Monday October 15th: Sunday night had been so cold that we woke up to an icy pump and multiple jugs of frozen water. Only after we had been up for a while did the sun begin to warm the camper and melt it’s internal freeze. With our small amount of defrosted water, I attempted to make coffee. Without realizing how cold the glass French press was, I began pouring water to measure, only to watch it crystallize against the inner walls. I scraped the icicles out of the cylinder and into a pot on the stove. After lighting the burner my fingers and toes begged to share it’s small but welcoming heat. Once everything was packed and ready to go, we said goodbye to Josh and hopped in the cozy, preheated truck. A shared 5 hour drive landed us in Seattle at about the time that everyone was getting off work. Our first order of business, was replacing our truck battery. The last two attempted starts had fallen flat after minimal response. With that taken care of, we headed to Michael and Kat’s where we spent the rest of the night.
During the day on Tuesday, Tom and I packed while Michael and Kat were at work. They had set out their necessary gear and we organized it all into multiple bags. Getting to the airport on time to check our bag was mildly stressful, but left our minds as soon as we boarded the plane. When we landed in Kauai that night, we picked up our rented Jeep and checked into our Airbnb. Instead of succumbing to our lethargy, we walked down the street where we found a local brewery. There we had a beverage and battled out a game of scrabble. With teased appetites, we drove to pick up a frozen pizza to satiate us before bed.
We woke up on Wednesday the same way we were about to every morning of the trip; to the raucous crowing of roosters. With sleep no longer being an option, I went for a run while everyone else stayed and made breakfast. The day was full of activities including; a 4 mile hike up Sleeping Giant and a visit to Queen’s Bath. We were hoping to swim in Queen’s Bath, a beautiful alcove off of the ocean, but were unable to due to the high and violent tide. After a long day in the sun, each of us were beginning to show signs of irritable hunger. When we arrived at the grocery store it was obvious that it had been too long since our last meal. Making collective decisions felt like pulling teeth and every item looked better than the last. Fortunately we were able to get out of there with a reasonable amount of food, then headed to our campsite on Anini Beach to prepare it.
Two rangers woke us up on Thursday inquiring about our camping permit. After telling them that we had it hung on the opposite side of our tent, they informed us that we had to move out of the “flash flood” area that we were currently in. Since we were staying another night, we spent the first part of the morning figuring our a new spot to sleep. Once settled, we each took some time to either run, read, sit on the beach or rest in the shade. That afternoon, we hung out at Hannelai Beach where we attempted to body surf the waves and strolled the boardwalk. We spent the night back at camp, playing spikeball and making dinner. With the sun completely set, we sat at our picnic table playing codenames. After a few rounds, our attention deviated from the game and towards a curious set of flickering lights on the beach. It didn’t take long for us to realize that there were people fire dancing in the sand. We watched from a distance for a short while before making our way over to where they were for a closer look. Both of them were friendly and extremely kind. They had no problem with us sitting and watching, which had the added benefit of hearing the music that they synchronized to. Jules spun fans and Zach spun poi, both of which we learned so much about. Once they had burned the last of their white gas, we stood for a while and talked with them. With them sweating from the heat of the proximal flames and us utterly in awe, we came to know that they live in Seattle and both spin as a hobby. It was not only an unforgettably entertaining performance, but also an opportunity to get to know some amazing individuals.
Friday: With all of our things stuffed in the Jeep, we headed for Wailua Waterfall. We pulled up to find a swarm of tourist all congregated over a small lookout. After taking a few photos that in no way did the waterfall justice, we decided that we needed a closer look. After a short debate about whether or not to head down the trail that had posted signs prohibiting it, we grabbed our swimsuits and began the descent. Unbeknownst to us, we took the more treacherous of the two possible paths, significantly extending our travel time. In the end, swimming in the pool beneath the waterfall was an incrediable experience, and the journey there taught us a lot about both life and each other. All famished from making the hike way more difficult than it needed to be, we headed for Safeway where we bought supplies and made sandwiches in the comfort of their air conditioning. Afterwards, we went to Shipwreck Beach where Tom, Michael and Kat weren’t for a hike while I laid in the hammock and read. When they returned, they suggested that we all give the nearby 35ft cliffjump a go. I was initially hesitant, but eventually buckled under pressure. Unfortunately, what we had hoped would be an adrenaline pumping team building activity, turned into a complete disaster. Michael and Tom jumped first and I followed a short while behind them. I did what I could to guarantee a solid landing, but that wasn’t enough to avoid my bodies rotation into a back-flop. The initial sting of the water’s surface brought about a moment of shock then a sense of panic. I was overwhelmed with emotion as I kicked away from the rocks that the current was pushing all 3 of us into. Kat sat atop the rock and attempted to help guide us to safety. Since Michael had jumped first he had been wading the longest and no longer possessed the strength to avoid the sharp boulders. With a few battle scars and a hurt sense of pride, we did what we could to put the traumatizing event behind us and enjoy the rest of our night at Salt Pond Beach.
