Another Day In Paradise

A blog about my three-week adventure in Hawaii!

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Update: leaving my host??

Hi there! Right now I’m sitting in the lobby of hostel Wild Ginger Inn, in Hilo. This weekend has been wild and weird and very unsure, so I think I’ve gotten the essence of travelling adventure out of it! Go WISWEX. 

Tille and I left our host. On Saturday, we would go camping on a beach with a friend from Hilo, Lewis, so we went to cook up some dinner for that night. When our hostess saw us cooking, she got very mad at us and yelled about us using up her stuff and told us she wanted us to leave until Sunday evening and that we had ‘’promised’’ her peace and quiet in her home for the entire weekend. This isn’t true, as we still need food for the weekend which is incorporated in a worktrade. We had been taking in this type of ... let’s say ‘’surprises’’ in for all of our stay and for every move we made, we felt like we had to be on our toes. We couldn’t be ourselves around her and she promised us things that she eventually didn’t do, that while we were working so hard to keep her satisfied. At the end of every work day we were too exhausted to try and discover Hawaii. And as I mentioned before, she was particularly disrespectful towards me and had a clear preference towards Tille, which was OK had she been less obvious about it all the time. Many people had been telling us that we had lasted the longest of all of her workers, and we’ve only been staying for 2 weeks. In conclusion: she crazy, and if she’s telling us to stop eating ‘’her’’ food and leave, and even threatens to kick us out if we don’t do our work the way she wants us to, she can have it. 

We packed our suitcases, waited until she was in her bedroom and ran to the neighbour Lor, who drove us down to the streets. There we waited until Lewis arrived, shockingly asking us: ‘’you’re bringing all that to the beach?’’. We explained the entire story and I think he was quite entertained. We went to get him a 100% Kona coffee, see a thriftshop and got to see Two Steps to eat dinner and see the sunset, as time flew by. We’d forgotten spoons so we just scooped our quinoasalad with our winecups and it worked. We heard Lewis’ stories about his trip to El Salvador, which is apparently a great place to stay and not even that dangerous (for him). We got ourselves to Ho’okena Beach and set up the tent Carolina had lent us. It was tiny, but we were down for a nighttime adventure. We walked up to near the ocean and brought out the wine. It was a low percentage but since I hadn’t eaten that much before, it didn’t ruin anything for me. We had the most amazing talks there, not even spiritual and philosophical like we’d been doing all week (exhausting at a certain point), but really interesting and useful. Lewis is very smart and eased our minds so easily about school, money etc. He’s worked so hard to earn money and now he studies while travelling. His philosiphy is to ‘’keep falling forward’’ and to ‘’invest in the right things’’. I loved that and on that beach I realised that the time to do stuff and to create memories is now, and that nothing really matters once you put your mind to those goals. 

The next morning I had my cup of oatmeal (those cups have seen errthang) and we drove to Kealakekua Bay and Ke’ei Beach. Lewis and Tille went snorkeling, I just hanged around and carved our initials into benches. There were many old cars and vans around there with people camping and living in there. So Vintage! Afterwards we gave Lor the camping stuff of Carolina’s back and drove back to Kona. The highway we followed was situated in a beautiful field and right between Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea. We stopped and took so many pictures and video’s with Sparky, Lewis’ drone. When arriving at Hilo, all sort of business had to be taken care of especially for a minor like me. Everyone was real excited to see us again though, and we were the center of the drama once again. We went to the beach in the late afternoon and had some surfing fun there. In the evening we had some pie, because Zane would be leaving for Australia. We dropped him off at the airport and went to Target, the greatest store I’ve ever encountered in my life. It’s so big! And diverse! What! I bought some instant noodles, carrots and canned chili (everything is canned and convenient in the great country of the USA). By the time we got home, the kitchen was closed. So sad and so hungry, since I was living off my breakfast and one fruitbar. We just went up to a treehouse and talked together, eating carrots and having casual fun. I was so grateful to be back, especially since that amazing weekend we’d had before. I never knew travelling could really be so casual, cheap and oldschool fun, but I’m learning here that it’s really true and very easy to go on adventures and make friends. I can’t wait to see what this week will bring us...

