Just to Say I Blog

Emotional Rollercoaster

2010-08-09T16:12:00.000-07:00

When I first arrived at the cottages in Azalas Naxos, I wasn’t in the best of moods. We had just left Folegandros, and I had loved it there. Now in Naxos, everything was beautiful of course, and the cottages that I had booked months ago were amazingly charming, but our location had Jessica and I both wondering what in the world we were going to do for eight days. Azalas is a teeny tiny town….ok, I don’t even think you can call it a town….maybe not even a village. It’s more like an area by the sea consisting of a few homes nestled between mountains, accessible by dirt roads that only the toughest of vehicles can traverse. (Our taxi driver wouldn’t even attempt them). It’s basically in the middle of nowhere, and I suppose we were just kind of scared. And, being the planner of the trip, I was also feeling just a little bit guilty for picking a spot so out of the way from civilization….I really hadn’t thought this through. So like I said, we weren’t really in the best of moods. (I wrote a pretty nasty blog, that wasn’t even publishable- although sort of funny now).

When it came time for us to leave, you can just imagine how strange it felt to be so sad and depressed. In eight days time we had come to love our little cottage with the mountains and the private beach, but even more than our beautiful surroundings, we had come to love the family we stayed with and their friends. What a difference eight days makes.

I’d have to say that in a lot of ways, this trip has really played with my emotions. It seems like ever since day one in Athens with the delayed flight and the metro strike, there have been many moments where I’ve thought, “gee whiz, how are we going to get out of this mess?”, only to have it all turn out just fine. I’ve had moments of being super stressed and worried, only to be completely surprised, usually by someone’s kind generosity, or an unexpected event that had a way of making everything instantly ok. I’ve felt many moments of relief on this trip, and many moments of extreme gratitude. Our transition from Naxos back to the mainland of Greece is a great example of this.
Let me give you an idea of the emotional rollercoaster that Jessica and I rode a few days ago….

The plan was to leave the cottages at 12:00. Astrid was going to take us to the bus station in Moutsouna (only 10 minutes away by car- a life time when walking). We would catch the bus to Naxos town (Hora) and spend the day in civilization. After our eight days of lovely serenity in Azalas, our sightseeing day in Hora felt a little like a chore, or an obligation. We both would have rather spent another day at the cottage, but we figured we’d make the best of things, and explore a little more of the island. We packed up our things the night before, cleaned out our refrigerator, ate the last of the Nutella, and geared up to leave the islands of Greece and head back to Athens.

*Feeling a little excited for our trip to the mainland, but mostly just sad to be leaving the cottages.

Knock Knock….It was morning. Jessica and I had managed to wake up on time (something that has occasionally caused some of the emotional stress I talked about earlier). It was Astrid at the door. She had checked the bus schedule and told us that the bus left at 3:45 not 12:30. Crazy Naxos busses, who can ever really tell when they leave or return? Does anyone actually keep a schedule around here? Oh well, and Yippy, we get to stay longer at the farm, and have lunch outside with the family.

*Feeling a little curious about those dumb busses, but mostly super happy to be staying a bit longer.

We took advantage of our extra time in Azalas. The morning was spent playing solitaire (a dangerously addictive card game), as well as drinking some “sipping chocolate” while we wrote and read. Oh yeah, and occasionally killing some pretty giant flies- it’s really quite a fun challenge. In the afternoon we took an hour or so and laid out on our favorite rocks, admiring the views of the cliffs, blue waters, and tiny church one last time. It was perfect. As we walked up the path towards “home” our German friend (one of many) invited us to lunch with the “gang,” so we got cleaned up and headed down to the mini pavilion. The pavilion is covered in grape vines- with actual grapes, and looks out to the water. It houses a very comfortable hammock (just ask Jessica) and a giant stone table. Every time we come to lunch with our friends we never quite know who will be there, or what will be on the menu, but we always know that we are in for a very special experience, and we will be treated like family. It sounds a little like an Olive Garden commercial, but the fact that it’s true makes me smile. Our final meal had us feasting on greek salad of course, homemade bread, and freshly caught fish (Nikos made more especially for us) with the skin still on. And yes I did eat it, and enjoyed it! The company was wonderful as usual, and despite language differences it felt relaxed and comfortable.

* Feeling so grateful to be included. Feeling overwhelmed by our new friends and their generous hospitality.

3:20 came faster than I would have liked. And after exchanging hugs, taking some pictures, and accepting the two giant water bottles filled with Nikos’s wine we hopped into the jeep and left for the bus station.

* Feeling sad

What did you say? The bus will leave at 4:20 instead of 3:45? Hmmmm? Ok, I guess we’ll sit on this little cement stoop.

* Feeling slightly irritated, and a little bored, that is until the little girl with the chocolate ice cream cone, and a guy with a blow-up air mattress showed up…. both pretty entertaining.

Yay, the bus has arrived. It’s a nice bus with super comfy seats. The mountain views are exceptional and it feels great to be sitting for an hour in air conditioning

* Feeling relaxed

The bus dropped us off at the port, and we waited for a while before boarding, but it was a great place to people watch so I didn’t really mind. Eventually we were herded onto the ferry. With my backpack on, now a tad heavier do to all the rocks I’ve been collecting, I followed the crowd of people through perhaps one of the narrowest stairways found on this planet, certain that I would indeed burst into flames at any moment, and really regretting the grey top I was wearing. It was a little maddening, but we finally made it to the upper decks where Jessica and I were both thrilled with our excellent seating, and amazed at how spacious our traveling quarters were. Although soaked in sweat, we sunk into our seats, completely at peace, wishing airline travel could be as nice. This was the life.

* Feeling great, and stoked with our great seating. Athens here we come!

Around 45 minutes later the dialogue with two woman and a boat steward (is that what you call them?) went something like this:

Ladies- “Um, I think these are our seats” (ok, they didn’t speak English, but we knew what they meant.)

Jessica, getting out ticket thinking, “Ummm, sorry ladies, these lovely seats belong to us…step aside.”

Enter the steward who looks at the ticket and then says, “This ticket is for tomorrow.”

You’ll notice I ended that sentence in a period and not an exclamation point, because our steward was kind of nonchalant about the whole thing. My response was anything but. I think it went a little more like this:

THIS TICKET IS FOR TOMORROW??!!!!!

This was followed by us being kicked out of our great seats, and sent to a not so helpful front desk helper, who pretty much stated the obvious: Yes, you got on the boat on the wrong day. No, you no longer have a seat for tomorrow (no kidding?), and good luck finding a seat for today.

* Feeling- well, you can pretty much imagine the thoughts going through our minds now, and they are not good.

So we spent the next 30 minutes trying to figure out what just happened, and also trying to scrounge up some leftover seats.

Turns out we left our cottage a day too early. (you know the really great one I just got done writing about. The one we were so sad to leave) Yep, we had a whole other day coming to us…… ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!
*Feeling- pretty stupid- also wondering why no one else caught this error?

The good thing about traveling with someone in a country where you don’t know anyone, and you don’t speak the language is that you can’t really stay upset with each other for very long, otherwise your trip would be really lonely. So I’m grateful that Jessica chose to forgive this minor blunder of mine, and look on the bright side of things. Now we had an extra day in Athens.

*Feeling- a little better

Um, did I mention we aren’t exactly in Athens but the rather seedy port town Pireasus? And we don’t arrive until 12:30 in the morning, and we have no accommodation.

*Feeling- a little worse

Now, if you are still reading this, you’ve probably gotten a sense of just what I mean about the emotional rollercoaster. In the interest of time (mine and yours) I’ll just let you know that we ended up finding a place to stay that first night thanks to some helpful people, and some people that were really trying to be helpful, but weren’t really (p.s.- Greeks always try to give directions even if they have no idea where you want to go). After a good night’s sleep, we took a bus into Athens and spent a fantastic day in the Plaka area, a highlight being the open air cinema, where we watched an English film about Leo Tolstoy under the stars. I never would have believed that things could turn out so well, given our circumstances, and I’m happy to say that my final feelings about this two day ordeal were- Relief, and Joy. I also must say, that as our trip is winding down, I feel pretty proud of the two of us. We’ve gotten into some interesting situations during this trip, and I think we’ve handled everything quite well. We’ve been resourceful, and smart. We’ve stayed calm and positive for the most part, never completely freaking out or losing our heads, and overall we’ve been a pretty great traveling team. We should totally be on the amazing race…..maybe next year.

Naxos things you may or may not know. In Random Order

2010-08-09T15:07:00.000-07:00

A Recap List- I apologize for the lack of pictures on these next two posts. It's 2am and I have a flight to catch soon. No time to wait on blogger to learn how to download pics.

1. Everyone knows Nikos and Astrid, and the location of their cottages. You don’t even need a last name. Small town perks I guess.

2. The route to the next biggest town (area), Mountsouna is a dusty long path with beautiful mountain views, but no shade. This was a running route twice (I don’t recommend this during the heat of the day, which is pretty much all hours here in Greece- I nearly died twice). This route was also walked numerous times, once for the sole purpose of purchasing more Nutella (like peanut butter, but chocolate), which Jessica and I devoured in the first two days of our stay.

3. Internet access at the cottages is limited to the main house. Every time we came up to use our computers, we were offered homemade desert, coffee, and wine. Occasionally we would have a conversation with the father, Nikos…mostly about politics which tended to be somewhat hard to follow, but very entertaining given Nikos’s passion for seemingly everything. We also witnessed a special interaction between Nikos and the youngest son. This little boy could be one of the cutest kids I’ve met (second only to JJ), but he’s a wild one. Once while walking up to our house we were almost nailed with flying rocks. In an effort to calm him a little (at least this is our impression), Nikos calls his son up for coffee every afternoon, and the little boy brings his book and sits quietly with his drink and his dad, and reads. It’s so adorable.

4. We had laundry at the cottages. It was a German washing machine, which was a little bit different than what we were use to. We haven’t come across any dryers here in Greece, which makes sense given the fact that clothes can dry so quickly here out in the hot sun.

5. I attempted to make the popcorn I brought from home twice…both attempts failed, both because of my own stupidity….it was a low point….better not to talk too much about it.

6. There was a hotplate in our cottage. Never thought I’d be so impressed with a hotplate. The water heats in about a minute….it’s pretty amazing, and I was happy with my hot chocolate in the morning. (Never thought on my trip to Greece I’d be blogging about popcorn and a hotplate…hmmmmm, reminds me that I wasn’t vacationing, but really living life here.)

7. At the cottages we had a lot of good relaxing time. We played solitaire, read, watched Harry Potter, which we borrowed from the family, and laid out on our favorite rock spot. Jessica also tried to teach me how to braid, and I helped coach her on her swimming stroke.

8. We also had some great adventures. We went on a hike in the dark (accidentally). We also went kayaking. Our German friends who were also staying at the cottages offered to let us borrow their kayaks whenever. I had my heart set on swimming to the cliffs. Jessica was going to go with me on her dog raft (although I don’t really think she was that thrilled about the plan.) Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, it was far too windy and wavy so we decided to kayak there instead. The way out to the cliffs was fun, and just enough of a challenge to make me feel tough battling the waves. The way back was impossible, and just enough of a challenge to make me want to give up and cry. The winds were so strong it felt like we weren’t making any progress at all. Jessica was a small yellow dot way out in front of me. It was just me, my blistered hands, and my negative thoughts. I contemplated jumping out and swimming the kayak back…the paddling thing just wasn’t working. Then I thought about just ditching the kayak all together. After spending considerably more time in that little kayak than either Jessica or I had planned, we finally arrived home. We were welcomed by the kids, and the Germans, and Nikos….seemed like everyone was just a little bit concerned for those dumb American girls (so glad I didn’t go through with the swim to the cliffs). All in all I’m glad we had this experience. It was an awesome workout, and gave us all something to joke and laugh about over lunch. Funny how easily stupidity translates. I think it somehow bonded us just a little more with our Greek and German friends.

9. One night we walked to Mountsouna for dinner. We thought we’d have a few options in town…nope, just one, but it ended up being really great. We had good homemade food recommended by the waitress who also took us in the back to look at the fresh fish selections. We walked back from dinner in the dark, (you’d think we would learn.) Surprisingly this wasn’t the least bit scary thanks to good conversation with Jessica and the overall sense of peacefulness and safety we feel in this small little area on Naxos. I think it has so much to do with the kindness of all the people we’ve met here.

10. Nikos and his wife are very generous (incase you haven’t already noticed). We were given all kinds of fresh vegetables and shown where we could pick our own. Strawberries, grapes, figs, tomatoes, cucumbers….it was wonderful. Nikos also makes his own wine, and showed us the cellar where he keeps it in a giant barrel complete with easy to use spout. We were welcome to have as much as we wanted.

11. There’s a teeny tiny church on Nikos’s property. I assumed it was just for looks, but one evening there was a wedding. We later learned that Nikos’s grandfather built the church and it’s named after him.

12. The bus schedules on Naxos are pretty unpredictable (I think we’ve mentioned this before). This was made very clear to us our second day on the island when we went to Apeiranthos. Apeiranthos is a small charming village 20 minutes by bus from Mountsouna. We caught the bus at 12:30. Once we arrived at our destination we asked the driver specifically when he would return to take us back to Mountsouna. He assured us he would be back at 4:30. Perfect. This would give us plenty of time for our planned “café crawl.” We took our computers and books and spent the afternoon at four different little cafes. We took turns ordering small things until it was time to catch our bus back home. It was a great way to spend the day, doing what we love best.

At 4:30 we waited for the bus. It came, but the driver told us he would be back in 10 minutes. We waited some more…..and a little more. Finally the bus did come back. There was some confusion on how to get a ticket, but the driver hurried us on with all the other passengers telling us more than once that he was going to Mountsouna. Five minutes later I got off the bus to get a ticket at a mini mart. It was then that we were told that this bus doesn’t go to Mountsouna, it goes to Hora. What? No time to question, the bus was pulling away with Jessica still on it. Stop the bus! Yikes, that was a close one. So we were both off the bus, thoroughly confused, and had no idea how we would make it home. Luckily a guy who just happened to be making a delivery at the mini mart offered to give us a ride. We were a little reluctant, but really had no other choice…no more buses were going to Mountsouna that day. We got into the back of the car, and talked long enough with the guy to realize he wasn’t a crazy killer or anything….in fact, quite the opposite he seemed like a great guy, and given the fact that he was willing to give us a ride all the way to our cottage doorstep (he knew Nikos of course), made him a saint. He picked up another girl who he obviously knew well (maybe a daughter), and Jessica and I spent the ride being entertained by their exuberant conversation…all in Greek of course. It was after that incident that we decided we didn’t want to go anywhere else. We chose to spend the rest of our time at our stress free cottage. It ended up being one of the best decisions we made during this trip.

The Feast

2010-08-07T23:24:00.000-07:00

3 days before: Sarah and I had arrived at the farm on Naxos and began settling into our cottage. We barely spoke to each other. Sometimes this happens between us…and sometimes it stems from that kindergarten adage – if you don’t have anything nice to say…In retrospect, I think we were in shock. We had just come from the island of Folegandros, where we had spent our days living in a studio in the center of the island’s largest town. We’d grown accustomed to walking down the steps from our studio and landing right in the middle of peaceful, but nonstop, hubbub. We’d sit at a café each morning, watching people begin the day, and we’d end up at another café late at night, when travelers and locals and lights and sounds and the aroma of Greek cooking cluttered up the town square. I’m in awe of Greek socializing – these people are completely exuberant, and embrace life late into the night, yet somehow remain peaceful and just plain make you feel cozy. It was the perfect setting for a couple of girls who want to hold on to the excitement of youth, but are so over raucous crowds and really just want to turn in at a reasonable hour. We sure could get used to that life. But now we were on Naxos, a whole new cup of tea. This island is large, and our bus ride from one side to another revealed very few towns, each being just a cluster of houses and businesses. You can only rent a car or moped in the port town, which is the farthest point from where we were silently unpacking our bags. The bus schedule seemed confusing and only offered a stifling few pick-up and drop-off options. We tried to focus on the breathtaking scenery around us, but these thoughts were continually interrupted by, “Oh my gosh we’re so far from any form of civilization,” and “Where will we eat?” and “8 days of this? Are you kidding me?” We were moping around big time, and we just wanted the day to pass so that we could wake up and try again. We had some moments of hope – Astrid invited us up to their house. She had some leftovers in the oven and realized that we probably hadn’t eaten in awhile. A home cooked Greek meal…it was a new pleasure that hadn’t been available in our busier locations. And it was just what I needed to keep me from crying myself to sleep that night. The family seemed charming, our cottage was clean, and the sea was in view of our front window. As I closed my eyes that night, I thought, “Well, we’ll see.”

I was sitting next to Sarah on a concrete bench. In front of us was a large table filled with dishes, now nearly empty, stray bread crumbs, carafes of wine. Above us was a lazy canopy of grape vines shading us from the intense afternoon sun. Music, strummed from across the table, danced its way up into the clear blue sky. This was one of those experiences in life that had me thinking over and over - It doesn’t get much better than this. Let me explain how this started. We’d spent the morning and early afternoon on the rocks across from the farm that we had quickly come to love. The sea’s waves crash onto these rocks, spraying us with a refreshing mist. We’d figured out a routine of reading, swimming, climbing back out to read some more or look at the clouds or play some cards. Then maybe we’d swim some more. So on this particular day we had just returned to our cottage when Nekos, the Greek farmer, stopped by to extend an invitation. His English is…well it’s a mental workout to understand him. But we knew there would be a goat and friends and music. We headed down to the small pavilion perched right above the sea and took a seat. Astrid and the kids were there, the German man and his son who were staying next door to us were there, and maybe there was a guy with an instrument that was stringed and Greek-looking. At this point there were two Greek salads on the table and the most gigantic jug of Nekos’ wine. I’ve always dreamed of going to a woodland feast, tucked away amidst enchanted trees, dining with friendly talking animals, eating food that is hearty and soothing, and sipping drinks that warm you to the core. This came pretty close. The rest of the afternoon is the most magical blur in my mind. As we were eating our salad and bread, dishes of new and enticing food kept showing up. I don’t even remember who was bringing them, but the table steadily became filled with so many things hearty and soothing. Salad, bread, potatoes, goat roasted by the very exuberant Nekos, some things from the sea still in their shells…And as the food trickled in, so did lots of new faces – friends, neighbors, relatives. At one point I thought, it’s a Wednesday afternoon…this feast just happened to work out for everyone? I didn’t know if this was a special occasion or if this is just how they spend the afternoon every now and then. I never found out, and I like not knowing.

We ate and drank and talked and laughed. Some of the faces around the table spoke a little English; some didn’t speak any. It was the perfect way to take in an authentic Greek feast without the social pressures of say the right thing, and ask good questions, and please come across like you stay up on American politics. We had some short conversations, but mostly just sat back and absorbed. Europeans have a keen awareness of the wine glass. As soon as it neared empty, someone was reaching for a carafe to give you a refill. As we continued to pick at our food and wine glasses were filled again, the musicians pulled out instruments that are in the guitar family, but seemed much cooler at the moment. There was no sheet music, but everyone knew which chords to strum and which notes to pick and which words to sing. Before long, one of the cutest old men I’ve ever seen (who turned out to be Nekos’ father-in-law from his previous marriage, evidently they’re still close friends) had been overtaken by the jams and got up to dance. It was too much. It was like a scene from a movie, and when you’re watching the movie you wonder if this stuff really goes on, or if they just make it up for the movies to make a culture seem interesting and exciting. And three days before I’d nearly cried myself to sleep? Sheesh.

Before we came to Greece I’d had hopes of eating and drinking well, meeting the nice people, hearing some Greek music, maybe seeing some dancing. I’d expected that this would happen in a restaurant, maybe a place that’s geared toward tourists who’ve come with these hopes. I love that we got all of this in such an authentic context. I love that we’ve been able to slip into the lives of people who live here everyday. I love that we’ve been extended such grace and hospitality. What an inspiring example of living well.

And three days later I felt like crying as we packed up our things to move out of these people’s lives.

Carry a Flashlight, not a Tin Whistle

2010-08-02T00:43:00.000-07:00

Life is funny. I know I’ve said this before, but it really is true. I currently have a bruise on my leg, the size of a small state. It’s red and blue, and painful, and really has stolen the thunder from my otherwise amazing tan…(I’m pretty vain I know.) So the thing is, this injury is a result of nothing more than what was meant to be a simple hike. Not a challenging hike…not a death defying, hair raising, can we really do this hike…nope, just a regular, after dinner stroll up a mountain. I brought my camera (of course), and Jessica brought her tin whistle (after I mentioned she really needed to be practicing more). Things started out ok. I saw some goats in the road, I took some pictures of the beautiful sea below us, Jess obliviously followed me, playing her D scale up the mountain… you know, just regular stuff. We had a goal. We were heading for this small little tree at the top of this mountain. Easy enough…we had surely conquered greater feats than this before. This was a walk in the park. And truly this was the case.

The injury occurred as we neared our summit. We had been sort of switchbacking up the mountain, dodging the prickly bushes that have become a familiar fixture here on Naxos. The last part of our ascent involved climbing some fairly big rocks up and over to our tree. No problem, I love climbing stuff. It’s actually my favorite part of the whole thing. So I believe my words to Jessica were, “well, we can either switchback along this route here, or we can just climb this rock up and over to the top….I want to climb.” Jessica didn’t stop me, and was thinking of doing the same, so all in all it seemed like a pretty good plan. I grabbed ahold of the seemingly sturdy, very large rock, and attempted to hoist myself over it when the rock decided it had had enough, and broke apart in my hand. Not just one little crumbly piece…no, I’m talking the entire front face of the rock. For a split second I held that rock face in my hand, I may have thought…oh crap, this isn’t good, and then it fell, and luckily I didn’t, but it managed to hit me on the way down, and leave me with a pretty decent scratch. Now I usually know when I’ve made a poor decision, and I think I deserve most of the injuries I obtain along the way, but seriously, I really don’t think this was my fault….I mean, come on people, it’s a rock, a big rock, fully capable of holding me up…I suppose it was just bad luck.

And I guess the same could be said for our way down the mountain. How were we suppose to know that the way down would take just a tad bit longer than the way up…and oh yea, that the sun would set, and maybe it would be just a little bit dark, and maybe the moon that has been shining so brightly the last few nights would just decide to not show up on this particular night…again, not really our fault.

So we started down, and just like I said, the sun went away, and we managed to get ourselves just a little bit lost. Soon it was really dark. Jessica just continued to say how pissed she was for not knowing where we were (on account of the whistle playing), and I didn’t really say much, mostly because I didn’t feel like hearing my voice do that cracking thing, when you might just cry, but are trying to still play it tough. In my head though, I was a little bit freaking out, wondering how we were going to make it home, and hoping that we didn’t just walk over the edge of some ravine by accident. At one point, I contemplated what it would be like to spend the night on the mountain…Oh yea and my leg hurt from that stupid rock falling on it, and because we were no longer able to see the mean prickly bush things, we just kept walking right into them… We were in bad shape. Nothing really looked familiar, and we seemed to just be aimlessly wandering…sometimes hiking down towards the water where we would encounter impassable thick plant life (with thorns of course), other times hiking up to higher ground so we could assess the situation…hmmmm, yep, still pretty lost.

Props to my friend Jessica though who was a navigational wizard…or maybe she was just pretty damn lucky, because eventually, we found the road home, and all was ok, and I was able to appreciate the starry sky, happy that I wouldn’t be sleeping under it. The pasta with veges, oreos, and homemade wine never tasted so good, and watching a few Friends episodes before bed seemed like the perfect reward for conquering yet another challenge here in Greece….A challenge that was never really meant to be one…. See, like I said, life is funny, or maybe just ironic, or unpredictable, or exciting, or scary, or….well you get the idea.
Oh, and one final thought…. if you ever go on a hike, I think it would be wise to bring your flashlight with you, you know, just in case…and maybe, just maybe, leave your tin whistle at home.

Themes

2010-08-02T00:25:00.000-07:00

Here’s one theme of our trip: When we have a task to accomplish (ordering dinner, catching the bus, making it to a new island…) we just can’t be completely certain that things will work out the way we expect them to. We’ve been fortunate to come across people who speak some English at times when we need help, but honestly, we’ve met very few people who speak English as a first language. So the language difference has been one obstacle. Another has been existing in a new culture. A couple examples – We’ve finally realized that when you ask for water in a café, you will typically be brought a bottle of water you’re expected to pay for…it is not a bottomless supply as I’m used to. This ended up costing us more than we’d bargained for, especially on Santorini where everything costs a million dollars. And you’re only expected to tip 10%, which always feels very piddly to me. I’ve finally come to understand, though, that dining out is so different here. In the states it’s all about being taken care of if you’re the one dining, and it’s all about turnover if you’re the one making tips. Not so at all here. You better make sure that when your food is dropped off you have everything you need, because you’re likely to not see the server again. Even when you’re ready to pay the bill…we still haven’t figured out how this is supposed to work. Another difference we LOVE – many times, when you’ve finally tracked down someone to bring your bill, they’ll also deliver a plate of something sweet and a small jug of raki (a strong alcoholic spirit, says the dictionary), and say, “On the house.” USA – think about it.

