Fear of Flying

Eleanor Roosevelt said, "Do one thing every day that scares you."
We went ziplining on our last day in Hawai'i.
The video speaks for itself. Alohaaaaaaaa! Cathy

This photo album made with Smilebox

Aloha Hawai'i!

Our Hawaiian trip is drawing to a close. We have adventured to an active volcano, hiked to waterfalls and visited both white sand and black sand beaches. The Big Island is a study in contrasts of land and water and wind. As we biked through Volcanoes National Park, steam vents warmed us and rain cooled us. We rode detours around places where roads used to be, and wandered through a lava tube. The beaches are the stuff postcards are made of, with warm waters and pounding surf for those of us who love the tactile along with the viusal! And through the lazy days in this most beautiful corner of the island (the North Kohala coast), the home shared with us by the good people of St. Augustine's is our home base for exploring -- from coffee farm to macadamia nut factory, from the city of Hilo to the Waipi'o Valley.


The Sunday celebration of the Eucharist was flavored with Hawaiian culture as well as St. Augustine custom. "Aloha" is the community greeting; priest and Lay Eucharistic Ministers wear leis (as well as all guests!). People in the congregation pray the parts of the prayers of the people, and the doxology is sung in English and Hawaiian. This is a joyful community with much welcome and great food at fellowship hour -- just like St. James'.


June 11 was a state holiday here -- King Kamehameha I, who united the islands of Hawaii in 1810, is honored on this day with his many statues graced with multitudes of leis in his honor. The celebration included hula competitions and parades.

Before we leave Hawai'i, we will go to a lu'au and sample the beaches one more time!


Aloha nui loa,
Cathy

Aloha!

We flew across the country and across time zones. Park2Go, Newark Airport, San Francisco Airport, Airport Marriott, San Francisco Airport, Kona Airport, Avis Rent-a-Car, St. Augustine's Vicarage. The trip had taken two days, and as we began the drive up the western coast of Kona, we were drawn in by the beauty and the strangeness of the landscape. On this side of "the Big Island," the earth is formed of old lava flows, black with low, tan grassy plants. Mountains rise to the east and north, not the least of which is Mauna Kea, nearly 14,000 feet when measured from the sea. The ancient Hawaiians thought of the top of Mauna Kea as heaven. Our experience of Hawaii so far leads us to believe they were right.

The people and the Vicar of St. Augustine's Church welcomed us to their spacious vicarage, complete with mango and avocado trees, breezy lanai, and comfortable bedrooms. Vicar Tom Buechele pointed out the best beaches and the best sushi restaurant. We were not surprised by the graciousness and generosity of their welcome, but we were surprised at 3 am the first night when a frenzy of rustling bushes and snorting announced the arrival of macadamia nut-scavenging wild pigs!

Today, Tuesday, we hiked to the black sand beach at the base of Pololu Valley; the trip to the base was easy, climbing back up a bit more strenuous -- a mile and a half with a 400 foot elevation. The black sand is silky and fine, the shoreline edged with wave-smoothed volcanic rock. The beauty of the place is stunning; watching the crashing surf mesmerizing.

We are looking forward to exploring more of the 'aina (land) and hearing the mo'olelo, the ancient stories of the people.

Aloha nui loa
Cathy