PSAMMOPHILES IS US

SAND WORTHY

Partly because I am a collector, partly because I am cheap, and partly because I have had the great fortune to see a goodly amount of this planet, I collect sand. What better way to remember a place than to bring some of it home with you?

my sand...sigh

At first collecting sand was a curiosity, a random act, or an afterthought. There are places early in my travels that I failed to grab a sample and some places just a thimble-full. But now, after decades of traveling and collecting (and being cheap) that has completely changed.

Now there’s a whole personal science to collecting sand! Travel destinations are considered viable because I need a sample from there. Is it “sand worthy”?  Itineraries are planned not only for sights and museums, but for sand. After all these years I guess I could truly label myself an arenophile.

I have driven miles out of my way to grab sand from some unique place. Readers of this blog may remember how Team VFH hiked 2.5 miles across windswept, arid south point on the Big Island of Hawaii to collect green sand at Papakolea Beach, one of only four green sand beaches in the world.  And, the samples I collect have grown in size. Only filled water bottles or baggies will suffice. Sadly, extra amounts of sand, after the sample has been recanted and labeled for display, clutter my basement. Janet anxiously taps her foot with arenophilia as she anticipates the conjoining of our fortunes! I keep the labeled glass bottles in a little kiosk in my office. I could use more room… or get smaller bottles I guess. I’m sure Janet will put the kibosh on this.

extra sand!

I also receive sand as gifts. Friends who have the great luck to travel to places I have yet to visit sometimes return with a sample for me. A dear friend in Australia has sent me sand from Ayers Rock, or Uluru in the native tongue. My darling daughter, a charter member of Team VFH, brought back sand from Normandy Beach while there on a high school trip. I have never been to the Canary Islands, Cozumel or Belize, but I got sand from each country because of the generosity of friends.

Believe it or not at times I also part with some of my precious sand to give as gifts. It's better than a t-shirt, isn't it? 

DISCOVERING THE WORLD GRAIN BY GRAIN

Personally, I feel the array of countries in my burgeoning collection is remarkable. I had always considered my quirky hobby to be rather unique, but in researching for this blog entry I have learned sand collecting is a well-established activity. It turns out there are collectors with samples from every continent, including Antarctica, and there are groups of collectors that actively trade and even chat online about sand. I think this is a bit extreme, but it you’re interested:

SAND COLLECTORS CORNER

MORE SAND COLLECTORS

Evidently there is something to learn from a sand collection too, although I feel this certainly takes all the fun out of collecting. Here is a NY Times article on collecting:  

NY TIMES SAND COLLECTING ARTICLE

SANDS OF TIME

I have traveled to Hawaii several times over the years and have collected sand from such storied places like Waikiki, Hanauma Bay, Waimea Bay, Malaekahana Bay, Punalu'u, and the Banzai Pipeline, but there’s always another beach somewhere! Here is a listing of the beaches I collected from this last trip.

Oahu

Kaena Point

Oahu is the most populated Hawaiian island, but we stayed way out in the country, in Waialua town. It is pretty much the last town out in the northwest area of Oahu. From there it was a short ride to the end of the road and then the trail to Kaena Point, the jumping off place for spirits into the next world. The shore here is mostly small coves and treacherous waves. 

Maui

Maui was a brand new world of opportunity for me. In all my travels to Hawaii I have never visited the Valley Isle. It is the second largest of the Hawaiian Islands and has some of the nicest beaches in the state.

Ka’anapali Beach

We stayed on the resort stretch of the Ka’anapali Coast and got a sample near Black Rock, a lava formation that is a great place to snorkel.

 

Hana Bay Beach Park

Hana Bay Beach Park 

We traveled to Hana on that treacherous road, not only to say we survived the hundreds of turns and switchbacks, but to get sand at the Hana Beach Park, down the road from Wai’anapanapa State Park. This was the first black sand beach we would see on our travels to Hawaii, although they are everywhere on the Big Island. Visiting this silky smooth beach area was a glimpse of old Hawaii. Sadly it was raining when we finally arrived so did not really explore the area or the sleepy town of Hana.so it was somewhat anticlimactic, although while there I did eat my first Loco Moco!