Saturday started the same way that Friday had ended; back at the cliffjump. Kat understandably wanted to prove to herself that it could be done. With tender thighs and a sore neck, I opted to watch from the beach. All 3 of them came back in high spirits, excited for the surf lesson that we had booked for the afternoon. Kelley Hunt was our instructor and he did an amazing job of making each of us look good. His knowledge of timing and position for each wave has been fine tuned over a lifetime of surfing. The sunny day could not have been more perfect and playing in the turquoise ocean was the best way to spend it, although 2 hours of paddling and standing up on command was enough to drain the life out of each of us. Sun burnt and all-around drained, we drove towards Polihole beach, picking up groceries and a hitchhiker along the way. When we arrived, we said goodbye to our new friend and began setting up camp for the night. Polihole Beach is known for it’s magnificant sunsets and the location in which the last glimpses of the sun can be seen on the Kauai Island. As we neared the main event, us along with most other campers set up a comfortable spot to watch from the beach. The 4 of us relaxed back into our camp chairs and raised our freshly cracked beers to an awesome day. Each phase in the changing sky was more beautiful than the last, and as just quickly as it began, it was over. After we prepared and ate dinner, Michael and Kat snuggled into their tent and Tom and I went for a walk. The sky was dark and loud, cumbrous waves intermittently rolled onto the delicate sand. It was a good opportunity for us to check in with each other and take time to recognize how incredible this trip has been.
After packing up our things on Sunday morning, we left Polihole and headed for Kokee State Park. When we arrived, we each resolved to do our own thing since Michael wanted to nap/read, I wanted to run and Tom and Kat wanted to hike. Tom and Kat were gone the longest, allowing Michael and I the time to catch up and share some hearty laughs. Once we had all reconvened, we prepared curry for dinner and rolled dice in a few games of Yahtzee.
We all woke up on Monday feeling bittersweet about it being our last full day on the island. We did a short hike in the park that morning before heading back towards Poipu Beach and the airport. On the way, we stopped at a small taco stand and had an amazing lunch. We spent the afternoon at the beach, playing spikeball and playing around in the ocean. Tom had bought a snorkel set and we couldn’t have chosen a better time to use it. It was apparent that the fish were accustom to being interrogated, swimming just close enough, but never rubbing against you. I was surprised at the not only by the amount of fish, but also by the number of different species. They would get pushed in by the current, eat off the corral as quickly as they could, then get carried back with the receding water. That night, we checked into our hotel before Michael and Kat left to go meet her Aunt and Uncle for dinner. Meanwhile, Tom and I reorganized our packs then walked into town. We stumbled into a bar on the water where we ordered pizza and played pool. Michael and Kat joined up with us later for a second game of pool and some classic karaoke. Michael became a star after singing: Fight for your Right by the Beastie Boys and I was apparently the only one in the bar that didn’t know how long Hey Jude was before choosing it. Once I realized that the song was never going to end, I stealthily set the microphone down on the bar and walked back to our table. What better way to end the trip with a bang than to shamelessly make a fool of yourself?
Tuesday morning was a bit of a whirlwind, collecting our things and racing to the airport. The flight was long, but gave Tom and I the time to discuss future trip plans. When we landed in Seattle, Sherah picked us up from the airport and brought us back to Michaels. I am so unbelievably grateful for the chance to go to Hawaii and for amazing family members to share the experience with. If you haven’t been, put it on the list!
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