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Last day in Hilo: Surfff

So I know the chronological order of this blog is way past accurate, but deal with it because I don’t have the energy and time to write every day :) <3 

The last day in Hilo, I was so sad to leave. The initial plan was to take the bus back to Kona at 1:30, but then we realised that apparently, the buses don’t ride on Sundays... Absolutely shitty, because we had to get back in time to get to work on Monday, but we also wanted to spend some time in Hilo for that day. Lewis had offered us to come surfing with him, and we really wanted to do so, so we were stressed about that not working out. At breakfast we filled ourselves up, sat in the sun and settled in for a bit. We decided to go with 1:30 to hitchhike back to Kona and hope for the best. Lewis was ready to go too and we went to squeeze some surf- and boogieboards into the rental car, which I have you know was not an easy task. We repeatedly almost smashed off the mirrors and almost killed this badass gecko who was chilling on a surfboard. Nevertheless we made it through and I squeezed myself underneath the boards, while Tille situated herself in the trunk. Zayn joined us too and we were ready to leave. It must’ve been a very funny sight because everyone at the Inn kept laughing at us and taking pictures. We thought we were being cool. Apparently, so did the gecko, who climbed back into the car last minute and got back onto his throne (the yellow surfboard). We named him Chad, our badass surferbuddy and all took inspiration from his courageous heart. 

The beach wasn’t a long drive, so Tille didn’t suffocate in the trunk. We loaded out the surfboards and took of some clothes to get ready to surf! I was so excited because I just wanna be that surferbabe to be honest. It looks cool in movies. When I saw the waves crashing into the sand I felt myself getting a little scared too, but I spoke to myself: girl, you’re in Hawaii right now, dying from surfing is quite the cool death to die and you want to learn to surf, so get in! Tille explained some technical stuff to me and I tied my board to my ankle. It was official: we were ready to go! It was hard to keep standing in the strong current when walking into the ocean. When the water got to my waist, I hopped on my board and we started paddling to where most people were. The hard thing about this beach, Honoli’i Beach, was that there were so many waves of different heights following each other up at a fast pace, so every time I had to push my upper body up from the board to .. not drown. We waited in the ‘’middle’’ of the ocean and suddenly Tille yelled ‘’now!’’, turning her surfboard towards the beach and paddling like madness. I followed her move but felt like I didn’t even move one inch, as the ocean was pulling back to form the wave. I cried and cursed a little, as I tried harder and harder to come forward, when finally the wave reached me and ... lifted me! I hadn’t perished underneath its power, I was riding it! I didn’t dare to stand up though, mainly because I was so surprised with the speed and power of that wave. I crashed into the beach and then I tried again and again, leaving  people laughing at me and a nice boy advising me to ‘’just paddle! paddle harder!’’. I was shaking the entire time through, but I was thrilled to be able to get on my knees one time. Even though I didn’t stand up, I feel like I was entitled to tick ‘’Learn To Surf’’ off my bucketlist. 

After we said goodbye to everyone, we hiked a long way towards the highway, waiting for a ride. Nobody picked us up and it took us so long that we were scared we’d have to walk all the way to Kona, which would’ve taken us until dark. Luckily, some people took us to the main road to Kona, advising us to stop walking there and to just wait for a ride. That happened, and boy, sure did it happen! We got picked up by this white dude namen Kaimana Lighthawk, who had just visited an ‘’Earth Day’’-festival and randomly gave us turkey feathers and told us many stories about Hawaii and ancient history of the kings and volcanoes. It was so fascinating and his energy was magnetic and exciting. When we asked him what he thought we should see back in Kona before leaving, he told us: ‘’All you have to do is breathe. Breathe it all in. In olden days, Native Hawaiians noticed the first thing about Westerners is that they wouldn’t breathe, they were so uptight. You have to breathe it all in, that’s what aloha is about, and that way you’ll experience the entirety of Hawaii the right way.’’ If that’s not some philosophical shit right there! When we arrived in Kona, he offered to take us to a vegan market/festival with music and things to buy, so of course we said yes. We finally had a decent vegan meal: a Puna burger. It is made in no other place than in Kona, with wheat, lentils, beans and whatnot. I had some vegan cheese with it, made of soy and coconut! I was so thankful for the first nutritious, fully vegan meal since my stay and we spoke to many people who also knew our host and described her as an ‘’interesting woman’’. After enjoying some music and meeting so many inspiring people, we headed home, resting ourselves after a long weekend full of love. 

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Day 14 (I such at keeping my blog updated): Volcanoes and Wawaloli Beach. 

