Travel

My apologies to those living vicariously through me or to those who are reading my blog because they are genuinely interested in what it is I have been up to – it has been entirely too long since I have updated. The truth is there are only a few things to report on…

Sunday we hiked to Manoa Falls. This has been my favorite hike because of how beautiful it is. Unfortunately my camera was dead so I couldn’t take any pictures (I stole these from Josh), so instead I decided to hustle up the hike for a good workout. I was still able to enjoy the rocky stream and green vegetation that accompanied the hike, but I did however miss the Bachelor and his wife who I crossed paths with on the way up. I wouldn’t have recognized them anyways, but Josh knew who he was (although he denies watching the show and said he only knew because of Liz – right) and had asked if I saw him. It only took me 25 minutes or so to get to the end of that hike, but there was another trail that ran up to another lookout. This hike was a little more challenging and took about 45 minutes to reach the end of the trail. This second trail was interesting because you hike through two bamboo forests. The 20-30-foot bamboos almost create a wall because they line both sides of the trail. The bamboo was definitely my favorite part of this hike.

My aunt left Sunday night to return back to Denver. She was a great tour guide – mahalo
Aunt Jackie.

The only other thing to really report on is my travel plans after this. I booked airfare to Guam for June 6 and plan to stay there for 4 or 5 days. A man named Dr. Larry Cunningham will be speaking about traditional seafaring on June 8 and I am going to go check that out. My friend Vince has a few family members in Guam that I may meet up with, and of course I will be meeting up with my grandma. After that I will be flying to Pohnpei and will most likely be out there until late August.

To my family: I will miss you guys and be thinking of you guys while I am out there. I know that some of you may be a little uneasy about me traveling alone or in such an unfamiliar, far-away place, but I will be alright. I have a support network on both Guam and Pohnpei should I ever need advice, help or food ;). I will be in good hands wherever I go.

I hope you understand that this trip is something that is really important to me and has been a dream of mine for some time now. This is the perfect time for me to travel out there too; I don’t have a wife, kids, job, mortgage, or other such things that hinder my ability to travel. I am young and have the time to travel. I am taking this trip to learn about a part of my background, heritage and myself. I cherish and love all of you and I hope you understand that this trip is very important to me. I also hope that you understand that it is important for me to see other places in the world in order for me to learn different ideas, perspectives and attitudes other than the ones I am accustom to. Because of how sheltered Traverse City is, I really don't get much variety in lifestyle, opinions or attitudes. Really this trip is more about learning than having a good time. Anyways, I will call you all very soon.

Mahalo for reading. Aloha - Justin

(Josh is in red I'm in grey)

Days 11, 12, 13

Aloha all. It has been a few days since I’ve updated so let’s get started. Wednesday Josh and I went to Hanauma Bay Nature Reserve to go snorkeling. Hanauma Bay is a large volcanic crater that filled with water when the sea levels rose. It is illegal to hunt or fish on the nature reserve, so the wildlife is preserved and protected. I actually wasn’t very impressed by the fish in the bay. It was neat to see the crayon-box-colored fish, but after about an hour I got sick of seeing the same types of fish over and over. There may have been more of a variety beyond the reef in the bay, but it was way too choppy to go beyond the reef and I'm not even sure if the lifegaurds let you beyond the reef. I’m sorry I don’t have pictures of the fish, but I will soon. I was impressed by the bay and beach though – it was beautiful (see pictures).

Thursday was spent painting the house and relaxing. I called some family that lives in Hilo on the big island. I think Josh and I are going to fly out there for a few days and hang out with them. We have never met them so this trip should be very interesting. It all really depends on how much airfare costs (surprisingly more expensive than expected). I also searched airfare to Guam and Pohnpei and it looks like I will be able to afford the trip – something I am extremely excited about. I have had travel plans in the past that have fallen by the wayside but everything finally seems to be falling in place. It feels so good.

I hope to spend about 4 or 5 days on Guam before heading out to Pohnpei. First of all I have to meet up with my grandma who lives on Guam. It will be easier for me to be taken seriously on Pohnpei if I am with her. I also want to check out the utt (canoe house) of the Traditional Seafaring Society. For those of you who don’t know, I took a class called “Canoe Cultures of the Pacific” – a class that really catapulted my desire to learn more about my culture and heritage. Anyways the class taught me about the traditional seafaring practices that are still exercised today. For example, navigators are able to sail from one island to another without the use of GPS, sexton, map, or compass. Instead they read the swells in the ocean, they use star paths to guide them, and they use wildlife to estimate their distance from their destination. In fact, the Polynesian Voyaging Society (based in Hawai’i) is currently sailing from Hawai’i to Japan without the use of any modern equipment. The Traditional Seafaring Society also builds and sail canoes in the traditional manner. There is a lot more to these practices that I would love to share with you if you are interested. Just askJ.

