Memories of Hawaii

Eddy's carsale

In our quest to capture a lost day in various time zones around the world we wake up at around 05:00. We spend the morning hours wandering the streets between sleepy greetings from alcoholized bums and palm trees. I find a free newspaper and flick through the pages. Disinterest builds up until I abruptly get ripped out of my half sleep by a pink page headlined Eddy's Carsale. 

Faster than you can say "finanacial crisis" we got the best deal in town. Until we parked betsy for a nights sleep, 3 km away from officially the wettest place on earth and found out there was a massive hole in the roof.

Escape plan

We decide to use our first day taking in the atmosphere of Hawaii. We stroll down to the beach in Capital city Honolulu. Hopes high, dreams even higher.  Our eyes get raped by a busload of triggerhappy Japanese with Fuji cameras, sunburned Americans with bellys belching out of Hawaii-shirts and sweaty Europeans. We quickly establish an escape plan to Oahus smaller brother a couple of km west.

Land in the west

The garden isle

Nature has a powerful grip and wherever you turn palmtrees, metrehigh grass and lush vegetation surrounds you. Everything that can grow, sprouts on this Island. High mountains, long beaches, clear water, powerful waterfalls and dense forests. Here we find our peace and serenity.  

In Kauai´s constitution it is stated that bringing your worries to the island is strictly prohibited!

 

Birthplace of wave riding

Going to Hawaii without padling out towards breaking waves on a surfboard is like going to a carrot eating contest with an asparages. In ancient Hawaii your rank in society was evaluated by how good you were at riding waves on wooden boards. To me it seems like they still cling to these ethics. Wave after wave gets snatched before my nose and I quickly realize it´s a dog eat dog world out here.

Old men with long beards, women of all ages and kids surf so well that one could get depressed by lesser

Naked hippies and blisters

One morning we decide to embark on the Kalalau trail, a 9 hour walk each way. Over the next three days we find ourselves winding in and out of valleys on a coastal trail. We traverse along steep mountain sides, push through rain forest like vegetation and cross sandy hills. The trail ends in a secluded little valley where hippies from all over the world have decided to set up camp, walk around naked and fornicate in the bushes.

Not a good place to slip.

Prepare to have your mind blown away by the epic scenery along Napali coast.

Water world

Being the group of islands located furhtest from mainland on all sides everything worth doing here evolves around the ocean. As we go under the surface we´re introduced to a world of splendour. Down here we find a dsiplay of colours more complex than Van Gogh´s most famous paintings. Tropical fish, coral reef and sea cucumbers alike. The coolest animal of all is without doubt the Honu, a green sea turtle. These gracious and peaceful animals are truly fascinating. 

You aren´t supposed to touch them but we couldn´t resist hanging onto their backs as they swept us away with the current

 

 

Swing it

Talking to the natives we get told that Kipu Falls is the place to relax and go for a swim in freshwater. Some locals have tied a thick hemp rope to a mighty old tree that stretches down into the pool under the waterfalls. This rope swing will keep even the most boring specimen of Homo sapiens entertained for hours.

Lava rock pools

Since all the Hawaiian islands are the remains of a massive volcano you stumble upon lavastone alot of places. Ocasionally these form into rock pools which can be used for swimming, splashing around or simply jumping into.

I'll fix it for a bottle of whiskey

In the final stage of our trip we need to sell our car. Not a good time for it to break down I´d say. 
The same evening we find ourselves sitting around a bonfire on the beach with complete strangers. Exchanging cultural differences, ukulele song and personal problems we tell the man next to us about our current situation. From the other side of the bonfire we hear a voice dark voice "I'll fix it for a bottle of whiskey"

Whiskey chores!