Antigua!
Saturday, January 28th, 2012 /

When we left the next morning it was still dark outside. As we climbed up the bumpy mountain road, the sun was also making its way into the sky. When the day began to break, the heavy clouds that blanketed the sleepy towns below began to disperse, reavealing the green peaks and valleys; a quintessential Guatemalan sight. As the rest of the bus slept, I took in the breathtaking views one last time, then nodded off. Next stop, Antigua.

Typical Antigua!

The former capital of Guatemala (until a massive earthquake hit), is now a popular tourist destination and it’s easy to see why. Sitting at the base of dormant Volcan de Agua, the town is different from everywhere else in Guatemala we had previously visited. The European influence is omnipresent with the quaint colonial charm, cobble stone streets, lots of cafes and a neat central park.

Cathedral!

The best view of the city is from the Cerro de la Cruz. The walk is for people of all ages, paved steps the whole way and a police presence, making it safe to do on your own. When you reach the top be sure to check out the smoking Pacaya Volcano to the right and allow youself to imagine the possibility of an eruption!

Cerro de la Cruz!

Our experience in Antigua was great, complete with a couchsurfing host to boot. Love (pronouced Loov-eh), was our Sweedish host living in a sweet pad right near the central markets. He led us through the maze of narrow lanes, showing us a few great places to grab a cheap and delicious meal. Incredible as it is, also staying with Love was our friend Alex, whom we met all the way beck in Belize!

On our second day there, Love led us all on a crazy journey up to a surrounding town for a hike to a series of waterfalls. Getting there we hitchhiked in the back of an ambulance which was a first for all involved. The hike in was beautiful. Long groves of coffee plants leading up into the beautiful hills. Chels and I made it to the first waterfall and stopped there. A towering falls but no opportunity for swimming. The guys attempted a hike up the overgrown trail to the other ones while Chels and I had a chill out. We all hitched a ride home in time for a sunset browse at the market to get supplies for our guacamole and chip dinner.. Mmm Mmm good!

Back of the ambulance!!

The boys enjoying the Waterfall!

Antigua is a great town to just walk around, which is mostly what we did when we weren’t riding in the back of ambulances to far off waterfalls. Even though it’s gringo central, traditionally dressed women still roam the streets selling their hand made crafts; and there is no shortage of your prepackaged Mayan-goods markets.

Guatemala is so colorful!

The last night we were there we did a very American thing and got Chilly Cheese fries while watching Alabama beat up on LSU in the National Champoinship game. We redeemed ourselves later that night with a visit to Cafe No Se, a Mescal bar. The bar is a landmark, and modeled after a 1920s speak easy, with a secret door leading to the secluded bar. Mescal is a tequila-esq drink that is sipped and not nearly as harsh. We said our goodbyes to Love there and the next morning shipped off early to Panajachel on Lago de Atitlan!

American drinking night!

Mescal Bar!

Category: Antigua, Central America, CouchSurfing, Guatemala, Markets, Volcano  Tags: , , , ,  One Comment
Semuc Champey!
Sunday, January 08th, 2012 /

Beautiful Semuc Champey!

Along the Guatemalan travel trail, fellow backpackers gaulk about the marvelous places they’ve been in this vibrant Central American country. A handful of places keep playing up like a broken record, and Semuc Champey is one of them. A natural phenomenon of aquamarine pools that, through years of erosion, rests on a limestone ledge hollowed out underneath by a raging river.
Part of Semuc Champey’s appeal is the journey there. It is isolated and the effort it takes to get there weeds out the traveler from the tourist, requiring a very uncomfortable ride from any direction down the rocky mountain road to the town of Lanquin. Once you arrive here you then have to arrange for a ride to Semuc Champey to claim natures reward.

Hitchhiking with the little Guatemalan girls!

We had the option of either staying in Lanquin or Semuc Champey. We chose Lanquin at this sweet hostel perched up on a hill surrounded by tall mountains and valleys..called Zephyr Lodge. A near 360 degree panoramic view of the landscape is available as you sit in one of the many swinging hammoks around the hostel. We actually ended up staying 3 nights longer than originally planned since it was such good vibes. (and we got the 4th night free! 5th day is Happy Hour all day!) It was a brilliant place to conveless as Chels and I were both getting over our stomachs introduction to Guatemala.

