It's been fun

The past two weekends have been camping adventures :) We drove up to the very North-most part of the island until the road ended and then we hiked down into this spectacular valley- Pololu Valley. The hike down is STEEP but less than a mile so all in all it's easy. (However I can't say the same about the way back up, haha) The view is just breathtaking. 

Looking from camp towards the water. This valley is perfect for camping because of all the tree cover. It blocks a lot of wind and gives plenty of shade. 

Camp :) This picture was taken the first weekend when Matt and I went alone. The next time we went with a group.

Breakfast time! This was our first attempt at campfire pancakes. We were cooking over the flames and using aluminum foil to block ash from getting into the batter. The next time we went Brian and Sydney showed us how much easier it is to cook if you just set your whole pan into a bed of hot coals (no flames= no ash). Now we know! 

I wish we had taken pictures along our many miles of hiking, but we didn't. So here is a photo of our final destination- a waterfall at the back of the valley! We had just arrived and I was taking down my hair. Totally unaware that my picture was being taken. 

The pool of water at the base of the falls was only about a foot deep, so we couldn't swim. We had followed the dry river bed for a long ways until we reached here. Along each side were fruit trees with their branches stretching over.  Mountain apples (taste and feel more like a pear than an apple), guava (sour), and LEMONS were abundant. (I use CAPS for "lemons" because these were Jurassic lemons, seriously! Bigger than navel oranges, with bumpy skin. Why I didn't bother to take a picture, who knows. Just imagine though! We made lemonade :P)You could tell that there used to be plenty of water flowing there by the width of the rocky bed and the color of the lava rocks- they were all bleached pastel colors, which is really unique. Sydney said that at one time the water flowed right into the ocean. Now the river has been diverted too many times upstream and the water stops here.

The boys decided to be adventurous and climbed up the cliff to find the pool that was feeding the waterfall we  first came upon. Us girls weren't strong (or brave) enough to make it- they had to climb the cliff using just guava trees as supports and even shimmy across a ravine using just a fallen-down tree. To get to the pool they had to drop down a 25 foot rock wall, grabbing tree limbs as they fell. INSANE. But they say it was worth the effort because the pool here was very deep so they stripped down to their undies and jumped in. This waterfall is twice as magnificent and you couldn't even see it. I don't think many people have ever been up there, that's for sure. 

In the middle of the forest we found an area that had been inhabited. Sydney said it was for sure a Hawaiian settlement because of the trees that were found there and no where else in the valley. HUGE mango and coconut trees surrounded a grove and there was fencing made of piled rock. This huge banyan tree had vines hanging down from its branches that were strong enough to support our weight. Fun!

After camping we had a beach day and it was just too much for my pale complexion. I texted this picture to Bridget so she would know that life can be rough in Hawaii :P 

I took this picture last night. These are orchids that I picked myself from an area about 15 minutes outside of Hilo called Fern Acres. It is a rural housing area that is abundant with plants because of the massive amount of rainfall. I was thrilled to find these orchids growing WILD. Some were as tall as me! I couldn't believe my eyes. These are unlike any that we've brought in the shop... small like dendrobiums but with a lip like cattalayas.. maybe they're even a variety unique to the island, who knows!

This picture makes me smile so I had to post it. A sweet little old lady named Mrs. Nishimoto brought this twin banana into work the other day. Isn't it just the funniest thing?? Siamese banana. 

So my time here in Hawaii is coming to an end... I fly out next Thursday which means I have just one week left. To be honest I just don't want to talk about it. I know I'll transition just fine but man,am I going to miss this place! I have had the time of my life and at the same time I know I've matured and learned so much. I don't know how I'm going to fall asleep without the sounds of rain hitting ti leaves and coqui frogs singing all through the night.  I tear up every time that I think about how I'm going to say goodbye to Sydney because we both know that our goodbyes last longer than most goodbyes do... than any goodbye should. Gosh, I need to change the subject or I won't be able to finish this post. The reality of leaving so soon still hasn't quite set in and all that sadness  is bottled up right now. 