Also, there’s something we’re learning about called Greek time. Timetables and schedules function more as general guidelines than binding contracts. From an American point of view, I think this could create lots of problems. But if a whole country is on board, maybe it’s ok. The morning Sarah and I left Santorini, we did not budget enough time to make it to the port. After some confusion with checking out of our place and getting behind a very slow moving truck and 2 failed attempts at the ATM, we realized that it was very likely we’d miss our ferry and need to spend another day on Santorini (which was a tough reality to swallow...see “Santorini…Hmmmm…”). When we got to the port, however, there was no ship in sight. We joined a mass of waiting travelers and found out that the ferry must be running on Greek time. So we waited around for nearly an hour and talked about how we’ll never learn our lesson if we don’t suffer consequences. So we vowed to budget more time in the future. Incidentally, when we left Folegandros, we arrived at the port with loads of time to spare, which was fortunate because our ferry arrived and departed a half hour ahead of schedule. We just can’t figure out how this works out for people.

So our arrival on Naxos is what got me thinking about this theme. We knew that there was a bus that could take us to a town near where we were staying, but we weren’t sure if the bus would be running since it was a Sunday. We also weren’t exactly sure where we needed to end up – our new friend Astrid (her family owns and runs the farm where we’ve been staying) said that she could pick us up in one of two towns and that we should let her know where we’d be. Because of all of our adventuring on Folegandros, we hadn’t finalized plans with Astrid. So there were lots of unknowns on the journey from Folegandros to Naxos. The first, as mentioned earlier, was that our ferry departed a half hour earlier than scheduled. No idea why…but we sure were glad we’d left time to spare for once. It turned out that this got us to Naxos in time to catch an early bus and to meet the first of a long string of some of the most wonderful people we’ve ever encountered. With all of our bags strapped to us, we headed away from our ferry and toward the buses. We stopped at the first one we came to, asking if it was headed to Apeiranthos, hoping we were pronouncing it correctly. A man who was not the driver but seemed to be in charge told us that it was, but that we needed to purchase our tickets in a nearby building.

So the plan, not at all airtight, was to find a café in Apeiranthos with wifi. We’d come across these on all other islands, so we were hoping to check Sarah’s email one last time to see if Astrid had confirmed plans with us. Apeiranthos is an incredibly charming area, and by charming, I mean very old school. Some of the people we came across probably don’t know what wifi is. We stopped in one of a cluster of cafes and met two more wonderfully helpful women. They told us that there are no internet cafes, but the guy around the corner has internet on his own computer. Because I was carrying 50 pounds through 90+ degree heat, I was certain I could smooth talk my way into some computer time. On the short walk around the corner, we decided to ask for a phone instead, hoping for a quick conversation to figure out our plans. Enter the next woman, personality similar to a bulldozer, but completely kind and helpful. We asked about using a phone, she asked if we had a phone card, we told her that we didn’t, she ordered the man behind the counter to hand her his phone. To paint the full picture, Naxos is where we’ve come across the least amount of English and the most confused and apologetic looks when we try to speak with people. So this lady, as well as the two who sent us to her, was a relief. We told her our ultimate need – to find a way to our cottage. She told us that she’d call us a cab and that we should call Astrid to find out where to meet up. She did the dialing and I did the talking. Astrid speaks a fair amount of English, but is soft-spoken and has a thick German accent, so the conversation, which took place in a narrow entryway of a café with 50 pounds still strapped to me, was a bit exhausting. We got cut off once, so the bulldozer called her back. I had a memory of being a kid at school, making plans with a friend to get together and saying something like, “Have your mom call my mom.” And that’s what I desperately wanted. This strong Greek personality was taking such good care of us, two complete strangers, but I just wanted her to take the phone from me and then tell me what to do. But I powered through and made our plans. The Greek woman did call the cab for us and told him where to pick us up and where to drop us off. She pointed us in the direction of the cab, and we tried our best to humbly express our deep gratitude. We were realizing that we really would have been up a creek without her. As we passed the first café we had stopped at, the two women asked us if everything had worked out. The genuine kindness we have encountered has been a real inspiration.

The cab picked us up and we relaxed. As usual, we weren’t exactly sure if we’d get to where we needed to be, but it seemed as though we were at least headed in the right direction. Sarah showed the driver the address and he seemed to know the farm. We drove for quite awhile through the winding switchbacks. At one point my timing was just so lucky that I looked over the edge of the mountain to see a small white car, very smashed up, tucked down in the valley. I think I’ve figured out how it got there. The driver told us that he couldn’t take us all the way to the farm because the road was too rustic, so he asked for the number of the farm. And my childlike wish was realized. He called Astrid and rattled off lots of Greek. They were making our plans for us, leaving me to sink further into me seat, thinking that things might just work out. Not long after their conversation, he pulled over to the side of the road and dumped us off. He was kind, but that’s what it felt like. Back in the suffocating heat, strapping our bags to us once again. Here’s hoping the plans were set because our last connection with a phone and a set of wheels was about to drive off, leaving us in totally unfamiliar territory, mostly mountains and very few buildings in sight. Before I had much time to fret, Astrid pulled up and took our bags from us. I really feel like we came to this island with a very shaky plan and lots of hope that we’d find our way. It humbled and encouraged me to be at the mercy of so many people – genuinely kind and helpful – who didn’t think twice about stopping what they were doing to help out a couple of sweat drenched backpackers. We’re so grateful to have come across all of them…it’s been quite a week here on the farm.

Sweet Spots

2010-07-29T08:12:00.000-07:00

I’ve been pondering the word “sweet spot.” The word reminds me of my softball days. For all you non-sporty people (mainly you Jessica) the sweet spot is the optimal part of the bat where you want the ball to hit. If you hit the ball directly on the sweet spot, you’re more likely to have really great results. You will have hit the ball solidly, connected perfectly…. it’s a pretty great feeling. The same term can be used when catching a ball. Failing to hit the sweet spot often has varying results…usually it just means the ball doesn’t go as far, but sometimes it could result in a decent amount of pain…catching a line drive in the middle of the glove, or hitting the ball off the end of the bat really hurts.

I’ve come up with my own meaning for the word “sweet spot” today.

As you may already know, Jessica and I have spent a fair amount of time on this trip in the sun. We’ve gone swimming, we’ve hiked, we’ve snorkeled, and of course, we’ve “laid out.” A rather funny term I guess, that really just means we’ve spent hours in a horizontal position reading, sleeping, working a crossword, listening to music, talking, or just watching the steady motion of the waves. One would think that this “laying out” doesn’t require much thought or skill, but there is a bit of a science to it. First there’s the application of sunscreen. How much is too much? Using a higher SPF may be the healthy choice, but if you’re going for that great tan you really need to stick with the lower numbers. Where is the best place to lay out? Back at home my options are pretty basic. Backyard on a towel, backyard in a chair, or on the roof, which to be honest I’ve never tried given the fact that I value my life, and the roof easily lends itself to a fatal fall, or more likely, a fatal heat stroke…although I’ve come close to the latter with both backyard options. Greece is different. There are beach options, boat options (see previous blog J), and rock options. Jessica and I prefer the rocks. I know, I thought I would pick the sandy beach too. But we have found that rocks are a lot less messy, they tend to be way more secluded than the beach, and they offer easy access to the water. (The best rocks are those actually in the middle of the water, but they require just a little more work).
The only negative with using a rock is sometimes the comfort level. You really need to find just the right rock…flat and smooth…You also need to position your body in just the right way, so as to become one with your rock, fitting perfectly with the indentions of the rock. This is a rare thing. Usually at least one leg or arm is in pain, and you have to tough it out, but every once in a while, it will happen, that special moment, the moment when you forget that you are laying on a hard, bumpy, piece of nature, and instead, think that you’ve just sunken into the softest bed….that’s when you’ve found it… your sweet spot.

Even as I write this entry, I can’t help but think of “sweet spot” in yet another way. I’d have to say I’m in a bit of a “sweet spot” right now. I’m sitting on my front porch outside my cottage in Azalas, Naxos, watching the clouds slowly change color as the sun is thinking about setting. Listening to the waves of the Aegean, just a few steps away, hitting the rocky cliffs that jut out into the water (tempting the adventuristic side of me- I see another cliff climb in my future). All is beautiful, all is peaceful. My entertainment though has been the sweetest of all. Four adorable German/Greek blond headed blue eyed children…just being kids. Singing, screaming, laughing. The youngest, dressed in shorts and a bright blue puffy winter coat. A sight to see in the heat of summer. He’s dragging a very large red rubber ball that I believe to be filled with rocks. A Sparta hat with red plume is on his head, and a sword is tucked into his shorts. He’s chanting something in German, and has just stopped to flail his ball into a tree and whip out his sword to attack his pretend enemy. He sees me then, and gives the most heart-melting smile. So that makes three boys I’m in love with on this trip…The cute slightly sarcastic waiter from Folegandros, the sexy from afar surfer dude who also plays paddleball from today, and the four year old little boy who reminds me of JJ.

When it comes to Sweet spots, this Greece trip has not disappointed me. On a daily basis I find myself exclaiming… “this is amazing, or awesome, or I can’t believe how beautiful this is.” Some of the highlights, which may show up in a future blogs, but I’ll just mention them here now to keep with my sweet spot theme, have been:

- The balcony in Athens on the first night
- Sitting on the deck of our first ferry boat waiting to blast off to Crete, reading and talking with Jessica and Susan
- The café in Hania with the sweet old man
- The other café in Hania with strawberry crepes and the high top table
- The middle of the Sameria Gorge
- Standing in the middle of the crystal clear waters of Elafonisi
- Our first dinner in Crete, Tanam, where I ordered shark
- Our last dinner in Crete, the one with the most amazing ambiance, the one where we meant to order something small and split it, but instead, ordered half the menu J
- Sitting on the steps of the Hania lighthouse at night, looking at the moon, the stars, and the city lights
- The view from the top of Skaros on Santorini
- My own personal bedroom…the loft at our place in Santorini
- The restaurant with the Caldera view in Santorini (before they overcharged us for water)
- The café in Folegandros with the cute waiter and the warm Nutella covered donuts
- The view of Katergo beach after the long hike
- The top of the Mountain Jess and I free climbed and then claimed by writing our names with rocks
- The giant rocks we laid out on after the free climb…the ones with the crashing waves, like fireworks
- Watching the sunset on top of the church at one of the highest points in Folegandros
- The first 5 minutes of our mule ride to Ambeli beach
- The bus ride to our current place in Naxos. The winding road…each turn giving better views of our newest island.

Jessica and I like to think of this trip as more than just a vacation, but really just living life in a different location (a pretty awesome location, free from most everyday stress, but still just regular life- it’s ok if you don’t buy this J) With life though, sometimes you hit the sweet spot and sometimes, well, you just hit the end of the bat. I won’t share with you the painful “mis hits”, but I will say that one involved not being able to pop some much needed popcorn. I know, such problems…..I’m happy that those days are very rare, and I’m excited to add to my sweet list…as we continue our time here in Greece.

Efkaristo Tiny Nicholas

2010-07-29T07:45:00.000-07:00

The plan for the day was simple. We headed to the second largest town in Folegandros…Ana Maria. We’d hoped to poke around the town and then head to a beach. We heard that there were several you could either walk to or catch a cique to (that means boat…yes we are learning here.) So the bus let us off and as far as we could tell, this so called town consisted of one, maybe two buildings, and a lot of dirt roads leading to more dirt roads. Our companion bus riders, who appeared to be heading to the same place as we were…sporting the classic beach attire, all exited the bus with us, but in the time it took us to do a quick scan of our surroundings, these people had disappeared, and we were left standing with a Swedish mom, her two kids…..and a tiny little Greek man named Nicholas who wrapped his arms around Sarah and began talking very quickly in Greek, unphased by the fact that we had no clue as to what he was saying…he just continued to ramble on, leaving Sarah and me trying to make sense of the situation. After a few minutes, we realized just what sweet little Nicholas wanted. He was trying to convince us that the best way to the beach was to rent donkeys from him (or were they mules? or maybe hinnies?) and let him lead the way. He promised to take us to the most beautiful beach. We counted, and Nicholas spoke six words in English, so it was a real feat for us to realize that this was the offer on the table. We conferred briefly and realized that this was an opportunity we could not let go. Riding donkeys through the Folegandros countryside, lead by the tiny Greek Nicholas (he was really tiny)…And to be completely honest, what else were we gonna do? We had no idea where the beach was, and now that all the other beach goers had somehow vanished, we couldn’t even follow the crowd. The price seemed fair enough, so we shelled out the euros. And to further validate our decision, we saw that the Swedes were in as well. Even though we had no idea what exactly lay ahead of us, it was nice to know that we’d be sharing this adventure with other travelers. The mom, Monica, spoke relatively fluent English, which was a real comfort, and seemed to have a knack for communicating with Nicholas even though she didn’t speak Greek. So lots of pictures later, we had all mounted our donkeys and set off down the dirt road. Something you should know – Nicholas helped each of us on to our donkey and then lead his over to find a stone or hillside to stand on to give himself a boost on to his. In the time it took to do this, the poor Swedish kids were a quarter mile down the road. They seemed to stay pretty calm, though.
We rode along for quite awhile, really enjoying this excursion. Nicholas jabbered pretty much nonstop, which was a real mystery to us because we clearly weren’t understanding so much of what he was saying. He was a persistent fellow, though. With the added pantomime, we were able to catch bits and pieces of what he was telling us. Most of our brief conversations ended with him grinning and saying repeatedly, “No problemo.”
Many conversations later, we realized that we’d been trotting along on these donkeys for a very long while, and we wondered how we would have made this journey on foot…And where had those other beach goers disappeared to? And how were we going to make it back? Nicholas sure delivered on his promise, dropping us off at one of the most secluded and gorgeous beaches we’d seen. Relieved to have made it, we started a very long and no less confusing conversation about how to get back. It basically consisted of Nicholas saying – bus, 6 o’clock, Nicholas, penta – and then he’d point to some numbers on his watch. And we’d furrow our brows, so he’d repeat the whole routine. We were pretty hot and ready for the water, and realized that the more he repeated these phrases, the more frustrated we would become, and not get any closer to understanding the plans for our departure. We had high hopes that penta meant 5 o’clock, which seemed a likely time to make the 6 o’clock bus. We said good-bye and settled in with the water stretching out before us.
It didn’t take long for us to realize that even though this was one of the most beautiful beaches yet, it was by far the hottest. It’s like the blazing hot sun was allowed in, but even the slightest breeze was forbidden. We stretched out on our towels until we were dripping in sweat, and then headed to the water. Turns out, the water surrounding Folegandros is freezing. It was definitely refreshing, but unless we were swimming, it was almost too cold to bear. We split our time between snorkeling and sweating on the beach until we were surprised by Colin, the Swede, telling us that the donkey man was back. It was only 4 o’clock, and my first thought was that Nicholas was stealing an hour of our beach time. I thought about what to do and lifted my head from where it had been resting on my hand to find that a pool of sweat had gathered in my palm. Nick could take the last beach hour – ain’t no way I was walking back. So we gathered our things and followed the Swedes.
Here’s how the departure went: Nicholas helped Colin and his sister Christine mount their donkeys and then sent them on their way, a different way than we had come. They climbed a steep hill that lead to the top of a cliff overlooking the beach. Monica was next. My heart was beating a bit faster on behalf of the kids who had reached the cliff’s edge. I desperately wanted the rest of us to mount our donkeys so we could save the Swedes. Nicholas walked over to my donkey, but instead of helping me, he reached into the saddle bag and pulled out an unfamiliar piece of fruit. Then he peeled it and ate it. Then he pulled out another and offered it to me. So I shouted at him, “What in heaven’s name are ya thinkin, Nicholas? Forget snack time! We have to save the Swedes from plummeting into the ocean!” (Well I said it in my head.) I declined the fruit, so he ate it, and we finally started our climb up to the cliff’s edge. My heart continued to race as I watched my donkey’s hooves landing carefully on the boulders that climbed the hill in front of us. Sometimes I stopped watching, as it seemed better for my health.
The ride back was beautiful, and we were grateful to be seeing a whole new part of the island, but it was very unsettling following a man we really couldn’t talk to. We rode and rode until finally we reached the bus stop. But we kept riding. Uhhh, Nicholas? What’s the plan man? He just kept leading us toward Chora, where we were staying. I started to wonder if he would take us the whole way home. It’d be great to save the bus fare, but I was certain that our chafing selves were not up to it. Since the sun had sucked every bit of assertion I had previously possessed, I just bobbed along. Every now and then when we passed an oncoming car, I would look at the driver and say, just loud enough for Sarah to hear, “Help. I’m being held captive on a donkey.”
Just when I had mastered balancing my legs up by the donkey’s head and reclining back in the saddle (and by saddle, I mean slats of wood) we pulled over. Not at a bus stop. Not at our home. We were at a watering hole. I guess when you traipse around endlessly in the hot sun, the donkeys work up a thirst. I continued to recline on my donkey, my thoughts darting back and forth between frustrated confusion and deep gratitude for such a ridiculous experience. But mostly I was wondering if we’d ever make it home. Just when I thought we were finally going to start the last leg of the trip, Sarah whipped out her Greek phrase book. She motioned Nicholas over, seeing this as a prime opportunity for a lesson. Are you kidding me?!? I knew that Sarah had been wanting to learn the correct pronunciations of a few phrases, and I recognize this as a completely appropriate endeavor. But are you kidding me? I’d been blasted by the sun, my thighs were about to call it quits from holding me securely atop my donkey, and I was beginning to resign myself to the fact that Nicholas was just taking us home with him to be his farm hands. And I’d seen how easily he was distracted from caring for the Swedes. Remember the fruit incident? It wasn’t until he’d assisted her with an entire page of her book and I had sighed several times that we set off again.
It was indeed the last leg. Nicholas, despite the minimal communication, lead us right to where we needed to be…another bus stop directly back to Chora. And to be completely honest, he did much more than that. He showed us far more of the island than we ever would have seen on our own, took us to a beach we never would have found, kept us laughing with his nonstop charm, and all for such a low price. Here’s to that little Greek man for not selling out to make a killing off the tourists, for staying authentically Greek (and eccentric), and for teaching Sarah several phrases she has repeatedly put to good use. I did have moments of frustration during this excursion, but they were far outweighed by moments of thinking – I can’t believe that this is my life. What a ridiculously wonderful addition to my story.

Folegandros Free Climb

2010-07-28T11:15:00.000-07:00

I love a great day….A day when you wake up, not quite sure what the plans are, not really having any real expectations, and by the end of it all, you find yourself in bed thinking, “wow, how fantastic was that?!” That’s pretty much how things were for Jessica and I the other day, on what is quickly becoming our favorite island…Folegandros.

The day started out fairly regular. We woke up late as usual, which isn’t entirely our fault. We’ve found that during the day, things on Folegandros are quite peaceful, but the spunky Greeks come out at night…and they can be quite loud….all night long. We don’t sleep much here in Folegandros. So this morning, we strolled over to our favorite café…the one with the cute waiter and the best Nutella covered warm donuts, and sat for probably a good two hours. Surprisingly, this has become one of the things I love most about this trip to Greece. I love not feeling rushed, and being able to sit as long as I like at a restaurant or café, not having an agenda, or a list of to do’s, but being able to simply sip a hot drink while enjoying a good book, or writing, or just people watching. These cafes have quite the ambiance going on. Each one is so unique and charming. They could be serving me dog food, and I’d probably still come back for the beautiful setting. No offense to Starbucks or Muggswigs, but you just don’t get that in Ohio.

Now incase you were nervous that I somehow traded in my scrappy, slightly crazy, adventure seeking personality for the calm simple life of a coffee sipping book reader, you have nothing to fear…this is where our day gets really good.

On our first day in Folegandros, Jessica and I went running. We took separate routes, but crossed paths about midway into our run. We were both grinning….a little giddy I guess over seeing for the first time just how beautiful the island was. Jess removed her headphones just long enough to tell me, “We have some adventuring to do!” I knew exactly what she meant. The mountains all around us were practically begging to be climbed and explored. I knew it was only a matter of time before we set off on what I like to call a free climb.

Today was the day.

Now incase you missed it in the above paragraph, it was actually Jessica who first mentioned the idea of “adventure” here on this island….not me. Sometimes I get blamed for a lot of the crazy situations we get ourselves into…and most of the time that is a fair accusation, but despite being the totally chill, laid back Jessica that we all know and love, you should also know that she has quite the spunky, tough, wild side. So even if she claims that things were my idea first (like buying that ridiculous dog raft)…..you can’t always believe her…she’s a crazy one that Jessica, and this was as much her idea as mine…and what a great idea it was.

Back at our place, we packed a bag, and put on our hiking gear. We opted for tennis shoes this time (this was serious, no sandals allowed). We set off walking. Our goal was to find the perfect challenge. We walked out of town a ways, and then spotted it…our mountain. The one we were destined to climb up. We mapped out our route. Turns out getting to the mountain would be quite a challenge in itself…hiking up and over the countless stone fences and thorny bushes that litter the Folegandros landscape was no easy feat, and with me stopping to take pictures every five seconds, it wasn’t very fast either. We finally made it to our mountain, and began to climb. This would be the easiest part of the whole day. Like mountain goats, we scurried up the mountain with ease. At the top we took in the exhilarating view, and claimed the mountain as ours. No, we didn’t pee over the side, but we used the pretty green rocks we found to spell out our names….we’re pretty artsy.

On the way down, we decided to head for the water. This opened up a whole new set of challenges for us. At one point we were climbing sideways along the rocks, sandwiched between two cliffs….It was great:) We did come across a skull, that unfortunately was right next to what Jess called a shear drop off (although in my opinion, it wasn’t that bad), so we had to turn around. The final stretch of our decent to the sea below was a little treacherous. I found myself sliding down the mountain on my back, while Jessica, slower to act, and probably a little bit wiser, found a path. I have to admit to being a little freaked out after my fall, and just a little bit injured, so I was very close to throwing in the towel, and heading for home…this is where I am thankful for my friend. When she asked, “what do you want to do?” and I answered, “I don’t care” (which really meant…ouch, that really hurt, and I want to leave), Jessica said, “Let’s do it”, and so we continued on. I’m so proud of my gutsy friend.

We made it all the way down to the giant rocks, where the waves crash, and it’s as good as watching fireworks. We took off our shoes and socks, and stayed for a while, reading our books, snacking on popcorn, and taking in the show. What an awesome site.

The way back was a little less dramatic. We luckily found a path that weaved us right back to the main village square. We were probably quite a site, all sweaty, dirty, and bloody. It was around 8:00 so we decided to finish the day by watching the sunset from the famous church that sits atop the island…As only the two of us could do, we somehow managed to sit on top of the church….amazing…. a perfect ending to a perfect day.

Katergo Conquest

2010-07-23T14:55:00.000-07:00

I had been climbing for a while. It was hot. I was thirsty, and I was pretty sure Jessica was going to be upset with me for leaving for such a long time. But I just had to find this beach. I was on a conquest, and the longer I walked, the more time I invested into this personal challenge (that was now seeming more and more stupid),….the more certain I was of two things. Number one….there’s no way I can stop now, and number 2…I really don’t think the water is going to be way up here. Then the path ended and I did another dumb thing…I continued to climb. Higher and higher…the sensible voice in my head no longer a whisper, but a yell, was screaming…. The beach is not up here you moron!” and also, “hope you like vacationing alone.”

So lets flash back about two hours or so, to a better time. A time when Jessica was still speaking to me.

The morning had been nice. We’d easily caught the local bus back to the port (about 3km away) and had decided to walk to a beach. The guide book said you could do it, so by golly we were going to try. We had a map (not very helpful when it’s in Greek- but I didn’t want you to think we were going at this exploration thing completely unprepared). We asked a cute old man who was sitting out on his porch for directions. (What is it with all these cute old men?) He pointed us in the right direction, and we began to walk. We had our beach stuff with us- towel, ipod, book, snorkel stuff…you know, the essentials. I had opted for a nice little water bottle, so as not to be weighed down by my heavy Nalgene. Who needs water anyways…it was only another 90 degree day here in the Greek Iles where the sky is always cloudless….Man I’m smart when it comes to this survivor stuff. After walking about 15 minutes along the gorgeous coastline, we saw a great beach spot….below us. Not the beach I was looking for, Katergo, but a nice secluded beach, nestled between two giant rocks….very nice. We made our way down and laid out our towels…sharing the spot with only 6 or 7 other people….perfect.

