called the Maui Beach Hotel.  The only part of that is accurate was the Maui part.  All info on the internet was a complete lie.  The funny part is that when we brought any of this up to staff, they never denied it.  That aspect cracked me up. The so-called beach front access was to a harbor with industrial business around it.  Sketchy.  But I put my feet in the water.  We swam in the pool (open only from 10AM to 5PM) and then later caught a local band at somewhat nearby bar - I say that because we walked in circles to get there.  The band was great.  Earlier a local had told us where to go for authentic Hawaiian, a place called the Kitchen, which was basically mounds of meat!

This was our lunch at The Kitchen, so much meat!  You can kind of see the weird spam-roll we tried!

We decided we needed more nature, fewer buildings and people.  After talking with more locals we decided to head far, far from Kahalui where we were staying and found out about Hana.  We found a cabbie willing to make the two hour drive across the island.  He was a unique soul and was a tremendous tour guide.  The ride was so scenic and beautiful.  It was worth coming to Hana just for that drive.

A stop on the road to Hana.

Hana is a small community devoid of touristy shit and mostly just locals.  It's just the real deal and it is amazing.  What's even more amazing is that we had no reservations and I basically just starting calling everywhere this morning and found a studio condo with a full kitchen for a ridiculously low rate.  Our set up is a bit rustic, but it is perfect.  We stopped at Whote Foods on our way out and stocked up on fresh produce - mostly mangos and pineapple - as well as freshly caught fish.  We are set up but there are also stands everywhere selling produce, breads, candy, ice cream,etc.  Amazing.

We stayed back behind all this jungle!  It was a family run place.  Simple and good.

But tonight we went walking to look for a beach and ended up walking for about four hours.  We walked by a landfill.  Really the prettiest I've ever seen.  But after an hour or so, I was shaking with pain.  The jungle was amazing.

A picture during our random wanderings...

At one point I put my feet in the water to cool them off.  Wandering around in the jungle in the near-dark in flip-flops in inadvisable.  Just so you know...

When we finally made it to the ocean we decided to at least enjoy it for a moment.  It was dark, but the sound of the forever constant, caressing waves was soothing and calming to this lost girl.

In the end, we saw a light turn our way in the dark of night and a French-Canadian man with a wonderful accent took us back home led us out of the jungle toward the highway.  It was dark and I considered laying flat on the highway and intentionally getting run over, but we assured him we'd hitchhike a ride back to our hotel.  (Note: for those concerned at this point, hitch hiking is very safe and common in Hana and will be a recurring theme in these entries.)

When we were walking down the road, he pulled up with his car and gave us a ride back.  We've made friends and tomorrow we are meeting up with him and his girlfriend for drinks.  He was our Good Samaritan.  He had just made it into town after a two to three hour drive on one of the most beautiful most dangerous highways in the US (they make lots of souvenirs that say "I survived the Hana Highway"), his girlfriend was very sick, he was very tired, but he did this for us.  It was very touching.

There is such good energy here and we are meeting lovely, beautiful people.  I've never had such experiences.

PS Any and all of you who still keep up on reading this blog should know that while I'm posting pictures here, I have TONS more really, really good ones and I'm going to show them on my TV at the party you all informed me I was going to have upon my return.  Nothing is spoiled by my posting pictures here.  In fact, it might just whet your appetite for the pictures and stories and Hana grown coffee and pineapple upside down cake I'm serving.

PPS Coming up next: new, local friends, cooking amazing fresh fish and fruit, Hana Bay Beach, the craigslist guide named Loni, Haleakala National Park, Seven Sacred Pools, the woman who derives her spirituality from Elvis and presented me with a lei and made me cry, and the sustainable landowners who invited us to their sanctuary who we later found out survive by their misc involvement in the drug trade.  And my very first hitchhiking by myself (she was a mom taking her daughter to the library, so don't worry mom).

And that is soooooo not all... :)

It can be overwhelming when there is so much beauty around in the natural world...

And just for fun, this is the kind of hair I want every single day.  Now to recreate Maui sun, humidity, and ocean water.  Good thing my SIL has some ideas... I am firmly in love with my Maui hair!