Instead let me list some things that I've learned. Since I'm writing it on a whim right now it can only be a small representation of an ever-growing list of things:

• Ants won't cross petroleum jelly. So when they find their way into your kitchen, follow their trail and cover their entrance with a little glob of it. 
• If you try to make homemade macaroni and cheese, be sure not to over-stir the melted cheese. It will make a stringy mess that you never imagined possible.(the fix? Turn the pasta into a frittata using beaten eggs. It's like a quiche but with pasta as the base. Yum!)
• Always carry a rain jacket.
• When it comes to sunscreen: reapply, reapply, and reapply. Sunburns are inevitable on Kona side, clouds or no clouds. 
• NEVER order flowers from Teleflora or FTD or any other middle man flower delivery service. They keep a portion of the money you spend so your flowers are sure to be under value! Call the florist directly.
• Don't underestimate the power of a pleasant speaking voice on the telephone. I've been able to close sales quicker and diffuse difficult situations easier just by using my most polite and friendly voice.
• When a customer is unhappy: first listen to all they have to say, then sincerely apologize (no matter whose fault it is), and then immediately start offering some solutions. Excuses don't make customers happy, solutions do!
• Florists make the most profit on funeral work. The prices are high and the designer will choose the oldest flowers because they know that the arrangement only has to last for one day, the service, and then it is likely disposed of. 
• There are NO large mammals living wild on the Big Island. There are mongoose and boars but that's it! Thus it is very safe to go camping, exploring, etc. 
• .... Just watch out for centipedes! The centipedes here are BIG and when they sting/bite you it is extremely painful. I got bit on the top of my foot and it was a throbbing pain with a lot of swelling and there was nothing I could do. I just put ice on it and went to sleep hoping it would be better by the morning. (it was)
• Boar hunting with just dogs and knives is FUN. The biggest adrenaline rush I've ever had was when we heard the boar screaming and the dog barking and we just started sprinting towards the sounds and chasing the dog that was chasing the boar. The dogs latch on to the pig, Forrest pulls the boar's back legs out from under it, Brian pins it to the ground, and Sydney stabs it in the throat. Fun, fun, fun. (Carrying a bloody 160 lb boar home through the wilderness is the not-so-fun part. Skinning it is not for the faint of heart.) Also sow is tastier than boar because it has a much higher fat content. But boars are more fun to catch because they have tusks! 
• Orchids are air plants which means that their roots don't like to be in soil; they like to be exposed to the air. They don't like to be watered much because they naturally absorb moisture out of the air. There are SO many varieties and there are some that are unique to the Hawaiian islands. The weather here is perfect for growing them so I have seen more orchids than I could have imagine existed. 
• Downtown Hilo has been hit with two big tsunamis in its recent past. The first time they completely rebuilt the bay front shops and all. Very soon after another tsunami hit and wiped out all their hard work. So when they rebuilt again they didn't put much effort (or money) into it. This explains why the buildings downtown look so crappy and why there are wide expanses of green grassy areas for parks and ball fields all along the road.
• A similar story can be told about the railroad that was built around the island. The 1946 tsunami wiped out key parts of the newly built railroad that had a short life transporting sugar cane. Investors then backed out and the railroad was never rebuilt. The main road that circles the island, Hawaii Belt Road, was built on parts of the old tracks.
• Speaking of roads, you would be surprised to know that there is one main road that goes completely around the island and only ONE road that crosses through the middle- Saddle Road. This road is permanently under construction and is frequented by military convoys so most people stick to Hawaii Belt Road. It is a quicker route from Hilo to Kona, though. Well, as long as it's daylight. No one drives Saddle at night because of 1- the legendary Night Marchers (ghosts!) and 2- the vog from the volcano makes it very, very difficult to see at times. 
• The neighborhood I live in used to be a sugar plantation! I actually live in an old plantation house, believe it or not. I talked to an elderly lady on my street one day and she was telling me that she remembers what it was like before the shopping center and all the houses were here- it was all sugar. She has lived in the same house for that long!
• The Big Island is located over a geological hot spot that has created ALL of the islands in the Hawaiian chain as the tectonic plate they are on has been gradually shifting over time. The Big Island is the newest and biggest of all the islands and it is actually the newest land in the world because it is constantly being made by the active volcano here. The Big Island is actually the product of a total of FIVE volcanoes. All but one (the southern-most, Kilauea) are dormant now. Eventually the Big Island will drift off of the hot spot and a new island will rise up from the ocean floor. Scientists have already named the seamount that will one day become the newest Hawaiian island "Loihi". 
• The Big Island's tallest mountain, Mauna Kea, was once one of those 5 volcanoes. It is the tallest mountain in the world (MUCH taller than Everest) when measured from the sea floor to its tip.  There were many occasions this year when Mauna Kea was snow-capped and it was easily visible from Hilo town.

