Hawaii Part 2: Hana is the tourist-bypassed paradise, whew

Waking up Monday morning in Hana was a feeling of mixed blessings.  I was still in recovery from the adventure from the night before and all I wanted to do was take painkillers and sleep, and yet there was this vast, beautiful island to explore.  My friend made a gorgeous breakfast spread that included fresh pineapple, strawberry-papaya, grapes, mangoes, and grapefruit.

It really was a picture worthy breakfast...

While my friend went exploring, I took that nap I needed until I could talk to people from home.  My mom was hosting a baby shower for my SIL (I was supposed to help but had left her high and dry in putting it together) and I missed it and my gram had surgery the day I’d left and I’d barely had time to say goodbye to her in the hospital.  It was comfortable to putter around our little home away from home and connect with the people I love.  And while I'm on the topic, here’s what it looked like:

Here is our little kitchen.  It was bright and cheery and loaded with fresh, tropical fruit!

And our bedroom.  Sparse, simple, comfy.

The bathroom was decent with this whole other side you could use as a closet.

I finally made my way down to Hana Bay, a beautiful beach accessible for swimmers and loungers, via one of the daughters of the people who own the rentals where we were staying.  I met my friend there, who had spent the morning with friends from the mainland who are currently living in Hana on a farm, making banana bread for room and board.

The water wasn’t cold and it wasn’t warm.  It was just right.  I loved standing and feeling the waves as they crested, right before they began to break near the shore.  I loved lying on my back and letting my hair absorb the salty brine of ocean water.

Hana Bay

Hanging out in Hana Bay... I ended up spending a lot of time doing this.

When we were ready to go, our neighbors who were staying in the place next door took us with them up to the Hasewega General Store, a store where one can buy random, random things, and then brought us home. 

The general store - and they do mean general in the most literal sense of the word.

That night the friends staying on the island came over for a lovely dinner my traveling companion had cooked – fresh mahi mahi, brown rice pilaf with local fruits, kale, mixed greens with botanical edible flowers, and homemade ice cream from the farm where these friends work, made just that day with herbs grown on their farm.  Our neighbors (who were these interesting Canadians!) came by later for drinks.  I laughed so much that night.

Hanging out with new friends.  And you know what - everybody seems to know my sister!

This was Monday, a great low-key day for meeting people and getting to know Hana.  Here are a few more experiences from the day that stick with me, just snapshots of life, something the island, but specifically Hana, is teaming with!

Gorgeous blue flowers that grow linked together in a vine.  The color is incredible and rare in nature.  I thought they were the couture of all flowers.

A little albino gecko climbed about the outside of our house.  It was hard to get his pictures because it was a fast little guy.