WHAT THE HELL IS A LOCO MOCO? 

Little Beach

Makena Beack Park is on the south coast of Maui. It is a beautiful scenic beach, but can be a dicey place to swim. Often the waves are rolling and it’s a great place to swim and boogie board, but every once in a while a rogue wave breaks dangerously close to shore catching swimmers unawares and earning its dubious nickname. Makena Beach is sectioned into two parts. The first is Big Beach. It is very wide and over half a mile long and the locals call it “Breakneck” Beach. If you swim here, or at Little Beach, located on the other side of a lava rock formation, make sure you NEVER turn your back on the ocean.

To reach Little Beach you have to climb over a lava rock formation. Make sure you have two hands free in order to negotiate the steep climb. It is a somewhat clothing optional beach. Mind the sea turtles if you’re swimming nude!

We did a lot of exploring on Maui, but simply did not have enough time to explore the entire island.  This article is about the top ten beaches of the island and has me hankering for a return trip. 

TOP TEN MAUI BEACHES

Hawaii 

The Big Island is aptly named so it was not possible to see all of it in the time we had. Instead we concentrated our exploring in the southern districts of Hilo, Puna and Ka’u. Having been to the Kohala coast before, I was not concerned about collecting samples from these white sand beaches and had already collected sand from the beautiful black sand beach Punalu’u.

Papakolea Beach

All the beaches on the southern portion of the island are black except for the most southern point of the United States, Papakolea Beach, or Green Sand Beach. It’s a trek to get there, but worth the endeavor. Not only after a 2.5 mile hike the water is refreshing, but to see one of just four green sand beaches in the world is striking.

Papakolea, Green Sand Beach

Kalapana

Kilauea began its most recent eruption in the 1980’s and it eventually covered a number of towns in the Puna district. According to the National Park Service’s estimation this lava flow has added 500 acres to the island. I was last in Kalapana in 1988 to see the lava slowly creeping across the town and roads. On this recent trip we got to see the aftermath. The cooled black lava ends abruptly at the ocean’s edge where it is slowly being pounded by the incessant waves into “sand”. The lava cliffs here are about 10 feet high! The sand is the newest I have ever collected. 

Kilauea Iki Crater Trail

Kilauea Iki Crater Trail

If you travel to the Big Island, be sure to visit the Volcano National Park. This fascinating area has plenty of sights and activities during the day and the evening. There is hiking throughout the park, some trails are long and some, like the Thurston Lava Tube are fairly short. One quite unique hike is called the Kilauea Iki Crater Trail. A moderate, roughly 4 mile trek, it descends through a rain forest and onto the cooled floor of a once molten lave lake which last erupted in 1959. It takes roughly 2-3 hours and no, the soles of your shoes won’t melt, but you can feel the heat blowing through some of the cracks. This otherworldly experience merited a collection, albeit a thimble sized amount. I didn’t want to anger Pele…

VOLCANO NATIONAL PARK

view of crater floor

PELE'S WRATH?

I had heard that bad luck would come to anyone taking Pele's lava. She is the goddess of volcanoes and at best her demeanor can be capricious. At her worst she is quite volatile, and she doesn't like people taking what is hers. The threat of such ill fated fortune certainly danced through my head on my earlier visit to the Big Island in 1988. One morning I drove from my rented room in Hilo to Kalapana, which was slowly being consumed by lava. I took photos and watched locals do various things with the lava. Using a shovel they scooped up a glowing orange blog of molten rock and splat it against the pavement. They then forced a long metal pipe in one end and a mailbox on the other, and without melting either, fused them together. I managed to get a dollop that had quickly cooled to a shiny black with silvery highlights. I carried it back to the rental car with reverence. I intended to bring it home, but I absently left it behind. Secretly I was pleased, afraid of Pele's revenge. 

