The Adventures and Escapades of Jesse Daniels In Maui

Learning to Hula

2008-02-20T20:03:00.001-10:00

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A Long Story Short

2008-01-13T22:07:00.000-10:00

Last week was one of the best weeks of my life.

Once I was in the middle of it, the way that it had all come together blew me away; it continues to fascinate me and probably always will. Here I am, two months on Maui, and all of the sudden I find myself staying in a beautiful house on the foothills of the volcano Haleakala for free with a generous young woman from Philadelphia who happens to have designed and organized a public art project that flew Isaiah Zagar and his wife from Philly to work with high school students and artists to beautify a public beach restroom while commemorating the 2008 International Year of the Reef initiative.

WOW !

To be able to witness a group of people come together to love a place, to bring beauty to something that had been long forgotten and neglected, was such a humbling, incredible experience. I'm very thankful to have fallen into the circumstance.

This is the bathroom as it looked January 5th, just before we started:

And five days later:

Part of the fun of the project was talking to people as they passed by: answering their questions and inviting them to join. A few times someone would walk up to me and say, "Hi. Are you the artist?"
Hmmm... interesting question. "Well, I'm an artist."

"...But Isaiah, he is the artist. This is his medium, his style"

"Embedded in many of his works are the words "Art is the Center of the Real World". His murals reflect an appreciation for the imaginative human and sensual element in the potentially bleak urban environment. Beginning his public works in blighted, decrepit neighborhoods, these murals were part of the inspiration that transformed the environment."
-wikipedia

On day three, since we were having such a hard time removing the outside layer of latex paint on one of the walls, we decided to paint a mural. We got a copy of the International Year of the Reef 2008 logo, and two of the students sketched it out and traced it with paint. It's an image of coral with Maui county superimposed over it (Maui county is actually four islands: Maui, Lanai, Molokai and Kaho'olawe)

Unfortunately, one of the students that started it couldn't make it to the last two days of the project because of school. It didn't look like anyone wanted to stop working on the mosaics to paint, and I didn't want to see the mural turn out to be a weak link in the project since the five mosaics were looking so outstanding and colorful.

So I took ownership. I spent two days painting that wall, sweating and baking in the hot sun, loving it, and by the time I was done, it looked pretty good !

An email to a friend

2008-01-12T02:55:00.000-10:00

Hey,
Thanks for the last couple of emails you sent. They were comforting at a time I needed comfort badly:)

I have a really good story to tell you, but it's a long one, so I think I'm going to start it tonight and send it to you, and then finish the next time I get a chance. I'd write it all now, but it's late and I don't know if I have the lucidity.

I learned to surf Wednesday ! !
Finally.
After seven and a half weeks on one of the primo island surfing destinations of the world, I caught some waves.
We paddled out an hour after sunrise on the unusually overcast morning, on our ten and eleven and twelve-foot boards. The lesson was free for Isaiah and me,
For the show we'd been putting on all week:

[A show about a group of people coming together to love a dying place.A public beach restroom, the kind you fear to see when the only thing that's on your mind is how badly you have to pee.
The kind that reeks.
It stinks, its dirty its cracked its split the plumbing creeks.
We turned it from a dump into a jewelry box encrusted with sparkling light and life:
see for yourself

But I couldn't get over how rad it was to witness Isaiah stand up on that surfboard.
Man's 7O something ! ! !
I watched the wave take him towards the shore and my eyes did see:
He arched his back.
Got on to his knees.
Paused. One foot. The other.
Slowly Up Up Up Up Up
Now he was standing, but his spirit still rising.
It picked up his hands, past his chest,
Past his neck and his beard and his smile and his ears
To the top of their reach,
exploded fingers from fists
and a howl of excitement that cut the air
Isaiah was a seventy something surfer
a skinny santa surfing at seventy something ! !
I laughed with the joy from the center of my being

We got the lessons for free. Some of them were priceless.

To Be Continued...