Pohnpei is truly the place I desire to be at the most. It is the purpose of this trip. I was told that the hospital there would like me to work with them. I would be setting up a recreational program in order to promote an active lifestyle. Diabetes and obesity are extremely prevalent not only on Pohnpei, but throughout the Pacific, so hopefully a recreational program will take steps to help this problem. The problem is that I haven’t heard from them yet and haven’t been able to get any contact information.

I also have an opportunity with a program called the Micronesia Challenge. Conventional benchmarks say that a country should preserve around 10% of their natural resources, but the Micronesia Challenge sets the bar for Micronesi at 30% - something that has received praise worldwide. I applied for an internship with them and hope to hear from them soon. As an intern (or what they call “champion”) I would attend training sessions and workshops and eventually help set up educational programs that teach about conservation. Something I feel is a worthwhile endeavor.

No matter what I do I am just ecstatic to be able to go to Pohnpei.

Today we hiked the Kaiwa Coast Ridge Trail. An extremely short hike, but the views of the Pacific were stunning. These views really gave me the powerful reality of how enormous the Pacific really is – I felt like the smallest speck compared to the Pacific. Did you know that the Pacific is so large that you could fit all of the land and water in the world (save the Pacific obviously) in the same area the Pacific covers? It is truly a powerful, majestic, gigantic ocean – I love it. We also hiked down to a lava tube. Obviously, a lava tube is a tunnel formed by a lava flow. All that is left now is a tunnel because the lava no longer flows. The entrance to the tunnel reminds me of the entrance to a catacomb. It was cool to see how the rock was shaped and melted and there were even volcanic ash rock still lying around. It wasn’t as cool as it would have been if the lava was still flowing, but it was still a splendid site. Finally we walked back to this water fall that is set right off the Pali Highway. Beautiful and definitely something to check out if you make it over here.

That is all for now. I hope you enjoy the pictures. Mahalo for reading. Aloha - Justin.

Kuliouou and Sandy Beach

Another hike today. This time we hiked Kuliouou which is on a ridgeline in the Koolau Mountains. All of the hikes have been different so far. At first the hike earth-wormed its way up the mountains. Imagine walking in one direction, a sharp turn, and then walking back the direction you came from. The hike got progressively greener as we climbed higher and higher, and again we saw pine trees in the middle of Hawai’i. The only difference this time is that it was almost a whole forest of them. Once we passed through the pine tree section we started to hike along the ridgeline. Not much to see at first, but eventually there was this really cool knot of trees that reminded me of walls to a fortress and acted as a doorway to the next section of foliage. There were three point on the hike where we had to brush our shoes because the foliage was so different that the seeds and oils from the other plants and trees could destroy the next set.

We finally made it to the top in a little over an hour – a little less painless for Josh than me (I still hadn’t recovered from Olomana). The views from the top were by far the best yet. You could see both east and west sides of the island and I was able to locate some of the islands and beaches I’ve been to. It was also pretty sweet to see these clouds rush up the side of the mountain…an event not offered to me in the hills of Michigan. Anyways, Josh and I decided to run down the trail to get more of a workout in which caused us to lose the trail once or twice, but we were still able to make it down in about 20 minutes.

Next we headed for Sandy Beach. I’m guessing this beach wasn’t named for quality or quantity of sand it contained but rather for the sheer amount of sand found on and in every inch of your body. Let me explain…the surf, current and undertow at Sandy’s (as it is affectionately known by locals) is extremely strong – stronger than me ;) – so the waves are really big. This coupled with how close they break to shore makes for some really nasty, powerful shore break. This kicks out tons and tons of sand which navigates itself to every crevice of your body – no matter how covered. Actually the shore break is pretty violent; it has driven many people into the ground knocking them unconscious or stunning them – it almost drowned my aunt and grandma years ago. But if you are a strong swimmer and smart enough, you should be fine. The first time it hit me I got jacked up. The break twisted me in every direction and I was really disoriented, but I just held my breath and waited until I came to the top. The trick is to either dive into the break just before it crashes down on top of you or be far enough out to float through the wave before it breaks. Sandy Beach is a haven for boogie-boarders and body surfersers. I rode a few waves and got tossed around by even more. I thought it was a load of fun but I still feel like I am rocking in the wave as I write this 5 hours later.