Today we would be exploring South Point (the most southern point of the USA) and the green sand beach close to it. We asked our spiritual neighbour, Lor, to take us since he’s the only young person here and fun to be around. Also, we needed a car to get there. Lor wanted to take us there, except he didn’t know when the car would be available. So, he told us the morning, when we would f***** leave, that we wouldn’t be able to go because his grandmother and host needed the car (they all live in one house together). We were so pissed that he hadn’t told us sooner because that way we would’ve been able to get some friends from Hilo to come with us. So we planned differently: we would get the car in the afternoon and go to see the volcano, which had gotten especially active lava the last couple of days. Before that, Tille and I decided to lift to Ocean Riders’ Seahorse farm. When we got there, however, it became clear that we’d have to pay $45 to get a tour, and that you couldn’t just enter for yourself. We decided not to but the tour sounded nice. We were bummed again because we’d hitchhiked a long way, hiked a long way and had already been disappointed that day. I tried to be positive though, because we’d already had so much fun the weekend before.

We continued our way to Wawaloli Beach, a beach surrounded by lava rocks but with sand too, for a change. The weird thing about this beach is that it’s near the airport and near this gigantic industrial site, so you’re not sure how to feel when you’re laid down peacefully on your sarong in the sand and every 5 minutes Hawaiian Airlines flies over your head. Wading in the waters is beautiful though, when you do this you walk over lavacrust with all sorts of plants and shells growing on them, making it a slippery, soft bed to glide over. This was where I had my millionth ‘’what the fuck I’m in Hawaii’’-moment and felt superhappy with myself. 

It took ages for Lor to get the car so we decided not to waste any more time and hitchhiked to Gypsea Gelato, an icecreamshop right across the street that we’re on. They have so many flavours! Vegan chocolate with macadamia nut, raspberry lilikoi guave, mango, tiramisu, even goat cheese! Lor finally got the car and we drove to Volcanoes National Park to see the volcano everybody had been talking about. I expected it to be much closer and bigger and frankly, more impressive, however once you realise you’re literally standing on a volcano and that the lava coming up is in fact much larger than yourself, you feel the power. We also visited tiny craters in the ground close to the volcano, where Lor taught us to seek Pele’s (goddess of lava, volcanoes and the Big Island) hair. This is hair made of glass, and it’s not a myth: it lay all over the grass. We picked one up, we were told to wish for something and then blow it into the crater. I won’t tell you my wish, but I can tell you that when we left to go home, I realised that in fact, there wasn’t very much left to wish for. 

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Hikin’ Hilo: Waipio Valley and Akaka Falls

Today I woke up in a nice, clean bed, got to use an indoor shower and washed my hair! I had some good breakfast and fruitjuice. It may not sound like an absolute treat, but it certainly felt that way. It was nice to have left Kona for a little while and to be in an entirely new atmosphere. We hopped into a car with everyone who was off work for the day and went to Akaka Falls. Akaka Falls are huge waterfalls up north, easy to reach by car. Apparently little shrimp live in the falls, who’s eggs wash down to the ocean and when hatched and ready, these shrimp climb all the way back up to the falls to lay their eggs and start a new generation of shrimp. These falls are enormous, so let’s just say I’m grateful not to be that shrimp.

We left Akaka Falls, hiking the beautiful trail through the forest back to the car and resumed our journey to our next stop: Waipio Valley. This is a sacred valley in which Hawaiians have lived for many years, and one of the last underdeveloped valleys. It makes it very simple and peaceful, so tourists are warned to be respectful towards the land and its residents. The view from the lookout was splendid, you could already see the black sand beach from all the way up. We started our climb down, and Daniela, one of Tille’s friends, used this kind of cowboy-alike movement to keep her knees from getting sore. Everyone started making fun of her, but she didn’t give a shit. She’s very active and always down for adventure, living her own best life which is very inspiring to me. Many people at the hostel decided to go travelling for a shorter period of time, but then lost themselves and ended up in all sorts of different countries, ending up in Hawaii. That careless attitude and genuine fun is something I hope to experience as well. Everyone is just grateful for opportunities to engage into foreign cultures and adventures and nobody worries about minor inconveniences. Every inconvenience can be seen as a change of plans and thus another opportunity for a different adventure. 