Kalapana 1988 lava flow (c) greg dunaj

In the past I've also heeded signs that say not to remove sand at various places in Hawaii and would be stealthy in my collecting, but truthfully unless and you pull up to the beach with a backhoe and dump truck no one will care. I foolishly sweated through the TSA checkpoint on the way home. I was afraid they would say I couldn't take the sand home, but they only checked to see if it was an explosive; black sand does look like gunpowder. I was relieved when the hulking Hawaiian native TSA agent did his chemical tests and said, "yep, that's sand," and cleared me to return to New Jersey with my collection intact. 

Kalapana 2014

Mahalo for reading! 

love Janet and greg

GREEN BEANS AND SAND

GOING SOUTH

Do you like green beans and sand?

Both are here in this far away land

Would you like beans in your mug?

Would you like sand in your rug?

You can swim there, yes it’s true

Green sand against the ocean blue

And green beans make great coffee too

The Big Island waits for you

Hawaii, commonly called The Big Island, was Team VFH’s final stop in our visit to the 50^th State this past summer. It’s a huge island, over 4,000 square miles, bigger than the combined land mass of the other islands that make up the tropical archipelago. Sadly we had just five days on Hawaii and so we decided to concentrate on the southern portion. We were staying in the Puna district, south of Hilo, so it was reasonable to stay around here. Everywhere else is so far away. Early on we decided to forego traveling to the Kohala coast in the north for their white, sandy beaches, or to the Kona coast for their coffee, or to the Parker Ranch in Waimea, the oldest and largest ranch in America, well, for some Hawaiian-style beef jerky.THE PARKER RANCH, WAIMEA, HI

No, the distances were too great and we would have spent our entire time on Hawaii driving. The return on investment was not enough, especially with the gas prices in Hawaii. So, apart from one day we pretty much stayed close to home in the southeast corner of the island.

DISTRICT 9

Not a worry though, for there is plenty to do and see in our "neck of the woods". Puna is one of 9 districts of the island in the county of Hawaii. Now, to clarify, these districts are not “counties”, but areas of interest. Counties in the state of Hawaii are either an individual island or a grouping of islands. For example, Honolulu County is Oahu, although it also includes the Northwest or Leeward Islands that stretch out past the Midway Islands. Kauai County includes Kauai, Niihau and a couple of tiny islets. And, Hawaii, the Big Island, all by itself, is also the county of Hawaii. The island is divided into these districts with names like Puna, Hilo, Kona and Ka’u, and each have their own individual attractions.

Puna is home to the little hippie capital of Pahoa with its string of clapboard buildings housing restaurants along a boardwalk that serves as a sidewalk. We ate a couple of meals in Pahoa. A lava flow that began on June 27^th inches closer to towards the town at this writing. Another town, Kalapana, was not so lucky. In 1990 lava partially covered the town, but the community still thrives with the weekly Uncle Robert’s Farmers Market. The weekly event, where the ongoing “struggle” to maintain the Kingdom of Hawaii is centered, is really a huge party that throbs deep into the night.

Also found off the beaten path in Puna are miles of coastline with black sand beach parks and camp sites as well as the volcanically heated Ahalanui Beach Park that is partially open to the ocean which allows sea water to mix with the heated water. There is even a lifeguard here. A great place to go snorkeling is at the Waiopae Tidepools that has several interconnecting pools to explore. The eerily tranquil Lava Tree State Park near Pahoa is another stop where lava molds of trees burned in a flow from the 1700’s stand like sentinels warning of Pele’s destructive might.

AHALANUI BEACH PARK

Ahalanui Beach Park

And, of course there is Volcano National Park which sprawls beyond Puna’s border into the neighboring district of Ka’u. Home to the most active volcano in the world today, Kilauea has been adding to the girth of the Big Island since 1983 making it the longest eruption in recorded history. There’s plenty to do at the park with vantage points to view the lava (from a safe distance), camping and unique hiking trails that includes the Thurston lava tube, Devastation Trail and the Kilauea Iki Crater Trail.

Kilauea Iki Crater Trail

So, you’re thinking with all these wonderful destinations in our relative backyard there really was no reason to venture very far, but in the very next district of Ka’u there are two very, very unique things that should not be missed if one were fortunate enough to travel to this island. Plan to spend an entire day exploring black sand and green sand beaches and drinking great coffee from Ka'u. 