But within 5 minutes I was restless. I wanted to find the beach from the book…supposedly the best beach on Folegandros. I was feeling very Kate like from Lost (ironically she’s the character who in my opinion always does the stupidest things and gets herself into trouble). I took a drink of water, slung my camera bag over my shoulder ( filled with all my survival gear…..my new great camera :)) and set off to scope out the area and report back to Jessica. Now in my defense, we never did specify a time to meet back up, and also….oh who am I kidding, even I would take Jessica’s side on this one. I wasn’t very respectful of the feelings of my travel mate….I wasn’t thinking clearly, I was obsessed, a woman on a mission.

The first part of my journey was so great. I passed a nice beach called Livadi, which probably would have been fine to spend the day at, but next to that sign was another one, pointing the way to Katergo…yes! I turned right instead, and set out along a mainly deserted road completely out in the country. The mountains and fields ahead of me the blue water behind me, and of course the scorching hot sun above me. This part of my adventure was my favorite. There was a breeze, I wasn’t dying of thirst, and I made friends with all kinds of farm animals along the way. Mostly goats who I think are so funny. Also some ugly sheep, and two sweet donkeys. Occasionally a moped would pass, or I’d see a few people working out in their fields, but mainly I was happy to just be by myself, taking in the unique scenery of Folegandros.

Now, I will say, I was a little confused by the way the sign told me to travel. Wasn’t the sea behind me? In front of me was great beauty, but nothing even remotely beach like…we’re talking straight country here. I pushed the thought away and continued to walk, always hoping the beach would be around the next turn. This wasn’t the case, and I was just about to turn around….admitting defeat when God sent me two angels, ok, not angles, but two girls, dressed in beach attire, sunburned, and hallelujah, they spoke English! Conquest still on! They were just at Katergo, and said I was close to the path that would take me there. Well, I wouldn’t say close girls…but thanks for pointing me in the right direction. After going down a few definitely wrong paths, I came to a sign….ok, not a sign, but the word KATERGO written in sidewalk chalk, or maybe a sharpie, in the middle of the road with an arrow pointing up….so that’s where I went. So really if you think about it, I wasn’t doing anything dumb, I was just following someone’s crappy directions.

So the path straight up ended and I kept climbing…positive by this time that there wasn’t going to be a beach at the end of this little fiasco, but just prideful enough to want to make it to the top of the mountain I had been climbing. Now very thirsty, and also very aware of the time, I thought of my friend Jessica sitting on the little beach where I left her, Oh man was I in trouble. I was running now. Dodging little dry bushes with their extremely spiky branches, trying to blaze my own trail to the top. Thank goodness I had slowed a little before reaching my final destination, otherwise I would have fallen straight off the towering cliff to the sea below (sorry for the image mom). I will admit, it takes a lot to scare me, but this did. What a drop off….gorgeous of course….but terrifying. That was that. Conquest over…now about saving that friendship. I took off running down the mountain. Wow, gravity makes you fast :) I slowed just long enough to talk with a couple who pointed me to the right path to the beach. Said thank you, cursed a bit under my breath and continued to run. When I got to the road I took off my shoes, trying to make the run a little more interesting. The animals I had met earlier seemed to now mock me with their bleats and funny looks.

I made pretty good time back to our original beach. Jessica wasn’t too happy with me, and I really wasn’t in the best mood either. Going all that way and still never finding the beach was a little depressing. So I sulked for a good hour or two on the beach. All the while formulating a plan to go back and find Katergo…I just couldn’t let it go. I mustered up some courage to ask Jessica if she wanted to go looking for the beach with me….we hadn’t really been talking much, I assumed she was still a little irritated. She surprised me by saying yes and the two of us packed up our stuff and set off….again…down the dusty country road. This time around I would not be disappointed. After following a not so well marked trail up another mountain, we came to an overlook and spotted way below us the most beautiful beach. Katergo at last!

The walk down to the beach took a while, but the view was breathtaking. Once at the bottom we walked around all the other beach goers (who we later discovered had gotten to this great spot by boat), dodging the topless and the couples….turns out it was a pretty romantic beach. We found the perfect spot and relaxed for a while, taking in our beautiful surroundings. We did go on one mini adventure. We swam out to this huge rock in the middle of the sea and then preceded to climb to the very top of it….we’re pretty tough. My only complaint was how thirsty I was the entire time. Never again will I travel without my trusty Nalgene. The baby water bottle just didn’t cut it. Surprisingly, the trek home went very quickly. We made it back to the port just in time to grab a water and a diet coke and catch the boat back to Hora (that’s what they call the town center).
We ended the day having a Gyro at one of the many outdoor restaurants, and then watching the Bachelorette online. What a great day on Folegandros!

Santorini...Hmmmm....

2010-07-23T03:51:00.000-07:00

Our time on Santorini wasn’t exactly what we were hoping it would be. I think this island was the backdrop for a movie, maybe the one about the traveling pants. Something has happened recently that has brought some fame to this island, and during our time there, it was clear that it is where the tourists want to be. Let me try to explain our take on Santorini.

It is, without a doubt, beautiful. When you think of Greece, if you picture countless white cube buildings covering the side of a mountain, this is Santorini. The architecture is absolutely impressive. We drove to 2 different towns on this island to explore. Here’s how it works: Neighborhoods spill down over the side of the mountain, and at the top is where shops, restaurants, banks, post offices, etc. are located. So you walk along the ridge at the top and peer over into the mess of houses and hotels. These fit together like puzzle pieces…walkways, stairs, balconies all nestled together. Roofs of one layer of buildings become sitting areas for the layer just above it. We loved this sight.

But here’s what you need to know: There really should be a cap of how many tourists they let in. It is such a maddening mess of cars and scooters and gawking tourists, that it’s a real challenge to appreciate the beauty. My blood pressure has always been shockingly low, and I fear that our time on this island really threw that for a loop. The streets are barely wide enough for two cars. When you’re not driving through a town, you’ve got a drop off down to the ocean on one side of you and when you are driving through a town, you need to understand that you’ll probably take a wrong turn (or lots of wrong turns) that will wind you deep into the tiniest sliver of a road, at which point the only way out is a twelve point turn with the assistance of Sarah standing behind the car, saying – a little more, a little more, STOP! And an audience of about a million tourists passing by. And when you’re not making a twelve point turn, you will find yourself squeezing through streets lined with parked cars. It’s a good thing our rental wasn’t wider by even an inch, or we would have come back minus a mirror.

And the people on Santorini…well they’re just not very nice. Obviously that’s a generalization, but I’m having a hard time remembering anyone we met who didn’t fit that description. At one point we pulled over to ask directions from a lady sitting outside a shop. Susan rolled down her window, and in her very polite voice said – Excuse me, do you speak English? The lady’s response – long drag on her cigarette as she turned her head away from us and raised her cell phone to her ear. And we’re pretty sure she wasn’t even talking on it. Boy did we get the giggles.

So the island seems to be a destination for very high class travelers, and maybe this is why prices were offensively high to us. We were only there for two nights, and I certainly would have had to sell an organ if we had stayed longer. The first night we strolled around and stopped in a tavern that overlooked the water. Again, breathtaking. But it’s really hard to enjoy a view when you’ve just spent $4.00 on a 12 oz. bottle of water and $8.00 on what the menu advertised as toast with ham cheese, and tomatoes, but seemed to be nothing more than a hamburger bun with a slice of bologna. And for a country that boasts such a variety of fresh veggies, the tomatoes were a bit appalling.

A highlight – we hiked to the top of a promontory (bonus points if you know what this word means…we had to look it up…) where a castle used to stand. We loved it. It’s a relatively grueling hike, not long, but a bit treacherous along the way, so the uppity tourists tend to stay away. We only passed a handful of people also doing the hike, one of whom was a man running, blaring Rocky from his headset. He was a real inspiration to us all. I’m not going to say too much about the peak of the promontory, because if Carol is reading this, her heart will start racing. But I will say that you can ask the very scrappy Sarah for a description.

Also – we looooved our accommodations here…completely cozy with a swanky pool.

The Santorini sum up: Completely beautiful, too crowded for our taste, so expensive you might need to cash in your retirement, and really beautiful (I guess I used that one twice. Oh well).

Life as a Book 7/18/10

2010-07-21T12:18:00.000-07:00

I woke up on a pirate ship today.

That’s the great thing about life, and I know I’ve said this before, but you always have a 50/50 chance of something really awesome happening, and also that same chance that something really crappy will happen.…and you really have no idea which it will be, or even what kind of experiences you’re going to have in a day, or a year, or a lifetime…It’s kind of a crapshoot. You wake up, and BAM, you’re given this amazing gift- 24 hours of unexpected surprises. If you would have told me a year ago that I would be writing a blog that starts with the sentence I woke up on a pirate ship in Greece today, I never would have believed it for a second….Life is pretty exciting eh? But don’t worry if your day hasn’t started off on a pirate ship….tomorrow’s a new day…dream big.

Where was I…..oh yeah, the pirate ship. Now you must understand that with this blog, some things may be a wee bit exaggerated….You see, I’m currently caught up in the middle of this fantastic book of adventure, which means I’ve been thinking in book. If you’ve ever been lucky enough to get sucked into a great read…you may know what I mean. Suddenly, after a few days of reading, I am a main character, and every thought I have is somehow part of my own adventure story that I’m authoring in my head.

The unbelievable settings of Crete have created the perfect backdrop with which to let my imagination run wild. Within the last four days, I’ve been in the middle of a breathtaking Gorge, hopping from rock to rock. I’ve lounged on a beach with water so clear and blue, you’d think you were in a dream. The side streets and people of Hania have enough charm and character to satisfy any type of storyline, and then of course there’s this pirate ship in the middle of the Mediterranean. Seriously, right now, my life is a book.

It’s hard to say how I got in such a predicament, but there I was unable to move…lying on some type of table or bench. My view to the left endless blue sea, above me the large mast of the ship against the brilliant cloudless sky… it’s flag waving fiercely in the wind…taunting me with it’s freedom.

I drifted in and out of conscienceness, rocked by the constant swaying of the boat, vaguely aware of the hot sun burning my exposed legs and arms, and the taste of sea salt on my lips….I was trapped….my only escape would be to somehow jump off the boat and swim to the island of the Kri Kri. My swimming skills were mediocre at best, but it was the jump that worried me most. Both thoughts I pushed from my head, I had no time for fear now…I needed to stay sharp and figure out a way to ……

Now that’s book talk. It’s also lying. Ready for the real story? Ok, you’ve been patient with me and my tangent :)

It’s true. Today I did find myself on a pirate ship (AKA really cool boat looking like a pirate ship), but I wasn’t being held captive. I boarded on my own with my traveling buddies. We made our reservations the day before, during one of our many walks along the harbor. First we passed all of the persistent restaurant owners who wanted our business. (We became known I’m sure as those American girls who always say “no thank you”). Then we picked up about five different flyers from tour companies wanting us to spend the day with them on their boat, snorkeling and swimming. We had lots of options, but in the end, the amazing pirate ship boat won us over and the next day we embarked on our three hour tour…a three hour tour:)

The three of us started out in the very front of the boat, and then made our way to the very top where we discovered three benches surrounding a large table. This quickly became our own private laying out quarters. I felt a little bad about monopolizing such a great spot, but I soon got over that….as Chandler on Friends says, “It’s so hard to care when you’re this relaxed.” I somehow managed to drag myself off that bench twice for snorkeling which wasn’t quite as great as in Hawaii, but of course still a fun time. Oh, and we really did jump off the boat. We made sure the younger kids survived first and then cowabungaed right into the sea….so sweet!

Two side notes: The islands we stopped at were actually just big rocks supposedly home to the kri kri (that’s a goat incase you didn’t know)…I didn’t see any. Also, the free fruit and drink the flyer originally enticed us with wasn’t exactly as advertised. I had a slice of watermelon and a shot of that burning alcohol, which was more than my comrades got.

These trivial things in no way lessened the awesome experience of basking in the Cretan sun atop a ship, skipping across the Mediterranean. Life is full of unexpected surprises, and I am thankful.

Crete is Pretty

2010-07-20T13:30:00.000-07:00

This is a title Sarah and I chose, a bit tongue and cheek, because it seems so impossible to describe the beauty that’s surrounding us or the richness of our experiences. But boy did we have a doozey of an experience the other day.

The whole time we were on Crete, we were on the search for the best beach. We did plenty of asking around and agreed to make the hour and a half drive to Elafonisi. Oh. My. Gosh. I have never seen a place like this, and I’m certain that I won’t be able to accurately communicate its beauty through a blog. So just go there some day.

The drive to this beach ends in a winding dirt road that made me a little skeptical about where we would end up. Seems like someone would fancy up the road that leads to a supposed great beach, I thought. Then we crested a hill that overlooked the shore and oh my gosh. That moment truly stands out as one of the greats for me from our trip. Spread out before us was a beach unlike anything I’d ever seen. The water forms its way into several pools, all connected, but each so calm and still. And I’ve never seen so many shades of blue in one body of water. I’ve never been too picky about beach sand – give me a flat lava rock and I’m happy – but I can see why people are suckers for this soft powdery stuff.

So we settled our towels, and I had to just stand around for awhile to take it all in. This is the best way I can think of to explain just how wonderful this place is: Sarah and I took a walk in the water (which stays below hip level in the pools closest to shore and is still and refreshing) and talked about how people pay $500 a night to stay at places with beaches like this. We couldn’t get over that we had been allowed to just drive up and camp out for the day. And for the rest of the day, I kept thinking about how I live a middle class life, which I consider such a privilege, and this was a place so beautiful that only people who make more money than I’ll ever understand should be allowed in. And I’m so grateful that it’s just a public beach that anyone can see, and that it’s beautiful, not because some resort has manicured it, but because it seems relatively untouched since the day God created it. What an honor to laze in such a new kind of beauty for a day.

…an interesting tidbit – The day after our beach visit, Susan and I were talking to a jewelry maker in a shop right around the corner from our studio (who, incidentally, is one of the dreamiest hunks I’ve ever seen). I gushed to him about Elafonisi and asked him if he’d ever been there. He said he has, but there are other beaches far better. These beaches aren’t accessible by car. You have to walk an hour or two to reach them, but it’s totally worth it. It’s hard for me to imagine a beach more breathtaking than Elafonisi, but again, I was so deeply grateful that there is so much beauty tucked away, and that sometimes a journey is required that makes the experience all the richer.

To be completely honest – we visited this beach on a really windy day, winds that only picked up throughout the day, stirring up the previously calm waters. At one point, I took the hotdog back to the car to ensure its safety. When we had finished swimming and snorkeling, we laid on the beach forever. This is when about a pound of sand found its way into my hair. I’m still finding traces of it. And that night when I crawled into bed with my book, I opened it up, which spilled a layer of sand on my bed. BUT – no complaints. I’ve had days in my life that have been a real surprise – days that far surpass any expectations I’ve had. I hope you’ve had these days too…they’re such a gift and inspiration. And this day at Elafonisi – a very pretty place – fits right in that category.

Samaria Gorge, Crete

2010-07-20T12:26:00.000-07:00

Greetings to Jessica and Sarah’s fan base. Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Susan, the quiet young lady who has been lurking at many of your functions (Jay and Wendy’s shower, Sarah and Jessica’s party, etc.) but who you may not have actually met. I’m the girl who found out about the trip and said, “Sounds fun, can I come… pretty please?” And luckily for me it would be super awkward to say no, so here I am in Greece!
I would like to write a little about a topic that has consumed my attention for a lot of the trip: my feet. Yes, that’s right. I had such a difficult time deciding how to pack shoes. How many should I bring? What colors? What type? I didn’t want to be uncomfortable. So I ended up with 6 pairs which equaled the number of Sarah’s and Jessica’s combined even though I’m spending less than half the time in Greece that they are. And wouldn’t you know it? Despite my best planning, after two days I was uncomfortable.
No matter what shoes I decided to wear, after any significant amount of walking, they started to rub somewhere. Cruelly, the only shoes that didn’t rub my apparently delicate, sensitive feet were my dressy black sandals with heels. I had band-aids all over my feet and started thinking I might need some type of bandage that fits over my entire foot to prevent friction. Then I realized they have such a thing…it’s actually called a sock.
The condition of my feet caused me quite a bit of anxiety as we began planning our hike at Samaria Gorge. This particular gorge is the longest in Europe, and the 11 mile hike through it is a must-do for any visitor to Crete who is physically able. Our tour book boasts that the Samaria Gorge is “the most spectacular landscape in Crete,” but it also describes the hike through it as “tortuous.” The trail is steep and rocky making it easy to lose your footing. It drops 3,280 feet within the first mile. At certain points, the trail squeezes between two towering rock walls that are only 10 feet apart.
I was a basket case as the day of the hike approached. How was I going to manage this with my feet in this condition? My tennis shoes were old and worn and lacked support (After a ridiculous amount of thought I had decided I didn’t want to bring a good pair). Plus, I’m a bit more of a hmmm…what shall I say… perhaps more nervous traveler than what Sarah and Jessica are. As I told them, I’m just not used to looking for things to climb in and on and up when I’m on vacation. And after all, as I reminded them several times, people have died in Samaria Gorge.
The day started by Sarah awakening Jessica and I and informing us that we had an issue with our alarm clock (lousy wrist watch) and that we didn’t wake up in time. We had to start the hike early so we could finish in time to catch the last ferry to Omalos, where we would then catch a bus to Chania where we were staying. At first I felt relief. I don’t have to do it. And then I realized that meant another day of nervous anticipation. After a little discussion and time math, we reached the conclusion that if we hurried we could still catch the 8:30 bus to the gorge and complete the hike in enough time.
We arrived at the bus station just in time, bought our tickets, and hopped on board. Before long the bus was climbing through the mountains on windy, narrow roads. I removed my shoes and began applying salve and bandages in preparation. And at last we had arrived.
I was about 45 minutes into the hike when I realized, hey I can do this. Sure, the thought that I might die never completely left my mind, but it was tucked very deeply in the back, so I almost didn’t know it was there. We did see many spectacular sights that day. Some other highlights included meeting a couple from Pittsburgh PA on the trail, getting in trouble by the national park staff for lingering in a dangerous area of the trail to pose for silly pictures, and Jessica giving me a tutorial so that I could use a “squatty potty” for the very first time. I even found myself taking on the role of encourager at times. For example, when Jessica insisted after we stopped to eat our peanut butter sandwiches for lunch that she find a comfortable rock to lay on for a nap, I advised her not to do it…too risky. It may be too difficult to get going again. (Just for the record, I’m still against the idea, but she swears it was helpful.)
Finally after several hours, we found our way out of the gorge and completed the hike. We stopped to buy freshly squeezed orange juice at a roadside stand. We were hot, tired, and dirty, but we also had a sense of pride and accomplishment. And I only had 3 new blisters which wasn’t too bad for an entire day of fun.

A Bit about Hania and a Hotdog

2010-07-16T14:58:00.000-07:00

I woke up at 6:15 this morning, definitely not on purpose. My watch alarm that failed to go off yesterday when we needed to catch an early bus to the gorge decided to work on our sleep in day. Not a problem, I was able to go back to bed, and woke much later to a medley of Celine Dion hits and Bruce Springstein’s Born in the USA. Not really what I would expect to hear coming from our charming little side street in Hania. It’s been pretty much the only thing American I’ve come across lately (besides our car radio which plays both American and Greek techno jams). I am relieved. I’m really loving being immersed in another country, and not just Greece but with so many other countries and languages represented here, I feel like I’m getting a complete European experience.

We took our time getting ready for the day and then headed out to the town’s Thursday market. We walked the length of the street, taking in the variety of sights, sounds, and smells…buying from the sellers that looked nice and old :). We were not disappointed by our choices. Everyone we purchased from was so kind and seemingly sincere. We bought fresh vegetables and fruit, and even a Speedo for a friend. We have big plans to squeeze our own fresh orange juice, something that is sold often here in Greece. I already have a feeling where this endeavor might go……:)

We are now at one of our favorite cafés. It happens to be right at the end of our street Angeloy, a few short steps from our studio. Its location is perfect, giving us the quiet local atmosphere that we want, along with views of both a narrow side street and the harbor. The owner is a sweet older man with a friendly smile and a nice thick accent. He serves the best ham and cheese toast and of course ice cold frappes. Today I abandoned my frappe challenge (that sure didn’t take long) and opted for the cold chocolate drink, which is like chocolate milk, only 100 times better. I’m pretty sure the Greeks have some kind of magic dust they sprinkle on all their food to make it taste so delicious.

While at our café, we met a Scottish couple and chatted with them for quite a while. They were so interesting. During our conversation they recommended a great beach for us to try for the day. We got to the beach around 2:00. By Ohio laying out standards this would be quite appalling. I’ve always heard that prime sun time is between 11:00 and 2:00. Apparently in Europe they are either less vain, and don’t care too much about getting the perfect tan, or they are just way smarter and don’t feel like scorching out in the afternoon sun. The beach was the busiest at 5:00….crazy.

With any other “beach day” blog entry, I would probably mention the clean sand, the warm bath water, my saltwater swim, and the walk to get ice cream. You know, the basic stuff. All very nice, but nothing really that interesting or memorable. This beach trip included all of that, but with an added bonus…..Wait for it………We got rafts! What do you mean you’re disappointed?? Do you know how great a raft can be on a hot day at the beach?? It makes all the difference. It’s like adding jelly to your peanut butter, or chocolate syrup to your ice -cream. It’s awesome to have a raft at the beach. No more baking in the hot sand. Now all of the “bronzing” can be done in complete comfort, just lounging on hot pink inflatable plastic. Still not impressed huh? Well, what if I told you that along with the hot pink and neon green regular rafts, we also managed to shove an inflatable hotdog into the back seat of our car and take it to the beach as well??…Now I have your attention. If you were thinking hotdog, the kind you eat on a bun with ketchup, then you would be sorely mistaken. I’m talking about a big dog dressed in a hotdog suit. It doesn’t get much funnier than that my friends. Now for my older much more mature readers, you may want to stop reading now (or maybe you already have), and refer back to an early more respectable blog entry like our day at the Acropolis or Jessica’s entry about Delphi (I consider those to be our responsible days).

Ok, so about this hotdog. I really should let Jessica tell the story. After all it is her dog.

Susan, Sarah, and I have been trying out different beaches. Yesterday morning we sat next to the most lovely Scottish couple in our favorite café. They recommended a beach they had visited, so we made it our goal for the day. It’s just outside our town and we really did love it. On the drive there I pulled over at a shop clearly geared toward those headed to the beach. We had decided to buy some cheap rafts to take with us. The sea is so calm here, so you can’t really play in waves, but it’s great to float around in. I told Sarah and Susan that I would double check directions while they looked at rafts. This is where my day really started to fall apart. In retrospect, this is also a moment that shows me just how much power Sarah has over me. She and Susan each bought a humble raft for the low price of 2.50. This is just what we were looking for. Something that would last for the beach, but that we would feel ok about not toting around with us. I, on the other hand, made a terrible purchase. At Sarah’s sly prompting, I spent 8.50 on a very high quality and very giant inflatable hotdog. I loved it in the store, but at the beach I quickly realized that it is not a very useful hotdog. I was desperately trying to justify my purchase by showing its many uses to Susan and Sarah. On its second use, propping my feet up on it, I fell backwards into the water, at which point a sizely portion of salt lodged itself in the middle of my head. I mostly just drape my arms over it and float around. And the worst part is that its quality is far superior to that of the rafts, so I can’t just ditch it. I’ll need to take it with me all through Greece. So when we get to the very classy Santorini, you will be able to find me lounging in our swanky hotel pool atop my hotdog.

So we left the beach around 7:30 and didn’t return home until around 8:00 or so. Mostly because traffic in Hania becomes crazy in the evening, and also on account of the elves that like to come and rearrange the side streets when we are away, just to keep us guessing.

We had reservations at 9:30 for Tamam, a restaurant suggested by our Scottish friends. We walked down to the harbor area and had the best meal with a killer atmosphere and plenty of Greek food and wine. I ordered baby shark, partly because fish is suppose to be good for you, and it seemed like the thing to get when you’re on the sea, but mostly because it sounds kind of awesome :) Jessica had grape leaves and a Cretan salad and Susan had Moussaka. We ended the meal with free shots of what Jess refers to as Gummy Bear juice from our cute curly headed server and this coconut desert. It was the perfect end to wonderful day in Hania.