We ended up eating lunch at the black sand beach and playing in the water. The environment in Waipio Valley is so lush and adorable and I felt like I was living in the world of Pocahontas. We hiked through the Valley to see waterfalls, one at the edge of the island, only reachable by climbing rocks. The other was one waterfall that was split in two at the top, resulting in a V-shaped fall cruising through the high mountains. We went back up, having seen everything, and that’s when we got really tired. Zayn, a friend who had served in the military, talked all about how this took him back and that he only needed someone to yell at him to complete the picture, while everyone else (except Daniela) was dying. I was asked if I was OK more than once, since I got really red and lost control of my facial expressions. Finally we had made it to the top and we must’ve spent half an hour in the grass before deciding to call it a day and head to the hostel. Tille and I showered and went out for sushi, when suddenly I saw a light beam coming from ... my phone? It worked? What? I thought it was permanently damaged, but apparently it had come back to life. The only thing left to do was getting the chargerhole fixed, but at least now I knew I didn’t have to buy an entirely new device. I was so happy! We got our sushi take-away style and sat ourselves down at a gas station, listening to live-music from a bar next to it. It felt so casual, but at the same time so very special, and I realised that I didn’t need much to be happy: live like a traveller and you’ll have the entire world inside your pocket. The next day we would leave for Kona again, but all that was irrelevant: we had just spent the day exploring the most beautiful island on earth with the most amazing people. Gratitude. 

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WEEKEND: Hello Hilo!

This has been the most amazing weekend of my life. For real, though. I’ve learned so much and experienced so much genuine love for life and travel. This is what WISWEX is all about. 

This weekend started off with me and Tille waking up at 5:20 to get dressed and take the bus to Hilo. Public transportation isn’t $100,- here and to get to the other side of the island you have to take the bus very early, or you won’t reach it at all. We walked down to the street, however not all busstops are clear to see, so Tille crossed the street to ask someone. That’s when the bus drove by, ignoring my waving: we had missed it! We were superbummed and scared that we wouldn’t be able to get to Hilo on time, but luckily we hitchhiked to the next stop. That man was our hero of the day. We waited a long time for the bus to arrive and just when we thought it wouldn’t show up at all, it came! Off to Hilo then...

After three hours we finally got to Hilo, a town on the other side of the island. Hilo is known for its lush rainforests and waterfalls, so we didn’t expect to see much sun. However when we arrived it was very hot and sunny, so we got our vitamin D and became energized again! We would be staying at the Wild Ginger Inn, a hostel where Tille had worktraded before she came to our hostess’ place. An adorable little place, not too chique but very cute and surfer vibes all over. On the wall, there were pictures of hula dancers (family of the hostel-owner) and posters of hula-festivals. Outside, there was room to sit and have breakfast, which was included in the $30,-/night too. Then I got to meet Tille’s friends, very inspiring and kind people from all over the globe. We hiked to shops but before that, I had my first acaïbowl. It was $12 but so damn worth it! Finally, I got my vitamins after eating sourdoughbread with peanutbutter for a week! 

When we got back from shops, we all decided to rent a car and explore. We visited the ‘’boiling pots’’ which are tiny waterfalls at the extent of Rainbow Falls, powered by a lavaflow underneath. Per year, there are at least 2 deaths of people who try to swim in it and get sucked into the ground by the lava. We were wise and just watched ;). After that, we decided to see Peepeefalls and to hike through Kaumana Caves. This is a cave that has been shaped by a lava flow many years ago. The lava had left beautiful shapes and a sparkly coat of black over the rocks and it felt so adventurous to go through it! It felt like an entirely different world down there and at once, we turned off all of our flashlights to experience pure darkness. 

After we got out of the cave it was near sunset, but we went to swim in hot ponds. A hot pond is a kind of bay next to the ocean, warmed by a volcano that’s located right underneath :) so you’re saying that you swam atop a volcano? Yes, that is what I’m saying. It was a great experience because by the time we arrived it was dark, the stars and the moon was out and we drifted through the pond together. I’d never experienced so much adventure in such a short amount of time, and I was so inspired by the spontaneous spirits of Tille’s friends. To finish the day right, we went to Ken’s, a pancake restaurant with a lot of other things than just pancakes. They serve ‘’sumo’’ versions of a certain dish and when you order it, they bang a gong and yell ‘’SUMO’’ before giving you a plate piled with pancakes, ham. eggs and bacon. Two friends of Tille’s, Lewis and Megan, shared it. They both felt so sick when they finished, but were too competitive to stop. It was hilarious to watch and we headed home with filled stomachs, but a much fuller heart. 