Okay, I've got to stop. I think I could go on forever! There is so much more that I have learned about Hawaiian culture, history, and language but I can't do it justice by listing it in bullets. And then there are the things everyone learns about cooking and cleaning and prioritizing. You know, adult stuff :P That's too boring, haha. I hope everyone has enjoyed reading this blog and sharing my adventure with me. It's been fun :)

Photo Update!

I just synced my iPhone and I have lots of pictures from the last month to share. First is a picture from a few weekends ago when the Merrie Monarch Festival was going on in Hilo. It's an internationally recognized Hula festival where halaus (members of hula groups) from all the islands come together to perform. Before the festival the hula dancers go on kapu, which is a month of abstinence from drinking alcohol, eating sugar, and having sex. The idea is that this will allow the dancers to unify and pull their strengths together towards a common goal so that they will all be strong and pure when they take the stage. 

This is a halau from Hilo that had many members of all ages. They performed for nearly an hour as the sun set in the background. It was beautiful! Unfortunately the low lighting after their performance prevented me from getting any pictures of the dancers from the Marshall Islands or Tahiti. Their styles of hula were MUCH different than traditional Hawaiian hula. The Tahitian dancers wore elaborate costumes and danced in a very sexy style whereas Hawaiian hula usually references every day activities like planting crops or pulling kalo (a staple crop here that they pound to make poi).

Earlier this week we all went to the Lantern Festival at Waiakea Pond, which is walking distance from our house. The lighting of lanterns is a Japanese tradition done in remembrance of deceased family members. Lanterns are made and released one by one into the lake to drift across to the other side. It was especially beautiful because of the Japanese style arching bridges that this park is known for.

The small greenish lights are the lanterns. 

Last weekend our good friends from Alaska, Callie and Cary, came with us on a trip to Makalawena,  one of the most beautiful (and most remote!) beaches on the island. Here is Matthew four wheel driving the Jeep down the "road" which is made completely of rocks and is only accessible via extreme driving. SO MUCH FUN! 

Nearly there!! I jumped out of the car to get an action shot once the water was within sight.

Once we made it out of the woods, we drove right along the coast along this mix of crushed lava rock and coral. Beautiful, isn't it? 

Here are Callie and Cary playing in the water at Makalawena. The sand here is unreal; it is the most soft and fine that I've run across so far on the Big Island.

On Sunday Sydney and I went to a beach right here in Hilo, Brown's Beach. It's about 15 minutes out of town and accessible by a path squeezed between some houses. I had never been before so I really enjoyed it. The water was shallow but there was a surprising amount of sand (for Hilo). See the white building amongst the trees? That's Sydney's work!! I'm not sure if I've mentioned it before but she works at an oyster hatchery. Then if you look to the right, above the girls in the water, you can see Hilo Town! That's the portion of downtown Hilo that is right on the oceanfront. I liked this beach spot a lot because of the view back towards town. 

Brian picked Sydney and I up from Brown's Beach and took us to the zoo for a few hours. I got this awesome shot of a PINK pineapple!! I hadn't seen one before but Brian had and he said that they are not nearly as juicy and sweet as the golden or white varieties. Neat though, right? 
As we were leaving the zoo, we ran into this peacock displaying his feathers! I had never seen this up close and personal so I really enjoyed it. The peacock was actually shaking his feathers and slowly spinning around in circles. From the back you can see brown feathers and soft downy feathers as well. 

In this picture the peahens had just started to get interested. It didn't amount to anything though. They ended up disappearing before he had even finished his show.

:)

Sydney and I in front of a pond with lotus blossoms. What a fun day!

It's about time for an update!

Sorry to keep you guys out of the loop. These days life is life and I haven't been making time to update this blog. Know that I'm HAPPY and busy and working all the time!
We made it through prom time at the shop. It was a lot of fun helping all the silly boys try to decide what to get their dates. This how it usually went: "Do you know what you'd like to get her yet?" "Uhhh, not yet" "Well, what color is her dress?" "Uhhh, let me text her real quick" Haha... Even better was when the date didnt' even come in and instead the mom had to call last minute, scrambling. Other than taking orders, it became my job to make all these TINY bows:

And string lei. Here I am making tuberose (smells so nice) and spray rose lei. Notice my hi-tech headset that stays glued to my head. Very handy since I take phone calls all day long.