Josh and I laid out on the beach and caught some sun. For some reason I am 5 shades darker than Josh and he is really trying to catch up – we are always competing I guess. My aunt isn’t as lucky. She has got a pretty bad heat rash so she has to be a vampire and stay out of the sun. She had to sit under an umbrella today and won’t be able to make our snorkeling trip tomorrow. Hopefully it will clear up soon because she leaves Sunday. Mahalo for reading. Be safe. Justin

P.S. Miss everyone back home.

P.S.S. Don’t be afraid to leave responses. I want to know who is reading J

Not all sun, sand, and surf

The title of this post has two meanings. First of all, my days in Hawai'i haven't all been these glorious days spent hiking, jumping off cliffs and beaching - I have also had to help my grandpa paint his house. We just finished priming and (thankfully) are now ready to do the actual painting.

The second meaning - and by far the much more important meaning - concerns itself with the quality of life for Pacific Islanders on O'ahu (namely Native Hawai'ians). Earlier during my stay in O'ahu I was giving Josh a brief history of Hawai'i from what I remembered of the discussions and lessons from some of my classes: Hawai'i being settled by sailors from Tahiti, Cook "discovering" what was then known as the Sandwich Islands, United States businessmen pressing for the annexation of Hawai'i, and the overthrow of Queen Liliuokilani's monarchy. Then Josh asked my something like "what kind of effects did these things have?". I wasn't sure what to say other than "look around us". I have given this some thought and here is what I think:

One of the more stark consequences has been the displacement of Native Hawai'ian. This is especially evident while driving along the reservation-like Waianae Coast where the beaches are lined with tents that act as homes for those who can't afford the ridiculously high cost of living. Sure the location can't be beat, but these "homes" don't even have electricity or running water. They must use the one or two public restrooms located at the beach and there is no escape from the dry, sweltering heat except for those lucky enough to find a location in the shade. Thankfully the Waianae Coast is on the dry side of the island because those tents offer only minimal protection from stormy weather. Drug use, especially crystal meth, alcoholism and violence are extremely common - both common side effects of poverty.

(and I only use them as the example for purposes of example, this is true for many people worldwide) were living fine before Cook and would continue to do fine if he hadn't "discovered" the islands. In fact, Is it fair to blame Western explores, settlers, and empires? Not entirely but they must receive the blunt of the blame. It is hard for me to see people forced to the edges of their own land by nations who wrongfully claim the land to be theirs. These empires claim to be helping these so called "backwards" or "primitive" nations by Christianizing, civilizing , and commercializing them which is complete shit. Imperialism hurts more than it helps which I think is something that is hard to believe for a lot of people; many people think egocentrically (how can they live without cars, running water, the internet?). The truth is those amenities are not necessary because they have been fairing fine without them. It may seem like a struggle to us, but they are completely fine living how they have lived. In fact, Hawai'i was a thriving society until Western influence. Once contact with the Western world had been established, the population of Native Hawai'ians plummeted. Diseases were introduced, many were killed, and the resources were wasted.

would live on their rightful property instead of being forced out but a wealthier alien. would be It is hard to say what Hawai'i would be like today if it had never been colonized or had Western influence, but it is probably safe to say that problems would be intra-cultural or intra-societal and Hawai'ians would not be forced to the edge of their own nation by foreign greed. Hawai'ians would rule Hawai'i and Hawai'ians would make decisions for Hawai'ians.

Olomana Hike

On Saturday I went on a hike up Olomana in the Koolauswith my brother, aunt, and her friend Mark. The hike was tough and very different than the Manawili Falls hike; not as much mud, steeper pitch and different foliage. There were actually trees that were similar to pine trees out there. They had the bristles and everything. I thought that was odd in the middle of Hawai'i. The hike was most challenging when we had to scale up these rocks that were at an 80º pitch. Thankfully there were ropes there to help us up. The hike to the top took a little over an hour and the views were breathtaking (see pictures). Olomana has three peaks, but Josh and I only climbed two. It took Josh and I another ten minutes to get to the second peak, but didn't want to go for the third one because we were really wiped out. It was a little scary at the top. There were some points where the path was only three feet wide and then straight drop-offs on either side. I actually experienced a little vertigo at the top. The pictures I posted don't really do justice to how high we really were; we were at an elevation of about 1,600 feet. That is the highest I've ever been.

The trip down took around an hour as well. Josh and I stopped a few times to take pictures and Josh wanted to climb a tree - where he had the energy for that...I don't know. We were all pretty hungry so we grabbed a bite to eat and headed for the beach for a few hours. Josh and I played frisbee pretty much the entire time - seems to be our #1 pass time out here.