[reneeovertherainbow]

Day 6: Disaster

So, now I’m a sad girl. We had completed a day of work weeding and picking fruit, which felt very authentic and fun to do! We picked many grapefruits and avocados, which are absolutely massive here. Papaya’s are even better here than at home, by the way, very sweet they are. After we finished work we were really tired but decided to make something of the day and go downtown Kona. That’s when we changed our minds and wanted to go to this historical park instead, to do the alakahai trail along the beach. It took a long time for a car to offer us a ride, which was fine because we were lucky the day before. The woman offering us a ride didn’t know where the park was, logically, because my pronounciation was really bad and frankly I couldn’t exactly remember the name of the park. She recommended us going to the Keikiponds: Keiki means children, she explained that the pond was like a tiny bay next to the ocean, barricaded by lavarocks, preventing the waves from breaking through. This meant the water would be very calm, something she loved. We didn’t have much other options or anything to lose (so I thought), so she dropped us off and we enjoyed the pond. This tiny beach was with black sand too, and green bushes were scattered at random places. I loved to climb the lava rocks and to observe the details in it. It’s just very special to realise that it was once flaming hot lava, flowing everywhere. Many towns were destroyed by it, but now that seems so far away and serene. 

So then disaster happened. I lay down my towel next to Tille’s, we lay down and chatted for a bit and suddenly I felt my feet getting wet. I look back and I see the sea flooding my feet and my bag, which is right next to it. My bag, with my phone and my money in it. I cried. I did. I took out my phone and all seemed fine but obviously the water would need time to get into it. I tried to dry my money and we went downtown, visiting some very cute shops, but I still felt concerned about my phone. Once we got back I put it in some rice, but we also had to set the alarm for our departure to Hilo the next morning, which would be very early, at 06:00 taking the bus. I took out my phone and charged it, but it kept saying it was below usage-temperature and throughout the night, it only charged for 40%. Finally, when I took it out of the charger it died superfast and something stuck out of the chargerhole, leaving me with not just waterdamage, but an inability to stick the charger back in too. I was fucking annoyed and devastated because to be honest I just wanted my mom and well, the only way to talk to her was through my dead phone. Luckily I got to use Tille’s phone for that, and for taking pictures as well. Though still, this isn’t the way I’d like to spend my money or the rest of my WISWEX. It’s not even the fact that I can’t be on social media, but way more that I can’t reach anyone and that nobody can reach me. 

So it was an interesting day, but it took a nasty turn and now I’m just really sad. I’m excited for Hilo and what the weekend will bring, but just generally confused and annoyed with my sloppy ass for not being more careful. 

[reneeovertherainbow]

Day 5: Actual Magic

Okay, so I’ve noticed that I use the word ‘’magic’’ a lot in my blogposts, but I can’t help it. It’s simply the truth, making Hawai’i go round.

Today we had to continue cleaning in the guestroom in the farm, which apparently was there. We were working our asses off, which was okay because we had the best playlist on and were singing along. Then, Carolina came in because she had come back from a dentist appointment. I was sweeping in a relaxed way, because I didn’t want to waste too much energy and reload for a bit. That’s when she got angry, took the broom from me and went: ‘’that’s not how you do it of course! Why would you do that? Obviously I shouldn’t expect so much from a sixteen-year old! Here, ask Tille to teach you!’’ I was hurt and angry, because I’m a good person who works hard and just needed a lil back stretch. Carolina left again, so peace sort of returned and we went back to work. I tried to stay positive, but I still felt offended and did not understand. 

That afternoon Tille and I went down to the streets to catch a ride to Captain Cook, somewhere Tille had been wanting to go to for quite some time. When we got picked up by a very nice man it became clear by driving through Captain Cook that it wasn’t that interesting, and he offered to take us to a beach that he knew we’d love. It was a kind offer that I was a little hesitant to accept, especially since it was my first time hitch-hiking and since it was a man we didn’t know. But I’m so glad we did, because he took us a long way down to the prettiest beach I’ve ever seen: Ho’okena Beach. There, many generations of Hawaiians have lived on and protected the area. The entire beach was covered in black sand, because of volcanic eruptions making tiny lava pieces. Surrounding the beach was a gigantic hill, cut off by the coast, covered in a lush carpet of tropical trees. There was even free camping opportunities. Mesmerized by the place, Tille and I immediately forgot about our work and vowed to go camping next weekend. We went into the clear blue water, in which you could easily open your eyes to enjoy a clear, painless sighting and mermaid-feeling. We were so overwhelmed with the kindness the man had shown and the beauty of the island and enjoyed the rest of the afternoon there. 

