Hey everyone! A bit of a bummer day... two things actually, my customer on the island needed me to do things this morning, so that elimiated going to the North Shore or West (to the canyon). After lunch I headed to the small village of Koloa, one of Hawaii's first sugar mills. All that was left is the "stack" but very pretty place, with the most lush fields and trees I've seen so far! I kept heading down to the beach to find a few parks and the "Spouting Horn" which was just waves crashing into a hole in the lava bed... nothing cool like the Thunder Hole at Acadia National Park or Old Faithful at Yellowstone. Also a bummer was the National Tropical Botantical Garden was closed for the day! I was hoping to score some sweet pics for my mom back home. Grrrr! I then checked out the Menehune Fishpond. As legend has it, this beautiful pond was made by the Menehune. They are my favorite (to date) Hawaiian cultual icons. They are quasi-leprechaun and part qupid helping people get things accompished quickly. This pond is said to be made by them, long before any man set foot on the island. Read more about the Menuhune here. I also visited the Grove Farm Homestead... an 80 acre civil war era sugar plantation.
Check out the pictures here!
The other bummer of my day is the fact that the former hurricane-turned-tropical-storm Kenneth is heading right up the Hawaiian chain. Bascially means alot of cruddy weather that won't be good for my camera. I still hope to do an ambitious trip to both the North and West shores tomorrow. Pray for my success!
Mahalo!
Friday, September 30, 2005
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
Island Adventure Blog: Day 3, Wailua River Valley and Keahua Arboretum
Wow... what a great day! I got to wake up late (7am Hawaiian time, 3hr difference for West Coast and 6hrs for the East) and had this strange pork (yes Ada, PORK) and eggs. It was good, but I got the feeling that if I ate it everyday, I'd die within the month. After breakfast, I was on a search for a good internet connection. After my years on the road, I find open WiFi hotspots like a bloodhound on the trail of a escaping convict from a white-collar low security prison.
(I committed to that one, but it fell apart, my apologies. The easy living is making me soft...er)
Of course it was in the lobby of my hotel, and not in some Mircosoftie's timeshare next door. So I plopped down in a beach chair, and got connected! Yeah I'm a geek, in paradise and desperately seeking an Internet connection...
So now that I'm "back" I can keep you updated! After a short training at noon, I went up the Wailua (Ayric-Andy translation: Why-Loo-a, but that's my guess. I stink at English, so my Hawaiian will be about the same) River Valley. I saw the ruins of the old Coco Palms Resort, made famous by Elvis Prestley and some Rat Packers back in the day. It got torn up in a hurricane back in 92' so now there is nothing going on there... very creepy. I guess they are going to renovate it by end of 06'. Probably where I'd like to say next time I come... a great location.
I then headed up river, checking out some cool viewpoints of the river and the Opaeka'a Falls. I then went off schedule and just started driving further up hill. It eventually dead ended at the Keahua Arboretum (at least I think so, because there was a parking lot and trees). About this time my battery died on the camera, so I headed back to the hotel to filter through the pictures, optimize them (with, gasp, Microsoft Photo Editor, it sucked) for the internet, and upload them to flickr.com. So without much further ado... here are the pictures!
(if you desire more pictures of things like, the road, brush, and exciting shots of dirt, all my pictures will be available on the Ayric-Andy Egomania Pack sometime this winter)
(I committed to that one, but it fell apart, my apologies. The easy living is making me soft...er)
Of course it was in the lobby of my hotel, and not in some Mircosoftie's timeshare next door. So I plopped down in a beach chair, and got connected! Yeah I'm a geek, in paradise and desperately seeking an Internet connection...
So now that I'm "back" I can keep you updated! After a short training at noon, I went up the Wailua (Ayric-Andy translation: Why-Loo-a, but that's my guess. I stink at English, so my Hawaiian will be about the same) River Valley. I saw the ruins of the old Coco Palms Resort, made famous by Elvis Prestley and some Rat Packers back in the day. It got torn up in a hurricane back in 92' so now there is nothing going on there... very creepy. I guess they are going to renovate it by end of 06'. Probably where I'd like to say next time I come... a great location.
I then headed up river, checking out some cool viewpoints of the river and the Opaeka'a Falls. I then went off schedule and just started driving further up hill. It eventually dead ended at the Keahua Arboretum (at least I think so, because there was a parking lot and trees). About this time my battery died on the camera, so I headed back to the hotel to filter through the pictures, optimize them (with, gasp, Microsoft Photo Editor, it sucked) for the internet, and upload them to flickr.com. So without much further ado... here are the pictures!
