Hiking cliffs to Kalalau
Trip Start
Dec 10, 2007
1
7
27
Trip End
Nov 27, 2008
Hanalei, Hawaii
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
We spent our first few days camping at grassy parks on beaches. Some of the campgrounds were nice. Others were nice places to play loud music, urinate on trees, do meth and get into fights with your friends. We preferred the nice ones.
After a few days of hiking, exploring and surfing, we embarked on our 11 mile hike along the Na Pali Coast to the Kalalau Valley. I think the photos will speak for themselves, but this was an epic, epic hike to the most beautiful place I have ever been. Imagine hiking for miles on a high thin ledge, weaving inland to valleys and out toward the ocean. The huge waves crashed below the vertical rock dropping down from our thin path. If this wasn't enough to make us nervous, we also had to watch for rocks falling from the cliffs above that may have become dislodged by a carefree wild goat. But the challenge was rewarded us with huge waterfalls completely to ourselves, wild guava and oranges from the trees, and at the end of the 11-mile trail, we camped at the long, powder-fine, white sand beach.
This beach was as close to paradise as I have ever been. Perfect weather, powerful waves, a waterfall to shower in, a secret sea cave, awe inspiring mountains shooting up just behind the beach, and humpback wales breaching close to shore. I even saw a whale's head!
We had heard all about people who live at Kalalau (often referred to as naked hippies). As we hiked, our imaginations wandered. We wondered if we would meet them, if they would be friendly and happy to see some new faces, or if they would just lurk in the woods watching us. Were they drugged out and kinda nutty? Or maybe unwelcoming to campers such as
ourselves. As we continued walking, it occurred to us that maybe they were cannibals at this point. Hmmm, we will find out soon, we thought.
As soon as we reached Kalalau, we were approached by a tan young man with glowing white teeth and a warm smile. He introduced himself as Double A and said that he had been living there for 2 months. We asked about food, and he said that between fishing, wild fruit and greens, and a few provisions from the town, there was plenty to eat. He welcomed us to paradise and invited us to join his community for dinner at "The Sanctuary." Definitely not a hostile cannibal.
Later that night, we joined the group of 10 or 15 diverse, intelligent, welcoming, generous people for lemongrass tea and incredible "stone soup." The two most unavailable foods there are beer and cheese. We were hailed as heroes when we donated a small block of
cheese and some pepperoni as toppings for the soup. Afterward, we stood under the stars, on a cliff terrace over the ocean, and watched one of the men skillfully spin a staff with the ends lit on fire. This was really beautiful and peaceful. What a way to end our hike, and our 3 months in Hawaii.
The next day we hiked out, carrying not only our heavy packs, but also a new glow from the enchanted land and the friendly people living with it and loving it.
(Read on to see what happens once Kristin and Aaron reach the other side of the Pacific and are thrown into the chaos that is Tokyo...)
Photo slideshow (click "i" in middle of photo for captions)