A Poem or Three

2008-01-03T23:41:00.000-10:00

Now and Then
I guess I didn't leave it at home.
Or maybe I did leave it there, but it followed
And took a few weeks to find me.
Not sure.
But it's back.
I accept that part of my identity
Might always be inside, regardless, Lurking,
Waiting in the dark for me to fall asleep to Nature.
I wonder: when I wake up, will I feel awake?
I can't say. I'll dream tonight that tomorrow
Will be a different day, unlike the last
Day after Day I've slept through waking hours.
I'll dream for the fresh strength of new direction:
The crystal clear crispness of sharp focus,
The invigorating charge of clear intention and shear will.
I taste the new day as it comes from around the corner,
Heading to me to sweep me up and spit me out back onto my own two feet,
Armed with the absence of anything worth hiding,
For or From.
I hear my new voice,
Like the howl of the wind and the cackling of Hawaiian geckos,
The sweet almost silent chirping of midnight insects.

Home
I'm far from home,
But that's not where my heart is;
My heart is right here in my chest,
And it beats tonight like it's for the first time.
Home is familiar faces and places
Connected to memories proud and painful,
True.
But I'm home here,
And I'm happy to be;
I'm blessed to be able to see that.

The Ocean's Ode
I can see the sea
Every day there's no rain.
It seems like a vast desert of depth:
A universe of blue,
As big as the sky
And just as infinite.
It beckons and it threatens,
Saying, "Come.
Go.
Come.
Go.
Jump in and feel reborn and don't"
A paradox.
The waves are waving, whether they are inviting and enticing
or just saying hello, keep your distance
Depends on the weather.
It rains often.

Happy New Year!

2008-01-01T18:33:00.000-10:00

Today I went for a short hike in Kula with my temporary room mate Rachelle, a Philly native I met at Mantokuji. I've been staying with her the past week or so since she offered me free room and board until her sister returns from adopting in Ethiopia.

Kula is an upcountry region of Maui, a few thousand feet above sea level on the Southwestern slope of Haleakala. It's absolutely gorgeous: lush, green as Ireland, far from the crowds and so high that on a clear day like today you can see the entire valley to which Maui owes its nickname - the Valley Isle.

We just walked and talked a little, said hello to the many others that were hiking the windy road and enjoyed the crisp air, sunshine and sweeping views.
But by far the highlight of our stroll was the time we spent talking to some local equines. Here's the short I put together that really describes how special our encounter was. Enjoy!

I could have been a stuntman, maybe

2007-12-28T23:29:00.001-10:00

This picture was taken by my sister's boyfriend, Rip, while I visited them in California on my way to Maui. We took a three-day road trip to Death Valley for camping, hiking, etc. We'd wake up every morning an hour before sunrise so we could get to the best vantage points to watch the sky change from night to light. We each took a thousand pictures, but I never really got to see the ones that they shot. Earlier today, Katie sent me a link to Rip's photo collection, where among other beautiful images I found this great pic taken at Eureka dunes. Feel free to check out this outstanding photographer's galleries...

Rip's photos on Webshots

Da Factory glass, Maui style

2007-12-25T23:27:00.000-10:00

Here is a video of one of the things recently made at the glass studio and gallery where I work. Charles Lowery and his team make a rendering of the Hawaiian goddess Pele's sister Hi'iaka. Enjoy!

you can see more Da Factory videos at its YouTube channel here.

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-25T20:56:00.000-10:00

All week I looked forward to Christmas Eve: it was the day that my box was supposed to be delivered, according to the tracking info I'd been following on UPS's website. Having this box meant a lot to me because it contains some of my things I couldn't pack and had to leave behind - the most comfortable Wallabies ever made, some extra clothing and my glass tools (which are all very sentimental). Since I don't have any family with me on the island, I really got attached to having a box of warm and comforting familiarity to open on Christmas.

That was all turned upside-down when the box didn't show. I called and was told that a delivery was attempted just thirty minutes earlier, but no one was there. "We were here!" I protested. I felt my Christmas spirit crumbling. Could this actually ruin my day?

It took me an hour to accept that I wouldn't have the box. During that hour, I paced. I considered riding my scooter in the rain for 25 minutes to pick it up in town. I felt heartbroken and lonely, followed by foolish for being so attached to the idea of the box. Impulsively, I left Da Factory to check the mailbox I rent, half-thinking that something would put me and the UPS truck carrying my box on crossing paths, saving my holiday. But not.