I also became the manufacturer of a new type of wristlet that we just started making this year. It was my job to develop a prototype and then mass produce these flexible metal wrap bracelets in all different colors. It was frustrating at first because the aluminum wire that we use is almost TOO flexible, but after I got the hang of it I made a ton! They sold for $45 a piece and only had a $5 cymbidium orchid on top so the profit margin was huge :) 

Step one, the frame, and step two, the medium gauge wire support.

Nearly done! I've added the "angel hair" filling and the outer binding wire to hold it all together.

Finished product! The orchid isn't as big as it looks :P

Since then my 21st birthday  has come and gone. I didn't celebrate the way that most 21 year olds do because I had work on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of that weekend due to Mother's Day preparations. On my birthday Matthew took me out for frozen yogurt at our favorite place, Yogurtland, where you get to make your own sundaes. Then we went to the zoo! We ran across a free-roaming peacock and I attempted to get my picture next to it.

Take one...

Take two! The peacock randomly jumped up and perched itself on the fence, nearly scaring me to death! The look of shock on my face is genuine :D

When I got home, I had a box of tulips waiting for me from Dad, Andrea, and the kids. Then, Matthew surprised me with this arrangement that he, Bridget, mom & Ron collaborated on. 

They ordered it from the shop where I work :) Tropicals are very long lasting flowers so, believe it or not, the flowers still look just like this! 

School has nearly come to an end. My last day of classes was Tuesday and I had my first exam, Anatomy Lab, tonight. Next week I have a few more and then I'm DONE! What a relief. So far it looks like I will be getting all A's :D

I already  have over 20 hours clocked this week due to Mother's Day and it's only Wednesday! The shop has really never been busier. I love it! Time is flying though, and sooner than I'd like to admit I will be boarding a plane to come home. June 23rd is my last day here. 

I'll try to post a few more times before I'm gone. I just need to have an adventure worth mentioning! Haha. I'm enjoying every single day but most things aren't exciting enough to mention. Like, I made lasagna last week and it was delicious. Or, today I caught the tiniest little tree frog and then everyone at work told me to kill it because it is a coqui and they are pests. I couldn't do that!! I love frogs, even the ones that are so noisy :P

Tsunami!

Last night at about nine, Brian came to the house after a hunting trip to warn us of an approaching tsunami caused by a huge earthquake in Japan.  He took Sydney to run to the gas station and go to their work place, an oyster hatchery located right on the coast.  They had to quickly prepare for the effects of flooding at the facility. They were there until about midnight packing up important books and papers.  One of their coworkers had to take their research boat out into the ocean because the only options to save it were to take it out of the water and drive it away or to take it way out to deep waters.  How terrifying to be on that boat late last night! By the time they got home, we had been listening to the radio and preparing for the worst. We made a trip to the gas station, where we had to wait in line for over thirty minutes before we could get to the pump.  Gas was running out and there were traffic jams at every gas station in town.  When we got home, we packed our bags for evacuation because we found out that our house was in the tsunami inundation zone, meaning it is on low lands too close to the coast to be safe during a tsunami.  The police were ordering evacuations of these zones by two AM because the tsunami was supposed to start hitting the Hawaiian islands around 3 AM.  We took our stuff, Brian's dogs, and sleeping bags up to a friend's house wayyy out in the wilderness.  Their house is about 8 miles out of town, all uphill.  Their road has such a steep grade that as soon as we turned on it we said "okay, we've got to be safe now!" haha. We were tempted to stay up later and watch for the waves (they really live high enough that we could see the coast from their back porch) but I was scheduled to work at eight the next morning so we headed to bed. We got up at seven this morning to drive back down to Hilo. I had no idea what to expect because we had no phone service at their house.  I was secretly hoping that school was cancelled, and maybe even that work would be cancelled. It turned out to be a lucky situation all around.  Hilo didn't suffer any damage from the waves as far as I know.  The police had our road barricaded but we took a detour and were able to get home.  School was cancelled and the shop was closed because as of this morning we were still under a tsunami watch.  It has since been lifted for our side of the island and everything seems to be back to normal.  What a scary, exciting night though! I never imagined that I would be present for a potentially dangerous situation like that. The response here in Hawaii was very well coordinated.  They had sirens sounding through the night to alert everyone that an evacuation was necessary.  They opened up shelters all over the island for families in need.  The police stayed out all night blocking traffic towards dangerous coastal areas and advising better travel routes.  This morning they were still blocking the main Hawaii Belt Road and we had to detour back to town on higher ground.  Overall, I was impressed with their handling of the emergency.  If only Japan could have had the kind of advance notice that Hawaii received.  Our thoughts and prayers go out to all those affected by the disaster there.  We are forever thankful that we were kept out of harm's way.
Now, I have a full day to clean the house! Haha. Later, when Brian and Sydney get off work, we're going to see the movie Rango!  Poor Matthew still had work today because nothing shuts down Walmart! We called just to see and an employee answered the phone, "This is Walmart and we're open!" haha... They're not a 24 hour store but apparently they stayed open through the night to accommodate the people that were camping out in the parking lot.  Way to make that money, Walmart! Here are some more interesting facts about the Hilo Walmart: It is one of the only Walmarts built that was able to pay for itself within the first year of being open.  The Hilo Walmart does more business (including pharmacy business) than any of the Walmarts on any of the Hawaiian islands.  It also sells more dog food than anywhere in the world. (This last fact I heard from someone in class so it may not be legitimate. I'd believe it though because hunting wild pigs with dogs is a huge past time here) The other facts are true because they were told to Matthew during his training. Interesting, right?
In summary: I'm alive!! Tsunami evacuation is a scary thing but it can be fun when the tsunami never shows. The Hilo Walmart makes a TON of $$.
Love you all!