Some Topics I've Been Assigned

2010-07-16T14:42:00.000-07:00

A lot of people, when commenting on our facebook pictures, have mentioned that it looks like we’re having so much fun. Yes, of course we are. But please know that we’re also doing some very responsible tourist things. We’ve already reported about our trip to the Acropolis. As if that’s not impressive enough, the very next day we went on a private tour to a museum, a monastery, and Delphi.
Sarah booked a tour for us with the famous taxi driver George. From what we could gather, he’s a very reputable tour guide who drives you around in his Mercedez and offers a wealth of historical information. We were pretty excited to meet George and see what all the fuss is about. Sarah walked down from our hotel to meet him and said, “You must be George.” And he replied, “No, I’m Tony.” So now we’re wondering just who this George is. Does Sarah’s greeting compare to walking into a Wendy’s and assuming that the girl behind the counter is Wendy herself? Oh well. Tony won us over pretty quickly, despite the time he spread out a map across the dash to show us where we were headed. Eyes on the road, Tony. His knowledge of Greek history seems endless. If we were in the car, he was talking. Well, I guess I can’t know for sure because I kept falling asleep in the backseat. I worked really hard at each site to learn a lot and show that I am really interested in this stuff. I just get tired sometimes.
Early on in our drive Tony mentioned Alexander the Great. Alexander the Great is one of those guys whose name is familiar, but my knowledge of him is actually very vague. I asked Tony what time period Alexander was from, and he decided to take us to a museum built near a battlefield from Alexander’s conquest. We saw a lot of old stuff there.
We all loved our next stop – the monastery. Over 300 monks used to live there, but now it is inhabited by only three. This is the kind of place you just want to get locked in at night so you can really explore….so many nooks and crannies and stone walls and steps. The cathedral was ornate, and the landscape was so naturally still…a beautiful combination.
Delphi was the main reason for our tour. At some point, you know in history, this spot was believed to be the center of the world. People would travel here to consult the oracle as a way of communicating with Apollo. It takes quite awhile to walk through this area, and it’s built into the side of a mountain, so it was a strenuous walk at times. Some highlights – Sarah told me to do a yoga pose on a rock podium, so I tried to, but then was asked to step off of the very ancient piece of history. Woops. Sarah and I did some dancing on an ancient stage…pretty crowd pleasing. And we visited the museum on site where the three of us got a case of the giggles. I could feel the curators eyeing us, so we had to leave before we lost all control.
The near purse snatching: It was our first night in Athens. On our ride from the airport, the cab driver showed us which street to look down to see the Parthenon. What a moment of – Oh my gosh we’re actually here. He also told us that it was a 15 minute walk from our hotel. After checking in, we decided to take the walk.
Something else you need to know to fully understand this story – Sarah is pretty accustomed to carrying a large purse that is really more of a satchel. It’s a great bag, but she bought a snappy new little thing for our trip. It’s a great size to slide just the essentials into, or you can slide the whole purse into a satchel and it seems more like a wallet. It’s a great purse for our trip.
So we had walked all of two blocks from our hotel’s front door and were waiting at a light. Also near this light was some punk kid. He eyed Sarah’s purse, ran over, and grabbed a hold of it. Poor little dear. He didn’t know who he was messing with. Sarah is quick and maybe part cat. She snatched her purse right back. But that punk kid broke the strap. A little disappointing, but not like it could have been, I guess. Welcome to Athens, girls.
For those of you who think I don’t live enough in the realities of the world, we did check around a bit to see if purse snatching is something we need to look out for. Does not seem to be a common thing as far as we can tell. Little fella, if you had asked me for some money, I might have given it to you.

When in Greece.....Eat ice cream for breakfast 7/13/10

2010-07-13T14:31:00.000-07:00

I thought, given the fact that I have been labeled the picky one when it comes to food, that it would be fitting for me to write a little section on the Greek cuisine I’ve encountered so far, and my initial thoughts. Let me first tell you my blogging location- It’s a harbor side café…..not really a shocker to anyone who knows the general Hania scene. Hania is actually a larger city in Crete, but “old town” is something straight from a movie. It has a huge Venetian influence which is so evident in the narrow stone streets (perfect for exploring and picture taking), quaint side shops, and a sea side harbor with fishermen, boats, and of course an abundance of café’s with the most incredible views, soft chairs and couches…..you could hang out at one of these cafes probably for the whole day just people watching. There is such a laid back feel here. No one hurries, no one rushes, it’s like someone hit a slow motion button…I love it. In fact on my first run here, I felt a little awkward, moving faster then anyone….almost going against the Hania style. Even though the location is geared towards accommodating the tourist, I have never felt like I’m in a tourist location- mostly because everyone here whether on vacation or not, is from a different country. Don’t get the wrong impression. I would still say Hania is the real deal- authentically Greek- Not lacking in the Greek language, the gorgeous Greek people :) and yes, the Greek food…..how’s that for a segway ?

Here are some things we’ve noticed. First, we’ve learned that the Greeks aren’t really big breakfast people. Their biggest meal is lunch and they usually wait to have dinner- usually not until 9 or 10. We’re not really big on following that tradition exactly. We do the breakfast thing. I’ve had a strawberry crepe two times already…..oh so good. The best thing though is the fact that people here are ok with having deserty things for breakfast. For instance, Susan’s breakfast the first day was fruit…with ice cream, and the second day, a waffle with chocolate, Nutella, and ice cream. Both items straight off the menu. Wow, my kind of place! You should also know that I am currently drinking coffee….Yep, you heard me right…..It’s called a Frappe. It’s a cold drink and yes it really does taste like coffee. Do I like it? Honestly? No, of course I don’t like it, it’s coffee for crying out loud…I can’t stand coffee….However, I’m making it my food challenge for the trip to have one a day. I really think I can learn to like it. (special note- I also wanted to try flossing my teeth everyday here too….last night my travel floss ran out…..oh well, what can you do J) Stay tuned for forced frappe drinking updates :).

Usually we forget about lunch- very un -Greek. I think we’re just been so distracted by how great our days are, that we just don’t think about it. Dinner has been a little random lately. Mostly peanut butter sandwiches for me, eggs for Jessica, fruit for all- The fruit here is really tasty, especially the peaches in my opinion. We visited the grocery store last night to pick up a few things….that experience was a little interesting. I have to admit I was a kind of grouchy- it was late, and I was really hungry and tired, a bad combination. Any other time, I think I really would have loved looking at all the unique, unreadable packaging, and just enjoying being apart of a normal everyday Greek experience…but this time my focus was on finding pancake mix……they don’t have that. And FYI you’re suppose to weigh your fruit before you get to the checkout…that was a very time consuming mistake. Luckily for me this sweet Greek guy noticed me very confused staring at the scale. Without saying a word he came to my rescue and hit all the buttons for me.
We have had a lot of Greek food. Most of the time I make Jessica order it first, and then I just try hers…she’s a pretty good sharer.

I had a Greek salad the other day…..really good. There’s no lettuce in it, which I think is different than in the states, and the feta which I purposely avoided, is placed on top of the salad in really big blocks. Feta is something I’ve always said I don’t like, but have never really given a fair shot…..maybe I’ll give it a chance here in Greece. I ate something called souvlakia (really just chicken) and tried some of Susan’s Moussaka and Jessica’s Yogurt and honey thing, which I think is really crème cheese ….not sure if I will be ordering any of those things myself, but I am trying stuff, so that should count for something. They do have multi grain cheerios….score.

Oh, and I forgot to tell you, on our first day here- we were looking for our studio, a supposedly easy task that turned into a three hour combination of both driving and walking. We asked directions from a lot of locals (when I say a lot I mean like 10 or so) who either stared at us blankly or attempted to give us directions in Greek using a lot of expressive hand gestures. Our favorite helpful local happened to be this cute older man who owns a little bodega- which I thought was a lot like a small gas station that also sold local food. When giving directions he spoke English (rough English) and then whipped out some paper and wrote things down in Greek. The three of us exchanged looks and tried to hide our smiles…it was kind of hilarious. Another man jumped in on the direction giving fun and the two of them choreographed a little routine that went like this- “first you go straight, and then to the right and then your gonna take another right…straight, right, and then another right- complete with hand motions and thick accents. They did their little routine at least three times. It worked and we were able to find Iason Studios at last.

What does that have to do with food? Went off on a little tangent just to let you know that this charming Greek man and his Bodega has been a nice little food source for us. # one because he’s so nice, finding time to draw us maps (labeled in Greek) and give us his opinions on where to visit in Crete, and his views on the recent struggles of the country, and #2 because his stuff is so cheap. Nothing like food at a gas station in the states. Our first purchase was a total of 2,40E and that was for quite a lot of things. What a deal.

A final thought about the food and drink here in Greece. It seems customary to give alcohol as a welcoming gift. Our first rental car (which starts by using a card p.s.) was given to us complete with a bottle of white wine in the driver’s cup holder, and when we arrived at our studio, sitting on our table was a tray with fruit, nuts, chocolate, and this glass tea cup filled with an unknown drink that was so strong I think I may have permanently burned my esophagus….I like it :)…..Opah!

Some things you should know if you’re planning to travel through Greece (which you definitely should be planning by now…):

2010-07-13T13:56:00.000-07:00

Some things you should know if you’re planning to travel through Greece (which you definitely should be planning by now…):

1) Sit in a café everyday and have a frappe. I spotted frappes at nearly every café we passed early on, and I’m a sucker for getting sucked into a new culture, so my interest was peaked. My travel book says a frappe is just instant coffee served cold, but I don’t believe that for a second. That does not sound like a good idea to me. And a frappe tastes more like the strong bitterness of coffee perfectly juxtaposed with sugar crystals, mixed with the tears an angel has shed for joy and maybe some nectar from an enchanted flower. I didn’t try one until my 4th day here and am significantly heartbroken that I missed 3 days of this love affair.
2) If you go to a beach that is at least somewhat secluded, you’ll probably see some naked. I haven’t seen anything offensive, nor do I anticipate this, but I’ve definitely seen plenty of naked.
3) In most places, flushing toilet paper is a no no. Be sure to check for a sign in the restroom, or WC. Also be sure to exercise caution when adding your used toilet paper to the mound that is building up in the trashcan near the toilet. Also be sure to send out some good thoughts for whoever it is that empties that trashcan.
4) Greeks tend to have perfect coloring and striking features. You’ll want to prepare yourself for your first case of the smittens. Say you’re driving down the street, looking for your first accommodation on an island, and you stop at a café to ask for directions. You’ll need to work very hard to listen to the directions when gazing back at you is the most perfectly beautiful creature you’ve ever seen. And I don’t typically go for tall, dark, and handsome. Hmmmm…maybe I could go back…maybe he’s a regular there…
5) Women – if you are over 50 (and Greek) – you can dress as if you are 20, and somehow get away with it. You might notice a woman about to cross the street and think to yourself – Wow, crazy cool outfit. Look at those heels. – And then she turns around and you think – Way older than my mom. - And even though this woman somehow looks fantastic, you’re really glad your mom doesn’t dress this way. And then you might miss your mom a little. Hi Mom!!
6) Driving – oh my. If you have been nervous about our well being, stop reading here. Drivers here tend to be…something that means a combination of assertive and efficient and terrifying, but not at all rude. Picture a street that is lined with parked cars on both sides. The cars are mostly small and European. Some are parked in the direction that traffic is flowing in that lane, and some are facing the opposite direction. This will give you regular, but very brief freakouts that you are driving the wrong way down a one-way street. If this is in fact the case, a very large truck might beep at you as the driver shouts Greek out his window. Peal off to the right the first chance you get, and when you realize that you’ve turned onto yet another one-way, going the wrong way, take off your straw cowboy hat at Sarah’s request just in case the Greeks are saying to each other, “Watch out for that crazy lady in the cowboy hat. She’s crazy.”

Are the streets here one lane or two?? Who really knows? Does it really matter? Always keep a lookout to the left because the driver behind you might wish to be driving faster than a tourist, in which case the road is definitely now two lanes as he passes you on the left. This is both assertive and efficient, and never seems rude. And sometimes seems terrifying. And if there is also a scooter on the road (and there will be, because we’ve seen about a billion), it might squeeze between you and guy passing on the left. Everyone seems to function well in this system, so stay sharp. Get a good navigator in the passenger seat and remember that this is not your time to sight see. Gawking at a beautiful beach or mountain backdrop might mean that you take out the father and baby in a stroller who dart out between parked cars to cross the street right in front of you. Don’t worry, nothing happened. I’m sharp.

Day 2- The Acropolis

2010-07-11T15:51:00.000-07:00

Friday was a day of jetlag. Despite falling into a coma at 11:30 Thursday night, I woke up on Friday to Susan’s voice, “Do you guys realize it’s 12:30?” Ah well, what can ya do? We stopped at the front desk to check on using the subway (one of Susan’s favorite things to do is ask the front desk for help…she has suggested doing this most times that we need help, even if we’re driving around in our car) and found the stop without much trouble. The subway seems very similar to that in NYC, which was helpful. One difference is that it is incredibly clean. Overall, a good experience. We walked to the Acropolis. Because of the previous night’s research, we were mostly sure of what it is, but spending a day there cleared some things up. Before entering the Acropolis, we climbed Areopagus Hill, where the Apostle Paul is said to have shared his faith with Athenians. I experienced a moment when my faith suddenly seemed different – this was a very real reminder that my faith is based on true things and that Paul hung out with people who were not of the same faith but were on a journey that he could become involved in. The buildings located on the Acropolis are just amazing. It’s really something to climb a set of marble steps and then find yourself surrounded by such familiar images living where they’ve lived for thousands of years. Our grogginess was brushed aside by the beauty of the buildings, the backdrop of the mountains, and the ocean breeze that seems to be ever-present. As our guidebook says, this is a site that does not disappoint.

Our next traipsing around was at the Plaka. This is the historic district near the Acropolis. It was our first experience with the Greece I had been picturing – narrow stone streets, cafes spilling their tables out onto the streets, live music, hosts of flowers lazing their way down brick walls. We noticed right away that cafes are eager for the business of tourists. Every café we passed meant a greeting and an invitation to stop in. We chose a gold mine. We sat right out on the brick street, interacted with the Greek staff, ate traditional Greek dishes (souvlaki and moussaka) and listened to live Greek music mingled with American dance hits that were lingering over from the shop across the street. This was our first experience with dining out…it seems that you can sit and sit and no one attempts to speed you through your meal. Pretty different from dining out in the US. My only complaint is that I didn’t hear “Alejandro.” Oh well.

We took one last walk through the grounds below the Parthenon to see its pillars lit up against the night sky and caught our train back to the hotel. Our excessively late start to the day had been redeemed by such good touristing.

7/7/10

2010-07-11T15:41:00.000-07:00

First let me give a shout out to the Akron Canton airport- I love that place! Everyone is so friendly and helpful. Our flight to Atlanta was just fine despite what we originally thought, given the extra peppy flight attendant with the super high -pitched squeaky voice. Turns out we unfairly judged her in the beginning (we’re working on this). She was actually quite nice. Thank you for the extra peanuts Ashley, and props to Delta for still serving free snacks! Jessica, sporting her new straw cowboy hat (which is very practical and useful, and not at all funny) was my seat partner with Susan across the aisle. We sailed south like flying pros psyched to be one step closer to Athens and laughing over the comment made by Susan’s seat mate who told us to “watch out for the crazy cow girl.” We were on our way, jazzed, pumped, excited….. nothing could stop us now. Bring on the Greek salads and that island breeze! Woo hoo!……..What? What do you mean the flight’s been delayed? You mean we may not fly out today?? Talk about stealing our joy. Apparently there was an airport strike in Greece the same day we were suppose to fly there…what are the chances? Ok, so given the recent unrest in the country, I’d say the chances were “strong to quite strong”, but I really never thought it would affect the trip ….major bummer. I guess that bump to first class is also a no go huh? So if anyone is keeping track, that’s Hawaii 1 Greece 0.

The five-hour layover in Atlanta wasn’t really that bad. I talked to a lady from Cleveland who was originally from Greece and basically told us that our itinerary was great and that we were going to love her country …it was a definite upper. I also managed to walk almost the entire Atlanta airport mainly out of boredom, and also for the challenge-Yes, I still do things just to say I did them- did you not read the blog title? Finally it was boarding time. I was re -energized and so happy to be on the plane.

Four hours later…..
Somebody kill me, I want to die. This is the longest flight of my life. How is it possible that you are sleeping? It can’t just be that stupid neck pillow….How can you sleep sitting up? …..My legs are sooooo jumpy. I know, maybe I’ll just try to lay my head forward on this teeny tiny tray table…..Do you think I can fit on the floor here? Three movies later pretty sure I’m the only one awake on this entire plane.

Ok, so the flight wasn’t the best, but that was quickly forgotten because we were in Athens! Yea! Now about that metro- closed too huh? Why is everyone messing with my plans, and also my good mood??!! I guess I’ll just stand in the longest line in the history of lines to wait for this taxi that will probably over charge me. Ugh.

I can read all of your minds now- “She has quite the nerve, to complain when she is clearly so lucky to be able to travel for five weeks in such an amazing country. She should be ashamed of herself.” I hear ya loud and clear, and believe me, I am trying to keep the complaining to a minimum, and I do realize the awesome opportunity I’ve been given, but seriously, you have to admit, that things weren’t going the best, and I haven’t even told you about the attempted purse snatch yet. In fact, let’s save that for later- I’m bumming myself out just reliving all of this J. (How dramatic am I?)

Now nobody panic, the day wasn’t a total bust. We ended up with a very nice taxi driver who I accidentally over tipped (Euros and dollars are not the same Lantz), and who kindly offered to help us out in the city if needed- (his offer all thanks to my extra large tip I’m sure). Our hotel Centrotel , despite being in a bit of a dodgy area, was so nice. The bathtub had jets, we each got a super swanky bathrobe, and the ceiling even had star lights! We went on a nice early evening stroll through the city to get a view of the Acropolis and to check out our surroundings. We returned to the hotel, promptly looked up the differences between the Acropolis and the Parthenon (You weren’t sure either-oh good that makes me feel better), and had a balcony dinner of delicious salad and peaches.

All in all I’d give the day about a 6, but never fear, we’ve had some really terrific days since this first day of fiascos, and all have been rated much higher.

Incase you’re not sure who is actually on this trip, I’ve posted pictures. These pictures are from our day at the Acropolis, and actually show us inside part of the Acropolis- or at least that’s what we keep telling ourselves. It was pretty funny watching the reaction of some of the nearby tourists as we probably broke some rules by scaling up and into the small little opening.

The first picture is Susan (Jessica and I plan on turning her into a complete adventureist before this trip is over.
Next is Jessica a traveling veteran and co writer of this blog.
And then there’s me, Sarah (incase you weren’t sure who was writing this post J)

Whew, Ok, all the info you could possibly hope to know about our trip across the Atlantic and our first day in a little country called Greece. As a special bonus for anyone who actually read to the end of this ridiculously long winded post, I will grant you the greatest honor of titling this blog entry- aren’t you lucky? Send your suggestions. Best title wins. J

Why Greece? 7/9/10

2010-07-09T16:06:00.000-07:00

Do you ever find yourself on a really great drive, or maybe not even a great drive, but just one in which your thoughts have clearly taken you far from the road in front of you? You arrive at your destination and wonder, “how in the world did I make it here?” “I don’t recall driving at all.” As I sit on my balcony in Athens, Greece, I’m having a similar thought. Looking at my view, one would think I was in China- or at least that’s what Jessica has said. Each individual boxed balcony has it’s own collection of randomness. CD’s hung from string twirl and sparkle while the greatest breeze blows the hanging laundry and tattered sheets. An array of satellite dishes and antennas cover the rooftops, while soft lights flicker on an off, silhouetting the people inside. The sounds are that of any typical city, Air conditioners kick on and off, trucks shift gears, and the couple on the balcony across the way talks softly, quickly reminding me that I am far from home.

How did I get here? How is it that I am able to describe the final sweet moments of a city being put to bed, and not just any city, but one of the oldest most historic cities in the world?
I guess the short answer would be, a few months of intense planning and one reeeeeeeeally long plane ride across the Atlantic.

For a more meaningful answer you’d have to go back two years, back to a time where life wasn’t really the best, where life seemed stress filled, tiring, overwhelming, and not really much fun. It was during that time that a few friends got together to plan a trip to one of the most beautiful places in the world….you might have heard me mention it before….Hawaii. The trip wasn’t necessarily meant to be life changing, and I guess I dramatize it when I say that, but somehow it was. It was refreshing, and renewing, and all those cliché things that people say when something is just so incredibly fantastic. The Hawaii trip sparked an interest in not just going through the motions of life, but really living it up so to speak. That initial trip made me realize my love for traveling, the beauty of sharing adventures with friends, and the importance of really resting. Needless to say after that trip I was hooked, and soon began thinking about the next trip. A few options were thrown out on the table, but in the end Greece took the prize.

Already Greece has turned out to be quite different than our Hawaii trip (it is a little unfair to have to compete with the trip that has been called, “the one with all the upgrades.”) Things haven’t gone 100% great these last 30 hours, (in our future post, look forward to hearing about a strike, an attempted purse snatch, and a near bachelorette viewing disaster), but there have been things we’ve thoroughly enjoyed and so much more to look forward to.

Jessica and I, along with part time traveling companion Susan, can’t wait to share all of our amazing experiences…and maybe a few not so good ones…with you. We will give our best shot at writing a blog that is factual (at least mostly), witty, informative, and inspiring. We feel like it’s such a gift to be traveling through a new part of God’s creation and would love for you to catch glimpses of our journey as you check in with our blog.

School Thoughts 10-6-09

2009-10-06T21:34:00.000-07:00

Not sure why I'm choosing to blog right now at 12:30 on a school night....especially when all I thought about today was how tired and cranky I was from getting to bed too late..... Could be because I'm sick of grading projects, avoiding deciding what to wear to work tomorrow, and just too tired to walk up my steps and actually get ready for bed.....or maybe it's because of the stressful day I had and the need to reflect on the good stuff at school, to counter some of the negative stuff. Either way, this will most likely be random, and just for me...so feel free to tune out now.

1. I have an awesome schedule this year, with only one class to teach after lunch, and planning during the school day
2. I have nice small classes...my biggest class being 21
3. My classes are all really unique...and full of characters.....at times they make me insane, but other times they can be so great.
4. I've learned to like yogurt again which goes great with my grapenut lunches
5. Ali and I have mastered volleyball game days at the middle school....we are officially veteran coaches, and can successfully put up the referee stand without killing ourselves...and have finally figured out the dumb score board. The gym teachers sprung for new floor tape, so I no longer have to tape the lines for the game using athletic tape...it's a beautiful thing
6. With the exception of three, all my students have turned in their safety contracts....just a shade under a decade...let the crazy fun experimenting begin
7. My students still fall for the "backroom shocker story"....that just never gets old
8. I have a plant in my room that will be 2 years old soon....it's a resilient thing- I also cleaned my fishtank after three years...it looks great....however all my fish but one died...oh well, less cleaning for me.
9. I helped to write a 2 year technology grant- I was given a new laptop and ipod touch....which I still haven't opened...but seems really cool
10. I have so far, only managed to jam the copier once this year
11 We are now aloud to chew gum at work....I need to add my gum expense to my budget :)- I'm in love with Orbit Sweet Mint and Maui Melon
12. Second homebase is only 3 minutes long...and the kids must be silent....love it
13. I'm aloud to wear an Alliance t-shirt to work every Friday
14. School Counselor Kim always brings fun snacks on Fridays

To share:

- I was doing a lab demo the other day with water, oil and alka-seltzer tablets. We were talking about density a bit, and I mentioned how the oil and water wouldn't mix because the oil is less dense. The kids wanted me to prove it..."shake it up" they said. So I tipped the bottle upside down to prove that I was correct, only to find that the 2 liter bottle containing the oil and water had NO LID.....That sure was fun to clean up....but it was also fun to laugh with my kids about it.

- We were in the computer lab working on scientist projects. I walked passed Parrish who was playing a basketball game on the computer instead of doing his project...I said, "what are you doing?" he responded, "well, I'm trying to get this ball into this hoop"....Not exactly what I meant Parrish......:) Get back to work- You probably had to be there, but we both sort of laughed about it....good kid

So that's all for now- I think I'll try to write down more of the crazy happenings with the kids at AMS this year...these 8th graders can sure be hilarious....who knows maybe some day when they force me to quit teaching because I've been driven insane, I can write a book about the funny moments. Until then I'll just blog.

A Different Kind of Paradise 7/24/09

2009-07-26T01:33:00.000-07:00

It’s 2:00 in the morning and I can’t sleep, jet lag I suppose. I thought I might write one final blog about my Hawaii vacation. I could tell you about how the key to our rental car was dropped down an elevator shaft on the day we were leaving… it’s a funny one ( or at least funny now…not so much at the time :))…but maybe I should keep some stories to share with you in person….