Somewhere along the ride back to Da Factory I reclaimed my peace of mind. I'd gotten a card from Aunt Coddee and the Leopard Upgrade from my man Big Nick, and immediately I felt better. My Christmas was saved. And I saved it myself, on the ride back, by deciding that it was as simple as deciding. Grasp on to those fleeting feelings as they pass you by, and they will carry you with them. Let them be and recognize how it always goes, go with the flow, be peaceful and serene and know happiness. The choice is always yours.

Letting go - that was my gift to myself. But it wasn't the best gift I got this Christmas. That distinguished title goes to a gift of perspective I got today, while standing in the bathroom as I prepared to take the first warm shower I've had in two weeks. As I stood there and thought about what I was doing, the everyday act of taking a shower all of the sudden meant something more to me. There I was, appreciating warm water. I think that there are few things that the first world takes for granted more than warm running water. So as my appreciation arose in me and I recognized it, and focused on it as I stepped into the water, I took what became the best shower I've ever taken.

It's so encouraging to gain insight like this, as I struggle with wondering whether or not it was really a good idea to do what I'm doing. Gaining new understanding, and appreciating things I've always taken for granted are two reasons I uprooted myself, and feeling progress is wonderful. And roughing it the way I am on Maui really brings me closer to Laura, who is under incredibly stressful lifestyle adjustments in Morocco. What I'm enduring is hardly a fraction of what she's confronting, but still it makes the 8,200 miles between us a little shorter, and any lessening of that great divide is good.

I had a great time today, talking to and seeing my brothers and sister, my dad, and all of my extended family on my dad's side, via Skype. It really made me feel like I was there, and it felt great to laugh so much with everyone. My spirits were lifted. And later, talking to my Mom was great. I really miss being near her.

I got a bunch of Merry Christmas texts from many of my friends back home. Thank you for that, it meant a lot to me.

For the next few days, I'm staying in a cottage that was offered to me from a great woman I've gotten to know from Zazen. Her sister usually rents it, but because it was empty she offered. I'm so grateful, and not just because I can take warm showers; it's a much needed vacation from sleeping at the glass studio, where it just doesn't ever feel like anything more than somebody else's couch, and the farm, where it's next to impossible to have any privacy. It's a little winter vacation for me in a way. Thanks Rachelle :).

A Week of Assimilation

2007-12-10T17:29:00.000-10:00

This last week flew by, and I find myself becoming more and more at home here. I saw my first Maui double rainbow. There was drama at home and work, but not any that involved me. Besides, to me it's not worth the time it takes to type.

Early in the week I whipped up an ad with photoshop for Robert's excavation business, and he was so enthusiastic about the way it turned out he gave me three days off from farm work. Good thing he did, because a vicious Kona storm rocked Maui the first half of the week and stranded me at Da Factory, where I politely accepted a nice spot on a comfy couch...

- a welcome change from the inch-thick sleeping pad in my tent.

I made my first mudras last week. This one is Prithvi. My hands are getting tighter, in proportion and detail, but the challenge remains and keeps the process interesting. I took a few to a wellness center in Haiku to see if they'd consider a trade, and now I'm waiting to hear back. If it works out, I'm taking Yoga and Capoeira, the former for flexibility, the latter because I've always wanted to learn. Next to the Eastern traditions, Brazilian culture has always intrigued me, from the sound of the Portuguese language and the rhythms of Bossa Nova to the crushing political angst of Sepultura that I listened to as a teenager.

December 8th was Bodhi Day, celebrating the awakening of Siddharta Guatama. This is the Mantokuji Soto Zen Temple in Paia, where I go Sundays for Zazen. There was a modest celebration there yesterday for the holiday. There are very few in the congregation there, mostly elderly and middle-aged descendants of Japanese immigrants that came to Maui at the turn of the twentieth century to work on plantations. This lack of membership surprised me at first, because Paia is a town full of hippies. I thought, surely hippies practice Zen meditation. I guess that's the problem with stereotypes - they aren't reliable or accurate. Anyway, I befriended the resident minister there, who's about my age, and he's taught me a lot about the Soto tradition and Zazen. Buddhism is very interesting, and has always stood out the most of all of the Eastern traditions I've studied because of its tolerance and compassion-centered teachings. I've dreamed of experiencing this path first-hand for some time, and I'm happy to be living the dream now.