Update!

It's hard to believe, but the spring semester is nearly halfway over! My grades are high, and everything is running smoothly. I wish time would just slow down so I could spend more time outside! But I'm still really enjoying my job and I'm getting plenty of hours so I don't have to fret about money. Last week I spent more than normal at the grocery store ($200, Ouch!) and spent a lot of time cooking. I made banana bread, cranberry-orange scones, broccoli calzones, two kinds of soup, and cornbread. Not all in one day of course!! One of the soups was surprisingly delicious and super healthy- black bean soup. I know, I know, it doesn't sound exciting. And it won't look exciting either, because it is brown soup. But trust me, it's so flavorful! The best thing about it is that it really only takes 15 minutes to fix, as long as you don't mind dirtying the blender. So here's the recipe:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Black-Bean-and-Salsa-Soup/Detail.aspx
I took the reveiwers' suggestions and added an extra can of beans and a can of corn to the soup towards the end to make it more chunky. The cumin is necessary but green onions are not. I hope someone tries it! I'm sharing the recipe for a reason :P
Since my last post.... we have been to Hapuna Beach one weekend. The waves weren't nearly as big this time but we still enjoyed boogie boarding. On Saturday I went to Onekahakaha Beach Park with Sydney and Brian to collect algae samples. Sydney has an algae project due in one of her classes that requires her to collect algae and press it so it.  We waded along the tide pools and searched for unique algae. We had lots of luck! We also found sea cucumbers, sea urchins, and anemone. It's amazing what you can notice when you're really searching.
After that we had an intense four player game of Phase 10 and while I was close, I didn't win. I'll get 'em next time :P
Guess that's all for now. As soon as something exciting happens I'll let you know! Until then...

