If the swaying of the boat kept me awake last night, I didn’t notice. This morning, I woke up super early and went out to the balcony while it was still dark out. I could tell by the lights on the skyline that we were near land and most likely would be docking within the next hour or so. Soon, the crew would be shouting to each other as they anchored us to shore with giant ropes. But for now, it was sooo quiet; the only sound being the water as it swished against the sides of the ship. Even the engine seemed to be going at a dull speed, slowing down to gracefully navigate the channel we were in. I sat outside for about an hour and watched the sun rise over the ocean as we pulled into port…
After grabbing breakfast, we headed off the ship to explore the island. We rented a convertible and thankfully, the weather obliged us with a sunny disposition!
Today’s agenda included a drive through jungle like terrain, on our way to Kilauea Point – part of the Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge. The views from here are spectacular, especially at the viewing points. But what stands out the most in my memory is seeing this tiny old woman sitting on the guardrail, by the parking lot of a particular viewing point. She had a backpack by her feet and at first glance, looked like a local enjoying a packed lunch and the scenery.
When we got out of the car, however, she asked us if we smoked and thinking she wanted a cigarette, we both replied that we didn’t.
“No, I mean marijuana…“, she replied in a raspy voice. “I’ve got marijuana for sale.“
I have to admit, I was tempted. The thought of getting a little high while riding shotgun down the Hawaiian countryside was definitely appealing. But ultimately I felt too weird about the whole situation to take it any further. Besides, by the time the process played out in my head, a car full of tourists pulled up and the old lady diverted her sales tactics to her new potential customers.
We took a few photos, and then we headed to get some lunch a few miles down the road. Funnily enough, while we were eating, the same old woman made her way to the little plaza and was trying to deal her wares. She obviously didn’t recognize us as she made her way by our table, whispering “I’ve got weeeed”! Once again, I decided it was best to just let her keep walking – though once again, I have to admit, I was tempted!
For lunch, we chose to eat at a local food stand that serves a variety of grilled foods like bbq chicken that comes with a side of white rice, lettuce with tomato and sliced cucumbers, and a couple of different spicy sauces. This is one of my favorite types of foods – delicious and non fussy! We sat outside, eating our meal out of Styrofoam to go containers with plastic utensils and fed scraps of cooked rice to the wild birds and stray chickens. It was perfect.