It’s so strange to be back in Ohio….I really feel like I just left. I thought I would feel more ready to be back, but I honestly could have stayed another two weeks or so. I don’t want anyone to think that I didn’t miss all my friends and family, because I really did, but it’s just that this vacation was so wonderful. It was exactly what I wanted out of the trip. It was perfect. I spent five weeks doing all the things I love to do. I got to hike almost everyday, I snorkeled, swam, surfed, climbed, jumped (:)), rode, kayaked….basically did every sort of physical activity imaginable….and had fun doing it. I was challenged in a lot of ways, and experienced unexpected thrills and adventures that I will remember forever. Besides that, I also lived basically stress free for 35 days. The biggest decision I had to make was which beach we wanted to spend the day at, or which bathing suit I wanted to wear. I guess that would explain why I feel a little bit overwhelmed right now with “real life.” Starting with opening all my mail…oh yeah, and the visa statement came…..yikes! :)

It’s hard to pick a favorite experience, or even a favorite island (although I’m sort of leaning toward Kauai for that one). Each day seemed to be special, regardless of where I was, or what I was doing. Even the days we didn’t do much, were perfect, simply because of the unbelievable natural beauty that we were surrounded by. The company I kept wasn’t half bad either:). Six different people shared this experience with me, and I can tell you without a doubt, that I wouldn’t have had near the fun I did, without them. I am grateful that they chose to come to Hawaii.
I feel especially thankful for Jessica, who was able to put up with me for the entire five weeks…what a trooper :). I couldn’t have asked for a more amazing traveling partner.

So what now?? So what’s next?? I find myself asking these questions a lot. What do I do now that this experience, this vacation that I spent the last 7 months planning for and thinking about, is over? I suppose I could get real depressed and think about how let down and sad I am that my “fun” is over, or I could start thinking about my next “big thing”… start planning for something else, some other place to go, some other “adventure” to pursue… or I guess I could maybe take a look at option number three…the option that has me excited about “life as I know it”, life in Canton. I feel like Hawaii may have helped to ignite a little spark in me that I feel has been missing for a long time…maybe this was just the thing I needed to refuel my energy for “living”…you know, the day to day stuff. I want to look at my life as the adventure….I want to find satisfaction in the normalness and consistency of it all….I want to find joy in the everyday.

I arrived in Columbus on Friday evening, warmly welcomed at the airport by two of my best friends, and their beautiful smiling baby girls. I sat on their deck under their sun umbrella eating pizza and sharing stories.

I arrived in Wooster at 10:30 pm. I opened the door to the car and immediately heard two little munchkins screaming my name. I couldn’t get out of the car fast enough. I walked around the car and was ambushed with hugs and kisses from my adorable niece and nephew. My brother and sister in law were there too…staying up late just for me.

At 11:30 pm I sat at the kitchen table with my mom, showing her some pictures from my trip and rehashing all the details of each adventure.

At 11:45 pm my Grandpa called to make sure I was home safe, and to tell me how happy he was that I had such a good time.

12:00 The Fraziers arrived…Julie, Dave, Diana, Steve, and new baby Mya. We stayed up until 1:30 talking….they graciously asked all kinds of questions about my trip, and let me ramble on about my experiences…seeming genuinely interested.

11:30 am- I finally woke up…was given a big hug from my Grandma, who faithfully read my blog and emailed me several times during the trip

1:00pm- Went to pick up Mas- got more hugs, and “welcome homes”

2:00pm- Joe and Uncle Rob arrive- All commented on my tan, and said how happy they were to see me :)

3:30- Played lazer tag with my cousins and Uncle Dave ( a bunch of 25-30 year olds, with a 50 year old….completely destroying a bunch of middle schoolers with lazers…what fun)

5:00- Caris paints my nails with sparkles while JJ and I share skittles and honey nut Cheerios.

7:00 pm- All my relatives huddle in the small kitchen to sing happy birthday to my aunt, preceded by cupcake and ice cream eating.

12:10- Arrive at my home in Canton. Spend time talking with my wonderful roommates.

This is my joy.
This isn’t a vacation. This is my life. This is a good thing.

A man we met during our trip asked us where we were from…we said Ohio, and his response was, “Ohio huh?, that’s a different kind of paradise.”

I love that

What makes a “paradise”? Is it the place? Is it the scenic beauty of something? Is it an activity? Or is it really just a combination of all the things in this world that make you happy, that make you smile? These are things to hold onto, these are the things to get excited about. Hawaii was beautiful, Hawaii was wonderful, Hawaii was a tropical paradise, but I think true paradise, is what awaits your return.

Free Falling 7/20/09

2009-07-25T09:10:00.000-07:00

In Jessica’s Words

I suspected that Lauren really wanted to jump, or at least that she thought she did. And one of the most important things to me is not letting down kids. Plus, I was remembering 20 year old Jessica and how she would have jumped without much thought. Where did that girl go?

Here are thoughts that kept going through my head (not sure if everyone else had these thoughts): 1) This is perhaps the safest of the risky things we’ve done on this trip. 2) You have done this before. Why can’t you do it again? 3) What if we drive away, and I’m still dry because I never jumped? 4) I love the feeling of free falling 5) But the strongest of all- you do not jump off cliffs. Everything in my being was telling me this.

At one point Beth and I decided to jump together. The plan was to run and jump. I realized what a great feeling it would be to run and just leap out into the air. How freeing. But as soon as I got to the edge, the breaks were involuntarily applied. I think I made an audible screech. And then I saw Beth. She’d done it. She sailed through the air beautifully and glided into the water. At the moment she surfaced, I knew I was the worst friend ever. She’d probably break up with me. And I also knew that I had to do it now.

Sarah was a real riot. She has shown such little regard for staying on the safe side in the adventure department but she was so hesitant about jumping. What a mystery. But she did it. I don’t know what nudged her, but it was beautiful. I love that the jump is long enough that you have time to process what’s going on. It was wild to think about Sarah and Beth just falling through the air.

It’s hard to write about what happened between Sarah’s jump and mine. It’s just a mess of the previously mentioned thoughts. I know I stood at the edge, and for a reason I don’t know, I stepped off with one foot and then fell through the air. It was pretty amazing for a second. My eyes were closed for most of the fall, so I was pretty disoriented and didn’t know when I would hit. As soon as I hit the water, I knew Sarah had lied to me about it not hurting. What a good friend. I would have been more hesitant if I had known that my ass was basically about to be ripped apart.

Lauren was left. We did what needed to be done. We told her it didn’t hurt at all (not true) and that she would be fine (completely true). She jumped pretty quickly. She looked awesome. I loved the view from the ocean. We all swam toward each other to celebrate. Sarah and I apologized heartily for lying to her.

We fought with the ladder for awhile, and I realized that Beth is pretty scrappy for having made it up so quickly. We gave up when a local told us to swim around the rock cliff. We did, and with the help of Beth’s flashlight we climbed out easily.

Reuben called his daughter a Rock Star. He was genuinely proud and thrilled. I wish all 13 year old girls had affirmation from their dads like that.

Pretty scary, pretty fulfilling. Glad to have shared it with inspiring new friends.

In My Words

Holy cow that was the scariest thing ever! Every part of me was willing Jessica not to make the “lets do it” decision. But then she uttered those words and power walked to the car for our towels. She was determined. It was on, and I was afraid. I had experienced cliff jumping before in college, and hated it, but I tend to let peer pressure get the best of me, and so I slowly followed her, all the while muttering, “I don’t want to do this.” My legs were shaking as I stripped down to my bathing suit, and did the dooms day walk to the edge.
In every other situation on this trip, I’ve been scolded for getting too close to the edge of crazy cliffs like the one I found myself standing on that evening. Now I was suppose to tell myself, “go ahead and hurl your body off that cliff into the Pacific it’s totally ok” The battle in my head was so intense. I knew I had to jump (there was no way the others were having this adventure without me). I was actually kind of annoyed with myself for being such a pansy about it. Although I guess it showed that I still had some sort of common sense left…..YOU’RE NOT SUPPOSE TO JUMP OFF OF CLIFFS! Well, I’m not sure how I ended up in the air, but it happened. I vaguely remember yelling geronimo, and then all breath left me, my heart jumped into my throat…I was free falling. The impact was harder than I had imagined…my neck, chin, and ears took the brunt of it….then came the rush of saltwater…violently invading every opening….ears, nose, mouth…It wasn’t the most pleasant experience of my life, that’s for sure…but I’m so glad I was able to do it. It was also fun getting to watch Jessica butt smack, and Lauren’s look of “oh my goodness!” as she surfaced was priceless. J Thanks Jessica for picking this adventure…I suppose it’s payback for all the other crazy stuff I got you into….what an experience!….but let’s not repeat it ok? J

North Shore, Oahu 7/21-7/22

2009-07-23T20:58:00.000-07:00

What a difference a day makes. Today I walked out of my hotel in Waiki with a laptop in hand, along with my camera, Hawaii guide book, and beach coverup on. My hair was down for once, and I was sporting my flipflops and clear sunglass (which for the record, have next to no real sun protection, but do look cool- oh, and I lost my real pair in Maui in case you care :)). I’m probably in one of the most touristy spots in the world and I actually don’t mind. It’s sort of a welcome sight after the remote settings on the big Island. Last night we walked around the city after sunset…Wow….we actually saw stores, and lights, and lots and lots of people…quite a difference from the other islands where the sun goes down, and then the towns shut down. We had pizza on the beach, and then margaritas at a super hip Mexican restaurant.
This morning we got up early to avoid the malahini’s (that’s Hawaiian for stupid tourists) at Diamond Head Crater. We wanted to get a hike in before our day at the beach. Well, apparently everyone had the same idea. It was a “people watching” hike… complete with starbucks in hand, I followed all sorts of people….families with cute kids, couples, teenagers….just about everyone was hiking up to the top of the crater for a view of the city and ocean from the top. I’m not sure this was the best hike to be enjoying and “extra hot” hot chocolate. The shadeless switchback trail continued to climb until it was replaced with steps going straight up, then a cool tunnel, followed by more steps that of course we just had to run up. By the time we reached the summit, I felt ready to burst into flames. The view was well worth it though.

Now I’m in the car, with Jessica behind the wheel (navigating expertly through the crazy traffic….she’s awesome (how’s that for your shout out? :)). I’m happy not to be driving, so I can enjoy the sights on our way to the North Shore. We have no real plans, just a beach, maybe some surf time, and one more hike just for good measure. We’re trying to fit in as much as possible before we fly out tomorrow evening- I’ll use another blog to whine and cry about that later..:) Until then I’m enjoying the warm sunshine in Oahu.

So, I’m back in my hotel listening to Friends on the “internet box” thinking about the day. Hmmmm let’s see, what to say about the North Shore? Oh, I know….you know that really cool, fun, summer, Hawaii activity called surfing that everyone thinks is so great….well, let’s just say, it’s not as easy at it looks. Oh sure, when you’re at your little rinky dink surf lesson and your instructor is pushing you into the puny shore waves and coaching your every move, you think you’re a stud. The real thing is a bit more challenging. We rented boards today from a guy named “Uncle Bryon” who claimed to be a surf coach for a lot of famous surf champions…I partially believed him…I also believe that he was trying really hard to sell us a surf lesson. We declined…after all, I had a surf lesson on Kauai and as a teacher I felt completely qualified to coach my friends on how to ride the waves…..Wrong again…..I told them everything I remembered and then left them on the high seas to fend for themselves…..nice. The water was so rough, it was like it forgot which way it was suppose to flow… “Go toward the beach stupid waves!” Instead the water was whipping us to the left….always away from the waves we were trying to ride. There was no time to rest. If you stopped moving your arms for one moment the wind and current would just take you more and more away from where you were wanting to be. I was determined to ride some waves so I continued to drive my way through the rough sea…all the while thinking how much my arms hurt, and how badly my eyes stung from all the salt water and sun screen….I began singing some beach boy’s classics in my head to try and liven my mood…that didn’t really help…the cheerful little surf ditties that they sing just sort of felt like lies at that moment…I needed some “I of the Tiger” rocky stuff to get me through this. Meanwhile, my surf buddies were struggling too. Jessica was tossed like a rag doll…I could hardly see her through the waves. She later told me that about 10 minutes into the “fun” she had abandoned the goal of riding an actual wave, and adopted the new goal of making it back to the shore, which was now about a mile away. I later had to pull a bay watch and rescue her…it was a good old fashion adventure at sea. (“yeah, it was bitchen”- Jessica’s quote- apparently she’s still a little pissed :)) I only crossed paths with Beth a few times, but the look on her face told me exactly what she was thinking, “this is the worst $20 purchase ever!” I think I rode maybe two actual waves- one of which was pretty awesome. I guess I could say that made up for all the hardships I encountered…..then again, maybe not. Did I mention it also started to rain (that really helped to calm the seas…) While attempting to stand up I fell and hit my chin on my board, another fall and I scraped my foot on the rocks below, the third fall I wound up under my board and banged my head, and then when I tried to get out of the water, the huge ass board attached to my leg (which I find quite dangerous) whipped around and hit me right in the ankle. I think that was my breaking point. I was done…get this stupid rash guard off of me, and take me home!

Alright alright, I’ve had my hot shower and my final mai tie of the trip….I think I’m in a better place to discuss the North Shore. I’m not going to erase any of my previous writing…my feelings were true about the surfing, however, I will say… “ I went surfing on the North Shore of Hawaii!” How awesome is that?….and let’s face it, you know deep down I loved every minute of it. I live for that….so hard you want to quit, challenge yourself, kind of stuff. The beach we went to was super nice and sandy. The weather held up until 5:00, so the tanning was good, and we took the long way around the island home, so I got to see some amazing mountain/ocean scenery. All in all I would say it was quite a good day. The drama queen stuff just makes the writing more fun :). However, I have an even greater respect for the “real” surfers of the North Shore….they are the true studs.

Journey to Green Sand Beach....Priceless 7/20/09

2009-07-23T20:50:00.000-07:00

New Tires- 150 dollars
New Axle- 400 dollars
Replacement of dented door- 300 dollars
Visit to the chiropractor- 100 dollars
Driving off road to magnificent green sand beach….Priceless

I guess if I had to make up a discover card commercial about our most recent Hawaii experience it would go something like this….although luckily we weren’t in our rental car…rather a Volkswagon belonging to a crazy fun Mexican dad’s aunt (did you follow that?).

What was meant to be an easy trip to South Point (the southern most tip of the US) followed by a 2.5 mile trek to the green sand turned into an unexpected adventure (this line sounds a bit familiar :)).

We arrived at South Point around 4:00. The trip there was beautiful. Open fields, cows grazing, rustic fences, and then the big vast ocean in front, stretching out in every direction. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen the ocean in such a farm like setting before. It was kind of strange, but very beautiful. Oh, and I forgot to mention all the cliffs outstretched along the coast…the waves crashing up against them….It was all very “movie scene” like. The three of us were wearing our “going out” dresses, and decided to take some pictures. I deliberated on keeping my dress on for the hike to the green beach (my attempt at making every hike just a bit different), but then thought of how irritated I would be if anything happened to it, (knowing my “hike style” that was pretty likely). I opted for the traditional tank and shorts. I changed in the back of the car while Jessica and Beth mingled with some of the local fisherman and other tourists (they were hiking in style, leaving the dresses on). When I exited the car, I found them talking to a man and his daughter about going to see the green sand beach. They wanted to see this phenomenon too, and invited us to ride in their 4 wheel drive car. This is where I need to be honest and say I was initially a little annoyed at this change of plans. I wanted a hike, I didn’t want to drive to the beach like a sissy….what’s the fun in that? Besides, I wasn’t in the mood to chat it up with a tattooed Mexican and his 13 year old daughter. What can I say, I was a little pouty as I hopped into the car….I can only hope that my feelings weren’t obviously written all over my face. Turns out, choosing to ride instead of walk was probably one of the best decisions we’ve made (funny enough I didn’t make this decision…..maybe that’s what made it so wise?- I tend to do a lot of not so smart things- maybe you’ve read a few of my other blogs?? :))

We started to drive down the road, that wasn’t really a road, more like a motorcycle /BMX off road course, complete with huge ruts, rocks and hills. We had no idea where the beach was, we were just trying to keep the car from flipping over. Reuben was hilarious. He was so incredibly witty. He referred to our vehicle as the Ninga Car. The interaction between him and his daughter Lauren was so funny, very typical father daughter stuff….but super sweet. The car was making all kinds of not so good noises…the three of us girls in the back just kept exchanging worried/funny looks. At one point we gunned it up this rocky mountain, all the while scraping the crap out of the bottom of the car and nearly tipping. When we reached the top Reuben exclaimed, “We are so bad ass!” We all put our hands in the air and cheered. After a lot of “choose your own adventure” route picking, we finally made it to the cliff that was the supposed home of the green sand below (just a few minutes before the “Henderson family” named by Reuben, made it by foot…interesting). We now began the hike down to the sand….our expectations were high…far too high considering the black sand beach and the red sand beach I saw in Hawaii were all sort of let downs….for some reason I was picturing this emerald green sparkling beach……bummer. The beach was brown from afar….and brown up close. It did however look greenish when I put it in my hand…I can appreciate the science in the green olivine mineral composition, but seriously people after nearly dieing in “aunties SUV” I was kind of hoping for something a little better.

Reuben put things in perspective though. The man had a new outlook on life…after spending 6 years battling a disease, he was given 5 weeks to live. He underwent a liver transplant, and is now going to see his daughter graduate from high school. In his words, “colors look different now.” It was a pleasure meeting him, and being around someone with such an enthusiastic spirit for life. Regardless of the sands color, the journey to the beach had been worth it, and the surrounding beauty of the cliffs, golden fields, and sparkling blue water will remain in my memory for a long time.

The road back was a tad less precarious. We found a flatter route to the north, and then a real road leading back to where we were parked….something you think the Frommers guide, or the gypsy lady selling us water might have mentioned earlier!! :) We got back just in time to see a beautiful sun set and just in time for Lauren and Jessica to decide we were going to go cliff jumping…..Ahhhhhhh.
That’s a whole other blog entry.

Glass Shard Mountain 7/20/09

2009-07-23T20:43:00.000-07:00

Based on the types of themes I’ve been writing about during this Hawaii trip, one would think that I had some sort of freakish death wish, or some kind of overwhelming need to do crazy stuff “just to say I did it.” Well, I suppose that’s partially true…not the death wish part, but there’s something so great about that adrenaline rush you get when you’re doing something so challenging, and a little stupid, and a little scary…something that not everyone does all the time….something thrilling. And I want you to know….some of the predicaments we’ve gotten ourselves into were not our fault…they weren’t planned…..others, well, most of the truly insane things we’ve done have sort of been my idea….but just for the record….I didn’t make the others follow my lead….they chose to follow my crazy path, so I guess that makes them just as nutso as me.

This last hike, the Kiluea Iki trail, was a bit too tame for my liking, so I decided to jazz it up by suggesting an off the beaten path climb up a nearby mountain with a great view into the volcanic crater we were hiking. It would just be a small detour and then we would catch the trail again and be on our merry way. (I definitely have Jason tendancies)

Later on the mountain- Jessica- “this is by far the dumbest thing we’ve done on this trip”

So, remember before how we hiked up that really big hill…not knowing that it was actually covered in briars?? Well, we were fooled again….you would have thought that we had learned our lesson…apparently not. Lets just say, it was a lot like hiking on shards of glass. The fear wasn’t so much that of falling off the mountain, but more falling into the pile of volcanic Aa Aa lava (more like ow ow lava) that was wicked sharp, and eroding away, causing small little landslides with every step. Oh, and the new rock was very unstable…lots of cracks and crevices to fall into….not a wise move Sarah. It was a very cool, and also kind of painful little adventure. The view from the top was amazing, and windy as anything. We tried to go down the other side and catch up to the trail, but learned that the other side was a sheer cliff drop off….I guess I didn’t notice that before we started….my bad. So we had to back track. Going down glass shard mountain wasn’t a picnic either. It was a welcomed relief to be back on the trail and hiking through the crater on flat, semi stable land. I felt glad to have done something that the other tourists had missed….I’m also glad that things worked out so well. I feel like maybe someone is watching out for me. Maybe I shouldn’t push my luck anymore :)

We celebrated our mountaineering success by putting on dresses and heading to a winery (the southern most winery in the US.) We got to do some free wine tasting with a portugease woman who was very friendly and fun to talk with. I surprisingly enjoyed every kind of wine we tried…what is it about Hawaii?? We ran into the same cute bike guy we saw in the parking lot of the trail head…..very ironic. He was also fun to talk to and he gladly took our picture. Another great day on the Big Island. Next we headed to South Point where our adventures continued.

The Ring of Fire 7/19/09

2009-07-23T20:35:00.000-07:00

Today Barry was being sent back to the mainland, so before he left we decided to do something very “Hawaii”, and give him something great to remember the island by. I’m not sure what is more “Hawaii” than volcanic lava flows…so that’s where we went. Unfortunately the lava viewing is officially in the evening, and there isn’t a lot of red hot stuff to be seen during the day, just a lot of billowing steam, according to some of the people we asked, but we decided to try anyways, in the hopes that the locals were wrong….they weren’t. We didn’t see any molten hot stuff exactly, but it was still pretty risky business….considering we completely ignored about 8 different DANGER signs prohibiting us from going where we were going. We were walking on brand new…or at least fairly new land…still soft, still super unstable….still hot. We ran into a guy who apparently lives on the lava field….weird….and we asked him if it was ok to be where we were….he rattled off about 10 different dangerous things that could happen, ranging from sulfur fumes to fiberglass gasses, to cave-ins….then he said…. “Well, have fun!” So the crazy live on lava guy seemed to think we were ok, so we ventured further…funny how my biggest fear was getting arrested, and not getting burned to a crisp by the hot steam, or the gooey molten rock…..hmmmmm?? So we walked along the restricted area for a bit….I was able to collect some lava rocks to give as souvenirs (sorry if you were hoping for a dashboard hula dancer :)) Then those “this is kind of a bad idea” voices in our heads started screaming at us, so we decided to leave…one of our smarter moves I’d say. We got in the car and listened to Johnny cash sing about the Ring of fire, and Jimmy Buffet sing about Volcanoes. I thought about what a neat experience I had. To be walking over such new, fresh, rock was pretty cool… I felt lucky to be able to experience something that few people get to….seems to be somewhat of a theme for the trip.

Clouds to Sun to Stars 7/18/09

2009-07-20T02:07:00.000-07:00

My day began at the dining room table of our two bedroom house in Volcano, eating banana pancakes with my roommates, and ended at a local graduation party in Hilo doing the electric slide and drinking pineapple wine….Not a bad day.

First I should say that the place we’re staying for the next 4 nights is so great. It’s an actual house that is so cozy…which would sort of explain why I spent most of the morning in my pj’s just being lazy (and getting caught up with the bachelorette online :)) I will post the link for the house so you can see pictures. It’s called hale I’iwi, and the owner is an artist with all of her original artwork hanging in the rooms….very cool.