Amazing View!

Best shower ever!!

The hostel was great but just a small part of the overall experience. The feature presentation is Semuc Champey. It’s natural beauty transcends the cultural barriers as people from all parts of the world explore the jewel like pools. We feel, and other travelers have agreed, Semuc gives visitors an energy boost. You leave there with a pep in your step for the rest of that day. Maybe it’s the visual beauty, or maybe the pools have some magical healing properties; either way it was one hell of a place to celebrate the transition from my 25th to 26th trip around the sun!

Brad relaxing in the pools!

Category: Central America, Guatemala, Hostels, National Parks, Semuc Champey, Waterfall  Tags: , , , ,  2 Comments
Flores… y Tikal!
Thursday, January 05th, 2012 /

The ride out of Belize was easier than expected! We took a collectivo to the border where we were rushed with money changers in our face. We actually DID need to change our money and they are on top of it, with American/Guatemalan/Belizian dollars, and a calculator for your own ease. We payed our exit fee and continued on to Guatemalas border. As soon as they saw our American passports, they asked for an “entrance fee” of 20Q each (only about 3 bucks) OR…if you have 5 US each…you can pay that! Ok…we knew this was prob BS, but were willing to pay as long as we could have a recipt! …”Oh…they want a reciept” the guy muttered under his breath to the head lady, in which she proceeded to flip through our passports pretending to look for something, and then handed them back without us having to pay the fee! Hehe oh corruption!

Flores from above!

About an hour taxi ride later and we arrived in a cute little town located on an island in the middle of the lake, called Flores. I immediately loved it – the old uneven cobblestone streets lined with local shops selling colorful Guatemalan gear. Similar to India, the local women in Guatemala actually wear their traditional dress still on an everyday basis! We were staying in a private room in a quieter hostel called “Hospedaje Yaxha” where you can take Spanish classes or eat at their cafe downstairs. Around the corner though was “Los Amigos”, the fun and colorful hostel with a cool garden full of hammocks…we moved there a couple days later!

Los Amigos!

On our way to the only ATM working on the island, we ran into Alex and Outti, our friends we met in Bullet Tree, and immediately organized a reunion dinner in town. Crazily enough, on our way to dinner, we ran into Stav, the other guy we were with in Bullet Tree, so he tagged along and it was one big CS reunion :) Super cheap dinner at the markets in the central square alongside an AMAZING Christmas Tree that lights up as it blares our the theme song to 2001 A Space Oddysey! Haha it was hilarious! Then, along with some other hostel friends, we all enjoyed beers at what became our favorite local spot in town! 3 beers for 15Q (2 bucks)!

Awesome Tree!

Couchsurfers!!

The main reason to visit Flores is as a stopping point to see the famous Mayan Ruins at Tikal. We woke up at 4am to catch the 4:30 shuttle to the ruins an hour away to be there for the park opening. 100% worth waking up, as you can be one of the only ones in the park if you skip the long-line for coffee and breakfast at the cafe they drop you at when you arrive. Unfortunately you cannot climb Temple II, the most famous image of Tikal. It really is just so steep..tourists are bound to slip and fall.

Tikal!

Awesome Moss!

What was recommended to us, and what we will also recommend, is to head straight to the back of the park to Temple IV, the highest temple that towers up above the rainforest canopy. It will most likely by super misty and foggy, but as the sun keeps rising, the fog slowly melts away to uncover the other temples sprouting out through the jungle. The mix of ruins with lush green trees, howling monkeys and talkative birds makes for a mystical experience. You beat the crowds first thing too!

Temple IV lookout!

Category: Central America, Hostels, National Parks  Tags: , , ,  One Comment
Bullet Tree Falls!
Wednesday, January 04th, 2012 /

It was getting close to Christmas time, accommodations were booking up and we had a need for community.  What better place to look than CouchSurfing?  We had lined up a host in Bullet Tree Falls which is just a ten minute drive outside San Ignacio.

