You say goodbye and I say Hilo….Hilo Hilo

After a choppy 4 days at sea, it was worth the bouncing and early nights of sleep to make it to the first port of call on the Hawaiian Cruise – Hilo which is situated on the Big Island.  This island in the chain of Hawaii, holds a very special place in my heart, as many memories were made on this island during my time at Kalani.

Oh Kalani – if you have never heard of it or been – just put it in Google and you will find out where I decided to volunteer and spend not a lot of time at.  Kalani brought me a realization that I am not one who can be completely disconnected and live off the land, and share a bathroom with 15 other people in a hale.  However, it did teach me respect of the ‘aina (land), a quick snapshot into the beautiful culture of the Hawaiian people, and that I was able to drive a car, which was really an automatic car but almost like a standard which I don’t know how to drive, into the town of Hilo when you really needed to escape from being in Pahoa.  Again, Google Pahoa and if you know me well enough, you know that I would need a bit of an escape.

Friends were made on the Big Island.  A threat of a tsunami had be scared out of my pants, and it inspired one of my few tattoos, which is the Chain of Islands, and yes call me a tourist – but a proud one at that!  Volunteering was a great experience, and I was able to teach a Yoga Class, learn how to use silks, and also how to make lei’s.  I learnt about Pele, and even made a lei to offer to the goddess to protect me, as I felt that she was always close by.

Today I strolled the Saturday Market, tasted new food, had fresh pressed juice, spoke to locals in the running shop and learnt about an upcoming trip to Europe.  I was able to share my passion of Hawaii to the locals who came onboard the ship in the morning, just to be told that I looked like Dorthy from the Wizard of Oz, which is funny enough because she says “There is no place like home” and this is what Hawaii feels like to me – so fair comment and thank you sir.

Hawaii is a place that I want to share with others.  I hope that this small insight into the Hawaii that I see has given you the inspiration to see what the Islands are truly about.  It is very simple, and I like to call it “Aloha”.

11 months have gone by

Can you believe that it has been 11 months since the last time that I posted by thoughts, my words, my desires on a screen to be shared with those who enjoy what I have to say and share? Wow – how the time does go by fast.

Life has thrown some interesting curve balls my way throughout the past year, which have included new love and saying till we meet again to that love, travels to Asia numerous times, being in Alaska for the summer, enjoying time in Mexico for my birthday, being in and out of Florida and going to the Caribbean and Jamaica, and then travelling across the States to go back to being based out of LA and sailing to Hawaii.

Yes – Hawaii – I am currently en route to the land where I believe is my true calling home.  The place where I feel the magic of the islands embrace me as I come closer each day while sailing at sea.  When I arrive to the Islands of Hawaii, I immediately feel centered and at an indescribable peace with myself.  The surroundings are beyond familiar, and the people are like from a movie that I have watched hundreds of times as they are that familiar.  The smell, the sounds, the natural feeling of being home brings me to state of calmness that I can not explain.  As I write, I am being bounced around on a ship and I don’t mind the rough seas, the windy weather, because I know what is on the horizon and in less than 36 hours I will be saying Aloha to Hilo.

Things have started to make sense to me again.  I have felt like I was lost in a sea of the unknown and questioning to who I was, what did I truly want, and do I really care about what I do.  I feel that this year is going to be a real year of positive change, and a year of exploration to get to the core of who I am and not to be persuading by other influences to say what is right and what is wrong according to those sources.  This is a year to step beyond the boundaries that I have created for myself and not to fear the fun that can exist outside of those parameters.  It is time to say “Why not, let’s do it” and just get out there.  To know that there is more than just looking for a place to sit, eat, drink and unwind.  Because life is an adventure, and when sitting still, where is the fun in that?

It’s nice to be back writing to you all, and I hope that you enjoy all that I have to share because this year is going to be epic!

Mahalo!