Transitioning from Hawaii to Winter

Honey, we're not in Hawaii anymore

While formulating some thoughts for this post, I'm looking into the gray Washington sky and having a hard time reconnecting with my Hawaii experience. Was I really just uncomfortably hot a few short weeks ago? Two days ago a 30 minute bike ride brought both of us a little too close to frostbite for comfort. In the painful but glorious moments that thawing brought I had the thought, a little too hot sounds really good right now.

OK, that's a tad dramatic. And although a true story, that's not the whole story of our transition from Hawaii to the mainland.  The real fun started before we left Hawaii when we discovered that the boat that was transporting our winter clothes from Kodiak to Seattle was late due to weather and that would put it behind a week. So after a delightful Thanksgiving Day with family in Montana, we headed back to Seattle only to be told that it was yet another week behind. All told, we have been without our winter duds for over three weeks...and counting. Thank Jesus for thrift stores!






It turns out the delay was really a blessing in disguise, which is how God does things so I'm not surprised. On the way back from Montana we picked up our new-to-us RV (Class C '92 Fleetwood Jamboree shorty). The good news: we got a great deal on a well-made rig. The bad news: the 20 year old roof needed replaced, setting us back on time and making out "great" deal a "good" deal. So, even though we will be two weeks behind schedule, we thankfully had Jay's dad to stay with during the repair and even an RV sized garage to do some final repairs and updates before we hit the road (thank you, Miss Pauline!).

Flexibility is the name of the game when traveling in general, so although we are getting stir crazy, we are so so thankful that things are working out and that we will have a good-to-go RV for our trip-yay! Plus we had more time to spend with good friends and our wonderful family. Now for our next challenge-fitting everything in our limited space... It's all part of the adventure.

RV Camping in Maui

Look up RV camping in Maui and chances are you will find some mixed reviews leaning way toward the negative. Many will encourage the reader to "run, not walk" to the nearest resort or hotel.  There are horror stories where the writer describes the RV rental literally falling apart at the seams or having cockroaches running over them in the night. Well, that all sounds like fun!

If the vehicle options aren't sketchy enough, there is the absence of a genuine RV campsite and a severe limitation of RV friendly sites on the island (and really all over Hawaii). If you don't mind the possibility of being woken by security or police in the middle of the night, you can try to find a back lot or other empty parking spots. And at $89-225/day, you might save money...or you might not.

So why, you ask, did we rent an RV in Maui if it's such a pain? Because Jay really wanted to...I mean because it's all about the adventure, right? Thankfully we got a great deal on a nice camper van that worked great for what we needed. We got to experience Maui in a different way, meet some nice people we wouldn't have met otherwise, and get an idea of what it's like to live in an RV together. Incidentally, we went a size up and now have a shower and a real mattress in the RV we just bought. Thank you Maui RV camping experience!

Here are some tips to make your Maui RV camping experience as stress free and vacation-like as possible:

• Contact the RV rental companies and GO SEE the vehicle before finalizing your rental, if possible. Here are the companies: www.rvmaui.com, www.mauicampersrental.com, www.alohacampers.com . The company we rented from was closing doors, so we don't have a review to offer, but there are plenty that are out there. Some are quite entertaining!

• Either obtain permits ahead or be willing to search for somewhere to park and be willing to get kicked out if you choose poorly. This link has good information on well known RV friendly sites: http://www.rvmaui.com/camping_maui.html . If all else fails, you can always park at the one Wal Mart on the island in Kahului.

• If there are no signs that read "no camping", you can park at any beach and camp, as long as you are fishing. Now, some will tell you that all you need is a visible fishing pole. Others will tell you that doesn't go over well with police or locals. We recommend doing some actual fishing. You might just catch dinner!

• Weekends and holidays are a borderline sacred family time for Maui locals. We ran into many friendly folks, but just be respectful and aware that tourism gets annoying sometimes. Being respectful of locals wherever you go will allow for a friendly welcome for you and others in the future.