In the afternoon we headed north to Hilo and stopped at the giant farmer’s market for fruits and veggies. It was the biggest market I’ve been to so far…they had all sorts of things…not just food, but also clothes, jewelry, etc…My indecisiveness decided to show-up, and I couldn’t figure out what I wanted to buy for souvenirs, so I’m sorry, but none of you are getting gifts….sorry :)

The next stop was to Arnott’s Lodge. It’s a hostel, but we basically were using them for their cheap excursions. The one we chose was sunset and stargazing at the top of Mauna Kea, the tallest mountain/volcano in the world (I think that’s what they said…either way it’s really big ). One problem….rain. It has been raining for the past two days straight. Apparently that’s what it does in Hilo…the rainiest city in the US (thanks for the heads up…would have been nice to know earlier :)) So, I was a little nervous about the stargazing part…it wasn’t looking good. When we got to Arnott’s we learned that we were the only 4 people going on the trip…score! We had our own personal tour…with our own awesome tour guide…Keoki, a native Hawaiian who was super fun, very cool, young, informative, and just a real good time. Keoki gave us such a good overlook of not only Mauna Kea, but Hilo, and the surrounding area….and he promised that 90% of what he was saying was actually true! :) We got to see Rainbow Falls, and went into an actual lava tube, all before ever reaching the volcano. He even let us stop at a gas station for snacks..it was the best! :) We drove to the visitor station, all the while listening to Keoki telling us funny stories. At the visitors center we hung out for a bit, getting acclimated to the high altitude before climbing to the summit at 13,927 ft (give or take). The weather was getting a bit chilly…good thing Arnott’s provided us with some super stylish outerwear! (see pictures below :)) We climbed to the summit, and had fun taking lots of goofy pictures… all the while surrounded in white clouds…..we basically couldn’t see anything around us…it was still neat, but a little disappointing. Then, all of a sudden I turned to see the most beautiful thing. The sun miraculously appeared, descending below the clouds….and then everything came into view. It was fantastic. I saw all of the observatories, back-dropped in reds and pinks. It’s hard to explain how truly awesome the scene. We were the only ones on the summit….how lucky (people were actually taking pictures of us!) Every time we turned around, we got a new exciting view of the clouds, Mauna Loa (the other volcano) and the volcanic cinder cones….it was breathtaking…..and freezing, and hard to breathe. So many feelings at once. After the sun set, the clouds rolled back in…so bizarre. I felt so lucky to have witnessed such an amazing site. (I feel like I’ve gotten to say that a lot on this trip). It was as if, the clouds parted just for us…amazing. Our experience wasn’t over though. We traveled down the mountain a bit, and then did some star gazing. As I mention in an early post, the stars are phenomenal here. I don’t think I’ve ever seen the sky look so majestic, so filled. The stars literally used up all the sky space. It was fairy tale like. Keoki, gave us some great info….some of the things completely new to me (even as an 8th grade earth science teacher….impressive…way to go Keoki!) What a great night. On the way home we learned a bit more about our tour guide (man can he talk). He shared with us his future plans…..one of which is to have an amazing sunset/stargazing restaurant (I’ve already committed myself to being a waitress/tour-guide (see ya later AMS). Then, the oddest thing….he invited us to his nephews graduation party. Weird huh? We of course didn’t want to pass this up, so we went, met some people, had a great time, and that’s where the electric slide comes into the story. I couldn’t stop smiling, thinking that I was in Hawaii, at a strangers graduation party, dancing……unreal (Have I already said how much I’ve enjoyed this trip? :) ) Oh yeah, and the pineapple wine actually comes in now….good stuff…hope you could follow my rambling. Another fine day in HI.

Dahana Ranch Downpour 7/17/09

2009-07-19T12:08:00.000-07:00

Ok, I just need to preface this post by reminding you that I’m having an amazing time…everything has gone perfectly, best trip ever….yadda yadda….

Now about the horseback riding.

Most miserable experience ever.

Ok, that’s a bit harsh.
To be fair:
I was on a horse….fun
I was in Hawaii….great
I was with friends…..bonus
I did laugh a lot……always a good thing
I did spend 1.5 hours looking at an extremely good looking Hawaiian cowboy….can’t complain

However….let’s talk about the weather!

It rained….no, scratch that….it down-poured
It was windy
It was cold
It was completely foggy- we saw nothing
I couldn’t wait to be off my horse (sammy) and into dry clothes
Is it possible to be that wet?? Yuck….still get the shivers thinking about it.

Who’s rotten idea was that?….oh wait….I believe that was all me……my bad.

You win some, you loose some right?

The Waipio "Where's the Waterfall Hike?" 7/16-7/17

2009-07-19T11:57:00.000-07:00

Are you tired of hearing about my hikes yet? Well, this one was definitely different….starting with the fact that we attempted it twice. It was a waterfall hike in Waipio Valley…this gorgeous section of the north part of the Big Island. The first day, the four of us set off looking for the supposed waterfall….bigger than any we had ever seen…according to the lady at the hostel, and some books we found. We first hiked down this rode that must have been around 2 miles long. straight down….very, very, steep. It took us a good 18 minutes to get to the bottom (I like to use my running watch to time all parts of our hikes….much to the annoyance of my traveling friends.) At times we would walk in diagonals just to take some of the pressure off of our “old people knees.” Once at the bottom, we continued along the path, that was more like a road than an actual trail. While on the trail we got a good taste of what Hawaiian life is like for the people living in the valley. We saw their taro farms, their small homes, their simple way of life…it was very eye opening, and I had a hard time figuring out how normal everyday was like for these people in the valley. On one hand I thought,
“how difficult”, but on the other hand, “how peaceful and simple” Oh, and during the hike we came across these stray horses who were so friendly…I got one to follow me for a bit, just like a little lost puppy…it was cute.

The tricky part of the hike was that parts of the trail were covered in water….the kind of water you couldn’t just hop over. I first tried just taking off my shoes for the wet parts, and then putting them back on, but then I realized just how much of the hike was through water so I gave up, and did a lot of the hike in my barefeet….like I said….every hike is a bit different :) We saw a lot of beautiful things while looking for the waterfall ( many of those things on private property) but never quite found it. On our way back out, we did spot the trail head, but by that time it had been 3 hours, and most of the group was spent….so we vowed to come back again, and finish what we started at a later date….besides we still had the grueling uphill climb to master.

The next morning, Jessica and I woke up early, determined to finish what we had started the day before…This time around we knew exactly where we had to go, unfortunately we had no clue how hard the actual hike was, or how long it would take us. We had gotten a lot of different responses from the people we had asked, so we were kind of going at it blind. The added challenge was a time limit. We had to be checked out of our place by 12:00..we were under the gun….This was not a leisurely stroll to a waterfall, this wasn’t some pansy hike, this was a serious endeavor, a race against the clock….we were on a mission….get there, and get back…no fluffy stuff. We took one bag, one camera, and this time I came prepared with both flip flops and shoes. Right from the start, I knew this would be a hike like no other. The trail was very overgrown, and it was super wet, so every rock was a chance to slip. Also, this trail required going through the water, not just ankle deep, but up to my chest. During one part of the trip I was literally holding our backpack above my head, as I waded in water up to my neck…I had to get passed my, “gross, what’s in the water/hope I don’t step on something nasty” fear. The trail was also extremely hard to follow. Many times we would loose the trail….cut our own path, and then find it again later. I guess you could call the setting “wet jungle” a bit like our IAO Valley hike, but with more stream crossings, and more upward rocky climbs. It was one of the hardest, if not the most difficult trail so far, and ironically I was forced to do most of it in my bikini and flipflops ( because of all the water). We did, surprisingly enough, meet up with a guy named Jeremy. Jeremy was a little different. Jess likes to refer to him as a cartoon character. He was on some type of spiritual quest, and ended up going with us the rest of the way to the falls. (He is also the reason I soaked my shoes- I won’t really hold it against him, but I was kind of pissed at the time, to say the least- maybe a story for later). I’ll admit when we actually made it to the falls, I was a little disappointed. Instead of rushing water, we got what amounted to a trickle of water falling from an enormous cliff…still impressive….the shear cliff walls alone were a sight, but I was hoping for a little more water. Regardless, Jessica and I went swimming in the cool waterfall pool for a quick minute, and then it was back to business. I don’t think I’ve ever hiked as quickly as I did that day….we were like professionals…minus the few slips we both took…. we made it back to the main road in a little over two hours….The final hike up, up , and more up…was the most challenging (26 minutes- thank you timex). It was quite the workout. We made it back to the hostel with 20 minutes to spare….not bad.

Thoughts on a Hillside 7/15/09

2009-07-17T01:02:00.000-07:00

The lava fields. This island is like no other I’ve seen. The barrenness of the land….the igneous rock is everywhere…..making up the entire island, and in my mind, I don’t find it that beautiful…..but as I observe this “dead” landscape, I see life….I see beautiful things growing amongst the rock….in-spite of the rock, there is growth, there is hope, there is beauty.

We jumped the barbed wire fences, we approached our hill. From a distance it was majestic, it was perfect for climbing…to look from afar, it was a straight shot to the top…it would be easy. We began the accent….as we got closer, we realized the challenge of our hill….there were easy patches of long soft grass, but throughout this grass were briar bushes…..painful thorns at every turn….we hadn’t expected this set back on our “easy hike” to the top of our hill. We were committed though, there was no turning back, we couldn’t control this, we never saw it coming…we had to go through it…we had no choice. It’s nice we had each other though….we were struggling together….at times laughing, at times cursing our rotten luck, at times wanting to quit, but feeling there was no other place to go but to continue up. Then someone would remind us of our goal…to reach the top…to see the sunset….and we would press on. While traveling through the painful briars I would sometimes stop and just look around at the amazing beautiful view….breathtaking, and I would forget the hard part of the climb. “It’s going to be worth it”, a voice called from the top of our hill- encouragement from above. Then the summit….exhilarating.

Life isn’t a straight shot….Life isn’t easy….life is filled with brokenness and pain….but life is also an incredible journey, full of wonderful things, blessings, beauty, love, adventure, excitement….The goal is to finish…..The goal is to live life in the best possible way we can…no regrets….We know this life isn’t it….we have a wonderful “top of the hill” to look forward to….we have that hope…..we press on towards that which we were promised. We are not alone. We have other life climbers with us….we hold hands….and we go together….we endure together….we share the good parts and the bad parts…..we listen for that encouraging voice from the top…..we press on and look forward to a day with no briars.

Big Island 7/14-7/15/09

2009-07-17T00:54:00.000-07:00

We traveled north today along 190 up the Kohala Coast…our final destination, a small old -time- hotel in Honoka’a, which I will for now refer to as the sleepy town. It’s so quiet here, and everything is closed (at 8:00)…I guess some would call it creepy, I find it to be somewhat peaceful. The two adjoining rooms in our “suite” seem to be a cross between the bed and breakfast I stay at when my family goes to Lakeside, and the little room I stayed in when visiting my grandparent’s as a child. I’m not sure how everyone else feels about it, but I really like it. It’s the perfect place for relaxing and reflecting on the day…which was quite eventful. We started the morning with a great breakfast, banana/macadamia nut French toast…which I was a bit hesitant about at first, but ended up really liking. We checked out of the Coffee Barn, and headed to a historic park called Pu’uhonua o Honaunau. I’m not always into historical stuff…I’m not a big fan of museums typically….call me shallow….but these ancient Hawaiian ruins were all outside right on the water and were really quite neat. I was able to learn some interesting things, see some really beautiful things, and make some calls on my cell phone all at one time…..great multi-tasking!

Next we went in search of a beach. One thing I’m finding on the big Island is that the beach selection is somewhat limited. There are beaches, but a lot of them are rocky, or super crowded, or really small, or in-front of a swanky resort. I’m not complaining, I’m just saying it’s been a little different compared to the other islands…just a little more challenging to get what we’re looking for. The first place we went was called A-bay (actually a much longer name, but this is how the locals refer to it). I would actually give it a C+. It didn’t help that it was cloudy and sort of cold, and then it down poured, which luckily has never happened on this trip yet. We took cover at the neighboring resort where we went to the bar and got a drink…that was sort of fun. The next beach we tried was Kahalu’u ( it was swarming with snorkelers and was only about 50 yards long)…try again. We finally settled at La’aloa Beach. This beach had the best sand…so soft….The beach was small and crowded, but at this point it was nice just to be laying down on our towels and I had to remind myself that even if the day seemed stressful, we were still on a beach in HAWAII…life was good. This beach was also unique in that it had massive waves….along with massive rocks…..tricky business. It was funny to watch everyone play in the waves….all on one side (trying to avoid the rocks on the right), all crowded together like at Geauga Lake….remember the WAVE pool….everyone would get super excited when the gigantic wave started to approach then there was a lot of screaming….and then the loud powerful crash of the wave against the sand. Jessica and I braved the waves for a bit. I was reminded of how much power the ocean has. I got caught in the “crash zone” a few times. It was like being in a washing machine….the swimsuit definitely came off, and as I tried to recover, I got hit again….it was so….fun?? Well, I guess I could have done without that part of it, but I loved the energy of everyone in the water….young and old…..all having fun….all in awe of the nature they were a part of.

We left the beach, on our way North. On the way the scenery began changing…We were in cowboy country for sure….golden wheat (or some kind of wavy plant looking like wheat,) contrasting beautifully with the darkening sky, and the vast black lava fields…gorgeous. Mountains as a backdrop, and green hills lit just perfectly by the lowering sun. It was worth stopping for a better look. We exited the car and explored the land…at one point I just took off running up the highway in my flip flops, it was the type of setting you just couldn’t not run in. As we continued to drive, we saw the best hill in the distance…..We all wanted to climb to the top…we had to do it….the hill was calling us……to be continued

Coffee Barns and Kayaks 7/13-7/14

2009-07-17T00:46:00.000-07:00

Our first days on the Big Island have been a lot of fun. We added two more people to our group….Beth and Barry. Our first accommodation was in South Kona at a Macadamia Nut/Coffee farm. It wasn’t quite what we expected….Barry likes to refer to it as a hut…I’d say it was more like a nice cabin…The beds were cozy….but had mosquito nets around them, which may give you an idea of what we were dealing with here. We were a little freaked out the first night….Barry found a giant spider among other things…so we all sort of held up in one bed, watching Friends on the computer and eating the ultimate comfort food…brownie mix…it was quite humorous.

The next day we rented kayaks and braved the open sea (can you always tell when I’m exaggerating? ) Well, we were paddling in the Pacific…and there were waves….and there were DOLPHINS…..that’s right….our 30 dollar kayak rental turned into a “swim with the dolphins” excursion. It was so great! They were all around us. We took turns abandoning ship and swimming with them. I can’t tell you how cool it was. After the dolphins, came the fantastic snorkeling. We docked our boats…hiked to the Captain Cook monument, rescued our wheat bread from a hungry mongoose, and then did some of the best snorkeling of the trip. I saw fish I’d never seen before…all kinds….some frankly were a little scary. We paddled back after a while….taking our time. We finally were forced out of the water by a rainstorm. The ride back to the rental company was a bit interesting….we weren’t the best at attaching our kayaks to the car…..let’s just say we’re pretty lucky travelers. We finished out the day with dinner at an outside restaurant/brewery. Not a bad Hawaiian day I’d say.

IAO Valley- Hike 2 of 2 Pacula/Lantz Style 7/10/09

2009-07-15T02:15:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things about this trip thus far has been its spontaneity. True, I did spend quite a bit of time researching accommodations before we came, but since actually arriving in Hawaii we’ve been flying blind…. in a really good way. Everyday we get to decide what we want to do…it’s really fun….and so far everyday has been pretty perfect.
I loved our most recent hike because it wasn’t like the rest. For starters we decided to run it. It was suppose to be all paved, so we thought it would be easy. We started out, whizzing by all the tourists who I’m sure either thought we were super cool, or super crazy. Or maybe they just thought we were super dumb, because the paved path was about a quarter mile loop….the shortest run in history. That just wouldn’t do. We saw other unpaved paths, but they all had signs saying “remain on designated walkways”….so of course we took the forbidden paths….are you shocked? After all, we survived the forbidden road….this was child’s play :) We continued with our running, which became a little more difficult. We were running through rainforest. It was so tough and fun. I felt like a kid. We were crossing streams rock to rock, jumping logs, and running straight up at times. At some point the running stopped. The jungle became thick and the path was taking us deeper and deeper into the valley. Or at least we were taking ourselves deeper into the valley. There were multiple paths all going in different directions…sometimes up, and sometimes down. We were for sure lost, but we didn’t seem to care. We were having too much fun. At one point we stopped and I showed Jessica how to do a “hold up” on a skinny piece of tree…it was pretty funny. We also stopped close to the top where we saw some amazing climbing trees. Jessica and I each had our own to climb, and from our “tree houses” we could see the peaks of the IAO valley walls around us. All this time we hadn’t spotted a single other person…we had managed to leave the tourists behind us and got to explore the beautiful IAO Valley in a whole new way. I loved it. On the way back Jessica was in the lead ( I was responsible for getting us to wherever it was we were, it only seemed fair that Jess have a chance to lead- and get us back….some might say she got the shorter end of the stick for this one, after all, it was getting late, and now it sort of mattered which path we took back…no one wants to be stuck in a jungle at night). We set off, definitely not going the same way we came up (an impossible task given the random path picking we had done earlier). Jessica found an awesome route though, taking us to a clearing, and a path that ran right along the cliff edge of the valley (sorry for the visual mom). Don’t worry, we only stayed on this “slip and plummet to your death” path for a short while- Jessica does have some common sense and found us an alternate route, with some equally amazing views, just a little less risky. We hadn’t been hiking down long when we suddenly saw the parking lot….it was the oddest thing. At one point we were lost to the world, hiking through thick jungle, and a second later we were plopped right back into civilization….it was so strange how our adventure had ended so abruptly, nice path picking Jessica! It was funny coming out of the forbidden pathway covered in dirt and sweat and watching the reaction of some of the tourists….especially when we climbed over the railing right next to the sign that said basically to keep out…we’re such rule breakers :) We went back to our little B&B in Kula that night satisfied with our fun filled hiking day. We got cleaned up and treated ourselves to dinner in Lahaina at a placed called Cool Cats. We walked the streets of shops and restaurants for good measure. Whatever “kid-like” super energy we had possessed during our adventure run had surely left us, and we turned back into our normal, need to go to bed by 11:00 adult selves. It had been an all around great day.

Waihee Ridge hike 1 of 2 7/10/09

2009-07-15T02:06:00.000-07:00

Although this hike lacked the thrills that some of our other hikes have had, it was still one of my favorites. I guess I could relate it to waking up and deciding to go on a morning walk through town…If your town was in Kula… on the side of a mountain, in the beautiful upcountry of Maui. We hiked through a lot of woods, surprisingly reminding me of Ohio a bit. The views were pretty spectacular, and the weather was perfect…the Hawaiian breeze that I love so much, was again present. Jessica and I had some of our best conversations on this hike. I have to say here how much I really appreciate my traveling partner….there aren’t too many people who can spend five weeks straight, 24/7 with me, and not be completely annoyed by all of my Sarahisms (in-fact, I think it’s funny how she’s taken on some of my funny quarks, and at times, I’ve taken on a few of hers). We have a lot of fun together.
After our hike we found an eye doctor so Jessica could get her glasses fixed- She had a hair clip holding them together during our hike :) We also found a cute little bakery and had a piece of triple mousse cake to energize us for our next hike in IAO Valley (see next post).

An Unexpected Sunday 7/5, 7/12/09

2009-07-12T13:10:00.000-07:00

As I’m typing this entry, I’m sitting on what could be known as the best bed ever. The room is nice and dark, the fan is silently blowing the perfect amount of air and the bed is so soft….but not too soft…just right. (and apparently I’ve turned into Goldilocks :) ) The pillows aren’t the suffocating kind, but just the perfect amount of smooshiness, and it’s quiet…which I’m finding is somewhat of a rarity here in Hawaii…you know with all the roosters, birds, dump trucks (thanks Hale Maui)..etc. It’s been sort of hard to get good sleep lately, but last night was pretty great…minus the minor disturbance at 4am when I wanted to itch my legs off (did I mention I’m covered in mosquito bites (who’s dumb idea was it to sleep on a bug infested beach?? :). So I’m at a bed and breakfast in Kihea. It’s fantastic. The host Eva, just served us breakfast (these amazing strawberry filled pancakes) on her open air upper level deck. The house is beautiful, and Eva upgraded us to a suite with a bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and living room. It’s perfect. I went on a run this morning on the beach…well three beaches actually (they all sort of connect with these cute little trails, perfect for running). It is indeed a nice surprise to have such a nice Sunday morning. Jess and I might just hang out in this nice bed and watch a movie until our plane leaves at 4 this afternoon (the beauty of a 5 week vacation were finding is that you don’t have to rush…you can relax without feeling like you’re wasting time). I’m loving it.

Last Sunday was a bit unexpected as well, and I just didn’t have the chance to write about it until now. It was the day we left the Banana Bungalow. We checked into Hale Maui and decided to spend the evening on the Southwest coast, on what the natives call Big Beach (this was recommended to us by our friends from Kauai, Adrian and Tiffany, as well as the hostel). Big beach lived up to it’s name, it was pretty huge, but not crowded at all. Everyone seemed to be leaving. We did hear drumming in the distance so we followed the sound up and over this cliff to Little Beach next door. The sight was vastly different. As we descended the cliff we came onto a small beach filled with people…all kinds of people…old, young…some were swimming, some were just sitting around talking, and lots were dancing. Some dancers had hula hoops, others had scarves that they were waving… There was a circle of drummers carrying a steady rhythmic beat that you couldn’t help but want to move too. The backdrop to this “event” (which apparently goes on every Sunday) was the most gorgeous sunset…coloring the sky in hot pinks and purples….Then I saw a bare butt in the water… “what the heck??”….then I turned and saw boobs…then,…. “oh my, I’m not use to seeing that”…..Then it came back to me…Little Beach is clothing optional….for a brief second at had forgotten that small little detail, which made my first few minutes at this “circus” a little shocking to say the least. I needed to play it cool, but I just didn’t know quite where to look…I was a little out of my comfort zone to say the least. Slowly, I started to feel more comfortable though (not that comfortable mom….no I did not take off my top!). Jessica and I sat down on our towels, I’m sure looking just about as awkward as we felt. But listening to the music and watching the dancing started to seem less and less weird…it was strange, but as I watched these carefree dancers and drummers having such a wonderful time…obviously not really caring at all what others thought of them, or their nakedness, I couldn’t help but be the slightest bit envious of their self confidence, and freeness….there’s no way I would ever feel that open to dance around naked…why is that? I couldn’t help but think back to when God first created everything in the Garden, and what it was suppose to be like….no guilt, no shame, no inhibitions…kind of like these “hippies”…..We sure have fallen away from what God really intended for us it seems…not just about being naked, but what that represents ya know?

Anyways, we met a guy named Jason who was super nice to us he had a drum and let us play along which was really cool (I feel a new hobby coming on :)). As it turned dark the fire dancing began. Naked hula hooping with fire….now that’s some risky stuff. It was pretty impressive. Everyone sort of packed it up then and went home by 8:30…it was weird. All the people were really nice, helping people down over the cliff with flashlights…..What a night! It will definitely be an experience I will remember for a long time.

I did take a few pictures (meaning to get the drummers and the sunset…although I got a little more than that if you know what I mean….totally by accident (I blame Jason for coaxing me to get closer to get a better shot) I will post the clean stuff. :). I also will post a picture of the lava beach Jessica and I went to yesterday on the very southern tip of the island, and a picture of me eating sugar cane which we picked (which was not at all easy) from a field on the side of the road...it was pretty funny.

I’m off to the Big Island next to meet up with Beth and Barry. I’m looking forward to it. We have a lot of fun excursions planned. Maui has been great though…nothing to complain about….except maybe the speed of the trip. I could stay another 5 weeks.

Maui Days 7/5-7/9/09

2009-07-10T00:04:00.000-07:00

Well, just in case anyone was wondering, Jessica and I found a nice (ok, not sooo nice, but acceptable) beach for our evening under the stars. We got quite a late start, but I was really glad we were finally able to say we slept on a random beach all night. And boy was it ever the longest night in history. Sleeping on the cold (and super windy), hard sand wrapped in my zip-up and a pair of yoga pants wasn’t really what I pictured. I did see stars though, and the full moon was beautiful. The rain was somewhat annoying, and I was a little paranoid after waking up at 4 am to see people….(why do people tend to seem so scary late at night?) but I think it was just one of those things I had to do… We left the beach around 6 am, having slept maybe 1.5 hours…we decided to utilize our time. We changed at a Burger King, and then did some laundry at a local place. It was hard work trying to keep my eyes open. We decided we needed some rest so we drove back up past Lahaina to our old stomping grounds in Honokowai which is in the North west part of Maui, and spent most of the day laying out on the rocks and snorkeling.

Did I not tell you about our condo in that area?? Well it was called Hale Maui, and the owner Hans was a very sweet older gentleman who was very welcoming. It had a bedroom, kitchen area, 2 couches, TV, and a side balcony where you could still see the ocean (quite a step up from our hostel experience). Although it was quite touristy,(the whole area was lined with condos like ours) Jessica and I managed to find a market, an amazing rocky peninsula for our “beach days” (away from all the resorty people), and a fun/unexpected running path along the coast. It was just what we needed. We spent our 3 days in that area, basically lounging and doing a lot of snorkeling. We did take an evening to stroll around the town of Lahaina, with all it’s shops, art galleries, and restaurants. We saw the biggest banyan tree in the world (not sure about that one, but it has to be in the top three), as well as a group of hula dancers practicing on a tennis court…very random.

I’ve enjoyed this Hawaii trip so much. It has been the perfect vacation…I’ve been lucky to have traveled to so many places around the world, and they’ve all been amazing in different ways, so I can’t really compare them, but I will say Hawaii is a place I will be returning (destination wedding anyone?? :))

With that said, I’m getting a little nervous about the dreaded fly home day. The time has gone so fast. I’m afraid of real life….I like Hawaii life. Real life is scary, stressful, complicated, and hard…Nothing is hard about Hawaii. I know what you’re saying…. “that’s because you’re on vacation, vacation is not the real world!” I know that, I guess I’m just not really looking forward to Canton just quite yet. But I do miss all of you…that’s why I would never live here (relax mom- I haven’t looked for jobs here) My friends and family are too important to relocate….plus, I think your problems follow you when you move….even moving to Hawaii. Wow, I must be tired… sharing all of this deep emotional crap :).