For dinner we all went out to eat at this cool place called The Shack. We met my aunt's friend Mike there who was a really cool guy. Somehow he started talking about Micronesia without knowing that Josh and I were Micronesian (he isn't Micronesian). It turns out that his grandparents lived and worked on Pohnpei for years. Apparently his family was pretty prominent out there. He put it best: "small world". Anyways, he gave me some contacts out there. Hopefully I can set something up because nothing else has ironed itself out yet (maybe I should be a little more proactive?).

Today Josh, Jackie, her friends Ward and Allan, and I went kayaking in Kailua. Kailua is an awesome town - I would love to live there. The beach is beautiful (aren't they all?) and the town seems to have a lot going on - shopping, restaurants, etc. I could see myself living there some time in the the far, far future - not anytime soon, don't worry Mom ;).


We headed home kind of early to recover. With the painting and hiking and kayaking, we are all a bit spent. No complaints though...I talked to my Dad today and apparently there is a frost warning in effect for tonight in Traverse City, MI (my home)...yikes. I'm thankful to be here.


I guess that's about it for now. I should have a somewhat reflective post coming up soon. This was sort of an updated. Enjoy the pictures and, as always, mahalo for reading. Be safe. Justin

(Pics: 1:Olomana peak I climbed; 2: View of Maunawili Valley from hike; 3: Josh climbing down a steep part of trail; 4: Me about to scale the rocks; 5: Me hiking; 6: View of 1st peak from 2nd peak; 7: View from highest point of peak; 8: Me looking out from highest point of peak; 9: Me in the trees at bottom of trail; 10: Twin islands; 11: Beach in Kailua)

Waikiki

Josh and I had the day to ourselves. We went to meet with Dr. David Hanlon at the University of Hawai'i. He is the director of the Pacific Island Studies program - something I am heavily considering right now. He has spent years on Pohnpei (my island) and written many books (two of which he gave to me as a gift today). Anyways, we all talked for a while and he told me a little bit about U of H and the program. I really think I am going to apply there. I regret that I only joined the APIA Studies program during my senior year. The Pacific Island program at U of H will be a good way for me to continue studying something that is important to me. I still have a lot to look into, but I think U of H is a good option...



...Okay on to the fun stuff. We got directions to Waikiki and hit the road. Waikiki was always a place I imagined as "exotic" and as "paradise" which really isn't that far from the truth; Waikiki is beautiful. It is extremely tourist-laden which really isn't that bad; there is a lot of shopping, its clean, a ton of restaurants, and plenty of people (something I enjoyed). Josh and I staked out our spot on the beach and got settled in. There were so many people on the beach and in the water...by far the busiest place I have been to so far. There were surfers, swimmers, canoers, sailors and body boarders everywhere - not to mention the dozens of sunbathers. I really enjoyed the number of people on the beach (I'm a people-watcher).

The best part of the day was chasing this fish that was swimming near shore. Well I should say Josh chasing a fish that was swimming near shore. He chased it everywhere and dove in after it (although, by his own admittance, he was too scared to grab it). It was just funny to see Josh and this other kid chase this fish everywhere and see people's reaction as soon as they figured out that a two-foot fish was swimming inches from them. I must add that Josh was chasing this fish with a 7 year-old...Josh must be young at heart (or just immature - that's your judgment). Kidding.

Josh and I shopped around a bit and then grabbed some grub at a bar and grille named "Coconut Willy's". Nothing special, but I enjoyed the live music, the open-air seating and the company.

It is nice to spend some one-on-one time with Josh. I have a feeling that as we get older we will probably see each other less and less; jobs, wives, and career paths will almost undoubtedly send us in different directions, but I know we will still stay as close as ever. There is just this bond that can't be broken (that is of course until he finds out about that one night with me and his girlfriend Liz...oops). But really, it is a twin thing.

Mahalo for reading. Be safe. Justin

Days 3 & 4

Yesterday we all painted the house for a few hours in the morning and then headed for Yokohama beach. It was an overcast day, so it wasn't too hot, but the water was warm enough. Josh and I floated in the shore break for a few hours and tossed around the frisbee.

The weather today was much better. Hot, sunny and breezy :) I started off the day by running with Josh on Maili Beach; running with such beautiful scenery has to be the best way to run. Then Josh, my aunt Jackie and I went to the swap meet (pretty much a flea market) at aloha stadium. Everything was pretty cheap and I spent more than I should have.