All in all, we loved the freedom and fun of the RV experience, even if there was plenty of give and take with the convenience factor. Maui is a fantastic island to explore in a vehicle and RVing is no exception! We have since returned to the mainland and purchased our first RV (yay!). Falling right in line with our track record, we are doing things the fun way, not the easy way, as we start our winter trek in the northern half of the country.  Stay tuned for plenty of ridiculous stories!

Yurt Living in Hawaii

Hotels, tent camping, timeshare resorts. Once the destination is decided, one of the first things on the list when planning any honeymoon or vacation is finding the right housing and transportation. The two of us have stayed in all of the above, but for our honeymoon we wanted something different and special.

Now, like most couples, we each had our list of important factors. Jay likes to avoid the typical tourist locations and stay somewhere rustic...like the ground. I (Nannette) require a kitchen, bed and bathroom for a long-term stay. Plus it's our honeymoon...so...I win! Thankfully, there are options our there that allow us to compromise easily and stay somewhere fun, unique, and cost-effective.

Typically, we book our place last-minute and take what we can get. This time, we planned ahead (applause!) and were rewarded for our forethought with the best of all worlds, and what I still refer to as "our yurt". 

 Yurts are portable/semi-permanent structures that originated in Central Asia at least 3000 years ago. These tent-like structures are circular and typically made of expandable wood frames covered in felt, skins, or bent natural materials. Western countries have adopted and adapted the yurt idea in the last 40 years or so and have become extremely popular in the moderate, tropical climate of Hawaii.

Most of the yurts in Hawaii are built on platforms or decks They can be as bare bones as a tent or as complete as a fully functioning house. Jay had stayed in one of the more rustic versions and I have always wanted to stay in a yurt. But my list called for electricity and plumbing...not easy to find on our budget! God of course took care of us and led us to one of the nicest and most unexpected blessings.



Mike and Laura Kelley live on a beautiful piece of property in south Captain Cook, Hawaii overlooking the ocean. The original owners lived out of the yurt as they built the main house. Much to our enjoyment, by the time we stayed in the Kelley's yurt, it was complete with a kitchenette, full bath, lights, a king bed and even a hot tub, making it the perfect start to our honeymoon! The Kelley's were a blessing as well, letting us pick the fruit growing on the property, having dinner with us, and even taking Jay diving. They really were the perfect hosts and we are so thankful for that leg of our adventure!

*Yurt history information was gathered from Wikipedia. If you are interested in renting this yurt, get in touch with us and we will point you in the right direction.

Manta Rays, Turtles, Sharks-Oh My!

Some of the best SCUBA diving and snorkeling experiences in the world can be found in the calm, clear waters of Hawaii. From deep wreck dives, to reeves teeming with aquatic life, the underwater world surrounding the islands of Hawaii are famous for drawing the adventurous and curious alike. We, of course, set out to put that to the test and were not disappointed. Check out our close encounters with Green Sea Turtles and a White Tip Reef Shark!

 

 

 

As amazing and beautiful as these experiences were, there is one underwater dance that will stay etched in our minds forever. The Manta Ray Night Snorkel/Dive in Kona, Hawaii has been rated on of the Top 10 dives in the world! Every night teams of divers and snorkelers set up lights on the surface and at the bottom in an attempt to attract plankton and the manta rays that love to feed on them. This results in a spectacularly close encounter with these up to 16ft gentle giants, who come within inches, and sometimes closer, of their delighted (um...mostly) spectators. If you look close, you will see a manta ray "love bump." 

 

 

 

The screaming you hear in the background isn't us, for the record. The laughing, however...







Finding Arch City

What is it that makes sea arches so thrilling? Just seeing a natural bridge gets my heart racing, let alone the thrill of passing over or under.  The Big Island of Hawaii is full of little known and hard to reach treasures like the Arch City coastline. After learning that there are a dozen sea arches in a mile stretch, we headed to find the trailhead to Arch City, located just north of Honaunau Bay in South Kona. What we didn't count on was that finding Arch City would be so challenging, or so full of discovery.