Bob Marley rock

San Ignacio  is a popular tourist destination within central Belize close to the Guatemalan border, most famous for the cave explorations, jungle treks and waterfall gazing.  We took the local bus from Belize City which stops for anyone along the way and then a collectivo from San Ignacio to Bullet Tree.  Our instructions from Aiden, CouchSurfing host, was to exit at the market, get some food then make the 400 yard dash down the dirt road to his property.

Palapa

As we rolled up to the barbed-wire gate of this property we began to wonder if we were in the right place, but we followed his very thorough directions to a T.  As it turns out we were in the right place.  A gorgeous and secluded four acre estate lush with Jamaican lime and orange trees.  It was green everywhere we looked and blending into the grounds were two cabanas and a Palapa (thatched roofed hut) at the center.  The land backed right into the Macal river.  There was a dock which just by standing on it you felt at ease, but we couldn’t get too comfortable because busy in the trees above iguanas rustled; and at any point if they felt threatened, could drop.  If that wasn’t entertaining enough, a rope swing hung from a nearby tree.

Crazy Orange Iguanas!!

Chels on the rope swing

The property was amazing, but even cooler was the slew of other CouchSurfers staying at his place.  Most with tents, some in hammocks.  There was no electricity so every night we had to build a fire and eat by candle light.  Even though it was just a short walk to the grocery store, we felt isolated and loved it.  Knowing we could just fall back to Aiden’s place and tune out.  Instead of spending the evenings browsing the internet or watching television we got to know one another, swapping stories from the road laughing and genuinely enjoying each others company.

Men!

For Christmas Day, our plan was to have a big breakfast and then dinner. After Aiden showed us the ropes of how to get his wood-fire stove going, we were all able to contribute in some way.  Some people preparing food; some stoking fires; some cooking and others doing dishes, forging a well oiled machine when it came time to eat.  We had found our little community and it was the next best thing to a family we could have hoped for the holiday.

Massive Fruit Salad on Christmas Morning

We ended up staying five nights and got to experience a few places around San Ignacio that were off the beaten tourist trail. Aiden’s neighbor Marcus, who was also a CouchSurfer took us around in his shaky four wheel drive through the back roads to a couple of beautiful waterfalls. He also let us borrow some of his inner tubes and we all (dogs included) had a lazy float down the river.

Double Back-flips

Lazy river tour

The only negatives were battling the pesky biting ants that left me swollen and itchy for a few days.  Also I did have a brief encounter with Chechem poisonwood which, thanks to a baking soda/water mixture that Chelsea spread all over me and Benedryl, went away after one very uncomfortable night.  It’s all part of the experience and we’re lucky to look back and laugh!  

Thank goodness for baking soda

Category: Belize, Bullet Tree Falls, Camping, Central America, CouchSurfing, Waterfall  Tags: , , , ,  One Comment
Caye Caulker
Tuesday, January 03rd, 2012 /

Even just saying the name melts the tension away, Belize. The first thing you should do upon arrival is take off the watch and ease into the pace. Leave your stress on the plane because this is a place for going slow. Especially on Caye Caulker, in fact that is the motto of the small island, “go slow”.. and they mean it!

The Split!

Getting there was a costly affair though. I recomend splitting a taxi from the airport to Belize City because the cost runs at about $50BLZ ($25). Our driver dropped us off right at the water taxi and after a short wait we packed into the medium sized boat headed for Caye Caulker.

The ride was only about 40 minutes, but packed to the max with tourists and locals alike, and as soon as we stepped off the boat, we were loving the vibe! No cars, just bicycles and…golf carts haha! Everything was so colorful, rastas everywhere! Ya Mon!

Love the colors!