SUN, RAIN AND A KISS OF VOG

Now, many of us with just a passing knowledge of Hawaii know about Kona coffee. It is grown on the western slopes of Mauna Loa. This coffee is known for its smoothness, its rarity and conversely its price.  A pound of pure Kona can be around $30.00 and for over 100 years it was the only coffee grown in the United States. That has changed. While the Kona label was being slapped onto any coffee from anywhere and “blends” proliferate the market; you can even buy “Kona” at your local WaWa; another coffee from the eastern slopes on Mauna Loa in the Ka’u district is growing in popularity.

Even as Kona has taken steps to protect the brand name, Ka’u, with deep, rich, volcanic soils, a temperate climate of morning sunshine and afternoon clouds (or as some would call it VOG or Volcanic Smog) and a healthy amount of yearly rainfall, has been slowly making a name for itself in coffee competitions. Mostly mom and pop endeavors the Ka’u brand is slowly growing. When the Kau sugar plantations closed in 1996, the displaced area sugar workers were provided inexpensive leases for 5 acre plots by the former sugar plantation owners in order to grow coffee.  At first it was difficult to just break even, but when Ka’u coffee placed the top ten of a Roasting Guild Cupping Pavilion Competition of 2007, coffee in Ka’u starting gaining a reputation of growing very good coffee. Although Ka'u prices have risen with this new-found popularity, it is still a cheaper alternative to Kona.

Embarrassingly Team VFH had never heard of Ka’u coffee before visiting the district, so we don’t want you to make the same mistake. Evidently since 2011 you can purchase Ka’u coffee at a Starbucks, but it wasn’t until we saw a sign along Route 11 near Pāhala, HI that invited us to taste the coffee at the Ka’u Coffee Mill along Wood Valley Road that we sampled this superior coffee. 

Serendipitously following our taste buds we passed through the modest town of Pāhala and climbed up the hill passing groves of Macadamia nut and coffee trees to the very new facility. The mill opened in May 2012 and provides a service to the local Ka’u growers which previously had to either bring their crop west to Kona or north to Puna. It also provides jobs to the local inhabitants and it helps raise awareness of Ka’u coffee through a yearly Coffee Festival and Beauty Pageant and a half marathon called the Ka’u Coffee Trail Run.

KA'U COFFEE FEST APRIL 24-MAY 3, 2015

The mill opened in 2012 and the clean facility is staffed by great Aloha spirited people who explain the process of coffee washing and roasting. There were plenty of samples of coffee to drink and several flavored varieties of macadamia nuts to taste. We purchased a 16 oz bag of Hawaii Fancy Ka'u Washed Green Beans to roast when we got back Stateside.

Miss Ka'u Coffee Queen
Amery Silva

KA'U COFFEE MILL

The Ka'u Coffee Mill is a worthwhile stop if you are anywhere near Pāhala, but you can also order from them directly or any of the other Ka'u coffee farmers to get a taste of this great Hawaiian coffee at home. Here is a listing of the farmers of Ka'u. KA'U COFFEE GROWERS

Looking back, it is fascinating to think that this entire world of Ka'u coffee was revealed to us from one lone street sign along Route 11. This is a very rural area of the island. To have the spirit and inclination to "explore" is what traveling is all about. Never plan every waking moment on a trip because you will miss so much. Of course, fair readers, now that you know all about Ka'u Coffee you can plan your excursions to the area accordingly. 

LEAP OF FAITH - KA LAE

The cliffs at South Point

The Ka'u district is the southernmost point in the United States. Stand at the tip of the island and stare out onto a great expanse of the Pacific ocean that will not be interrupted until you hit Antarctica! It is thought the first Polynesians who landed on Hawaii did so near South Point somewhere between 400 and 800 AD. Throughout the area of this National Historical Landmark there are ruins of ancient Hawaiian temples. 