Much to our surprise, we didn't see a single arch along the coastline until we got 1/2 mile down the ragged lava coastline. Instead, we stumbled upon tide pools, natural sea salt pockets, and a coastline riddled with holes and hidden inlets.

 

 

 

 

Once we reached the arches, they did not disappoint! One natural sea arch after another greeted us on the last part of the coastal trail. So of course we had to play!



 

Tips and Resources: The trail is hard to find, so take our ongoing advice and get Big Island Revealed. This book is so invaluable and will get you to the trailhead. Be smarter than we were and take plenty of water and wear a hat. There is no shade and it will take you longer than you think. Happy exploring!

I'll Take My Fun On the Rocks, Strait Up! -Cliff Jumping the End of the World

One of the offbeat things we have in common as a couple is that we both like rocks. Whether it's collecting the beautiful and unique, scrambling up or under boulders, or climbing a sheer cliff (harnessed, typically), count us in where fun can be had with or on something rocky and high, preferably with an element of danger. (Jay chimes in, "Danger...YES!")

So when we heard about cliff jumping at a place called The End of the World, we...well...jumped at the chance! We parked at the south end of Alii Drive in Kona and took the short walk toward the cliffs, quickly spotting a group jumping and slack lining (slack lining consists of walking a tightly strung strap over the ground, or in this case, water). The drop is 15-40 feet, your choice, and is into nice deep water that surges into a cave*.  Here I (Nannette) am, on my first jump from 28 feet.

 

There is no secret to cliff jumping here. All you have to do is take a breath and step off.  The hard part comes when you want to get back up. After you swim to the side, you plant your feet on the submerged rock, wait for the surge to give you a push, get a grip (but watch out for sea urchins), and stand up. Then start the challenging climb up the rock face and do it all over again! Here goes Jay from 30 feet.

We think it's important to note that we found out later that the jumping spot is located near a sacred burial place and that many of the Hawaiian people consider it disrespectful to jump here.  So while there are no signs warning you away from the location, there is another cliff jump you might consider choosing instead at the southern most tip of the Big Island. This one even has a ladder!

 



*We strongly recommend doing your research and scouting out an area before jumping, diving, or any other potentially dangerous activities. Rocks and other debris shift constantly on the ocean bottom and surf can be rough as well. Use your best judgment and consult experienced locals when possible.

Big Island-Hiking the Road to Green Sands Beach

Hiking is by far a favorite activity of ours, so when we made our way to South Point we decided to hoof the 2.5 miles one way to Green Sands Beach. We were so happy with that choice! The journey was as spectacular as the destination. As we began our hike, the wind picked up true to its reputation. Here we began to see wind-blown trees bent and growing with the wind in what is called a Krummholz effect.

The next couple of hours were spent wandering delightfully along deep-rutted, winding 4wd roads surrounded by dry plains that backed up in surreal contrast to the blue of the ocean. A word to wise travelers: although this trail is full of otherworldly beauty, if you choose to hike it you will be in lots of dry heat and no facilities of any kind for at least 1.5 hours each way, so plan accordingly.

The real treat for most people is the chance to see a green sand beach. Since there are only four in the world, take the opportunity to see this one if you are on the island. The reason for the green color in the sand is the mineral olivine, know as "Hawaiian Diamond." The beach was formed as a cinder cone collapsed and eroded, releasing the olivine and rock to be battered and formed by the current into the olive green sand we see today.

 

Even though it might be tempting to take some home in an old prescription bottle you snuck into your husband's backpack (hypothetically, of course), the locals have handmade signs reminding you of the fact that this is not a renewable resource and asking for you to leave the sand for other generations to enjoy. Don't worry, if you swim in the powerful surf you will come home with plenty of green sand in the lining of your bathing suit!

 

The walk back with the wind at your back is a refreshing change and took us a little over half the time to get there. Walking through golden grass with the clouds rolling in, I couldn't help but thank God for the incredible beauty and diversity He created.

 

 

Sources for this blog post: Big Island Revealed and Wikipedia