Mahalo for the good time, Hawaii!

Our time in Hawaii is over. I did not want to leave and miss it so much. I'll miss the fresh fruit and veggies--coconuts, papayas, avos, mac nuts, mangos, lychees, lettuce, carrots, ginger, basil, and bananas!, the weather and sunshine, the beaches and snorkeling and swimming, the farm and farm work, and the good good people that i met and worked with.

Our last few days were so fun. We had a mediterranean themed potluck on Thursday, a mexican/volleyball bash on friday followed by Apples to Apples and homemade mead, and Saturday! Saturday, we finally saw and swam with the dolphins at Kealakekua Bay AND Two Step! It was incredible.

Saturday, Em and I flew to Oahu and stayed with my friend Gina and her husband Mat. We had a good time going to the pretty Oahu beaches, playing ukulele on the beach watching the sunset, walking around little Hawaiian towns and going in shops, going to Kualoa Ranch where Mat works and getting a jeep tour and seeing where scenes from Lost are filmed!!! I went on a really good hike with Mat called Crouching Lion (we were wondering why it was called that and then looked over to see a huge rock that looked very much like a lion). The hike was on ridges, so the majority of the hike was on skinny paths with steep drop-offs on either side. Intense!

Wednesday, Em and I boarded planes and left lovely Hawaii. Em is in San Francisco with some friends and I'm in Phoenix having a blast visiting old friends and places around Phoenix and Tempe. Em and I both leave Tuesday morning and will be back in Virginia in the evening.

So, "What's next?" everybody keeps asking me. I don't know. I'll figure it out when i'm back in VA. Probably a summer apprenticeship on a farm. I'm a drifter right now, and I kind of like it.

Until my next adventure,
Aloha!
Coriena

Bees, bees, and Lychee trees

Ah, we're leaving the farm in 3 days! So sad. I don't want to leave. But Em and I have fun plans in the next few weeks. We'll go to Oahu from here and spend 4 days with Gina. Then Em flies to San Fran and will road trip back to VA with her W&M friends. I'll go to PHoenix for 5 days and then back to Va for a wedding and hanging with the fam for an indefinite amount of time...If you have any ideas for what my endeavor might be, let me know.

Em and I donned our bee suits today and peeped into the bee hives with Barry. I feel a special connection with bees for some reason. They are just on of the coolest creatures.

Last Sunday, Barry took the farm to the green sand beach on the south side of the island per Emily and I's request. Holy smokes! It was fantastic. So frickin beautiful and the waves were perfect for a bobbing, beachy swim. Then we went to South Point and there was this 45-foot-high cliff jump into clear blue ocean water. It looked pretty fun and also terrifying. I didn't even try to jump. Jon just went right over. But the big surprise was Barry's daughter, Zea, who is 8 years old. She jumped right off! I couldn't believe it! Bravest little girl i know.

I've learned a few more songs on the ukulele thanks to chordie.com. I'll be getting a ukulele as soon as i can, but not until i get back home so i don't have to fly back with it.

We just had an ice cream party! That may have been the best sundae i've ever had, with fresh coconut, mac nuts, bananas foster, plus the more normal sundae toppings. It was just really good.

The lychee tree is just getting ripe right before we leave. Lychees are so good--like a grape/citrus flavor. Mangos are ready too. And always bananas, papayas, coconuts, and avocados! I will miss free armfuls of avocados oh so much. Notice i said nothing about pineapples. Pineapples are not in season and are not very plentiful here actually. Just one pineapple grows per plant and they take so long! Too bad, huh?

Must go take an outdoor shower! Wee! Bye!

C