Return to Alohaland

Greetings one and all! :) After traveling 13 months I have finally returned to Alohaland! :) Maui is my favorite little island in the middle of the Pacific ocean! :) I've had the most amazing homecoming welcome possible. A million calls from my wonderful friends, sunshine, and a MONSTER swell on the North shore! :)

On Maui when the big waves of Jawz graces our island the traffic makes it almost impossible to travel to that part of the island. In preparation for this historic swell a friend and I went out to Haiku Sunday night and slept in our car.

Its like those people who camp out in line for tickets to some music venue or sporting event. Except we were in pursuit of WAVES! The waves of Jawz 2009!

Settling in for the night we tell tales of adventure as we are serenaded by a chorus of confused roosters. Just as we were about to attempted to sleep a security guard informs us that its 1am and the parking lot is closed. Moving on to another spot we snooze until discovered by a couple curious drunks at 3am.

Once again we return to the Haiku parking lot. The roosters were finished disturbing the peace and one Haleakala bike tour company was opened for business. This allowed us to use the parking lot for the second time in this nearly sleepless night. I'd like to give a shout out to Haleakala Bike Co. in Haiku for the amazing Aloha extended to us at 3am! Free coffee and the use of their bathroom!!! :) You guys are No Ka Oi! :) Approaching 4am we were finally able to slip into an uninterrupted slumber.

I woke a little before 7am feeling not so refreshed when a truck pulling a jet ski passed us. Instantly my heart jumped into adrenaline mode truck+jet ski = BIG BIG WAVES!!! I fired up the car and we were on our way!

Arriving at Jawz there was an unbelievable energy in the air. The sonic boom-ish crashing of the waves could be heard from miles off shore. We hitched a ride from a passing truck and in a few moments we were experiencing JAWZ.

I don't think its possible to exaggerate the size and grandeur of the giants passing before our eyes. Wave after wave emerges from the sea. The wonder of this natural phenomenon is enhanced by the fact that there are tow-in surfers charging down the face of these waves. With each one the wide eyed, breathless crowd witnesses feats of superhuman ability.

There was an uncanny unity that swept over all observers. We gasp in terror with each wipe out. We cheer with exhilaration for every surfer's trek down these mountains of water. Our hearts well up with emotion. Do I let the impending tears of elation escape my eyes? Not a chance... I can't miss one second of the wonder before me! :)

Missing home

Hello! :) Found some old photos in my computer and it made miss home today! :) Look at this little guy... he has got the cutest face! :)

Catching up

Went to Mendoza... spent a few days.... then went to Santiago Chile for a couple weeks.... then took a bus 22 hours back to Buenos Aires.... don't feel too bad for me... the seats laid all the way down... they played movies and served us amazing meals. :)

I have been in Buenos Aires since August 1st. I have been taking a Spanish course and enjoying my time here. It feels like I hit the ground running when I stepped off that bus... I don't think I've stopped since then. :)

I have 8 more days here .... then off to Peru... after that back to the USA. Can you believe it? I know... some of you thought maybe it would never happen! :) It doesn't quite feel real yet. :) I am going to miss this life on the road. :)

Well I better be off to sleep.. tumbling on... :)

To Mendoza.... and beyond!

Here is one of my more recent favorite photos!! It is the a place in Northern Argentina called the Hills of Seven Colors. :)

Hello!!!

I am headed to Mendoza Argentina for a few days. I bought my bus ticket about 4 hours before my departure time! :) I will be arriving there tomorrow morning. All together about 17 hours of travel. I am going in style though. I love the buses in Argentina! :)

Please pray for me for direction and wisdom for the near future. The "crisis" is weighing on my mind. I know I am in the hands of the Lord but the whole job search when I return is weighing heavy on my mind.

Thanks guys! Updates are on their way!

Sending love and hugs from Argentina!

I will never see the moon the same again!

Recently I made a stop in San Pedro Atacama Chile. I had the opportunity to take a tour where we got to look at the moon and stars out in the desert. It was amazing!!!! The astronomer giving the tour attached my SLR camera to the telescope and used it as if the telescope was the lens of my camera!!! :)

Wisdom from Mister Pip

In one of my recent hostel stops I was given a book called "Mister Pip". It is the story of a girl that grew up on a remote island off the coast of New Zealand. A white man on the island becomes the teacher of the school in her community. He begins the school year by reading to his students the Charles Dickens classic Great Expectations. At one point in the story the main character is comparing people in the story with people in her life. And here is the passage that I found particularly meaningful.

"Now that i had met Miss Havisham, and knew more about her unhappy past, i had changed my mind about my mum being like Pip's sister. She had more in common with Miss Havisham-Miss Havisham who cannot move on from the hour and minute that the bridegroom failed to show. The wedding feast untouched, left for the cobwebs to mark time.

Miss Havisham remains in her wedding gown for an event that has been and gone. I had an idea my mum was stuck in a similar moment. Only it had to do with an argument with my dad. her frown gave her away. A frown that could be traced back to the original moment. I had an idea that whatever my dad had said still rang in her ears."

After reading this I had to stop and look back on my life. Moving on from life's disappointments can be so difficult. It can be so easy to remain in those moments. It can define who we are. Reading this brought up a lot of questions. It made me stop and reflect on events of the last year or so. The Lord and his gentle words are so amazing. He gives me these little nuggets to push me towards the most fullfilling life possible! :)

Something I´ve learned

Greetings!

I was in Patagonia a a while back. I spent half a day walking through Tierra del Fuego National Park. It was a amazingly serien place. The day was beautiful yet mysterious. There was a misty haze that prevailed over the park as if the sky was sending out a warning. We were three people who didn´t heed the threats and meandered along the deserted trails. It did rain but nothing feirce. It reminded me of the showers we have on the Oregon coast. It is a dusting of rain that you almost don´t notice falling on your until you are quite wet. I find it refreshing in the right circumstances!

A silence fell over the group I was hiking with. I think the mysery of the day begged for introspection. I began to think of my many experience over the last seven months. The many experiences at times interweave themselves into a tapistry that will be finished in approximately 5 more months. What a beautiful peice of artistry!

Upon thinking of all the places I´ve been. I couldn´t help but thank the Lord for the many ways this experience has been a blessing. One of the things I´ve learned from traveling is that on your journeys you will either find the place on this planet where you belong or you realize the reason why you call the place you left home.

I know now more than ever where where home is and I am so thankful for that!