We found our hostel, “Bella’s” which we were actually camping at for just under 8 bucks a night! It was pretty run down, but safe and it seemed to be cool! Everyone was hanging around the kitchen and common area. What was cool during the day ended up being super aggravating at night…but I guess we can’t complain too much! Actually they let you use their canoe for free too, so Brad and I took it out for a sunset rum cruise :)

Rum for Sunset! :)

After setting up the tent, we hit “The Split”, which is the part of Caye Caulker that used to be island, but is now ocean after a bad hurricane hit! It’s got a very chill vibe, with reggae music playing from an open hut bar that sits in between the 2 hang out spots – a hard gravel beach, or a jetty that everyone lounges around! The water is SO beautiful and clear blue!

The Split!

That was basically our time spent in Caye Caulker… riding our bikes around the tiny island, enjoying the sun at the split, and chilling at the hostel with new friends! Very appropriate for the island…laid back!

Category: Beaches, Belize, Camping, Caye Caulker, Central America, Hostels, Islands  Tags: , , , ,  One Comment
San Diego
Monday, January 02nd, 2012 /

We were sad to leave the Hawaiian islands, but then again who wouldn’t be?  Our next destination was San Diego, first time back on mainland US in nearly 2 years and it was my old roommate Greer that welcomed us back!

Catching up in the Gas Lamp district

She was awesome, her job as a concierge at the Hotel Del Coronado scored us some sweet looks at the historic landmark as well as some free passes to activities around town.  Greer must be really good at her job because she made us feel so welcome and comfortable during our stay.

Me and Gee

We had plans on meeting Kelly in San Diego but since we were both flying into LAX (and Kelly renting a car) Chels decided to meet up with her and catch a ride while I flew in and caught up with Greer.

Group before Torrey Pines

Greer took us around on our second day to Torrey Pines, which she describes as a typical San Diego activity.  It was a laid back hiking trail that started from the enormous beach and weaved up through the rocks and finished with a sweet view overlooking the Pacific.  We watched the sunset cartwheeling on the beach and headed out that night for some cheap and delicious Mexicali.

Cartwheels for Sunset

Most of our time here was spent sampling the local fare!  We had Mexican; Sushi; visited a warehouse full of fresh produce; enjoyed mouthwatering local craft brews; ordered an entire meal via ipad and of course sampled the most famous California fast food chain – In and Out.

"Incredible Desserts"

One of the highlights of our San Diego experience was ice skating on the beach at the Hotel Del, complements of Greer.  The rink was set up with an ocean view, under the Christmas Lights.  It was a great atmosphere, perfect for that time of year.

How romantic

On our last day Chels and I checked out the USS Midway.  I highly recommend this to any traveler passing through.  San Diego has a large navel base so it’s appropriate to check out the massive aircraft carrier.  The best parts was sitting in the fighter-plane cockpits and examining the air crafts up on the flight deck.  Powerful machines that make you appreciate times of peace!

Yikes

It was great seeing Greer again and catching up with Kelly!  Big Thanks to Gee for letting us crash and being an AMAZING host!!

I recognize this scene

Category: Beaches, Cities, San Diego, USA  Tags: , ,  One Comment
Oahu!
Saturday, December 31st, 2011 /

The island of Oahu was the final stop on our Hawaiian adventure and although it’s smaller than Maui & Big Island, Oahu packs a powerful punch of activities and natural wonderment! 

Probably the most typical Hawaiian vacation involves lounging on the beaches of Waikiki watching the lazy waves roll in from the far away reef.  To your left is the ever present and impressive Diamond Head, the quintessential view for the Hawaiian Islands.  What Chelsea and I discovered throughout the week was that this area is the least impressive on Oahu, even if you spend a night in one of the overpriced hotels.  The whole area is geared for tourists to spend money; in fact the majority of the islands are that way, but Waikiki in particular.  It didn’t take long for us to get sick of the tourist polluted atmosphere so after a few hours of sunbaking we headed for our CouchSurfers place on the eastern side of the island in Kaneohe

Waikkiki!

Our hosts Wayne and Kate were awesome and first timers to CouchSurfing.  Originally from Maryland they had spent the last year living the Hawaiian lifestyle.  We got along so easy and they invited us back for the weekend.  It was a pleasure getting to know both of them and they took us to some great spots around the island…one being an old military railway line that you hiked straight UP!  (This was the day after Stairway to Heaven…which we will get to later…so we were SO sore already)..needless to say, it was a challenge!

