Home...

We have returned home to Colorado without incident. In fact, Heather and I were able to get on an earlier, direct flight home -- in Economy Plus. That was sweet! 

By all reports, the trip was a success. If you haven't experienced Hawaii, I would recommend it. We will return someday (hopefully sooner than later). It was also good to hang out with family, some of whom we see regularly, others we have not seen in a few years. I think everyone had a good time (at least until the final cruise bill came on our last night).

I may post some more pics here in the coming days, but I believe the Island Crawlers crowd will be combining pics on flickr or some similar site. I'll let you know where you can find them, if interested.

For now, I leave you with the splendid Napali coast. It's small here, but hopefully it will enlarge when you click it.

in maui

It turns out I found some wifi access at a coffee shop (what else?), so I thought I'd offer a quick post. The cruise is going well. We all seem to be getting along. Yesterday was a bit of a bear. We went south to Lahaina for a luau, which was excellent, but a brush fire (80-acres small) blocked the only road back to the ship (or would that be a boat, dad?). So, our 20-minute ride turned into a stop-and-go, 3-hour affair. But we made it -- with all relationships still in tact. One group of us got up four hours later to go snorkeling. Heather, Suzy, Peggy James and I headed out to see a jeweler (www.romanticjewelry.com) we met in Colorado some years back (Scott and Julie, you were with us, I believe -- a craft fair in Breck, I think). Heather really likes their jewelry, so we thought we'd check it out here in Maui. 

Hopefully, I'll survive this little jaunt with the ladies. Maybe I can find a cafe with internet access, and, of course, more coffee. If so, I'll try to upload some more pics.

Until then....

Curtis

Swimming with the fishes (and turtles and dolphins)

Yesterday was a relaxing day for us -- minimal driving and lots o' snorkeling. We rented a sea kayak Tuesday night and headed across the Kealakekua Bay (where Captain Cook was killed). With apologies to Cook and the colonial British crown, we didn't go for the monument, but the fishes. 

We went late in the evening to miss the boat crowds, which was a good idea. The snorkeling was amazing (though not as good as the Great Barrier Reef). Many fish here -- many yellow fish. Beautiful creatures. 

We had the kayak for 24 hours, so we decided to return the next morning before the boats arrived. First, though, we went to the beach near our condo, where, we were told, sea turtles dwelled. Sadly, the coral had been trampled by too much traffic, but we did find the sea turtles. We arrived early (6:30) before the crowds, so the sea turtles were still around...and very close. The pics above have no zoom at all. We could have touched them -- groovy. I love those creatures. The appear so thoughtful and serene to me. 

After snorkeling here for an hour or so, we headed back to Keal-- Bay. We put in around 8 a.m. and headed across the bay (about a mile). Heather and I did well in the kayak together. The sea was smooth, our communication (and paddling) in sync. Along the way, we had the pleasure of seeing dolphins, then kayaking with them as they came up alongside the boat. When we first saw them, Heather started calling to them, and she believes this made them come to us. She fancies herself something of a Dolphin Whisperer. This experience definitely made her trip. She loved the playful little things.

We snorkeled about an hour near the monument until the multitudes arrived -- boat after boat of eager snorkelers. So, we headed back. Surprise, surprise. The dolphins were still around, and we got near them again. We were surprised they were still around because of the crowds and the time of day. Perhaps they came because of Heather, the Dolphin Whisperer. I wish I could have captured her call. Hilarious! 

Today -- R and R, and a much needed visit to the gym. We also took in a few of the sacred sites preserved around the hotels. We've been doing this many days around the island (you know me and spiritual tourism), so it was interesting to walk through these as well. We've been to several temples, places of refuge, etc. on this trip. It's been an interesting walk though history, and an interesting re-casting of Hawaiian history for the sake of tourists (e.g. Hawaiian history as "our" American heritage, with no recollection of our part in their dispossession). The active dispossession of Hawaiians by Western colonialists has not escaped us, nor has our complicity in this dispossession as we (as willing tourists) eagerly consume these sacred spaces preserved around our comfortable condos. As many of you know, I am often an ambivalent traveler for these very reasons (so many "desirable" locations are directly connected to dispossession). My ambivalence continues. Yet here I am, and there you go. This is, perhaps, an irresolvable contradiction since I enjoy (and see much promise) in travel, but one I continue to grapple with (and, of course, study!) Heather gets to listen to this sort of stuff from me on a daily basis, so I thought I would give you glimpse as well. 