Valentine's

So, today was Valentine's Day, the busiest day of the year in the floral business. Wow, was it an experience! I've never seen the shop so packed. We've been preparing for over a week. Two weekends ago we worked Saturday and Sunday to factory produce dozens of roses and other Valentine's themed arrangements. We offered a variety of arrangements at different price points and in different styles. We stored all the arrangements in refrigerated Matson containers behind the shop so they would be ready for Valentine's orders the next weekend. Today was the culmination of a busy week with the shop full of men picking up orders, making last minute orders for delivery, and pacing the front trying to decide: "Should I spend $90 on a dozen red roses? Do I have to?? Would she like this less expensive one just as much?..." Hahaha, poor boys!!
So I nearly lost my marbles today because the phone was ringing off the hook and there were just people EVERYWHERE but luckily half of the crowd was friends of the owners that were volunteering to help us out today. We rented more delivery vans and had all kinds of guys driving for us. The shop was full of ladies boxing up arrangements for cash and carry, tracking down pickups, running new orders out to the back, etc etc. It was nice because I had constant help, "Could you get these balloons attached to that order? Could you make up a three rose presentation in cellophane with a pink bow? Could you find out if we have any more of this or that?" If I had to do all the little things myself there would have been no way that I could have handled the overflow of customers. I was in charge of taking orders from customers and running the cash register, mostly. But I was all over the place!
Eventually the day was over and I could breathe again :) We did over 400 deliveries!! Who knows how much money we made, but I know it was a LOT. There are only two florists on this side of the island so I'm sure you all can imagine how busy we were. It was crazy, but also fun change from the normal pace. Now I'm happy because all the extra hours I've put in the past two weeks will pay off with a four day weekend this weekend for President's Day. I wish I had some exciting plans to share with you all but Matthew is working full time now at the Walmart pharmacy so we won't be doing anything out of the ordinary. Well, maybe I shouldn't say that yet. There's still hope that we can plan an adventure :)
Last night he took me to dinner at a nice restaurant right on bay front that I've always admired from afar. They had live music playing and we got a little table at the front windows and had a delicious meal. We've been saving money so we don't eat out much and that makes the times when we do go out all the more special. I told him he better not get me roses :P I'm sick of them! They're so expensive because the growers jack up prices, knowing the huge profits florists make, and the florists are forced to raise prices on roses (and the associated fillers like baby's breath and wax flower). Other flowers, however, are priced normally and the arrangements have much more artistry to them. The mixed bouquets we made were just beautiful. And they're sure to last longer than the roses that blow open as soon as they get a taste of the humid Hawaii air outside our refrigerators. But anyways, I told Matthew not to get me roses and then I realized maybe that was a mistake because what if he assumed I didn't want any flowers at all? That would be sad! I was secretly hoping that he would try to be sneaky and order something from my shop. But he didn't. He did something even better: he bought me a live phalaenopsis orchid plant that will last longer than any roses :) It was a lovely surprise. My first orchid plant! I have to treasure it while I'm here because orchids are extremely expensive on the Mainland, if you can get them at all. Working at the flower shop has really opened my eyes to all the beautiful flowers out there, and the many varieties of delicate orchids are really at the top of the list.
Other than work, it's been school, school, school just like usual. Except this semester I was smarter and I'm not taking as many night classes. Racing from work to school on my bike got old :P Now I spend the majority of my day at school on Tuesdays and Thursdays to get most of it out of the way at once. It's nice except for the possibility of having all my tests at once, which would make it hard to study. But that hasn't happened yet. I have had some tests and I've set the curve on most of them :) I try to start the semester out right so that I have some leeway later in the semester when my enthusiasm for being a good student wears off. (Some of you may be under the impression that this is impossible, but I assure you, I can be as lazy as the next kid!)
I'm sitting here trying to come up with something super exciting to write about and all I can think about is the book I'm currently reading... sad, right? I am a bookworm at heart :) Lately my books have been disappointing me but this one shows some promise. It's a semi-fictional account of the lives of the couple that were in the private booth with Abraham Lincoln the night he was assassinated at the theater.  Turns out they are half-siblings that fell in love and were engaged to be married! It's interesting to think about because they must have been famous people of their times, being the closest witnesses to a national tragedy, but today we wouldn't know anything about them. Really puts things into perspective.
I suppose that's all for now. Sorry to be sporadic with my posting. Anyone out there? I send my love!

Happy New Year!!