It was a long hike back up, but eventually some guy drove us up to the top. Coincidentally, he knew a friend Tille had met in Maui, so they immediately took a picture. We had some ice-cream and a smoothie at a small shop along the road. This is also a big difference with back home: there are far more ‘’spontaneous’’ businesses and shops along the road with the nicest people who give you samples and keep their seats open for you to sit, even if they’re closing. We went back to the farm where we had a nice sleep. We were still over the moon about Ho’okena Beach and went to sleep with happy hearts. 

[reneeovertherainbow]

Day 4: Manta’s!!

Today, it was a rainy day. The more people I encounter tell me that it isn’t normal for Kona to be this rainy this time of year. Apparently, the weather has been like this for the past few months. Just my luck: finally leaving for a tropical, sunny destination but I bring along the rain. Carolina told us to leave the garden be for the day, and to clean the drawers and closets in her kitchen. Now I have a question for you all: how to clean something dirty, when given dirty cloths to work with? It was absolutely gross, there was mousepoop everywhere and I never have considered to chop off my hands until then. I was just happy to be done. 

In the afternoon we had some pasta and interesting talks about how Obama apparently rapes children and about how the government controls the weather just to mess with us. Carolina is very suspicious of the government and very headstrong concerning her views. She supports Trump and believes he was pressured into bombing Syria - in other words, it’s not his fault. It’s very hard for me to swallow everything she says, and to tolerate her attitude against me. She won’t accept the fact that I’m vegan and keeps trying to convince me to drink her goatmilk. She isnt flexible about the fact that I don’t want an egg with my pasta or sandwhich, while it gives her less things to cook so I don’t see the problem. I feel like this stay is going to teach me how to deal with these types of people, and to be patient. 

This evening, we were going to go snorkeling with mantarays, large harmless rays that live in the ocean here. We were looking forward to some fun after a hard day of work. We quickly ate something and hiked to our meet-up point, only to find that there was no guide there yet. After waiting and waiting, it became clear that the owner didn’t know where the guide was. After waiting another 45 minutes, he finally arrived and distributed the gear among us. We weren’t thrilled, but we’d learned that it was best to just go with the flow on this island - wherever it wants you to go, it will guide you. The guide (who was very very muscular, by the way) told us a nice story about manta’s and the rules concerning our trip. We finally went out to the Sheriton, a very chique hotel, where we would row our kayaks out to open sea. When we sailed out, I could feel my stomach acting up. Whether that was hunger, excitement, or a vague sea-sickness, I’m not sure. I do know that it all disappeared once we got into the water, got our snorkelgear on and turned on the lights that attract plankton, food for the manta’s. It wasn’t long after turning these on that the first mantaray showed up. It was massive! It’s width probably compared to my entire bodylength! It kept making big loops and touching us with it’s fins and then two other rays and rainbowfish joined the party. It was magical to know that the manta’s loved to be with humans and were just harmlessly playing around. I felt connected with them, as if it didn’t matter that I was human and they were ‘’just’’ animals. We were equals, I was a guest and they were my hosts and I felt welcomed by their magic. When we kayaked back I was shaking all over with cold and adrenaline. A woman who’s niece went snorkeling as well brought us back to our stay, asking nothing for it in return. It’s really contrasting with home that people don’t mind doing things for others - people help each other out of the goodness of their heart and help will always be provided to those who are open to it. Otherwise, we would have had to walk all the way back to our place in the dark. So this was the perfect way to round off the day!

[reneeovertherainbow]

Day 3: You Better Work

Monday: off to work. Yes, even in Hawaii we cannot escape the everlasting burden of jobs. We started off the day by getting up at 5:50 a.m. and doing the dishes. Meanwhile, Carolina made us breakfast (my tiny vegan ass had an entire papaya which tasted so much sweeter than back home). Our work for the next 5 hours consisted of freeing the pumpkin plants from weeds and getting fresh soil for the planters. Carolina made sure to get proof of my hard work so I can show everyone I actually did something. She’s trying to turn me into a farm girl, which is necessary for human growth, but worry not: I’ll always stay a diva at heart. 

After getting the soil it was time to refresh ourselves and to watch the newly born baby goat! I dislike goats, but here they’re really friendly and tiny animals are always cute. It was so soft and confused, and I could see in her was myself. Carolina had made this mix of quinoa, veggies and peanut sauce, filling us up again. We went back to our tent to do a work-out (one can only get away with eating a certain amount of snacks) and by that time we were absolutely sweating and dirty with stains of the soil. We showered and prepared ourselves to join Carolina into going to Kona. There, we went to visit some second-hand shops and we just strolled around. It’s adorable to see the big, typically American roads with shops and houses right next to it. It wasn’t that sunny, but very hot and people just set up their BBQ next to their beer-stand to have a good time together. I hope to bring back that same mentality to Holland: everything here is so relaxed and spontaneous and people don’t really care about who comes along, as long as it stays respectful and fun for everyone. It is a whole other level of generosity and joie de vivre that I hope to pick up on. 