Phew made it to the top!

Thankfully, W8 also knew a great place to cool off after the hike where you could jump off some small cliffs and check out the snorkeling! Super local spot..very cool! They happened to know where Dog the Bounty Hunter lives and apparently we HAD to go by because he has a massive mosaic of himself on his gate! lol… loves himself a little too much! We had a delicious burger before checking out a lava tube, which was not altered to attract tourism (like the one on the Big Island) so that was also very cool! It led out to the ocean and some crazy-looking volcanic rocks and tide pools that reminded me a bit of Christmas Island and Wave Rock meshed together!

Looks like its belly first!

Hehe!

One sweet little spot that our CS host Kate turned us onto was the Macadamian Nut farm.  Upon entry we were given free macadamian nut coffee and delicious samples of their specialty nuts.  The coolest part about this place was that we got to crack a nut with a rock and eat the inside. 

Cracking a Mac Nut!

An even sweeter spot…the LOST village!!!!

The Black Smokes coming!

We felt lucky to be in Oahu for the 70th anniversary and commencement ceremonies at Pearl Harbor.  The event is one of the most important events in our nations history and it was definitely worth walking around checking out the sights and recognizing the sacrifices the men and women who died that day. Unfortunately, though we arrived super early, the tours were already booked out.

Submarine...crazy!

That night we found a sweet little camping spot right on  a beach in Laia.  We got up early to watch the sunrise and I rented a long board and did some surfing; mostly to say that I’ve surfed waves on the North Shore of Oahu, but also to get pumped up for Pipe Masters surf Competition that day. 

Sunrise at our camp spot!

Pipe Masters is the final competition in the Van’s Triple Crown series.  It takes place on the North Shore of Oahu Nov-Dec on possibly the most epic spectator friendly wave in the world.  Not because of its size but how close it breaks to shore and it’s near perfect top to bottom barrels.  Of course, no one can guarantee that the waves will be good on a particular day, so there is a holding period of about 13 days for Pipe Masters.  On any one of these days the competition can be “called” in the morning.  Lucky for us, on the first day in the holding period the competition was on! 

Wooo HOO!

We parked at the famous Sunset beach, planning to walk from there and right when we pulled up we could see the massive  swell.  The competition is a big event, drawing in big time sponsors, hundreds of photographers and thousands of spectators.  So, along with the masses we made our way towards the competition Beach. 

The Pipe!

The waves where pushing 30 feet (15ft Hawaiian, because they measure from the back of the wave) and swallowing up and spitting out riders in the near perfect barrels.  The beach was the perfect venue, sloping slightly downhill towards the water creating the perfect amphitheater for the most fan friendly surfing event of the year.  Easy to say we were stoked. 

Met the guy who made this beautiful art!

Even better was that our next CS host Wes lived right down the road from the competition. 

Wes is a super cool thrill-seeker living on Oahu and helping shape young minds in the classroom.  His girlfriend Kristyn is a Brockton native and naturally we had a lot to talk about!  It was good vibes and happy days the entire time, hanging out with his skydiving neighbors and meeting all sorts of interesting people. 

Wes sees Oahu as his playground and out of his toy box came the idea for climbing the Haiku Steps or Stairway to Heaven.  The track has been closed down for some time now in part because out of shape tourists would try to climb, get stuck, and have to be rescued but also the apparent danger of falling to your death.   

Soooo Steeeep!

The steps were originally built to service a radio tower at the top of the mountain and it took  3,922 steps to get there.  Since the steps are being guarded during the day we had to sneak around through the jungle and enter the steps at a higher point.  So, Wes led us through the thick bush and we entered the trail at about step 300.  Right before we started the trail we all regrouped and Wes told us that we would need to climb as fast as we could to the first platform so that the guard wouldn’t catch us. Onto the trail we went, practically running up the near vertical steps, an impossible pace and it didn’t take long before we started to wear out.  Even though we could hear the guard behind us blowing his whistle we pushed on in hoping that he would give up and let us continue.  At about step 500, already down one member of our group who had turned around due to vertigo, we hear the guard yelling “STOP”.  He had caught up to us in an amazing feat of athletic ability.  O’well, at least we tried.  Wes knew the guard because he had been caught before so he started shooting the breeze with him.  Turns out he’s a super nice guy just doing his job and once he realized we weren’t some punk tourists he let us continue, stating that he respected how we snuck around him in the beginning lol. 