(if you desire more pictures of things like, the road, brush, and exciting shots of dirt, all my pictures will be available on the Ayric-Andy Egomania Pack sometime this winter)
Monday, September 26, 2005
Island Adventure Blog: Day 0, Travel Day
Today was the day! I don’t remember much between waking up and getting on the plane, except being driven to the airport by the always generous Mr. P, and checking and waltzing through security (unlike a poor grandma and some brothas’ getting the though treatment). It was a classic example how why airport security is a sham. Either it is blindly random and you waste time searching poor little old ladies, or its profiling the wrong people; some completely benign African-Americans. Somehow, my social cloaking ability has always whisked me through unmolested.
The flight was tough, because I was working on a handful hours of sleep. I kept on wanting to fall asleep but if you sleep 5 hours during the day, you’re not going to sleep that night, and worse, not make it to your job in the morning. Also, the in flight movie was “Herbie: Reloaded”… and as a rule I don’t watch anything with Lindsey Lohan… or any of her cohort group. The couple sitting next to me was nice, but I think from somewhere in Eastern Europe… and not really “English speakers”. So I drifted in and out of consciousness, being woken up by the lumber mill of a man behind me. I mean, I know I snore, camping stories with friends and retreats with co-workers have alerted me to this by the heckling in the morning. But this guy… wow! I am happy to report, no screaming babies, drunken idiots, or scantily clad strippers like some of my past flights.
So as I debark the airplane, I am reminded of my father’s story of his first trip to the island as a young Air Force Airman in the 60’s. How it was like a magical, dreamland of light breezes and sweet air. I am rudely wrenched from his lovely memory by what I can only describe as vapor wall of sticky warmth. Ahh yes! Humidity; the bane of every Northwesterner. The place is lovely, but I’m in the midst of what I have termed “Air Travel Angst” or ATA if you will. ATA is simply being sick and tired of waiting in lines, being flung 30,000 feet in the air at 500 mph, sitting for over 5 hours and fighting streams of people like salmon spawning. I’m sure once I get all my ducks in row, settled in my hotel and eat something, I’ll be all smiles again!
And sure enough I am… one Hawaiian burger and several Mai Tais later (my new favorite drink) I’m a brand new man.
The flight was tough, because I was working on a handful hours of sleep. I kept on wanting to fall asleep but if you sleep 5 hours during the day, you’re not going to sleep that night, and worse, not make it to your job in the morning. Also, the in flight movie was “Herbie: Reloaded”… and as a rule I don’t watch anything with Lindsey Lohan… or any of her cohort group. The couple sitting next to me was nice, but I think from somewhere in Eastern Europe… and not really “English speakers”. So I drifted in and out of consciousness, being woken up by the lumber mill of a man behind me. I mean, I know I snore, camping stories with friends and retreats with co-workers have alerted me to this by the heckling in the morning. But this guy… wow! I am happy to report, no screaming babies, drunken idiots, or scantily clad strippers like some of my past flights.
So as I debark the airplane, I am reminded of my father’s story of his first trip to the island as a young Air Force Airman in the 60’s. How it was like a magical, dreamland of light breezes and sweet air. I am rudely wrenched from his lovely memory by what I can only describe as vapor wall of sticky warmth. Ahh yes! Humidity; the bane of every Northwesterner. The place is lovely, but I’m in the midst of what I have termed “Air Travel Angst” or ATA if you will. ATA is simply being sick and tired of waiting in lines, being flung 30,000 feet in the air at 500 mph, sitting for over 5 hours and fighting streams of people like salmon spawning. I’m sure once I get all my ducks in row, settled in my hotel and eat something, I’ll be all smiles again!
And sure enough I am… one Hawaiian burger and several Mai Tais later (my new favorite drink) I’m a brand new man.
Monday, September 19, 2005
Coming Soon: Island Adventure Blog
As most of you know (and I'm sure I've been obnoxious about it) I'll be heading to the remote island of Kauai, Hawaii in a few days. I know I'll only have a dial-up account at the hotel, but I'll try to blog as much as possible and include many pictures.
Yesterday I proved to myself that if I'm interested enough in something I can be remarkably through and organized! I have this sweet spreadsheet with sections on attractions, beaches, historical sights and hiking spots.
I like to think of myself as the quintessential road warrior and traveler, but this trip is a bit more than I've undertaken (Ada: real word? is undertook worse?) in the past. I'm a tad nervous about flying over 3,000 miles of water instead of grade A, 100% American heartland. But I'm sure it'll be quite the adventure, and knowing me once my lungs are filled with island air and my eyes filled with exotic scenes, I'll be in 7th heaven.
Until then check out these pictures!
Yesterday I proved to myself that if I'm interested enough in something I can be remarkably through and organized! I have this sweet spreadsheet with sections on attractions, beaches, historical sights and hiking spots.
I like to think of myself as the quintessential road warrior and traveler, but this trip is a bit more than I've undertaken (Ada: real word? is undertook worse?) in the past. I'm a tad nervous about flying over 3,000 miles of water instead of grade A, 100% American heartland. But I'm sure it'll be quite the adventure, and knowing me once my lungs are filled with island air and my eyes filled with exotic scenes, I'll be in 7th heaven.