This desolate area of the island is well worth exploring. Between the actual Point and visiting the green sand of Papakolea beach, expect to spend a good portion of your day. There are no facilities in the area, so make sure you pack a lunch and bring plenty of water. Although South Point Road has been much improved in recent years and is okay to drive, when the pavement ends  the road gets very rutted and rough and rental cars companies wouldn't appreciate you driving on them in their cars. So, once you get to the end of the road you will either do a lot of hiking, the green sand of Papakolea  beach is 2.5 miles away from the parking area, or you will pay a local to give you a ride out there.  

cliff diving at the point

Ka Lae, the Hawaiian name for the Point, is very far off the open road. Turn off Route 11 in the town of Naalehu onto South Point Road and keep going. There are miles of rural open ranch lands as far as you can see. You will pass a line of otherworldly wind mills, but the rest of the scenery is ranch lands with few buildings. The Pacific is far in the distance and as you drive it feels like you are racing towards the end of the world, and when you finally take the right fork in the road and come to the end you literally stand on the cliffs and there's no where else to go except back. It truly seems like the end of the world! 

fishing at the point

Now the actual point is a short walk down the "road" where there are no cliffs. But we never got that far for we were mesmerized by the cliff diving. We stood awestruck  as we watched several brave souls leap off the cliff into the blue ocean 50 feet below. Friends applauded and photographed them. There evidently is a ladder they used to climb out of the water, but I was not about to lean over the edge to see it for myself. To this day Janet is disappointed she not take the leap herself, but I was quite happy watching from a safe distance. 


PAPAKOLEA BEACH 

rutted road to Papakolea

We lingered for awhile in the hot sun gazing out onto the endless Pacific watching the divers and locals fishing, but our true reason for venturing out this far was to visit the green sand beach, Papakolea.  

green sand beach Hawaii

I have to admit that I love collecting sand wherever I travel and my sand collection includes samples from several continents and countless islands. Mostly the samples are well displayed in small glass jars with tags detailing particulars, sometimes even the date I visited the beach. (There's also a lot other samples in water bottles scattered throughout the house...) Friends too have given me sand as a gift whenever they have the good fortune to visit a place I have not yet graced. My sands are white, red, black, grey and beige, but until today, not green. 

Green sand is rare, although olivine, the silicate that is a product of lava, can be fairly common. Some say there are four green sand beaches in the world; on Guam, on the Galapagos Islands, in Norway and the green sand beach in Ka'u. Papakolea Beach is a collapsed cinder cone open to the sea. It last erupted 49,000 years ago. Olivine is denser and tougher than the other materials spewed out by the volcano and tends to accumulate on the beach, while the other materials wash away in the surf. This gives Papakolea its unique coloring. 

Punalu'u

Tiny amounts of olivine can be found on many of the black sand beaches of the Big Island, but because they are so geologically young they are still mostly black sand. Two black sand beaches nearby are Punalu'u and Kalapana. 

The beach at Punalu'u is easily accessible. You can drive right up to it, but the green sand beach of Papakolea is very remote. From the end of the paved road it is approximately 2.5 miles along the rutted tracks that serve as road. When you drive down South Point Road take the left fork until the end. After this only four wheel drive vehicles are suitable here. There were plenty of locals offering to drive us to the green sand beach for a nominal cost, but we decided to hike it and then pay someone to take us back. 

It was dusty and windy and humid and hot. Sunscreen and water and sturdy shoes are necessities. There is no shade from the sun. Also, once you reach the cone you have to descend into it. It is very steep and slow going and there is a severe rake into the water. The water can be very rough. Do not allow the surf to pull you out of the cove. There are no lifeguards. All this seems treacherous, but after a long hike getting into the water to cool off was wonderful and a soothing experience. Curious sea turtles swam nearby. We were definitely aware of the powerful waves here and stayed very close to shore.

When it was time to leave I surreptitiously gathered a sample of sand for my collection, ignoring the weather worn wooden sign that said we shouldn't and we climbed out of the cinder cone. At the top we were approached by a local kid who offered us a ride back to our rental car in his rusty pick up truck. It was the best money I had ever spent. It would have been too much to hike both ways. 