YAY!!

What followed was a true test of endurance and will power, but the reward was a sense of accomplishment and spectacular views.  Plus, coming down was super fun and fast.  Wes gave us some gardening gloves and told us to let our hands slide down the railing letting our feet kick up in the air.

Breathtaking View!

As if climbing 4,000 steps wasn’t enough of a rush, Wes’ neighbors had told so many crazy stories about skydiving we spontaneously decided to take the fall ourselves.  Kristyn decided she would join us and we even convinced Wes’ little sister to join in!

Our plan to skydive had always been New Zealand for the first jump, but since we had been getting to know the folks who ran the jumps and it was one of the cheapest places in the world to do it, we went for it.  The day started off cloudy and it didn’t look like we would be able to jump, but all of a sudden the skies cleared and before we knew it we were taking off, destination 14,000 feet. 

Just before the "No turning back" point!

The plane ride was definitely the most nerve-wrecking part of the experience! I remember noticing how the white tips in the ocean were getting smaller and smaller…and more numerous! Then my tandem guy showed me his altitude watch showing we’ll be going up to 14,000 feet and freefall until 5,000… and at that moment we were ONLY AT 6,000!!! I thought we were already SO high!

Brad was first out…I saw him standing at the door and then he just DROPPED out SOOO fast …. It was unreal! When it was my turn….I didn’t even have time to be scared…and we were falling…and then after the initial few seconds…falling turned into FLYING! It was soo beautiful! Stunning views and it wasn’t even scary! 60 seconds flew by and then the parachute was pulled and I was allowed to control our movements…twirling around in the sky! Only 5 jumps before you can do it on your own..woah I can’t imagine that!

Flying!

Too fun!

After the incredible time we had and awesome people we met, Oahu instantly sprung to the top tier of places we’ve been to on our long journey.  Who knows, we may even find ourselves calling this amazing island home! :) :) :)

 

Category: Beaches, Camping, Cities, CouchSurfing, Hawaii, Hiking, Oahu, Skydiving, USA  Tags: , , , ,  2 Comments
Big Island!
Wednesday, December 28th, 2011 /

Our flight from Maui to Big Island was on a tiny 9 seater plane and as we got closer to the ground we could see the empty black lava fields that stretched for miles, a byproduct of two of the world’s most active volcanoes.  It has been several years since fresh lava has flowed to this particular area and in its absence Kona has become a very popular tourist destination and “busy” city of Big Island.  The area is known for its long stretches of beaches, world class micro brews and delicious blends of coffee. 

Beautiful views!

They don’t call it Big Island for nothing so we rented a car to allow for absolute mobility.  Normally this is something we wouldn’t do but the public transportation, although free, doesn’t allow large bags on board and only services a few main areas on the island.  We spent our first day exploring the far reaches of the island, starting on the west side near Kona and driving all the way up to the north west point, through the mountains and down to the east end in Hilo. 

We had been told, and read that Hilo was a slice of the preserved Hawaiian lifestyle, sheltered from mass tourism and blessed with natural beauty.  I’m not qualified to judge on the first rumor about Hilo, but the second one was spot on.  Lush rainforest and vibrant greens lacing the sheer cliffs that spit out waterfalls!

Rainbow Falls

Our couchsurfers lived 20 minutes south of Hilo in a beautiful hidden paradise with more fruit trees that you could ever imagine! George and Bobbie were incredibly gracious and inspiring and such a great experience to stay with! We had lovely meals together everyday and they offered us amazing advice on where to go and what to see!

Fairytale Garden at George and Bobbies!