First Saturday at Da Factory

2007-12-02T13:46:00.000-10:00

I've never seen so many people at a glassblowing demo - not even at GAS conferences.

Every first Saturday, Da Factory has an opening. The holidays are coming, and in Hawaii, winter means big waves. The theme was kind of Big Wave Christmas - several artists that work glass there regularly had ornaments and other pieces out in the hall. Some painters had canvases on the cinder block walls. A woodworker that has a shop down the hall pulled out some of his sick furniture and displayed it. There were pupus (snacks) and drinks. People filed in all night long. And for the first hour, I ran a bench and made ornaments that guests designed. They'd sign up and pick out two or three colors, I'd gather and roll up the frit, start a bubble and then have the person inflate the ornament with their breath while I shaped it at the bench.

Later on, the theatrics really picked up as the lights dimmed and the music crescendoed, and video footage of big wave surfing was projected onto the wall in the hotshop. It was like a cross between House Party 2 and a Spanish bullfight. A team of six made a big glass wave at the bench while a local artist painted a big wave on canvas. Dozens of onlookers watched in anticipation, hootin' & hollerin' whenever a gather was made, cheering every time someone struggled to get the glass from one place to another. At one point, I stepped up to take a big gather, but the rest of the time I just stood back and watched. I'm not into working in a crisis atmosphere: especially when the guy in charge, the "master glassblower", is drunk with ego and condescends to his team. It doesn't jive.

[Just as a technical note for all you glass people: notice that there is no real jack line on this massive solid-worked piece. It took four attempts to get the piece to disconnect from the pipe. But when it finally did, it didn't just crack off. No, the entire moile exploded first, then there was nothing left for the piece to be connected to (what?!). Yea, seriously. In other words, when the piece was transferred to the punty, the pipe was clean.]

I'm still working my way into the fold there, deliberately and tactfully. And I'm introducing new concepts for a team of my own.

Here's an overall shot of the studio. Behind the easel on the left is the first gloryhole, followed by another , the 600 lb. electric pot furnace, and another gloryhole (lit). It's a nice shop - spacious with great ventilation. But its definitely no Tyler. The more hotshops I see, the more grateful I get for having had the privilege to study in such an outstanding glass program.
Thanks Jon, Dan, Anna, Angus, and Dre.

P.S.
Speaking of big waves, Laird Hamilton and Gabrielle Reese walked into Anthony's Coffee, where I'm writing, and sat down at the next table over. Among the crazy guys that ride waves over forty feet high on the face - waves so big you need a jet ski to tow you into the break, he's the most recognized, and considered by many to be the most gifted. I couldn't help but overhear what he had to say to someone interviewing him. He talked about his frustration with surfing competitions - and how he regarded it more as an art. After hearing that, I wanted to invite him over to the studio to try glassblowing (I hear it's similar to surfing, wink wink), but I didn't want to disrespect his privacy.

I hear that many other famous people live nearby. I was excited to hear that Ram Dass lives in my town. Owen Wilson and Woody Harrelson have been spotted in Paia, Oprah recently bought a house here, Willie Nelson lives somewhere around here, and Ziggy Marley has a house on my street (I haven't seen him though). Maybe, one day in the future, someone else will sit in this cafe and blog about how Jesse Daniels lives here.
Hahaha, maybe....

Rainbow Panorama

2007-11-30T17:21:00.001-10:00

Rainbows and Centipedes, two of Hawaii's famous phenomena.

Riding a Scooter to Hana

2007-11-29T08:42:00.000-10:00

Sunday, I woke up with a thirst for the road. I set out after an easy going morning to find a 200-ft. waterfall I'd read about that was only ten miles up the Hana Highway from the Chicken Coop. After a quick stop at the tourist magnet Twin Falls for a few apple bananas and oranges, I got on my way. It was another perfect day.