Tired and hungry we stopped in at the Shaka Restaurant in Naahelu for a much needed beer and some food. It is the southernmost bar in the United States! I had a Loco Moco and Janet had some Ono. It's a bit of a dive bar, but it's very close to the green sand beach and a great local hang out. Cash only. 

For those of you who might be interested in visiting Ka Lae to jump off those cliffs... here's a taste:

you're crazy...just sayin....

Mahalo for reading! 
love Janet and greg

WHERE AM I GONNA GO?

PELE WANTS HER LAND BACK

Pele, the Fire Goddess of Hawaii

I have heard that real estate is a great investment, because they ain’t making any more land. Well, in Hawaii they have been making more every day for over these past 30 years. The Kilauea volcano on the southeastern slope of the Big Island has been having one of the longest eruptions ever known in recorded history. Since 1983 Pu’u O’o, a cinder/splatter cone along the eastern rift zone of Kilauea has been spewing lava and consequently the Big Island is approximately 100 square kilometers bigger and the coastline has been altered permanently.

But, it’s not like you can build on the new property anytime soon and people may still lay claim to properties covered by the lava. The flow destroyed the towns of Kapa’ahu, Kalapani and Kaimu and the coastal highway by suffocating all beneath 50 feet of Pahoehoe lava. Some native Hawaiians say no one can ever actually “claim” the land anyway. They feel it is owned by the goddess of volcanoes, Pele, and every once in a while she is compelled to clean house. The belief states that we should be grateful that Pele allows one to live on the land at all.

Whether there are Hawaiian gods involved or a geological hotspot, Kilauea has been the most active volcano in the world and its activity impacts a heck of a lot of people.

 

LAVA GETTING CLOSE

GO WITH THE FLOW

Lava from a vent off the Pu’u O’o cone has been slowly approaching the town of Pahoa in the Puna district of the Big Island since June 2014. Dubbed the June 27th Lava Flow by the County of Hawaii, which offers daily updates of the lava’s progress, recently stated the lava has stalled, but is within a mile of Route 130, the main highway that connects the 10,000 residents of this district to the rest of the island. Some businesses at the Pahoa Marketplace that had evacuated in December are recently reopening, but the threat of lava including unhealthy air conditions of Vog, or volcanic smog, are closely monitored. WHERE IS THE LAVA?

The attached map is an example of the daily monitoring of the lava flow by the county and shows how far the lava has advanced and its proximity to the area's communities. The dotted lines also show ways of escaping the area if lava blocks off route 130. 

PUNA DISTRICT LAVA FLOW

This is serious business, but despite a pissed off Pele, this area of the Big Island proved to be a great place to visit. There is less tourism here in the Puna district, south of Hilo, as people usually gravitate to the Kailua-Kona side for the resorts there. Team VFH chose the Puna district as our third and final stop in the Hawaiian islands last summer, but we were never threatened by this most recent lava eruption.

We rented a house in Hawaiian Paradise Park, a little community just a short ride up Route 130 from Pahoa. The house belonged to a couple of older hippies on an acre of property, complete with chickens. We paid just $75 a night for the house and found it through Air BNB. AIR BNB

KAMA'AINA, KALEO'S AND KOMBUCHA  

Of the three islands we had visited, The Big Island and specifically this Puna district, was the most appealing to me. It was very laid back and not many tourists will travel this far, instead they would usually head up to the Volcano National Park along Route 11. At the park there are access points where one can ogle the Kilauea Caldera and trails like the Devastation Trail and the Iki Crater Trail, where one descends into a still warm crater, to further explore this majestic display.

Halema‘uma‘u at Volcano NP

Our first night on the Big Island was not so adventurous. We went out to dinner at Kaleo's, a very nice restaurant on Pahoa's main street. We like to sit at the bar for meals and we must have just fit in. The bartender asked us where we lived in the area and he was surprised we were vacationing from the mainland. I like being mistaken for a Kama'aina, a local. That was a huge compliment for us. Oh, the food was great too. I had sesame crusted Ono.