We checked out a few waterfalls as typical tourists, so they didn’t quite measure up to our Maui experience…although they were massive and of course still beautiful! George has told us about some tide pools and hot springs which was cool and different to see.

Akaka Falls!

The most memorable thing of course though was the volcano! The night before, we walked down to the black beach because we heard the lava had started to flow…and we saw it!! It was exciting but we were SOOO far away. After about 15 minutes of attempting to get closer and carefully walking over old lava fields, we turned around and thought we would try our luck next time!

Old Lava

On our last day we headed for the National Park which is where both volcanoes are located.  As I’m sure is the case most days, half the Volcanoes National Park was closed down due to toxic sulfurs in the air, but we were still able to check out the MASSIVE lava tube that ran through the park. It was crazy to think the lava had carved out this tunnel through the way it flowed….very cool!

Lava Tube

We waited around until it was dark to see the glow of the lava underneath the crater…The color was like no other either of us had seen before, a neon orange glow diffused by the plumes of steam that floated out of the crater.   Apparently only 2 weeks later lava was crazy flowing down the water, creating new additions to the island!

LAVA!

Big Island is so large that you could spend weeks exploring the many great places or waiting for lava to take over.  But, since we were limited in time we did our best and feel confident that we made the most of our stay.  Thanks to George and Bobbie for making our stay there awesome! 

Category: CouchSurfing, Hawaii, USA, Volcano, Waterfall  Tags: , ,  Leave a Comment
Maui!
Friday, December 09th, 2011 /

Millions of years ago a phisher opened up in the earth’s crust some 20 thousand feet below the ocean’s surface.  The constant seeping of molten rock added with a whole lot time, multiplied by the constant drifting of our continental plates equals the Hawaiian Islands.  This cluster of volcanic islands is the most isolated in the world and, is in a constant state of growth; with the newest island, Loihi, forming off the coast of Hawaii(The Big Island) as you read this.  Although my math may not be precise, it doesn’t take a genius to recognize the incredible beauty of these phenomenal isles. 

Arriving in HAWAII!!!

Our first stop was Maui the second largest in size and population.  The island offers such a diverse landscape that within an hour you could go from sunny, dry desert to lush tropical rainforest in under an hour.  We had lots to explore on Maui and couldn’t wait to get back­­­­­ into living the island lifestyle again!

After a long couple hour waiting for the right bus, we finally made our way to the always sunny Lahaina, on the west side of Maui, where our couchsurfer Sarah awaited us! We all meshed immediately and made plans for a hike the next morning to go fruit-picking in the mountains, so after a home-made carrot juice, we were on our way with Odin, Sarahs big sweetheart dog to scour for as many guavas and Liliquoy (passionfruit) that we could get our hands on! We totalled about 50 in all, and shared with whoever would accept! Definitely something I loved about Maui…. It was all about living off the land, respecting the land, and sharing the joy!

Guavas galore!

Brad and I went exploring through the little tourist town when we stumbled upon the most amazing tree we’ve ever seen! They’re called Banyan trees, and their branches extend out and then drop to the ground to plant new roots….with look like new trees that have MORE branches that make more trees! And they’re all connected to this one “mother tree”… It was just unbelievably beautiful!

Banyan Tree!

Eventually Brad pulled me away and we made our way to the beach for sunset! It was beautiful as we watched a dog play fetch with a coconut, and kayakers passing in front of the picturesque mountains of Lanai.

Sunset in Lahaina!

Next stop…Paia, the alternative hippie town on the road to Hana… sometimes sunny sometimes rainy! We had a bit of trouble on the bus…future note to all backpackers heading for Hawaii… they don’t allow bags on the public busses! (this can also depend on the drivers mood and available space)BOO… we were pretty annoyed that they basically make all tourists rent a car or take a taxi! Luckily couchsurfers are BADASS and our new one in Paia, Kevin, came to collect us!

Sunset in Paia!

Lucky for us our hosts were not only cool people, but excellent tour guides, with an itinerary that was just our speed.  Our first day we visited the Iao Needle, which is a lush mountain range offering swimming holes and exciting views. 