But the waterfall I went looking for wasn't there. I mean, it probably was there, but I couldn't get to the vantage point across the gorge described in the book. A shiny & new-looking fence greeted me at the head of the path. I guess that since the publication, somebody decided that this secret of the Hana Highway deserved to be kept a secret. No harm, though. There are probably thirty waterfalls along the thirty-mile serpentine world famous road to Hana. I could settle for something somewhere else.

Ultimately, though, I let go of the hankering to see a waterfall, as I discovered how exhilarating the journey itself was. The highway is like a squiggle - all the way from point A to point B. Hairpin turn after hairpin turn, for miles, up and down, following the contours of the coast, slipping into and out of cliffs and ravines. And the best advantage to riding a scooter along this expressway is that your total width is only two feet or so, as opposed to the five-plus foot width of the average car or truck that runs the road. So at every point that the highway squeezes down to dangerous levels of narrow, where if you're driving a car you have to slow down to a crawl to be safe, on a scooter you can just cruise. You just lean in super tight into the curve, imagine the shape of it, and do it. I felt like a little kid again, screaming in excitement on the super mini-coasters down the Jersey shore.

Gobble Gobble

2007-11-23T15:21:00.001-10:00

Happy Thanksgiving! I know it's a few days ago already, but I'm on Hawai'i time, so chill.

I spent mine with my new friends, and in a way my new family, on the farm. Robert, the owner of the property, woke up in the morning and discovered that it was Thanksgiving while he was perusing the internet. It was good that he did, because I don't think anyone had any plans for dinner. He went and bought all kinds of food for everyone, and two of my house mates (kind of, but not exactly 'cause I live in a tent outside) stepped up at the last minute to prepare the feast. And since there is so little room in the two small refrigerators we all share, there was a great excuse to stuff ourselves - there was nowhere to put any leftovers!

Before din din, I spent some time exploring the farm, taking pictures like I work for National Geographic. I borrowed a few books about the coastal flowers and plants of Hawaii, so I schooled myself as I wandered around identifying all of the wildlife that surrounds me there. These chickens in the above photo roam the farm - and really drive me out of my mind sometimes, but mostly they're hilariously entertaining. They're afraid of everything. I don't love the fact that they squawk at the crack of dawn, but at least they're a completely female population and I don't have to deal with hearing a rooster crow. Besides, I have earplugs if I need them.

The farm I live on isn't the kind of farm that comes to mind if you're used to the pastoral expanses of New Jersey, PA and the rest of the East US. Here, Robert grows Monarch Butterflies - to sell for weddings and other special events. All of the work I do has been straightforward gardening, like hoeing rocks out of piles of dirt or removing branches and logs from overgrown grass.

This caterpillar is only a few days away from curling up on the underside of a leaf and wrapping itself in a cocoon. The butterfly here came out of his shell just hours before this picture was taken. He's slowly filling his wings with fluid to give them rigidity, and then he'll fly off, but not too far. It's Maui. There isn't anywhere else a butterfly would rather be.

There are several really colorful flowers and plants everywhere on the island, and some of them incidentally grow on the farm. This explosive orange and purple flower is called a Bird of Paradise. They're all over the place. The other is a bush of ginger, which is really all over the place.

It feels good to familiarize myself with the earth around me - the geographical history, the catalogs of plants and animals and insects, and the traditions and history of the people of this place. These are all things I always overlooked in my former life, too busy or too distracted to really care. I'm thankful that I have time now, and fewer distractions, to be more in touch, to be more aware. Many blessings.

Week One: Done

2007-11-21T16:22:00.001-10:00

I felt like a million bucks when I got to Jaws on Sunday. It was the first time since arriving that I found complete solitude in an astounding place. From this spot here, where I parked my vampire goth scooter, there is a short trail that leads down into a gulch. There's a boulder right off the trail about half way down where you can sit and watch the waves below. It's a fantastic spot because you're above the tree line of the gulch, and periodically birds come flying from out of the trees in one spot and back into them in another. I sat there for over an hour, meditating and basking in the sun. Other Sunday highlights include spending an hour and a half with Laura, from across the world, via Skype; getting stung by a bee while riding my scooter; and learning zazen at a temple in Pa'ia, where I met someone who grew up in Northeast Philadelphia. It's a small world after all.