KALEO'S PAHOA TOWN

Now, to describe Pahoa as a little hippie town is dead on, complete with a Kava bar populated by barefooted kids. We had poked our heads in and decided that the LaHiki Kava Bar was not serving our beverage of choice. As we walked out though the owner, a young guy, asked us to stay and tried to ply us with a free sample of something that wasn't beer or rum. We politely refused.

Luquin's is a seedy Mexican restaurant offering surprisingly good food was another stop for us in Pahoa on another night. 

WHERE AM I GONNA GO when the volcano blows?

Our adventures on the Big Island will be further documented in future blog entries. Hopefully the recent lava flow will finally stop for good and lift the spirits of the locals again, or at least until Pele is compelled to clean out her house once more. 

Mahalo for reading. love Janet and greg

Although this video may be about Montserrat it does involve a volcano, so enjoy! And, you know, in Hawaii that is good enough. Why sweat small details that really don't matter.

LOVE

ALL YOU NEED?
As we begin our journey in 2015 the road ahead is fresh and brims with opportunity. The choice is ours to bend our trails in this direction or that, but whatever our inclination or destination we should all allow love to prevail. Without love we are nothing. Without love we are alone. 

Travel well.

OUR TIME IN EDEN

ENJOY THE VIEW

How precious and fleeting is life? How fortunate that we have lived and breathed and laughed and loved for all these days? As the recent lava flows on the Big Island threaten the town of Pahoa, we are reminded of the capriciousness of life. Our time in Eden is sadly, short-lived, both figuratively and literally. Yet, imbued with the infectious Aloha spirit where time slows and attitudes lilt, Team VFH realizes how serendipity and chance can soften the blows of such realities, or unfortunately add to our grief. Well, rather than cobbling together a list of cautionary tales perhaps it is better to just sit back and enjoy the view, and what better place than in Hawaii.

Maui Palms (C) Pierre Leclerc

Of course, opting to travel to Hawaii is not done lightly, especially for your favorite cheapskates. The cost of such a trip cannot be ignored. Airfares are steep. Food can be expensive and Hawaii’s gas prices are the highest in the United States. It is far away. This tropical archipelago is the most isolated population center in the world. California is 2,300 miles away and Japan is 3,800 miles distant. You can’t go much further west before you hit the International Date Line and the day starts anew. So, if you come this far you should not complain about the costs; just enjoy the view. What is particularly fascinating is that on this range of massive volcanic mountains, just barely peeking above the blue Pacific, one has the same expectations of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness as they would in New Jersey.

NEW JERSEY PALM

Okay, I’ll give you the scenery and weather of Hawaii’s Eden is a bit lovelier than New Jersey’s Eden, although paradise in both places is fairly expensive. A recent article puts Hawaii and NJ in the top seven most expensive places to live in the United States. Yes, it may be a “self-evident truth,” but it’s gonna cost ya. If you opt to travel to Hawaii then, throw out your budget.  Considering a move? Convince yourself you won't survive "island fever"; your pocketbook will be happier in the long run. 

MOST EXPENSIVE STATES TO LIVE

URBAN DICTIONARY DEFINITION OF ISLAND FEVER

Here’s a game to play. This website compares cost of living between cities. I compared my historic and touristed little river town, Lambertville, New Jersey with Lahaina, a spirited tourist town on the Valley Isle, Maui. According to the website it is 38% more expensive in Lahaina, Maui than my place in New Jersey. I admit it’s not a very fun game for dreamers.

WHERE TO LIVE?

Going FULL TOURIST

SERENDIPITY AND CHANCE AND HAPPY HOURS
Thankfully there is one self-evident truth in Hawaii that surprisingly is not expensive. In fact Happy Hours, that sensible catering to the thirsty masses, are rather pervasive on Maui. One might not expect Hawaii and especially Maui, to be so reasonable, but even in the deepest recesses of the resort stretch along the Ka’anapali coast on West Maui one can find a number of places to get out of the sun and drink cheaply. Some of the joints are on the beach offering incredible views of the ocean and others are in strip malls, and some are hidden in industrial neighborhoods. There is a website that can help you navigate through all the options. It is from 2013, but hey, this is Aloha time central, so you know this is still up-to-date. MAUI HAPPY HOURS

Doing research at Duke's

Of course, with such a list one may have to throw out all other activities on Maui if you wanted to binge your way through all the listings! During a week of non-stop antics for your favorite moochers it was a wonder we managed to find the time to quench our thirst. 

