Saturday, August 16, 2008

I Love Hawai'i


Philip and I returned from the Big Island, Hawai'i, late on Thursday, and the trip was just as glorious as I hoped.

It's a magnificent spot, full of stunning beauty, incredible power and some incredible experiences that I don't think I'll ever forget.

After leaving the Blade, I found that escaping into a completely alternate reality was just what I needed. We arrived at the Kona airport, which is on the side of the island that is very desert-like, covered over by a large lava flow (I believe from Mauna Kea, or perhaps Mauna Loa). The land is completely blackened by lava, and along the road, people have used coral to create messages for passers-by.

All the words were of the friendly, loving variety - never once was there a crass "fuck you" to an ex-lover. Just symbols, including sea turtles, names and hearts. It was a sweet welcome to the island.

We stayed at the glamorous Waikoloa Marriott for the first five days, and the hotel butted up against the glorious, warm and loving Pacific. Every morning, I went out and walked along the beach as the sun rose, bathing myself in the waters of the ocean, dancing to the music of the waves on a lava outcropping and inhaling the deep scent of flowers blooming next to the waters. Most amazing.


At the hotel were groups of Green Sea Turtles who beached themselves at night and headed out in the dawn hours back to their feeding haunts. What gracious and beautiful creatures! We saw them in a few places, including swimming in the water. The island is also home to the endangered Hawksbill Turtle.

Tomorrow, I'll write about our trips to petroglyph spots on the island - so amazing!



(The first photo of me was taken near the Holei Sea Arch on the lava fields near Kilauea, home of the goddess Pele. We took photos quietly of the turtles who seemed oblivous to our presence, exhausted from a long day's swim. The final picture is one of the petroglyphs on the Waikoloa side of the island. More to come!)

2 comments:

Hecate RavenMoon said...

Blessed be.
You have a great page. Those are some wonderful pics.

Thank you for sharing your story about your trip.

Love and Light.

Beverly said...

Love these pics Greg ~ so peaceful. Seems you've found your paradise!

If I could afford to live anywhere in the world it would be Kauai, the most beautiful of the islands, with a boat to get to the other islands, especially the Big Island, to make regular pilgrimages to Pele.