The day before, I rode over to Maui Ocean Center to learn
about all the creatures of the sea. I thought it was a little expensive, but I like aquariums, museums and such so I paid it. The whole experience was pretty informative and interesting, but the jellyfish tank was the best part. This tank was about eight feet in diameter and ten feet high, and was lit from above with ultraviolet black lights. The jellyfish bubbled about the way they do, almost like respiration, in and out, in and out, very slowly, very controlled. It was beautiful.
It was a little frustrating seeing everyone trying to take pictures. Most people couldn't figure out how to turn off the flash on the cameras, and wives were arguing with husbands over it, so it was a big commotion and ordeal and it kinda spoiled the moment. But I don't think the jellyfish minded much, and that's all that really matters.

Of course, the shark tank was a close runner up for my favorite feature of the aquarium. They had a seven-foot Tiger Shark, which is a real ferocious fish, and lots of different reef sharks and hammerheads like this one. I thought about taking a dive into the tank, with SCUBA gear, but you have to be a certified diver and bring all of your own equipment and on top of all that it costs two hundred bucks. Next time.

I have been thinking about taking an ultralight lesson, though. They're like motor-powered hang gliders. They use them a lot in that documentary about migratory birds, Winged Migration. There's a reputable pilot nearby that does hour-long in-air lessons for about two hundred dollars. So once I've got some money saved up, I think I might have to try flying.

Here's another picture of Ho'opika Beach Park, the world's most famous wind surfing beach, which is about twenty minutes from me between Haiku and Paia. It's cool to see all of those wind surfers, like one-winged butterflies on the waves. The way they move it reminds me of termites for some reason. Watch the video - you'll see what I mean.

THE day of days

2007-11-15T23:46:00.001-10:00

I did so much yesterday, I could hardly stand up once I got back to the hostel after sunset. I was so exhausted and overwhelmed by all of the natural beauty and wonder I encountered I collapsed into my bunk bed fully clothed and slept through the night.

It all started at 3am. That's what time you have to leave Wailuku, where I'm staying, to reach the summit of Haleakala before sunrise. The drive was tough, as I was pretty sleepy having only gotten three hours under. But by 4:30, I was there, dressed in practically everything I had, ready to confront the chill gales at the top of the world. At 10,000 feet, you can see the entire universe. There's no light pollution or smog to cloud the view. And having spent the last year in Philadelphia, being able to see the Milky Way once again was a treat.

I had a star map with me, so I spent the hour before the sun shone to learn the constellations. Orion, Ursa Minor and Ursa Major, Draco, The twins Gemini, Cancer, Taurus and Pleiades, Cassiopeia and Hydra (wow, that monster stretches across a quarter of the sky!). All were there, as they always have been. But being able to see them and recognize them - that's a beautiful thing. I've never done that before.

So then the sun began its ascent, slowly changing the sky. From ink black to subtle violet, then blue with yellow to a stunning pink. It was absolutely incredible.

I was above the clouds at the summit - by about three thousand feet. I can't even write anymore about it because it just won't do it any justice.

After I got back to the hostel, I realized that if I wanted to catch the moped dealer before he left for the day, I'd have to leave right away. I just wanted to sleep, but I jumped back into the car and took the drive south through the sugarcane valley and hooked NW along the coast into Lahaina. I found the dealer and bought a scooter new, but had to leave it there because I still had the rental. Now that one of my initial Maui to-dos had been accomplished, I celebrated with a solo lunch at Cheeseburger in Paradise, complete with a Pineapple rum smoothie (which included the little umbrella). The food was so-so, but I wasn't bothered. It's funny how less worse things seem when you don't have someone you know there to complain to.

After consulting my Maui bible, Maui Revealed, I headed north up the upper West coast. How stunningly amazingly unbelievably beautiful!! This was a lush rainforest I trekked through at one of my many stops.

The drive was jaw-dropping. Hairpin turn after hairpin turn, with every one revealing an incredible display of luscious green life and one magnificent rock formation after another. I thanked the Creator and rocked out to ukulele music and static, music, static, more static, and music as I slipped in and out of FM broadcast range.