Anyways, I’m at a bed and breakfast in Kula a small little town on the side of Haleakala. It’s very quaint, and Jessica and I are looking forward to getting some much needed sleep. Oh, side note…If you run down a volcano, it may feel amazing, like you can run forever…but the way up is terrible…I do not recommend this….the views aren’t quite as great when you’re feeling like you could die…stick to biking, walking, or riding in a car :).

Stay tuned for my next post about the nude beach…I went there last Friday and haven’t had a chance to write about it yet. Note to Grandparents who may be reading, this post may be PG-13 :).

Aloha

Road to Hana- aka the longest night 7/9/09

2009-07-09T04:44:00.000-07:00

You’ll never guess where I am…..You know the movie Sound of Music? You know the very opening scene when Maria is charging up over the hillside, that great shot of her spinning in the open field surrounded by mountains?…Well imagine that, with mountains as a back drop and the open sea in the front. I’m sitting on the very edge of this amazing sea cliff on my pink beach towel in complete darkness listening to the sound of the waves crashing against the rocks below. Jessica and I are sleeping here tonight. Yep, we’re sleeping under the stars (well, clouds right now, but we’re hoping that will change). Ok, I’m not sure how much sleep we’re going to get, but we came equipped with snacks, drinks, and movies on the Mac book- we’re really roughing it :) The best part is that it’s totally secluded. Just us, some bugs, a scary big bird that keeps flying over -head, and the country cows. We are just above Homoa Beach, and we plan on seeing an amazing sunrise in the morning.

We left our condo this morning around 11:00 and headed to the Hana Highway, #36/360. We stopped at Hookipa beach to see some windsurfing, and then continued driving most of the day, stopping at some scenic spots, and cute roadside stands. The drive was all twists and turns (Heather, you never would have made it :)) but Jessica did a great job driving and we made it to Hana without any problems. We did a little exploring in the cute town, which seems to be virtually untouched by regular “Maui” tourist stuff….it was a nice change of pace. Then we scoped out our place, stopped at a public bathroom to change into our pj’s/jeans and headed up to our hill. It should be an interesting night, but I’m so happy to be having this spontaneous little adventure. I’ll let you know how it goes, and who knows maybe you’ll get a phone call in the morning from me if I can’t sleep.

-4 hours later-

You’ll never guess where I’m sitting….you know that cute little diner called Denny’s- Well, here we are……drinking our bottomless hot chocolates….What happened you asked?? Well, what didn’t happen. Things were going sooo well. We were sitting on our little cliff, we had unpacked our stuff and we were enjoying nature at it’s finest (later in the story we will end up hating that same nature….but I’ll get to that) Anyways, we were like two little school girls camping in the backyard…complete with our flashlights, and fun little games to play….Unfortunately, boredom set in a lot sooner than we had anticipated, in fact, at one point Jessica looked at her watch and said, “8:19! What the hell?!”….It was going to be a long night….and then it rained. Well, let me clarify, in my opinion, we bailed a little early…If it wasn’t for all of our dumb computer equipment, we might have stuck it out, but I couldn’t risk the MAC book, and to be honest, it was the cloudiest night in Hawaii history…(what rotten luck), so a downpour was just around the corner. We made it to the car with no real plans, so we drove around Hana….which apparently shuts down at sunset….Where are all the people??….It was now 9:03 and way dark…what to do, what to do?? I know, we’ll just drive to the Oheo gulch…it’s in the guide book after all, and it says there’s camping there…what a great idea……(our plans after Denny’s include burning said guide book)….

We took off in the direction of the Gulch along highway 31….Something you should know, I use the term highway very very loosely….this is the worst rode I’ve ever been on (the forbidden road as we now refer to it- mostly because the car rental place told us we weren’t allowed to go on it….I’m sorry I doubted you Alamo- but in our defense, we were looking for the dumb campsite/Gulch thing, but apparently got sucked into some kind of crazy abyss/void where everything is quiet, dark, and creepy) Ok, back to the road, how do I explain this?…one lane all the time, dirt/bumpy rocks, Mountain wall on the passenger side and sheer cliff drop off to the crashing waves 500 ft. below on the driver’s side- not a picnic by any means…kudos to Jess for not killing us.

I think the two of us remained quite calm (at least outwardly) in spite of the circumstances….Inside though, I was freaking out. We were driving FOREVER- with no end in site…the road just kept going and going…at one point I think we entered the Haleakala National park, so we now had volcano crap on the right….Has anyone ever heard of a road sign?? We never saw any towns, any houses, any other cars, it was like being the last 2 people left on the planet. I was afraid of these things, 1- running out of gas, 2, flat tire, 3, killed by stranger ( not likely), or 4, driving off rode into the sea (very likely). We were reaching a breaking point…our light conversation was slowly turning into scary silences where neither of us knew quite what to say…we were both pretty scared I think….

Just when we thought our car would fall to pieces from all the rattling, the bumps and rocks turned to pavement, sweet, glorious, pavement!……Then the cows came. They were everywhere…big ones, bigger ones, the biggest cows we’ve ever seen! Oh, and deer too…what was this the Maui zoo??! It was one obstacle after another…..Then we hit a cow…oh yes, you heard me correct…..WE HIT A COW right in the face!….I think that could be classified as a low point in our otherwise perfect trip. Alamo’s not going to be happy…for multiple reasons.

So here we are, we made it to civilization. We traveled the whole way around the island….in the dark. We never made it to the Oheo Gulch, and we don’t really care. This Denny’s booth is way more rewarding. Now, only one small thing, It’s 1:30 am, and we still have no place to stay….hmmmm I feel another adventure coming on….or maybe Denny’s will let us spend the night here :)

Oh, PS- I have no pictures of the drive….too scared and too dark….maybe I’ll put some pictures on from the first part of the trip, the carefree and fun part. I also want to tell you about how great Maui has been- I'll post that later though, this just couldn't wait :)

Independence Day in a Volcanic Crater

2009-07-07T14:46:00.000-07:00

There were no picnics, no fireworks, and in general, no mention of July 4th (I guess that’s what happens when you spend the holiday with people from Germany, Switzerland, England, and Canada), but I will say that it was one of the most memorable Independence day’s I’ve had.

Jessica and I piled into a van with 14 other people bound for the dormant volcano Haleakala on Tuesday. We were supposedly going to be going on a twelve- mile hike into and back out of the main volcanic crater. Looking in on the van though, you might not have thought hiking trip, maybe mall trip instead. Our group seemed a little less than prepared, which sort of baffled Jess and I. Who hikes 12 miles in converse shoes with a beer in hand?? I kept wanting to tell them, “you know that’s not really the best way to hydrate”….seriously people. Apparently that didn’t stop them though from kicking our butts in the hiking department, as Jess likes to point out. Most of them beat us by a good 25 minutes to the top…although I’m sticking to my, “it wasn’t a race story.” You know if it were a competition we would have won :) even if I had to carry Jessica on my back…who was such a trooper by the way, considering the fact that on the sleeping giant hike she had actually said, “I don’t think I’d ever want to go on an all-day hike” Sorry Jessica, did I not mention the 12 mile part?? Woops :).

So the hike was long, but pretty amazing. The views were spectacular, and it was just neat to be able to say I hiked into a volcano. The tour guide was super nice, although I don’t know if I would call him a guide…..He put on his headset and charged ahead like a mountain goat…stopping for cigarettes along the way…speaking in a heavy, although very sexy, accent that I couldn’t ever understand…..so the education part was a bit limited, but he did show me a rare “volcano only” plant called the silversword which was kind of cool, and he gave me a piece of chocolate which helped him score some good bonus points.

We spent a good bit of the trip talking with a guy named Daniel from Manchester England. He currently lives in Paris, and had some interesting things to say about Americans, politics, music, and his crazy life style (I’m constantly amazed at how different peoples’ views are from mine…..it was, to say the least, eye opening conversation…. at times, completely hilarious. The guy was so witty.

The hike out of the volcano was the most strenuous. It was the last 4 miles, mostly uphill, and with the altitude (9,000 ft), it was kind of difficult, but we were literally in the clouds! The cloud mist tickled my nose, a sensation I can’t say I’ve ever had before. After the hike we drove another couple hundred feet to the summit to watch the sunset in the clouds. It was beautiful and freezing. I felt close to my dad there…almost thought he would walk across the clouds to come say hi….

I tried to carry a rock out of the park as a souvenir, but got yelled out (I had already put a small one in my backpack though which I conveniently forgot about…I do feel a bit guilty now….do you think security will hold me in Hawaii?? That may not be a bad thing, come to think about it:).) I did get some good pics, and my calves have never been so sore….a constant reminder of the “fun” I had. Can’t really complain though, it was quite an experience. As I type this I’m drinking a hot chocolate from the “Bad Ass” coffee company, and I can’t help but think it’s kind of appropriate for this post. I think hiking through a volcano 12 miles is pretty “Bad Ass”, and it made for one heck of a memorable Independence Day!

Banana Bungalow 7/3-7/5/09

2009-07-06T04:14:00.001-07:00

I often find myself wondering when exactly it will be before I start feeling like an actual adult. Oh, I have my moments when I can act like a grown-up…I’m usually pretty mature at work, and I can carry on a pretty serious conversation when I have to….but in general, I’m sort of kid-like. This trip has proven that over and over again. For instance, I’ve found a new love for the candy NERDS (how many adults do you know that carry around a handful of colorful sugar specks with them on a regular basis??). I also like to wear my hooded sweatshirt over top of my nice going out dress, I have been known to suck red wine through a twizzler, and phrases such as, “race you up that rock face,” and “come on Jess, let’s do handstands on this mountain just to say we did it” often come out of my mouth. In general I would say that the “non-adult” way of living life is much more fun, but sometimes I worry that I should be different by now…that I should give up the hot chocolate and order a black coffee if you know what I mean.

Well this past Friday, I had a break through, a little hint of adultness if you will, that told me that in spite of all my weird childish quarks, I’m still a 30 year old.

We arrived at our Hostel, the Banana Bungalow Friday evening. Up until then, we’d spent a good portion of the day complaining about leaving Kauai. We made a final stop at Tunnels beach to get sand for Leisyl (which later caused me to be stopped in the airport and searched….thanks a lot Leisyl :)) and also Bubba’s to get a burger for Jessica. We said goodbye to Tahiti Nui, and drove one more time down highway 580 to the airport. By the time our plane took off though, I was feeling excited about exploring a new island, although a little nervous about our hostel. Jessica and I both had experience in hostel accommodations, but had read some dodgy reviews the night before about this particular one, and felt just a bit uneasy. Our plane landed, we grabbed a taxi, and the driver proceeded to tell us in his own blunt way that the BB wasn’t a very good choice, and that we should have gone to Lahaina instead. Thanks, that was very helpful Mr. I obviously don’t like my job, minivan driving taxi guy- Things were not looking good.

Once at the hostel though, I felt much better. From at least the safety perspective, everything seemed to be on the up and up. The staff was very friendly, and all the people we ran into were very nice and asked us to join them for hot-tubing. That’s when the 30 year old Sarah showed up.

It was in the moments of getting the tour of the place, seeing the closet, I mean room where I would be staying, observing the shared bathrooms, and labeling my food in a kitchen shared by 45 other people, it was during this time that I realized, I’ve already done the college dorm- life thing- I’ve already had my fun on a top bunk, and I’ve already experienced staying up until 3am with friends, just talking and drinking, and that life was a blast….but I’m not 21 anymore. I want to go to bed at a reasonable hour, I want my own bathroom, I want a bed with more than a pathetic little white sheet, and I NEED A CLOSET, ( and apparently some shower shoes…gross:)).

There was absolutely nothing wrong with the Banana Bungalow, it was all me. Somewhere along the way of life, I apparently turned into a grown-up, and it showed. If only for this short amount of time, I was happy to be a 30 year old professional with a salary- I wanted adult stuff- like a condo or a charming Bed and Breakfast.

Clearly Jessica was feeling the same way…10 minutes after unloading our things, we both proceeded to take our laptops outside and look for a new place. We sat together in mostly darkness around a plastic circular piece of patio furniture. We were undoubtedly out of place, surrounded by a few dozen people in bathing suits, beers in hand, talking, laughing, having a great time…I wondered at that moment, “what is wrong with me, why do I feel so out of place here?”..but now I know….I’m a grown-up…or at least part grown-up…and as I type this from my comfortable couch in my spacious condo complete with a view of the ocean, I have to think that being an adult definitely has it’s perks! :)

For the record, we did stay 2 nights at the Banana Bungalow, and had an amazing trip to a volcano that I will fill you in on later…so I don’t feel like we completely sold out. Also we met some really nice people- I don’t want you to think it was all bad :)

Last Days In Kauai 7/3/09

2009-07-03T16:05:00.000-07:00

Well, today is my last day in Kauai and I must say, I'm pretty sad about it. I've had an absolutely great time here on the Garden Island. It was the perfect combination of thrilling adventure and laid back restfulness that I wanted. Yesterday Jessica and I went to a local beach (I can't remember the name off hand....starts with a K....everything seems to start with a k here :)) It was beautiful. I asked Jess if she wanted to swim out to this rock with me....thinking her answer would be that of many of my friends when I ask them to do something such as this...,"heck no" "that's stupid" "go for it- but don't come crying to me when a shark bites off your leg" you know, the usual responses....but she surprised me and said "sure"! So we took two boogie boards and started out...not really going at a very fast pace, but still making progress. We were pretty far out...just floating in the middle of the Pacific....I think we were both thinking we should turn back....just feeling a little uneasy...out of our element...but my stuborness kept me from saying anything...I forced Jessica to make the call....She wisely said we should head back...I agreed. When we got back to the beach, one of the locals (who ironically was the pineapple farmer I met at the market..small world), told us we probably shouldn't have been out so far with our black-bottomed boogie boards because the tiger sharks he often sees swimming right where we were, would mistake us for sea turtles and eat us for lunch...well, he didn't say that last part, but that's what he meant. So I guess we lucked out....oh, and Jessica nearly ate a gecko that was sitting in her brownie batter..on her spoon...it was a pretty stressful day! :)

Side note- met up with friends Tiffany and Adrian at Tahit Nue last night- we talked "teacher" with them- They were super fun.

Today has been uneventful- morning yoga, packing, and laying in the hammock, reading, with a purring cat on my lap....not a bad day so far.

Stay tuned for my next posts though...we're heading to Maui today and staying in a hostel that may or may not be a little shady...keep your fingers crossed...I'm sort of nervous...Should be an experience either way.

Pics are of the lighthouse here in town and some more flowers for battles to identify for me.

Smutty TV in Paradise

2009-07-02T14:54:00.000-07:00

I have a confession, don’t judge me, but I really like the show, “The Bachelorette.” I never thought I’d be one to watch this stupid show, but I’ve gotten sucked into the reality drama, and just can’t wait to see who Jillian will choose to be her husband. Luckily, Jessica likes it too….infact, she’s the one that got me hooked in the first place (sorry to rat you out Jess). So it’s been pretty hilarious…the two of us in the Gazebo at the farm- the only place where there’s wireless, sitting in our plastic anorondak chairs, feet propped up, with an “internet box” between us. Of course, no good TV show is complete without the proper TV watching snacks….yesterday it was Diet Coke with brownie batter ( gotta love the just add water college way). It’s just sort of silly and inconsistent to be in Hawaii, on a beautiful organic farm, surrounded by nature, and watching ABC TV…but I suppose I’m on vacation, so anything goes. Today should be a beach day. We’re trying out a new spot. And I need to work on my tan…this always wearing sunscreen thing, is really cutting into my bronze goddess goal :)

Sleeping Giant 6/31/09

2009-07-02T14:45:00.000-07:00

Jessica and I hiked a trail called Sleeping Giant Today. It was a decent hike (3.5 miles round trip- 1,000 ft. incline). The trail is named after the way the mountain looks from the road…the Giant’s head in the town of Wailua and his feet in the town of Kapaa. We were able to hike all the way to the very top….the giant’s cliff chin…it offered a complete 360 degree view of the Wailua Valley and the Pacific Ocean. When we came down a couple asked us if we went to the very top…she then told us what she read in her guide book about the last part of the climb….”those attempting the final trek to the chin must either be stupid, crazy, or have really great insurance." Glad we didn’t know that before we started. Ignorance is bliss!

Ode to Babs,Battles,and Breadlove

2009-07-02T14:38:00.000-07:00

Whenever I’m on vacation, and doing amazing things, I always find myself thinking of all my friends and family, and wishing they were experiencing the same things with me. This vacation is no different. I wish all of you could be here….and I so appreciate how gracious all of you have been in letting me share my experience with you whether through this blog, or on the phone, or through email….no one has shown any sign of real annoyance or jealousy…at least not to my face:) and I can’t say that I would be so kind…I would probably be like, “shut up already about your stupid trip…I hate the fact that you’re having all this fun, and I’m stuck in boring Ohio going to work…I hate all teachers” Ok, maybe I wouldn’t be saying that, but I might be thinking it….and you might be too but I can’t tell, so keep up the good work….you’re doing great! :)

Ok, so on to my title….Of course you’re all on my mind, but I have three guys in my life that I keep thinking would love it here…if not Kauai (which, lets face it…I can’t think of a single person who wouldn’t like this island), then of course North Country Farms.

First, my friend Adam- Babs would be like a kid in a candy shop here….He’s a Jack of all trades: engineer, chef, Mr. Fixit (especially my car and lawnmower), husband, father, and also a great gardener. He may even be at this moment turning my backyard into a vegetable paradise- or at least planting some tomatoes. Babs, this place has any vegetable you could want…..even weird stuff that I’ve never heard of before…Carrie, you could have salads everyday…fresh ( unfortunately for me, no iceburg :)) I actually have been picking stuff, and just eating it raw…tomatoes, beans, and even basil (kind of strange to just be chewing on a leaf, but hey….what the heck, it’s Hawaii…it just feels like the thing to do) Oh, and not just vegetables…there’s an orchard too. I’ve been picking oranges right off the trees and eating them, along with limes (for my Diet Coke), and bananas. There are avocado trees, and pineapples…yep, never saw a pineapple growing before…it really looks like a science fiction thing…very weird…they just look like they’ve spouted like little cabbage patch kids, to use Jess’s quote. Anyhow, Bab’s just thought you’d like to know….it’s a good time:).

Ryan Battles is my snorkel friend, he even gave me an in-pool lesson when I was visiting him and Heather in Columbus. It’s been nice to be able to tell him all about my fish-seeing experiences and to hear his genuine excitement for me. He didn’t even doubt me when I claimed to have found two new species (one which I have named the Jessica fish, because of it’s laid back swim (remind me to tell you more about this sometime). I think it would be so fun having him along to share in my snorkeling experiences because he knows so much, and really just loves it…..but not just fish….Ryan is also very knowledgeable about plants. He especially likes tropical plants, and could probably tell me the names of all the flowers I’ve been seeing…and Ryan, you would go nuts over the banana trees…with actual bananas growing and everything…..they have a banana grove here! (is that what you call it??- sounded right) I took some pictures for you. (Ryan just recently planted his own banana tree in his backyard). Ryan you would love this place- don’t worry Heath- you know you’re my first choice for all the adventure stuff- I pretty much think how much you would love it here daily, because of all the hiking and sporty stuff- just thought I would give your husband a shout out on this blog :).

Clay- I thought of you today- Clay is a great cook. He’s always trying new recipes.… most of which I’m too picky to enjoy…but I hear are fantastic…and always at least smell great :). Today Jess and I made dinner with our fresh veggies and some chicken we had around. I must say, Jess did most of the work, and just started throwing things together that might taste good, but I did cut up some stuff, and I got to GRILL!- You’re probably thinking “what do you mean you’ve never grilled”..well, let me tell you, when you grow up with a dad and brother, you’re not usually the first one they ask to flip the burgers for family supper, it’s kind of the same with mowing the lawn…which come to think of it, I really like doing now, and the same with the grilling….it’s kind of fun…and let’s face it not really that difficult, which is probably the second thing you were thinking. But I really liked adding the fresh squeezed oranges to the chicken while it was grilling…it made me feel chef-like. Now, the bad thing- I’m not sure if I cooked the chicken enough- it’s hard to keep the outside from burning while cooking the inside- As I write this, I’m feeling just a bit weird…keep your fingers crossed that I didn’t give Jess and I food poisoning…That would be a bit of a bummer. Oh, and Clay we went out for Sushi…which sounds like something creative and weird food wise that you would like- thought of you then too- I didn’t actually eat any of the sushi, but I think even just having it at the table should count for something…what do you think? It’s a step right? Who knows what kind of interesting stuff I may learn to like after my trip is over- oh, and I ate a strawberry guava on my hike today off the tree- I hated it of course, but let the record show that I tried it!

Napali Riders

2009-07-02T14:30:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday the four of us got up at 4 am to drive out to Wimea and take our rafting cruise. I must admit when my alarm went off, I wasn’t so pumped to be going on the excursion, but when we loaded the zodiac raft named Sea Biscuit with our two guides Chris and Dan, and about 15 other people, and took off skipping through the water, I was holding on for dear life, hooting and hollering, and loving every minute. During the cruise, we saw the entire breathtaking Naplai Coast line, and got some great historical facts to go along with the scenery. We traveled into sea caves, and were able to see some of the sights that even National Geographic claims to be the most beautiful in the world. We also snorkeled in the crystal clear “windex blue” water, which was fun, but my favorite part was seeing the dolphins. I was skeptical at first when we had been traveling for a while without a single sign of sea life, but then we came upon them. Not just 3 or 4 but close to 30 spinner dolphins, swimming all around us, right beside the boat! They were everywhere, jumping out of the water…..so fantastic! It was definitely a highlight.
We all liked the excursion so much that we chipped in and bought the picture CD from our actual trip complete with videos- (I’ll attempt to post one)- funny how we all said we would never pay for pictures we could take ourselves…but then all decided it was worth it- I guess that says a lot about how much we all liked the trip….Way to Go Napali Rider Tours!

North Country Farms 6/29-7/3

2009-07-02T14:21:00.000-07:00

We moved to a new location. It’s called North Country farms. I put a link to the website on the sign on this blog if you want to check it out. We’re still in the same general area as before, just a little more south, in a town called Kilauea. It’s only about 15 minutes from Hanalai. We’re in the garden cottage, and it’s soooo cute, the perfect place for real Hawaii relaxation. I’ll try to give you an idea about what it’s been like in the next few blog entries. I also wanted to use this entry to jot down what we’ve been doing the last few days- the days are starting to all run together….I better write it down before I forget. Enjoy the pictures.

Sunday- July 28th

- Took Leisyl to the airport
- Went to Poipu to try and watch some surfing
- Enjoyed a nap in the shade at tunnels beach and did some snorkeling
- Went Running to the Kalalau trail head and back
- Did yoga on the beach with Jessica- or attempted- it looks picturesque but really isn’t practical especially when it starts to rain- quite laughable
- Evening at Tahiti Nue

Monday- July 29th

- Moved out of Hale Manoa
- Went to Hanalai Beach
- Checked into North Country Farm Cottage
- Explored, Relaxed, and read
- Dressed up to get Sushi in Hanalei

Tuesday- July 30th

- Napali Riders rafting Cruise of the Napali Coast
- Spent the rest of the day being lazy at the cottage- reading in the hammock
- Tahiti Nue- great live music- met some cool people- Loving the My Ties (I know that’s not how you spell it, but it’s late, and I don’t feel like figuring it out :)

Wednesday- July 31st

- Took Wendy and Jay to the Airport
- Hiked Sleeping Giant
- Visited the Kilauau Lighthouse
- Spent a wonderful day at the cottage
- Cooked dinner

With a Chick Chick Here.... 6/26/09

2009-06-28T01:08:00.000-07:00

We have the most bizarre backyard. Today the horses came over to say hello...they do this around 4:30/5:00 everyday. The cows came along this time too....and of course the roosters (they never leave). Jess, Leisyl and I decided to feed them some carrots, but we lost our nerve...afraid the wild horses would chomp off our hands...we decided to hook the carrot to the end of a briar stick and feed it to the horses...they didn't go for that...but it was sure funny. Ironically the next place we're staying is called North Country Farms....I don't think they even have animals...but this house does.....go figure.

Hip for Ohio 6/ 27/09

2009-06-28T00:26:00.000-07:00

This is what the sign- in lady at our surf lesson said to Jay and I when we were filling out our release forms....