Right now, we’re back in our tent, sitting next to each other. Tille is on her phone and I’m writing the blog. It’s only 9:11 p.m. but I’m so ready to go to bed. I just realized I didn’t even describe the weirdest part about this farm: there are no toilets. We can pee anywhere we want but should we poo, we have to cover it with leaves. The shower is outside and runs on gas. The dogs eat everything (and by everything I am including the placenta of the new-born baby goat). Eating patterns here are unusual to me too: we have a modest breakfast, a warm, larger meal for lunch and we don’t have dinner, or at least have some bread if we’re still hungry. The primary consumption here is goat milk/cheese for Tille and Carolina, and homemade sourdough bread/raisin bread. I haven’t seen as much fruit as I had expected, but that will come along as Carolina chops her own bananas and will be making chocolate tomorrow (cacao is a fruit, right?)

Now, I’m gonna sleep because tomorrow will be intense and I’m very very tired.

Mahalo,

Renée

[reneeovertherainbow]

Day 2: Coconut rice and Conversations

Today (or actually yesterday because I forgot to keep my blog updated), my fellow guest Tille’s friends came over from Hilo to discover Kona together. We hopped in their tiny rented Renault and drove to Two Steps, a famous surfer and snorkelpoint near Pu’ukohola Historic Centre. This was a ‘’beach’’ with mostly rocks, so we sat our asses down on them and got to know each other better. One girl, Janina, was from Germany and hadn’t been travelling for that long yet, compared to the other two, Zayn and Meghan. Zayn was in the US Military and has basically seen the entire planet on his way to Hawaii, and Meghan is from New Zealand with Hawaii to be her first stop on her travels. We went in for a quick snorkel, however I’m not so tiny so I was very worried to ruin the coral with my long legs and snorkelflippers. The waves were getting stronger and stronger and though I saw many cute fish (even Gail from Finding Nemo!!) I decided to get out of the water. To top everything off, I saw a real-life turtle, wild and alive! 

We got hungry so we went to Kona Farmers’ Market, where I tried the weirdest but tastiest thing ever: coconut rice, filled with toasted coconut and palm sugar, steamed in banana leaf! While going around the market, it was very apparent to me that so many people were open to start a conversation with you, not even to sell anything but to chat for fun and to teach you things. I think that’s a big difference with Holland, where we can be less spontaneous and generous at times. It was interesting to chat with Tille’s friends too, especially because they’re all from different countries and continents. I feel like talking to travellers teaches people more about perspectives and worldviews than any book may ever do: in Europe we have our own view on the US Military, while someone from the US or even the military itself feels very proud and willing to die for their country and firmly believes killing can be justified as one’s duty. 

After the Farmers’ Market, we went to see downtown Kona, where there was market too. People sold the cutest things: from shirts and bracelets to pieces of traditional Hawaiian art and painted coconuts. There were many samples of food to try, and many vegan options too! After going through the market at a fast pace (the drive back to Hilo is 2 hours and we wanted to go to the beach too) we went back to Magic Sands Beach to relax for a couple hours. It felt very freeing to me, to be with these people who had been traveling so independently for so long and who had seen more than I ever have. Talking to them feels like reading a page of a novel yet to be read by me, and gets me excited about all these different cultures on earth. 

Lastly, we went out to dinner and tried Kava, traditional Hawaiian juice supposed to make you ‘’happy and very relaxed’’. It tasted like drain water and I will not be having it again any time soon but it was fun to try. My dinner consisted of sweet potato covered in hot coconut oil, very simple and not too much but soooo delicious. It was time to say goodbye and to hike back to our residence, but we had an amazing time. Tille and I will probably visit Hilo this weekend, so maybe we’ll be seeing them again as well. 