Tomorrow, we meet up with the fam who are en route to Oahu as we speak. We will then embark on our island cruise (I'll spare you the ambivalence I have about this activity). I am unsure what my internet access will be on the boat, so this could my last post. With that possibility, I leave you with a few pics of turtles and dolphins. 

C

the long road home...

So, yesterday. We had the strange idea of taking a 400-mile road trip, which lasted 16 hours. (Ring any bells, Chad and Amber?).

First, we headed north to Saddleback Road, an "alpine" road, for lack of a better definition, that splits the 13-ers, Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa. We went up to 9200 feet at Mauna Kea, but did not go to the summit. Rental car companies don't allow their cars on the "dangerous," albeit maintained and paved-at-the-top road. What a racket! So, we went to Mauno Loa instead, up to 11,200 feet. The road past this point was indeed dangerous, so we stopped (even though our rental agreement did not prohibit this trek). It was amazing to be above the clouds and amazing to go from sea level to 11,000 feet, from 80 degrees to 40, etc. in the span of a couple of hours.  It was also pretty cool to be on an active volcano. It was also cool to see the multi-colored lava flows.

From there, we went to Hilo for lunch at Ken's Pancake House (Ken is Dwayne "the Rock" Johnson's cousin we learned). Anyway, big food. Crazy, sumo big food!

Then, off to Volcanoes national park were the Kilaeua (sp) caldera was smoldering -- very cool. From there, we had to back track 60 miles to the lava flow (which was actually only about three "crow" miles from where we were in the park). But it was worth the trip to see land and sea collide in what was, indeed, a spectacular event. We were quite a ways a way, but it was still an impressive show. Plus, walking back, the "field" above was aglow in the dark as the lava continued its slow descent to the sea. Then .... back to the caldera to see it glow in the dark. 

From there, the 100-mile trip back to the room. We started at 7 a.m., finished at 11 p.m. Today, a bit of R and R before going ocean kayaking (cue laughter, Amber) and snorkeling at Cpt. Cook monument. 

Later....

the south side -- green sands, black sands and turtles!

I missed a day blogging because Heather and I spent 16 hours traveling yesterday (400 miles). Yep, on an island. Good times. More on that in a bit. Now, let's talk the Southern region of the big island (the Pau district -- where I found the maker of my favorite Hawaiian coffee, Will and Grace). Grace runs a little variety shop to help make ends meet. Will does construction as a second job. They have a 7 acre estate, producing about 20,000 pounds a year. The coffee sells for about $35 a pound, is featured exclusively in several high end restaurants, and has one several awards. Yet, they struggle to live on the island, it seems. So much for the image of "estate" coffee owners.

Anyhoo, the Southern side. We went to the southernmost tip of the U.S., then we offroaded to one of two green sand beaches in the world. It may be hard to tell from the pic above, but it really was green. Crazy! From there, we took to the highway again to one of several black sand beaches where we saw our first sea turtles resting among the human inhabitants on the beach. Very cool. We also went to the city of refuge, a place where the ultimate game of "tag" played out. Basically, if you violated a kapu (any law from the whims of the king), you would be killed -- unless, you made it to home base, a small sanctuary where all sins were forgiven. All you had to do was make it home, and you were accepted back into the fold. This applied to both royalty and commoners. King Kamahema (sp?)'s wife, for example, apparently made several late night trips to the place of refuge. 

Here are some more pics...

catching up...

Ok. So we finally have some reliable internet in our room (with a price, of course). But the A/C is extra, so I suppose I shouldn't expect free wireless. 

Anyhoo, we're on the Big Island now. Today we went up to Waimea (where I ate a beast of a meal called a Hawaiian loco moco), Waipi'o valley,  Pololu valley-- basically the northern part of the Big Island, windward and leeward. 

I've attached a few pics for your viewing pleasure . The first few are from our time on Oahu-- Heather and the tiki on our Oahu balcony, the Arizona Memorial, and Giovanni's shrimp truck on the North Shore. Then some from here -- the loco moco before and after, a windmill farm near Hawi, and the view from Polulu.

More to come...

aloha from oahu...

We've arrived in Oahu. Actually, we've been here a day. I'm still working out my computer access, so hopefully I'll be more regular in a day or so. This is a public computer, so I have to be brief (and am unable to upload pics).

More to come (I hope).