Two-weeks ago as I was hot tubbing with my 11 year old son, he looked up at the full moon and said, “Mom! The moon is going to be half-full when we’re camping in Hawaii!” He’s a smart one, that kid of mine, and this week I write to you from Hawaii. My husband and I took our youngest children on vacation, and for the first 2 nights we didn’t have a room at our condo, so we decided to be adventurous and camp in West Maui. That’s right – camping in Maui.
We packed a couple of 2 man tents in our luggage, along with some blankets and pillowcases that we stuffed with clothes to use as pillows, and planned to stay in a state park just before Hana. (Wai’anapanapa State Park). Now, when we made these plans we arranged to have a Ford Edge (moderately sized) as our rental car, but because the Universe had other plans for us, we ended up with a Ford Expedition (translation: a car the size of a small yacht) to drive on The Road to Hana. Having been on The Road to Hana a time or two, and remembering the one-lane road/bridges, I decided that would be an adventure of its own, and hey – if we got rained out all four of us could fit into the back and just sleep there.
We made it without incident (a little white knuckled, but without incident) to the State Park, where I planned to purchase a camping permit from the office or from the ranger, but apparently in West Maui you’re supposed to plan ahead and purchase your permits on-line at least 3 days in advance. We tried to go on-line and purchase a permit right there, but there is no cell service or wi-fi to speak of, and just when we were about to give up and get back into the yacht and drive to a public parking lot to sleep, the lovely park ranger, Lani, came to our rescue. Lani was kind and gracious, and so very understanding of a family of Haolis who failed to plan ahead and purchase their permits the required 3 days in advance, and allowed us to purchase the permit right then (after hours) and stay at the park for 2 nights. I am and will be forever grateful for her kindness and hospitality, and for the memories and lessons I learned while camping at the State Park.
Today’s blog post is about that adventure. Camping under the half-moon in Hana with my husband and two youngest sons, and the lessons presented. Lessons are everywhere when you pay attention. If you follow my blog (which you should), you know I write about and try to pay attention, be present, and learn from the lessons that are offered. The following are 10 things I learned while camping in West Maui.
- Grass covered lava rock is not as soft as it looks.
- Body heat is better than a blanket, and a blanket is better used as a cushion than for warmth.
- There are wild chickens and roosters all over, and they are not afraid of the park cat.
- Dogs in Hawaii still do the “Twilight Bark” even when there are no other dogs.
- There are approximately 30 minutes between the end of the “Twilight Bark” of a Hawaiian dog and the start of the wild roosters crowing.
- When you can’t sleep because the ground is hard and the dog is barking you have to pee more.
- Camping close to a bathroom is a plus when you have to pee a lot.
- Peeing a lot is ok when you’re camping in Hawaii and the moon is half-full because there are a million stars and they all look closer and brighter.
- Listening to waves crashing into cliffs in the middle of the night when everyone else is sleeping and you’re looking at the stars fills your whole being with the most amazing feelings of beauty and love.
- When you’re camping with those you love it doesn’t matter how hard the ground is, how much the dog barks, or how early the roosters start crowing. It’s still a marvelous adventure.
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We survived the road from Hana, and today I write to you from the lanai of our room. Yesterday, while waiting for our room to be ready, I met a couple of wonderful fellows from Vancouver, BC. Neighbors by fate (if you believe in such a thing) one of whom is a paramedic and here for vacation, and the other (a self-proclaimed “Maverick”) is here to spread the ashes of his late wife who recently passed away from ovarian cancer. Both men are sweet, kind, definitely charming, and since I don’t believe in coincidence I’m looking forward to finding out why the Universe has brought them to me (or me to them) and what adventures and lessons are offered in the coming week.
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