[reneeovertherainbow]

Magic Sand Beach

[reneeovertherainbow]

Day 1: Goats, Magic Sand and Art

So today I woke up at 6 to try the outdoor shower, and I was immediately struck by the amazing view from outside my tent. I could see the entire ocean and the lush plants and trees surrounding our farm. The sky was blue with a few cotton-candy clouds across. After showering, it was time for me to help Carolina while she went milking the goats. This would happen in a small open shed where the chickens went about as well. I had to feed the chickens too, which I’d never done before in my life, so it was kind of weird to suddenly have 20 chickens around me screaming ‘’food!food!food!’’. But I’m here to get cultured so I’ll just let everything wash over me. That reminds me, there is no toilet here: just plants. :)

After breakfast, we got into the back of Carolina’s pick-up truck and drove to Keauhou Magic Sand beach. The cutest tiny beach with trees around and rocks to sit on and a great bunch of waves to play with! After acclimating my white Dutch body to these Hawaiian rays of sun, I went for a swim with Tille and it was amazing. The water was still very calm and we just drifted and swam. When I opened my eyes under water, there was no sting at all: just clarity and serenity. 

For the entire 4 hours there, we swam and tanned and boogie boarded (resulting in hurting knees and multiple near-death experiences for me). I’m really no surfbabe, but who knows who might wanna teach me :). Then Carolina picked us up to go home and Tille and I decided to take a stroll near the house. We saw a bunch of cute second-hand stores and souvenirshops, and we even encountered this vegan bar where they sell baked goods, smoothies, bagels, sandwiches, coffee, tea aND IT’S VEGAN. Go Plants!! After getting some coffee we went back to the farm to prepare for our next trip: to an art exhibition Carolina had heard about. The creator had been sailing around the world with his Hawaiian sailboat and crew, and had created this exposé of pictures he’d taken and materials he’d used to be sustainable throughout his trip. He answered a bunch of questions and gave us valuable lessons: Be patient, for nothing will happen if you force it too much. Connect people by communicating. Take care of your home, whatever or wherever that is. We’re all different, yet very much the same. 

On our way back home, Carolina who is a healer and expert surrounding wholefoods and body-nourishment, told us a lot about eating consciously and giving into your needs. She stated that you can eat as much you’d like, as long as it’s organic because it won’t harm your body. Giving into your cravings isn’t a bad thing, binge-eating isn’t a bad thing, it keeps you grounded. In fact, one binge-day is better than spreading it over the week. She speaks about vibes and energies a lot, and I love how everything is real here. It’s natural, organic and clear, food-wise but also communication-wise. Tomorrow we’ll have another fun day: friends of Tille’s are coming over from Kona, and together we will be discovering the city of Kona. Afterwards, we’ll go to a party which Carolina will be attending as well. Monday the real work will begin and I’ll begin the process of becoming a farmergirl.  

[reneeovertherainbow]

24h Travels In The Air

Yep, you read that correctly. One does not enter paradise the easy way: 24 hours stuck in a people-filled tube going through the air, with no real guarantee that it will stay there. I was quite nervous for my flight since I’m a little scared of flying, however as time went on I found myself getting increasingly comfortable. Flying from Frankfurt to LA, my second flight, I sat next to an American woman who was really nice. We started chatting for a bit, which is when I found out she was Republican (though she didn’t vote Trump). She explained her views to me and though I don’t agree with them, I feel like it’s educational to see the world from another perspective so it was very interesting. 

Then I had to go through Border Security at LAX, where I had to fill in this form about what I was bringing into the US. I had to register and fill in all types of information at this large computer (not a regular check-in) and I was worried to fill things in the wrong way. When I found that no stewardess was willing to come up to help me or had the patience to explain things to me, my sleep-deprived head had really had enough of it. So naturally, once I made it through, I decided to treat myself to a $6,50 dollar vegan ice-cream with pineapple and mango chunks and chocolate crisps. I sat outside in LA sun and felt like I could conquer the world. 

The flight to Kona was another 6 hours, and very beautiful as we were flying just above the clouds, not to far up to still be able to see the ocean. It felt like a dream, and I hadn’t even arrived yet! When we landed and I got my luggage, Carolina (my hostess) picked me up from the airport. She drove me to her place, over long highways and a very steep road upwards a large hill. During my stay, I’ll be sharing a big tent with this girl from Belgium, Tille, who has spent the last 4 months travelling around Hawaii. When leaving the tent, you can see lots of trees and hills looking over the ocean, which is magical at sunrise. At night,  tropical birds will sing you asleep and a zillion stars are visible.The kitchen is in a bigger house with one floor and a few rooms. The interior is very nice, crowded and diverse but nice. I immediately went to meet Tille and after chatting and killing our first big spider, we went to bed, preparing for rising at 6 a.m. to go to Keauhou Magic Sand Beach. Pics will be posted soon.