Stopover on Kauai

Arriving in Hawaii.

It had been almost nine years since I had seen Eric and I expected him to look exactly the same. He pulled up to the arrivals gate where I was waiting for him. As soon as I saw him, that huge smile, just the way I remembered it, spread across his face and it was like no time had passed at all.

Eric and I met freshman year of college when he sat behind me in English 101 and started telling me pirate jokes. He was intense, funny, and just enough crazy that we quickly became friends. He left the beginning of sophomore year to study in Hawaii for "one semester" and he was supposed to come back for the spring, but then keep delaying his return... And now here we are, 12 years or so later, and he is still there.

Over the years, our relationship often consisted of late-night phone conversations when I've either been drinking or suffering from insomnia. I really, really appreciate having a friend like him. He is always ready to have intense conversations about anything. He is by far one of the most genuine and passionate people that I have ever met.

Just like the last time I visited him on the Big Island in 2006, he was ready to provide me with an experience of Kauai the way most people will never have a chance to see it. 

He throws a trail book at me and tells me to navigate. While he drove, I attempted to follow the directions, which went something like: "Once the road ends, you'll drive though a couple of rivers, make a left at some tree with branches, another left at one of the forks" and so on. And of course there was no map.

There had been some heavy rains over the past few days and eventually we got to a very large puddle. Eric decided to walk in to determine how deep it was.

So, we aren't going to make it any farther on this road, but that's okay. He takes me to another trail that is more accessible. Luckily, the entire island is full of beauty.

Eric and his truck with our adventure awaiting in the background.

View from our hike just after I have arrived to the island.

#Selfie

Over the next few days, if Eric is working, he lets me drive his truck around to explore. If he is not working, he takes me on adventures.

View of the sunset from Eric's backyard.

During a hurricane in 1992, chickens got loose and now represent an ecological nuisance on the island.

I found this while exploring on my own one day.

Bamboo forest canopy.

On one of our hikes, Eric made me cross this waterfall. The rocks were really slippery, but we survived.

Another friend of mine, Pete Kartsounes, who had been traveling around the world for something like two years happened to be in Kauai at the same time as me. We met up to talk about where we had been and where we were going - life.

When I first met Pete in 2008, he was preparing to hike the 500 miles of the Colorado Trail to raise money for children with cancer. I remember meeting with him for breakfast in Boulder just after he returned from the hike and I wanted to know if he found the secret to life while hiking. I don't know that he gave me an answer, since I don't remember one, so I'm guessing he hadn't yet. I'm sure he is always getting closer though.

The more I travel, talk to people, move, experience, and leave my comfort zone, the more I'm beginning to wonder if maybe the secret to life is to just always be seeking and striving to be the best person you can be. Do you know what I mean? Just don't stop trying and don't stop growing. Ever. Don't ever think that you are better than anyone or know more. Be honest. Be thoughtful, patient, and kind. Be selfless and ask questions. There is always more to know and I think that the more we seek, the better off we all are. Say "yes", but don't be afraid to say "no" either.

But, what do I know, right? This is only my first time here.

This is Pete.
He is a musician and you should check out his music.

Pete contemplates the ocean.

A crowd of people had gathered here and we thought someone fell in.

But then we saw this sea turtle instead! The Hawaiian word for turtle is honu.

The following pictures are just from other places around Kauai during my visit.

On my last, full day on Kauai, Eric took me hiking. I don't remember the name of the place, except that he called it, "The Grand Canyon of Hawaii."

When we were in the parking lot, before beginning this hike, we overheard the couple in the car next to us talking about Portland. Eric knows how I feel about Oregon, so he made friends with them and the four of us hiked together for the day. They were really nice and when we completed the hike, we exchanged numbers so that I can dog-sit for them if I do end up there! 

For the last night in Kauai, Eric took me to this beautiful beach on the west coast to camp. We stopped on the side of the road to fill his truck with firewood. 

The view from our "camp site".

The small blob of color on the bottom corner is my friend, even if he just looks like a pile of towels.

While Eric played around on the beach, I stood by the shoreline to capture every moment of the sunset. Here are some of the pictures of the sun setting on the Pacific Ocean from the west coast of Kauai: 

The next afternoon, Eric drove me to the airport. We hugged goodbye. Then I walked into the airport full of excitement and fear. My next stop would be Auckland, New Zealand. I did not know anyone in there and I had absolutely no idea what I was going to do when the plane landed, other than put one foot in front of the other and keep breathing.

A rainbow bids me farewell and good luck before I begin my next adventure: New Zealand.

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If you have the time, I recommend watching this interview with Eric regarding the controversy surrounding the Thirty Meter Telescope project on the sacred volcano Mauna Kea. He is very passionate about this subject matter.