I did feel sort of hip listening to the beach boys in the car with the windows down driving to the lesson, then when I put on the quicksilver rashguard, and finally carrying the real live surf board.....The hipness ended though once I saw the pictures of the "huge amazing waves" I thought I was surfing.....So I guess we didn't catch any major waves, and we really didn't look that great...more like little kids ( in some ways, not even that good)- but I had so much fun!

Our instructors Raz (cute chillian) and Brian were really nice.

The first wave I caught, I took all the way into the beach....and then totally beached myself and fell...it was sort of hilarious- Wendy was there to witness it....we had a good laugh.

My shoulders were rocked from all the paddling- I pretty much can't raise my arms...still worth it though!

We kept the boards for a few hours more, and I got to surf with Wendy as well.

Cowabunga Dudes!

BTW's - I decided to make the move down to 15 sunscreen....not a good move....can you say Aloe Vera Please?

A word from my hawaiian cousins

2009-06-27T23:28:00.000-07:00

Just thought I'd give my roomies a chance to speak their minds on the blog...plus I wanted to add more picks of the Napali Coast.

Jessica- "my roommates asked me to go on a morning hike. A million miles later...(chuckle chuckle) I threw Jay Oldaker from the cliff."

Leisyl- "meanwhile, back at the house....."

Jay- "I really thought we were screwed when we got lost that's how people die" (oh, i did leave that part out of the previous blog)

Leisyl- "Meanwhile, back at the house...."

Jessica-" I do all things slowly, and that includes coming up with these dumb quotes that Sarah is making us do."

Wendy- " The waterfall made the long hike completely worth it. I forgot how tired and thirsty I was, and then we started hiking back..."

Leisyl- "meanwhile, back at the house..."

Jay- "This is my second hike in the last 4 years, and the first one was 2 days ago"

Wendy- "It was the never-ending leg workout"

Jessica- "The hike was really hard. It was pretty much uphill both ways. What helped me make it through such a difficult time was Sarah singing Jock Jams and Disney Classics"

Jay- as he looks up from his lap top, " Hey guys I have a great quick hike for tomorrow we could do....I love this stuff! "

Wendy- "We said a whole lot of funny stuff yesterday...too bad we can't remember any of it"

Hawaiian Superman- 6/26/09

2009-06-27T21:58:00.000-07:00

Went to our local spot, Tahiti Nui, last night for a drink. It was such a great way to end a perfectly wonderful day. The place was crowded with both tourists and Kauaians (is that a word?) everyone was singing and dancing to the live hawaiian music, and having a great time. The band was playing a song called Hawaiian Superman, and the cook from the back just whipped out a harmonica and started playing along....it was awesome. I think the song title is fitting for this post because the entire day leading up to our drinks at the bar, was so challenging that only someone like superman, and the four of us of course, could survive it.....ok, ok, I exaggerate, but I will tell you, we left at 9:00 hoping for a nice morning hike and then planned on spending the rest of the day at the beach....we didn't arrive home until 5:00, tired and bruised (well that was really just me after falling up a mountain- yes you can really do that- it brought my coolness down quite a bit :)) It was sooooooooo worth it though....one of the best experiences so far.....way better than meeting bond...seriously :)

We started out hiking the first 2 miles of the Napali Coast- the Kalalau trail- The views were amazing...way better than the pictures show. At the end of the 2 miles, we came to a beautiful beach called Hanakapiai. There's a freshwater stream that leads into the beach surrounded by a whole lot of cool rocks.....Jess wouldn't let me take any along...but I did sneak a small one in my back pack :) (I'm wondering how I'm going to get all these rocks home??). There was also a rock face cliff that I scaled...well at least a portion of it to a cave...Jay told me I couldn't do it....and, well, you know what that leads to :). The water was too dangerous to swim in, but we did get completely soaked while taking a picture in front of a big rock....the wave came up over the rock, and surprised us....we screamed like a bunch of sissy girls...it was so funny.

The next part of the hike was to Hanakapiai falls....we thought this was just down the path, but that wasn't really the case. We were hiking through jungle......giant bamboo, huge rocks, crossing streams...very LOST like. It was fun for like, 10 minutes, but then we were like, "where the heck is this dumb waterfall!" We reached a low point, when we passed some hiker who said, "you're almost there guys, only about a mile to go!" What did we get ourselves into??

Once we reached the waterfall though...all was forgotten....This wasn't some puny little trickle...this was a full fledged, 200 ft...gushing over a cliff into a pool of water HAWAIIAN WATERFALL, and we swam under it! Getting into the water was a feet in itself. The water was frigid...but there was no way I was missing out. Laying on my back and looking up at the falls crashing down, was unreal. I still can't believe it!

The way back wasn't quite as thrilling...we were pretty exhausted....8 miles, and I swear it was all uphill and as Jay keeps saying, "were not hikers guys"- well that's for sure.. Sitting in the car has never been so satisfying.
We treated ourselves to a burger and fries at Bubba's- this cute little burger joint later that night....It was a day to remember.

Apparently we all like the "hands in the air" pose- didn't realize this when I chose the pictures. :)

Adventure Run 6/25/09

2009-06-26T02:16:00.000-07:00

Ok, I put adventure in the title, but I'd say that's a pretty strong word to describe my first real run in Kauai- However, it was a bit memorable...and I think just saying the word adventure in my posts, makes me sound tougher :) Ok, so I set off around 11:00- that alone screams stupid tourist...who runs in the heat of the day?? But I had gotten a slow start (was trying to figure out dumb internet pictures stuff- FYI- you have to pay to use flicker- Yea, and I'm too cheap to buy more memory space, so no more pics on the slide show...sorry mom) Anyways, I had just missed passing Bond on his bike...bummer, but I set off down the rode, listening to...I feel like I want to lie here...but what the heck..."Ace of Base" Seriously it's great workout music...don't judge me....The temp was actually quite nice and I felt good, but then I ran into a problem....the one rode around the island is kind of narrow...with no edges, so every time a car would come, I'd have to either get to the other side, jump into the brush/ditch, or try to make myself as skinny as possible, and pray that the tourists didn't run me over with their rental cars. It was quite interesting, especially on the hills with the switch backs- fearing for your life really helps to rev up your runs- I ran the curves of the hills like a pro :). The one lane bridges also added to the fun...although I must say...most of the cars were very polite to me.

After a bit, I decided that I wanted to turn around...I was close to a beach, so I thought I'd try running a new way home. I started through the sand.....That was not easy...the sand here is not like HH...you sink completely in. It's at this moment that I should have turned back....Smart Sarah would have turned back....but silly explorer Sarah had something else in mind. Next to the beach, along the coast were these giant lava rocks...built up sort of like a cliff. This guy was on top of it, so I thought I should try climbing it too (it wasn't high mom, don't freak out). I took off my shoes, and went through some ocean to get there, and then started to climb...no problem...except that it just kept going...all of these rocks...and I just couldn't stop hopping through them...just when I thought I should turn back, I'd think, "oh, you can make it to that other side" and I'd keep going. Pretty soon, I was way too far out to turn back....it would be faster just to swim back at this point. Anyways, I finally made it through the rocks...seeing some very interesting sea life I might add. I started to run along the beach to where I could see the rode. I took off, only to have two dogs (boxers I think) chase me back to the rocks. Well, they didn't actually chase me. They were sleeping in this little beach hut made out of sticks ( I assumed they were rich boxers) They got mad when I got close and started barking and did run my way, but luckily the water stopped them. So, I had to hike up the side of the cliff to get back to the rode (it was easier than I thought it would be)..oh, and I did see an truck in the trees, just like in the tv show LOST- apparently someone missed the sharp curve- I thought against taking a closer look- one, for fear of it falling on me, and 2 for fear I may actually see something I didn't want to see.....I do have some sense, incase you doubted me, after reading this. So, all in all it was a pretty eventful run....and a lot longer than I expected. I was glad for the detour. I'll take running along a Hawaiian coast of rocks over stark county running any day- maybe minus the mean dogs.

The rest of the day was spent laying out at Hanalei beach- very nice and sandy....very calm. We also did some shopping. The little shops in Hanalei are so cute and unique- I got my first souvenir- a rock...shocking I know...it's a piece of pumice rock carved into a Hawaiian flower.

I tried to see the sunset with Jess and Leisyl...but we just missed it- we walked along the beach instead,and admired the moon. Later we watched a movie.

Tomorrow morning we're going to hike the first few miles of the Napali Coast!

Oh, the pics I put with this, actually are from the canyon hike yesterday.
Back home

Waimea Canyon - 6/24/09

2009-06-26T00:26:00.000-07:00

On our visit to Waimea Canyon yesterday, I was overwhelmed by just how huge and majestic the Canyon was. It was absolutely breathtaking....and I couldn't help but be reminded of how small I am, I am nothing in comparison to all that God has created...the ocean and all it's power, the countless stars, the unmoving mountains......but even so, God knows me....He knows my every move, my every thought, ...and despite what I may think at times, and despite how rotten I can be, He cares about me..... I am humbled by the fact that the creator of the universe would choose to love me the way that He does..

Who am I?
That the Lord of all the earth,
Would care to know my name,
Would care to feel my hurt.
Who am I?
That the bright and morning star,
Would choose to light the way,
For my ever wandering heart.

Not because of who I am,
But because of what you've done.
Not because of what I've done,
But because of who you are.

I am a flower quickly fading,
Here today and gone tomorrow,
A wave tossed in the ocean,
A vapor in the wind.
Still you hear me when I'm calling,
Lord, you catch me when I'm falling,
And you've told me who I am.
I am yours.
I am yours.

My Neighbor is James Bond! 6/22-6/23

2009-06-24T00:17:00.001-07:00

No seriously.....and, I met him on the beach while going on my walk and asked him for directions....just me and Pierce...Brosnan that is (this was after I talked with you mom and Julie!)...yep, he lives across the street with his wife and two kids. Let me tell you the whole story:

So it started out as any other normal day, I woke up at 2am to a wind storm, and then again at 4 am to the sweet sound of a dozen "dumb ass roosters"- sleep is way overrated. In the morning we took Leisyl to her helicopter ride in Lihue and had a flat tire on the way- kind of exciting (I don't think Jay felt the same), Jess and I went to a beach while we waited for Leisyl to be done, then we visited a few shops and two beautiful waterfalls (Wailua Falls and Opaekaa Falls) on the way home (about an hour).

The real excitement began at the farmers market we visited. It was fun to visit all the little fresh fruit and vegetable stands of the locals who were giving out samples. The market was pretty small, probably only 15 to 20 stands. I was at a lemon and lime stand when this sweet lady in a sun dress walked up and started a happy conversation with the owner- She said, "I'll take all of your meyer lemons"- I thought she was joking- at that same moment, Leisyl came over explaining..."It's James Bond, oh my gosh, It's James Bond!!" We didn't quite believe her, but then as I walked over to get a better look, sure enough, it was Pierce Brosnan...and the lemon lady was his wife. James bond was just buying veggies, and chatting it up with all the locals. The five of us tried to be discreet, but it was hard...we sort of stalked him around the market a bit, and watched him load up his cool truck (complete with surfboards in the back) On the way home we talked about how cool it would be to have dinner with Pierce and his family, and of course Sawyer from LOST (yep, he lives here too)

At home, we started putting our groceries away when Leisyl came running into the kitchen explaining....he lives across the street! Sure enough, the same truck with the surfboards pulled into the driveway (gated mind you) right across the street! Ironically enough, yesterday we talked with two boys on bikes at that same driveway - they called us tourists, and gave us directions to the beach....Pierce Brosnan's kids told us how to get to Tunnels!

I know that the mature part of me shouldn't be getting so excited about meeting a celebrity I mean they're just people...but seriously, I've never met anyone famous before and it was really cool. But Sarah, you didn't actually meet him you just saw him...I know what you're all thinking..BUT you haven't heard the rest of the story.....(hey, no complaining about the length of my entries ok?- this is my journal remember- if I want to write a page about eating a pineapple I can- and same goes for meeting famous people- you can stop reading at any time :))

The final part of the story takes place on the beach- I was in the mood for a little workout, so I had big plans to walk to Kee beach (did this yesterday with Jess- will explain later) I set off, but didn't quite get as far as I wanted to...the tide was coming in, and the portion of beach I walked yesterday, was quickly becoming non-existent -next came the heavy rain that drenched me- I was afraid the rain would keep coming so I turned back (I had forgotten that the rain storms are weird in HI- It rains for like 7 minutes, and then the sun comes out...it's very bizarre) Anyways, I was able to see a rainbow and decided to hike the other way around the beach...to an area I hadn't been before- I was completely alone at this point, just admiring some of the cool houses tucked away on this new side of beach. In the distance I saw two guys, one doing pushups. I was thinking I should ask then if there was any way to get back to the main rode from this part of the beach...I had been walking for quite a while, and didn't feel like turning around. The one guy passed me- and I didn't ask.....I was holding out for the guy doing pushups- Just then a thought crossed my mind...what if it's James Bond? It was fun to entertain this thought...but as I kept walking closer....my heart started beating faster....I thought....that's Pierce! Ok, stay calm- just do what you had planned to do in the first place- Ask for directions. So buy now the guy was just standing looking at the water- he wasn't facing me. I came up to him and said- excuse me- James turned around- and there we were- face to face. I tried not to act shocked that it was him- but clearly he saw through me- he gave a cute smile- and preceded to tell me how to leave the beach- his final words were "Good Luck"- with a smile- Now normally, I'm not really attracted to an older guy like Pierce Brosnan- but there was something about his cool accent- and well, the fact that he was famous, that made me think he was the hottest guy ever :) I had to keep myself from whipping out my cell and calling the roommates- or taking off on a dead sprint to get home and share my news- I think outwardly though, I played it pretty cool-I didn't mention any of his movies, or even the fact that I knew it was him- although, I secretly wished he would have let me use his private beach access to get home- and then of course invited me over for fresh squeezed lemonade his wife just made- A girl can dream right?!

So besides that, here's what else I've been doing

Yesterday:
-Up early- those birds again!
- Chatted with H and R over I chat
- Went to Tunnels for the first time- So quiet and serene- nothing like Waikiki
- Went exploring with Jess- saw 2 fresh water streams- a bunch of really neat rocks (no laughing- I'm a science teacher remember- this stuff impresses me!)- gorgeous views- and beautiful Kee beach- Long walk- 2hours atleast- Jess probably will never go on a "walk " with me ever again. :)
- Went snorkeling for the first time- Oh my goodness! So great!- It's like another world under the ocean- the fish are so beautiful- and they're everywhere! I also saw and swam right along side two sea turtles...unbelievable!
- Back at home- did the 15 minute workout plan Jess and I have started- we'll see how long that lasts
- Went out to dinner- Spent way too much money on chicken Parm- the only thing I liked on the menu- sometimes it's tough being picky- I'm a subway girl- Plain turkey please!- But the atmosphere and company was great. It was called Kalypso's
- Went to a bar where we plan to be regulars- It's called Tahiti Nui- It's this little hole in the wall place that has great live music, and Kareoke
- Before bed I saw the most beautiful night sky I've ever scene- the stars were unreal- I definitely plan on sleeping on the beach sometime before trips end

Today's recap- up, lihue beach, hilo hatties, pineapple stand, two waterfalls, farmer's market, James spotted, walk on beach, saw rainbow, decided against lugging home a coconut, Talked with Bond, yoga with Jess, Wen made great dinner on the grill- had the best grilled pineapple, watched some FRIENDS

Tomorrow- Trip to Waimea Canyon!

Jungle with a flat screen- 6/21/09

2009-06-22T11:49:00.000-07:00

Wow, what a difference a couple of hours can make! I woke up in my hotel room in Waikiki, and went for a run with my roomies. We passed all of the trendy storefronts, all of the trendy people, and some of the most lavish hotels I've seen. Everything was busy and pretty. I was in the heart of a very touristy, very beautiful resorty area....5 hours later, we touched down in kauai. It's like going back in time. Everything is old and quaint, and the setting is something right from one of my favorite shows, LOST. Beautiful flowers, lush green tropical plants, with a gorgeous mountain backdrop. We all crammed into our little Mazda, after making a quick stop at Wal-mart for groceries (last piece of civilization- wish it was a target :)) and then headed for our house. We took the one rode around the island, north about 1 hour and arrived at Hale Manoa (check out the web link on the sign). I felt like a kid again at Christmas. We got into our house and all started jumping around and screaming...it's so fantastic. All hardwood floors, open floor plan with a great couch, bar counter with high stools, big porch with amazing view, three bedrooms, two bathrooms, outdoor shower (if I get brave) and an indoor shower, flat screen TV, wireless....This place is great! We met our neighbors....locals who were out in the backyard feeding the wild horses....that's right we have horses! Oh, and the best breeze comes through the house (no ac, just fans), it's the perfect temperature.

It was nice to unpack all of my stuff, and to just have an evening of hanging out, eating twizzlers and fruit loops while watching Friends. It doesn't get much better than that. The night was a little rough though- lots of weird noises....not good for my sleep issues :) Did I mention we have roosters? Oh that's right...they like to yell in the evening, and also at 4:00 in the morning...kind of funny, also sort of annoying. I figure if that's the worst thing, life is pretty good.....plus, I have plenty of time to sleep on the beach....we're less than a mile from famous Tunnels beach.

I love how this place is so naturally beautiful, plus so perfect for the adventurist. I'm excited to brave the big waves today, and explore all of the awesome hiking trails. I'm thinking the prissy cute white beach cover-up from Honolulu is going to need to stay at home. I'm looking forward to just throwing on shorts, a t-shirt, and a doo rag.....need to fit in with the cool locals ya know cuz? (that's how hawaiian surfers talk :))

Oh- Jay just set me up with a picture slide show- so you can see some pictures from the outside luau and the view from our house- I'll try to get better at taking pics...it's not really my expertise- oh, and I set up a flickr account too, so once I figure it out, you can see it :)

Happy Anniversary to Heather and Ryan!

Such the tourist- 6/20/09

2009-06-21T02:07:00.000-07:00

I love going on trips and people watching, it's the funniest thing. I especially like spotting the tourists....you know, those people in the hawaiian shirts, completely sunburned, with the fanny pack on, and the camera around the neck, not to mention the wide eyed bambi look as they cross streets in the vacation city, totally oblivious to the giant tour buses trying desperately not to hit them........wait a second....that's me....I'm the idiot with the silly grin, looking at the amazing Pacific Ocean off Waikiki beach for the first time, I'm the moron with the goofy giant ear phones on, listening to the audio tour at Pearl Harbor, and I'm the loser who likes to say "aloha" and "Maholo" every chance I get,and sing on the tour bus the "Hang Loose song" (see end of the blog for complete lyrics :)) even when not very many people are singing along with me....But you know what....I think I'm ok with it....I think you have more fun when your not always trying to be the "cool one." Now, don't get me wrong, I'm workin real hard not to have the tourist sunburn...I seriously wore spf 30 today...which I don't think I've ever done, oh....and of course in my head, I'm going to be the ultimate surfer chick, tearing it up on the north shore- not looking at all like a beginner (yeah right!) I suppose it's good to find the balance...you know, between complete dork, and, I'm a local....That's the plan anyway.

So quick 2 day summary for the record:

- Trip into Burlinggame California/San Fran
- Shopping at the thrift in Cal- buying dress for 4 dollars
- Riding trolly in San Fran
- Attempting to go to IN-N-OUT burger, and receiving advice from an entire bus full of people- quite humerous
- First Class trip to HNL
- Flew with Jess and new San Fran friend who later told us she smuggled in pot- real nice girl....seriously, ,very fun
- Managed to get to airport after long bus ride- Castle Resort quest Waikiki
- Spent day with Leisyl at Pearl Harbor- Went to the Arizona Memorial- glad I went
- Went to the beach- water is so blue and nice and warm- went for a walk
- Got ready for the Luau- Wore new thrift store dress
- Went to outside luau "Germain's Luau" right on the beach- sat on the ground- great food- yes I tried some very weird things- loved the pig...surprise, surprise - amazing entertainment- the guy ate fire for crying out loud!- How do they move their hips that way?...Looks like a good workout- awesome costumes....free drinks, fun driver who taught us this song:

Just hang loose
Just have fun
Sippin on drinks or laying in the sun
People try to stop me but it aint no use
Cause all those in Hawaii like to just hang loose (shawka!- you're suppose to say this as you raise your hand with the sign language Y symbol- I'll show you when I get back- It's totally Hawaiian baby! :) and it means to chill out- it's the Aloha Way

Tomorrow we're off to Kaui!- I'll post pictures when I figure out how.

The way flying was meant to be! 6/19/09

2009-06-21T01:35:00.000-07:00

So I think my plane tickets just got a little more expensive- I had the FIRST CLASS experience, and I don't want to go back to coach ever again :). It was pretty amazing. You get to board first, which really made me feel like a snob, especially when everyone was in line, and I had to keep asking, "are you first class?" and then butted ahead of them. Once in my special cabin area with all my other equally snooty first class comrades, I felt more at ease, except when I had to open the separation curtain to use the restroom, and all the "regulars" looked at me like, "what the heck is she doing in first class?" I wanted to wear a sign announcing that I was given the upgrade, and "I'm really just one of you." Jess and I were so gitty about every little thing, that I'm sure the stewardess and probably all the other upeties knew we were first timers without the sign.

The seats alone were a hit- extra big, plenty of leg room, and recline with a great adjusting head rest, you can't beat it-well, then again, the warm nuts, dinner, complete with white linens, desert, and wine, warm cookie (that I said no to....what was I thinking?!- rookie mistake), and hot towels for your face, weren't bad either. It was quite an experience. I'm afraid I'm going to be quite disappointed on my trip back, although there's always another chance of being bumped on the way back. I'm keeping my fingers crossed :)

Best Things!

2009-06-19T09:20:00.000-07:00

Jas and Suz have this thing they do with the kids, where they drum roll on the table at dinner and scream "best thing!" and then they go around the table and each person has to say what the best part of their day was. The couple times I've been a part of this, Caris has really impressed me with her witty answer, and JJ has pretty much just copied exactly what Caris said...it's real cute. Anyways, I was thinking about what I would say my "best thing" was from my first official Hawaii vacation day....you would think that would be a hard one, considering that yesterday was just a travel day, but "IT WAS THE BEST DAY!" Jess and I keep saying this....I'll explain:

First you should know, that I'm sitting in a little diner called Leann's, in a booth with cow print, eating the best pancakes-in San Francisco -yep that's right...I'm not even in Hawaii yet...We were about to board our plane to Honolulu, and the United Rep ask if anyone would mind being bumped to a later flight....the perks: a round trip plane ticket to anywhere in the US (no blackouts), 15 dollar food voucher, a free hotel stay, and flying first class to HNL the next day...needless to say we took it (props to our traveling companions for being so gracious when we told them we'd be ditching them for the evening) Oh, and we also met this really cool San Franciscan girl named Ida...who encouraged us to take the deal, and even gave us her number incase we had questions....we'll be seeing her this evening in First Class.

So last night we got to our hotel...nothing that great, but Free, so that's cool. We went on a walk...there's a little path right across the street that goes along the water ( I think it's the San Fran Bay) The planes come in over the water, and it actually looks like they're landing on the water. The temp was great, and it felt pretty neat to be able to say that I was in California.

Today, the plan is to go into town on a trolly, explore, walk 3 miles to "IN-N-OUT" Burger (this place Jess is raving about from her past LA experience), and then catch a shuttle to the airport, and fly to Hawaii. I figure it's a whole lot of eating, but with how expensive food is in HI, we should probably fill up now, and save the popcorn for later :).

Other Positives: Sat next to cool guy on flight to Chicago whose wife went to Malone, is a paster, had really good conversation (he compared church to airport - I'll have to tell you more about this later Jas, it was a great analogy), didn't run out of gas on the way to the airport (mom later told us how close we had really come), watched the movie New in Town on the flight to San Fran which was surprisingly good, saw Rachel before we left and got gift bag- thanks rach!, great service, and everyone was so friendly on the plane (shout out to UNITED), flew over the mountains- beautiful!

Negatives-hmmmmm? oh, no clothes, no pj's, wearing same outfit, and sleeping in.....well, you get the idea :)

Ok, this is way long....not sure if anyone read to the end, but I just want to remember everything! So thanks for listening to all the rambling.

More to come later- can't wait to meet up with Jay, Wen, and Leisyl, and to fly first class- that's a first :) We'll get to Hawaii at 7:30ish HI time.

Oh, and just so you know Elizabeth....my friend Ryan battles middle names everyone "Diane"- it's endearing- and just sort of funny.

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2009-06-12T20:41:00.001-07:00

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