Hey everybody,
Don't worry, I'm alive! I survived holiday break and started back to school today. I never intended to be AWOL for this long, I just wanted to wait to post until I could do a really long holiday post that covered everything. Now I'll be doing a really long post but it could never cover everything...
Let's start with Christmas! I had a nice Christmas, but at the same time it was very strange.. I worked A LOT. I was just a fraction away from 40 hours the weeks before and after Christmas. Matthew and I went to Christmas dinner at Sydney's family's house in Waimea. She cooked an Italian style feast and gave us the game Apples to Apples (one of my favorites!). They had never played before so we all played together and that was lots of fun. I got to Skype chat with the family during the days of Christmas, and we even got to open presents together. Mom took the effort to send all my wrapped presents early so I could open them with everyone. She even sneakily sent an extra one to Matthew so I would be surprised on Christmas morning :) I loved all my gifts and the cards that family sent. Grandma even sent a box of Christmas decorations to make my house festive.
The day after Christmas, I was back to work! I ran the front of the shop while the designers factory-produced Kadomatsu New Year's arrangements. We made a lot extra and hoped to the sell them all- and we did! We sold out after lunch on the 31st so we all got to go home early :) Then we were closed until the 4th so I had my longest vacation yet!
When I got home I quickly packed up and we jumped in the car to head to Kona. On the way Matt and I picked up our friends from Alaska, Callie and Cary. When we got to the other side, the sun was just beginning to set. We had dinner reservations at Outback Steakhouse for 8 o'clock but we figured we had time to stop by Hapuna Beach :P When we got there, we were disappointed to see that there was a "Park Closed for Holiday" sign guarding the parking lot. But right behind us, in the grass, there were about 20 parked cars. We think, "Great idea!" and follow suite, just walking through the parking lot. Then a patrolling police SUV rolls by and the officer asks us out of his window if we would please step aside. He drives over to us and asks if we saw the sign, being very serious. When we started to explain what we were doing, he totally changed his demeanor and became quite friendly. He explained that they had to close down this side of the beach at five, but we still had a couple different routes to access it. :) So we made it down to the beach, following the cop's instructions and were happy to find a nearly vacant, beautiful spot just as the sun was setting. I can't wait to show you all the videos that Cary took with his snowboarding helmet cam. Sounds silly, but it's awesome because it's very small, shoots in widescreen, and has a waterproof case! With a tripod, he was able to get some beautiful shots of the ocean that day. And us boogie-boarding! It was too much fun.
Then we had a delicious dinner at Outback. I had fresh salmon and steamed veggies :) Afterwards, we strolled down Ali'i Drive and watched fireworks.

Most of them were being set off in the street, not the sky.. haha

The next day we had a delicious breakfast in Kona (I had pineapple upside down pancakes!) Then we spent the rest of the day at Hapuna. This time it was very crowded but the waves were big so we had a good time boogie-boarding the day away. Callie and I started a sand castle that could have been epic but the sun was so high in the sky that it was drying out the sand, making it impossible to work with :P 

We drove back to town and made a big spaghetti dinner at my house. Then, we got everything together for a backpacking trip! It was a last minute decision to hike 10 miles across Volcano National Park to meet Sydney and her camping group at Halape, a beautiful, secluded beach. We would have to leave very early in the morning for it to be worth it because it's a long hike in, and the sun could really slow us down if it got right above us. We woke up at five and got on the road! We put on our packs and started walking across the lava fields by 7 AM. The terrain changed so many times along the journey. At first it was nothing but lava like pavement, black as far as you could see. Then, it became very rocky with shrubs and hardy trees. 

The pile of rocks is a trail marker.

As we began descending the mountain, there was more and more plant life. We were fortunate to pick a day that was very overcast and windy, so we weren't miserably hot as we expected to be. But soon dark clouds moved overhead and within two miles of our destination it began to rain. Immediately, we picked up the pace to a jog. We wanted to stay ahead of the storm and we had gotten SO close that we couldn't help but to run. We arrived, exhausted, by noon, not a dark cloud in the sky :D 

Changing from boots to sandals felt amazing!!

Sydney, Brian, Forrest, and the others were fishing for dinner at bay to the left of Halape, where they had set up camp. We got our snorkel gear and spent time in the shallow water there. There was a reef with fish and it was so rewarding after the long hike. Soon, Forrest got into his gear to spear some fish. He was swimming around, patrolling for a good one, when I saw something crawling on the bottom by a rock. I rushed over to get his attention and bring him back towards it. I thought maybe it was a flounder? Or a lobster? haha, I didn't really get a good look, I just could tell it wasn't a normal fish. When we turned back around it was not where I had seen it anymore. He dove under to check out under the rocks. You've got to see the rest for yourself!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgZga5nPpDQ

I had brought only a hammock to sleep in so Matthew climbed the trees and built me a roof to protect me from rain out of palm fronds :) It worked beautifully! I slept like a baby in my new hammock :) 

I wish I was there now...

The hike back the next morning was very very difficult. We were drinking catchment water and the sun was blazing since we left at about 9 AM. It got more and more windy as we went higher, which was a relief. The biggest relief ever was when we finally made it back to the vehicles, six hours later! 

That trip has been the most exciting part of my recent life. Other than that it has been work, work, work! I went to my  first day of classes today and I know soon that will feel like "the usual" but it doesn't quite yet. My break really just flew by! I'll be better about updating now that I'll be on the computer more for school. And I have plenty of videos from the entire weekend that I would like to get uploaded soon... it's just so time consuming, especially since Window's Movie Maker is so buggy. It is constantly crashing. However, I will get more videos up because you all just have to see some of this footage!