Until then check out these pictures!
Friday, September 16, 2005
Heathers and the Cars They Drive....
Well, as promised, I should officially put down in words how "Heather" and her associated entourage came to be. It actually started, well before my time, with my friends, but it evolved into something else over time.
As legend has it, Julian (may he rest in peace... or enjoy all his time with his girlfriend since we obviously are a horrible and distracting influence on him), was driving with Phil down 2nd St in Seattle, when he looks over and notices a gal in the car next to them. He thinks he knows this girl, so he rolls down his window and yells out "Hey Heather!" Well the gal turns around and it is NOT Julian's friend Heather, but shares alot of common characteristics, a blond, 20 something female, and for the sake of the story, let's just say she drives a Jetta (more on that later). What makes this stick out in my friends mind is the complete confusion on this pseudo-Heather's face. She really wants to be Heather, but knows she isn't. This gives Julian an idea to repeat this to innocent, unsuspecting women on street corners or in cars stopped at lights. Any place that there is a small window of time to interact, and then be gone in a flash. I was there one night when he did this, and it never failed. All the ladies thought, for just the briefest of moments that their names were Heather and they would wave back instantly, but then get very very confused. Yeah, it was immature, but it's what guys do in their early to mid-twenties. Still brings a grin to my face. So that's how Heather started.
Soon, Heather started to become a term for a certain girl. They seem to thrive in Seattle, and more specifically on Queen Anne Hill. As I mentioned before they usually are blond, fairly petite, early professional, early-to-mid 20s, almost exclusively drive Volkswagen Jettas (or Honda Civics if they are younger). Soon we noticed that "Heather" always had a certain kind of guy around her. It never seemed to be someone they were really googly-eyed in love with. These guys seemed very utilitarian. Hence, Peter (and my addition of the last name, O'Tool) was born. He drives typically Ford vehicles (Explorers and Mustangs with white racing stripes). Peter is a tool... something to keep the guys from making moves on "Heather" when she's out on the town. Soon after, we'd be sitting down somewhere with a pitcher of our region's finest brew, and finding out how the people around us where connected to the mythical "heather". Good, fun, people watching / creative writing exercise.
So next time your out and about with friends, look around you and you too might see Heather driving her Jetta with Peter in the passenger seat. Just don't forget to say hi!
As legend has it, Julian (may he rest in peace... or enjoy all his time with his girlfriend since we obviously are a horrible and distracting influence on him), was driving with Phil down 2nd St in Seattle, when he looks over and notices a gal in the car next to them. He thinks he knows this girl, so he rolls down his window and yells out "Hey Heather!" Well the gal turns around and it is NOT Julian's friend Heather, but shares alot of common characteristics, a blond, 20 something female, and for the sake of the story, let's just say she drives a Jetta (more on that later). What makes this stick out in my friends mind is the complete confusion on this pseudo-Heather's face. She really wants to be Heather, but knows she isn't. This gives Julian an idea to repeat this to innocent, unsuspecting women on street corners or in cars stopped at lights. Any place that there is a small window of time to interact, and then be gone in a flash. I was there one night when he did this, and it never failed. All the ladies thought, for just the briefest of moments that their names were Heather and they would wave back instantly, but then get very very confused. Yeah, it was immature, but it's what guys do in their early to mid-twenties. Still brings a grin to my face. So that's how Heather started.
Soon, Heather started to become a term for a certain girl. They seem to thrive in Seattle, and more specifically on Queen Anne Hill. As I mentioned before they usually are blond, fairly petite, early professional, early-to-mid 20s, almost exclusively drive Volkswagen Jettas (or Honda Civics if they are younger). Soon we noticed that "Heather" always had a certain kind of guy around her. It never seemed to be someone they were really googly-eyed in love with. These guys seemed very utilitarian. Hence, Peter (and my addition of the last name, O'Tool) was born. He drives typically Ford vehicles (Explorers and Mustangs with white racing stripes). Peter is a tool... something to keep the guys from making moves on "Heather" when she's out on the town. Soon after, we'd be sitting down somewhere with a pitcher of our region's finest brew, and finding out how the people around us where connected to the mythical "heather". Good, fun, people watching / creative writing exercise.
So next time your out and about with friends, look around you and you too might see Heather driving her Jetta with Peter in the passenger seat. Just don't forget to say hi!
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
A New Blog! Daily Bible Blog...
That's right... because I just can't get enough of posting on THIS blog. (sorry it's been a while) I have started a new blog, http://dailybibleblog.blogspot.com! It's the best way I can think about getting my lazy rear-end into the bible and to really think about what I read. Even better is that you, dear friend and faithful reader, can contribute your thoughts to each day's chapter of the bible. I'd like to get a big ol' discussion going about what each passage means. Check it out!
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