Readers of this blog may remember our week of Maui exploring. On Monday we did the much ballyhooed "Road to Hana" and survived. Tuesday we went full-tourist and attended the Old Lahaina Luau. Wednesday was a beach day at Makena State Park's Little Beach and then a Willie K Dinner Show at Mulligan's on the Blue that evening. Thursday we went snorkeling at the crescent shaped islet Molokini and Friday had us greeting the sun atop Mount Haleakala before hurtling white-knuckled down the massive shield volcano on bikes.

Mai-Tai's at Dukes

Despite our limited free time we managed to squeeze in some libation research. Just a few to share here.

MAUI BREWING COMPANY
Since our arrival on Hawaii I had been drinking the Maui Brewing Company's Big Swell IPA in cans and our first research drinking soiree was to go to the source. Inside the large, airy brewpub contrasts the strip mall location. They offer an extensive variety of very good MBC beers that are written on chalkboards and a strip of ice embedded in the bar to keep your selection cold. Decent price for burgers and the Happy Hour is daily from 3-6 pm and beers are $5.00 for pints.
MAUI BREWING COMPANY

Maui Brewing Company

DUKE'S BEACH HOUSE
I'm always wary about slick, touristy joints like Duke's Beach House. It screams expensive. After all it is right on the Ka'anapali Beach Boardwalk with resorts everywhere. On our first day on Maui we took a stroll along the boardwalk and were pleasantly surprised by their "Aloha" hour prices. From 3-5 pm many of their beer offerings are under $5 and Mai-Tai's were $6. We were fully expecting our libations to set us back a day's pay or two!  Of course, Janet insisted on eating the flowers they floated in our drinks!
DUKE'S BEACH HOUSE

Sunset at Hula Grill

HULA GRILL's BAREFOOT BAR
This joint is right on the ocean and we snagged a couple of pews at the crowded Hula Grill Barefoot Bar to drink some Mai-Tai's and watch the sunset. This evening it seemed everyone had the same idea. Located at the very busy Whaler's Village shopping mall, the Hula Grill brimmed with tourists. Thankfully live music, sand a beautiful sunset and pupus like Hawaiian Creviche and Crab & Macademia Nut Wontons, helped us overlook the commotion. Their Aloha hour is also 3-5 pm and features $6 Mai-Tai's. 
HULA GRILL

BETTY'S BEACH CAFE
Speaking of serendipity it certainly was a pleasant surprise to discover Betty's Beach Cafe our last evening on Maui. This little gem is on Front Street in Lahaina but far enough from the burgeoning tourist areas. We went there on a Friday evening and it was quiet. Betty's Beach Cafe is set in the back of an unassuming little mall, but the back lanai has not only a great view of the ocean and sunsets, but also free view of the smaller and more intimate Feast at Lele Luau. This luau features fire dancing, something the Old Lahaina Luau does not. So, if you're inclined to save money you can reserve a seat with Betty on her lanai.

view from Betty's lanai

Betty's Beach Cafe is open from 8 am for breakfast through to midnight. With food specials like Wednesday night lobster dinners and daily drink specials like $2 margaritas and $3 mai-tais for their early and late happy hours Betty's Beach Cafe should be a destination for the budget conscience whether or not you want to see the luau for free. Had we more time in Maui I would have insisted on becoming a regular at this joint. 
BETTY'S BEACH CAFE

Okay, if you're interested in spending money you too can go FULL TOURIST and go to the Feast at Lele Luau. Go here for particulars: FEAST AT LELE But, here is a sample of what you'll see from Betty's lanai!

Mahalo for reading. Here's hoping your Thanksgiving and Holiday season is spent in the company of friends and family. Stay safe. Love, Janet and greg