Once we had our fill of the market we headed out to Waimea Bay...one of the more popular beaches in O'ahu (featured in the movie Point Break starring Hawaiian Keanu Reeves). This beach has been my favorite by far. If you ever get out to O'ahu I'd recommend spending some time here. Huge beach, beautiful water, girls, and a big rock to jump off of. The plunge was only about 20 feet but still fun. We laid out for a while but I spent the majority of my time in the water (I'm a water bug). Josh and I swam out a little ways. I am still trying to get used to the salt-water aquatic life. There isn't anything dangerous in the freshwaters of Michigan lakes...I guess I should just stop being a baby, no?


I talked to my aunt Kimiya this morning about my plans for this summer - something I should really start to figure out. My grandparents have been gracious enough to offer me a place to stay if I need to stay out here longer. I am going to do all that I can to get to Micronesia as soon as I can; I don't want to overstay my welcome here. I think for now I will plan to go to Guam first to meet with my grandma and travel to Pohnpei with her. It will be a lot cheaper to get our there and a lot easier to be taken more seriously if I am with my grandma. My aunt Kimiya is loaning me some cash for airfare out there and I love her even more for that. You have no idea how much this helps and how much I appreciate the help. Thank you thank you thank you :). Hopefully I will start to hear from some opportunities I have in Pohnpei, but a little time on Guam is something I am actually looking forward to. I can visit the Traditional Seafaring Society and the family I have out there I would like to visit (or even meet:)).


In any event, I feel lucky to even have this opportunity to be traveling and really connecting with- and learning about my heritage. The whole point of this trip is to learn more about my background, heritage, and thus, myself. Thanks for reading. Mahalo. Justin

P.S. are the posts too long? let me know please.

Maunawili Falls

Covered a ton of the island today. First we went up to Nuuanu Pali Park to a lookout over the the southeastern part of O'ahu. The lookout is atop a cliff (pali = cliff) in the Koolau Mountain Range. The view is absolutely beautiful. From here you can see more of the Koolau Mountain Range, Kaneohe and Kaneohe Bay, and Kahaluu. You can also see an island called "China man's Hat" (small, pointy island in the lower-right corner of 10th picture) and the island on which Gilligan's Island was taped ( 11th picture). Some 200 years ago, Nuuanu Pali was the site of a major battle between the great Chief Kamehameha and high Chief Kalanikupule. It is sort of a surreal feeling to think that I was standing at a place where many soldiers for both Chiefs were slain or fell off the pali. Now this significant historical site is simply a trivial lookout. The site has no mention of the historical importance other than some pilots that crashed there. I found most of this information online. Despite all of this, it was extremely beautiful.



Next we hiked the Maunawili Falls trail. This was my first hike ever, anywhere...what a great trail to start my hiking experience. The majority of the hike was under some dense, beautiful, tropical foliage and the hike itself wasn't too strenuous. It was a little slick because it had rained atop the clay the day before. We crossed the creek three times and the pitch of the hike was fairly flat in most spots. The hike ends at the Maunawili Waterfalls which are relatively small, but gorgeous none-the-less. There was a little swimming hole at the bottom of the falls and Josh, me, and a few other fellow-hikers jumped off some of the cliffs. The first jump was only about 6 or 7 feet and no big deal. The second jump was a little more frightening. First you had to scale a steep hill consisting of slippery clay...then once you were on top you were looking at about a thirty foot plunge into the pool. Josh was the first to jump and we were giving him a hard time because of a sissy-little-scream he gave during his jump. The jump was a lot of fun. One guy, to our surprise, took the jump naked...no one took a picture (for better or for worse, that's up to you). We hung out for a little and enjoyed the views and then headed back down the trail. The hike was only about 40 minutes each way, but it was an awesome hike.



We grabbed some lunch at my aunt's favorite Korean restaurant and then headed up Kamehameha highway. We were going to head home, but stopped at Sunset Beach on the North Shore (famous for its awesome surf). The water was calm today though; apparently the best surf is during the winter months. We swam and laid out for a few hours and then headed home. It was great to experience another beach and the weather was great all day.


I have been trying to compare O'ahu to Northern Michigan which may be a little unfair. First of all, it is a little "apples to oranges"; different climates, different geography, etc. Secondly, I think I am just used to Northern Michigan's beauty and take it for granted. I know it is beautiful back home, but all of this is new to me. The trees are different, the water is different, the sounds of the birds are different, but they are both some of the most beautiful places on earth.


Well time for bed. Tomorrow I have to get up early to help paint this house :) Mahalo for reading all of this. Good night and take care. Justin

P.S. Sorry the pics are out of order. I am still trying to figure out how to use this site.