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I have only been to one other island (Kauai) besides Oahu and now, I have two after my thanksgiving weekend. During my Thanksgiving weekend, I embarked on a journey to the Big Island with my environmental science class and explored most of what the island had to offer. I made friendships with my classmates I hadn't fully met until this trip and memories that will last for a lifetime. Throughout the semester we have studied and became familiar with the Big Island's ecosystem, history, culture, and volcanos. From the disasters to its beautiful beaches we learned it all and most of all we learned what it meant to give back to the island and the importance of family. During our trip we formed our new family, through endless downpour, hikes, and kindness we formed our new family.
Our stories begins with me, I headed for the Big Island on Wednesday (two days before the trip started) and explored places not on our four day agenda. I first picked up from the airport from my Airbnb host and taken to my stay, where I quickly unpacked and prepared to explore before the sun went down, due to my flight landing an hour and a half before sunset. My host was a very kind vegan Russian from New York who decided to move to Hawai'i for a different change in climate and lifestyle. After leaving my stay, I ordered an Uber to the nearest local restaurant to grab a quick meal before going to a near by waterfall known as Rainbow Falls. It only took three locals and three drinks to make stay after sundown and talk story. For the rest of the night I got meet Leila, Kai, and Kawalo (not positive on the spelling) who treated me like family and invited me to their Thanksgiving dinner.
Thursday was one of my most adventurous days being on the Island from sunrise to sunset, I stayed productive. That morning, I picked up my rental car, ate breakfast, and headed to the most southern point of the United States in Ka Lea. When I arrived at south point (which is how its referred to) I was greeted by a spectacular view of the ocean by a cliff edge, an edge famous to all as the south point cliff jumping spot. Yes, I did jump off the edge, just in case you were wondering, and I have a link to my post about my experience there as well. After spending a good two hours there, I then stopped at the famous Punalu'u Bake Shop located just about 20 minutes from south point. Which had some of the greatest bread and ice cream mixture I have ever tasted in life!Moving on, after driving back to Hilo (two hour drive), I made my way to Rainbow Falls and captured some amazing footage and images of this incredible big water fall (80 ft). I spent an hour exploring the waterfall, getting up close and personal, and eventually stumbling upon Peepee falls and Boiling pots (jumping ponds). It was the rain that made turn back and head back to my stay before the current could get any stronger.
Now that I was cleaned after an extensively long shower I headed to meet my new local friends for Thanksgiving dinner. After three rounds of Hawaiian food, I could eat no more much less move from my seat, the food was amazing. I got the opportunity to share my story with them and them with me about our lives, some of the nicest and beautiful souls you will ever meet. I returned back to my stay and fell asleep like a baby, gently waiting for the rest of my class to arrive and begin our adventure, for I had no idea just exactly what was to come.