Amazing view!

The next day was even better.  We headed out towards the road to Hana and somewhere near Huiku we pulled off on this small dirt road and found our trail.  Down we climbed until we reach the first of many swimming holes and were greeted by a beautiful family of three who were soaking up the sun where it usually doesn’t shine! 

Right away I spotted some hanging vines and had the urge to swing.  I gave it a hard tug and a test run before making my swing across the water.  “Get up higher” said Chelsea, and I willingly obliged and as I did no sooner did my butt meet the hard rocks of the river.  Nothing a little laughter didn’t cure. 

Vine swinging!

On we went only to emerge to a beautiful waterfall and oasis, straight out of a movie! Green rainforest all around, turquoise blue water…and nobody else around! We all jumped in….I needed a little push cus it was sooo cold! BUT SO worth it! The little waterfalls coming from the rock were warm too so major plus! We all found ourselves sitting in silence, some meditating, really taking in the beauty around us! We didnt want to leave!

Tranquility!

All we ended up doing was hiking to ANOTHER beautiful waterfall. This hike was harder and through heavy forest with lots of bushwhacking, but again, we arrived in isolation! This one was taller and provided a nice little rock to jump off of!

Brad backflipping!

Our time in Maui was truly unique and wouldn’t have been the same without our adventurous earth-loving couchsurfers! We left with a new love for all the local fruits , the lush green mountains, and of course the Aloha spirit! Definitely could live in Maui :) Not too sad though, becaue next stop … the Big Island!

Category: Beaches, CouchSurfing, Hawaii, Maui, USA, Waterfall  Tags: , , ,  2 Comments
Melbourne!
Monday, November 28th, 2011 /

Let’s imagine Australia as a family unit, focusing in on two of the major east coast cities.  If Sydney is the good looking energetic extravert than Melbourne is the funky, artsy, laid back cousin.   Melbourne, pronounced MelBIN  is an hour south west by plane, from its cousin Sydney (10 hour train if you’re a destitute backpacker).  Despite the relaxed feel, it has a very busy central business district and is an important financial center of Australia.

Amazing graffiti lane!

Melbourne is hesitant to show her hand right away, calling curious travellers to explore her back street “lanes” and cool suburban shopping strips.  There is no shortage of artwork to gaze at, whether it’s on the sides of buildings or housed in one of their world class museums.   There is also an impressive display of architectural achievement where past meets present in Federation square where folks can meet up, people watch or kick back and watch a TED talk on the giant screen. 

Flinders Station!

Just a stone’s throw away is the Yarra River, bending around the city in such a perfectly balanced arch that a stroll along the southern shore promenade requires you save space on your memory cards.  There is a subculture that looms in Melbourne, and if you look around as we did you are bound to not only find it, but love it!

Yarra River!

Another must-do is the famous Great Ocean Road Drive…although I would recommend taking a couple days to do it, rather than the 1 10-hour drive we rushed it in! Still…beautiful as ever with a pleasant drive along the coast along with some inland driving through forest! Eventually you’ll make it to the 12 Apostles, which are astounding upon first sight! With only 8 left, it’s something that could eventually disappear, so it was definitely worth the drive!

12 Apostles!

Our last day, we went back to one of our favorite spots , Brunswick Street. Similar to Fremantle in Perth, or Little 5 in Atlanta, it’s full of alternative, artsy people and weird shops :) Way more fun to walk down! We went to this awesome restaurant called “Naked for Satan”.. they brew their own beer and cider, and infuse their own vodka! Mon-Wed its 80c tapas, you pay after with your toothpick collection, and there is tons to look at with classic photos of naked men and women all over the place! Very cool vibe..just LOVED it! AND…there happened to be a Couchsurfing meeting there when we went..how cool! :)

Brunswick Street!

 A BIG THANKS to Julie and Jaq for hosting us during our stay in Melbourne! It was so great to see a familiar face and have a comfy bed to sleep in :)  

 

Category: Australia, Cities, Melbourne, Uncategorized  Tags: ,  2 Comments
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