Eventually I made it out to the Blowhole turnout along the highway and, upon noticing a few patches of shattered window glass in the lot, threw my stuff into the trunk and left the car with the windows down, unlocked (Luckily, there wasn't any way to pop the trunk from inside). I boulder hopped for about fifteen minutes down the side of a lava-littered cliff. As I approached, I could see a mysterious mist of ocean shooting seven stories into the air. The sunlight hit the mist and scattered into rainbows. I stood and watched in awe as the surf grew and grew and the geyser shot higher and higher into the air. I wished I was the ocean, so I could shoot through the hole in the lava.

Later I landed back in Lahaina on the West to watch the sunset. Again, no words can describe the sight. The island in the distance is Molokai, the next island to the West.

It was the perfect end to a perfect day.

A Day of Driving

2007-11-13T23:02:00.001-10:00

Good thing I hiked the mile to the car rental place (more like a junk yard half a mile down a forgotten road lined with abandoned, burnt vehicles and foreboding, dilapidated shacks and bungalows). The proprietor had made a mistake. He said that he didn't have a car for me. But he must have felt bad that I'd walked down, because all of a sudden he did have a car. A sweet, dirty, sun-faded silver Nissan Sentra. Perfect.

Think gas is expensive where you live? Try $3.64 for Regular! But that's not that bad when you compare it to milk. Here, a gallon costs almost $6. Yikes. I spent an hour walking around the grocery store in shock.
When you're faced with paying exorbitant prices for things, you come to realize quickly what you need and what you don't. Like seven dollar Taro chips. And twenty dollar pound of Kona coffee (although, like good wine, it's okay to splurge once in a while).
All you really need is two apples, a mango, two apple-bananas (delicious!), a bottle of water and a pack of sesame crackers to get you through the day. Not every day, but maybe every other. We'll see...

Ah. What a sweet ride!

It's pretty hilarious how ramshackle it is. But the radio works, and there's a good station that, though a bit commercial for my taste, plays great hits from the sixties and seventies. Perfect for a drive down the Hana Highway.

I went to a place called Na'ili'ili Haele, which is actually private property owned by the Hawaii Sugar Company. But I read about this hike that leads to four consecutive waterfalls, so I trespassed.

The waterfalls weren't really flowing, so that was a bit anticlimactic. Nonetheless, I found a rock, sat down and listened to the falling water in peaceful solitude. Perfect.
Driving on East along the Hana Highway, I loved seeing fenced off roads with their 'keep off' and 'no trespassing' signs obscuring the mysterious path over a hill or behind a wall of trees.

And how could you not love a view like this?

After today, I can say I've rented a car, I've given a seven-year-old hitchhiker a lift, and I've gotten lost in the labyrinthine roads of Ha'iku and Makawao. But those are stories for another time.

My First Maui Sunrise

2007-11-13T07:41:00.001-10:00

It's 6:35 Hawaii Time, and the sun is just about to peak out from behind Haleakala, the dormant volcano that dominates the Eastern side of the island. Today is going to be beautiful. A high of 84, slight chance of rain, and a consistent breeze here on the windward, northern side of Maui. Perfect.
I'm renting a beater for three days from a cheap place nearby, where "every vehicle comes with ALOHA".

Here's the sun now. I have to take a picture...

Funny how the phone and electric lines somehow become less of an eyesore when something so beautiful lies just beyond.

Yesterday, I met a German traveler named Claus ("Klows", not "clause" like Santa) at the hostel, and together we went out for dinner nearby at a place that hosts an open mic every Monday. The service was terribly slow, but the food was good, and Claus was absolutely thrilled that they had one of his favorite German Heffeweisens, a Bavarian Wheat Beer. We sipped a few and listened to the range of mediocre to brilliant talent, as I pondered learning a few songs to sing. Maybe next week I'll come back and play.

Well, I have to get ready to hike over to the rental place. Today I'm going to go East to Haiku and Pai'a, and on from there to a trail to see four consecutive waterfalls out off the Hana Highway a few miles from the farm where I'll be staying. I also have to get out to some galleries with the hands I brought and stop by DaFactory, the glass studio I came here for.