Hawaii 2007 - Day 7: On Top Of The World

We awoke early, and by 6:45 I was sitting on the curb outside the condo, waiting for a van to pick us up to take us to today's adventure. It arrived shortly, as the sun started to rise over our destination, and we joined two guides and two other families on a trip to the top of the world.

I'm not going to bore you with the details of getting there, because really, they're not that fun. Essentially we drove, stopped and ate breakfast, and then started to drive 37 miles...upwards.

Yes, my friends, early this fine morning, we were making our way to the top of the Haleakalā AKA The East Maui Volcano.

About three-quarters of the way to the top, we saw a sight we didn't want to see. Paramedics were attending to a biker who had inadvertently missed a curve in the road, and took a nasty tumble. And considering that within minutes WE were going to be biking down the same path, it wasn't exactly doing much to reassure me about the safety of the trip.

We got to the top, and upon stepping out of the van, I noticed how cold it was at the top. But at the elevation we were at, it wasn't much of a surprise.

If you look closely at the sign, you'll see that our elevation is 9740 feet above sea level! We were even above the clouds!

There isn't a whole lot to see when you get to the top. The earth is so far away (and covered by clouds) by this point that it's impossible to pick out any major landmarks), and save for a gift shop (of course), and some space surveillance equipment, there isn't too much going on.

Despite there not being too much to see, looking at the crater is pretty cool. I mean, you have to remember that the Hawaiian Islands were created by volcanoes, so looking into the crater is kind of like looking into the past.

The volcano hasn't erupted for hundreds of years, but it is classified as dormant. We were given fair warning that during our trip, if the volcano decided to come out of resting, the tour would no longer be considered a guided tour. I'm only somewhat sure our guide was kidding.

We started gearing up at this point for our trek down the volcano. After suiting up in a windbreaker, a helmet, gloves, and sunglasses, it was time for me to put the old saying about not being able to forget how to ride a bicycle to the test.

It was the weirdest bike I had ever been on. The bike is very basic (no gears or anything), and very well used, obviously having seen many trips down the very same path we were about to take.

We didn't waste much time getting ready, and before I had the chance to get overly nervous, we started our way down the windy roads that lead us to the top of Maui.

It's hard to describe the sensation of biking down the volcano. I mean, despite the inherent risks, you feel kind of safe doing it. There is a leader who bikes down at the front of the group, and you are arranged by size from smallest to largest. You all bike it a row, and have to have 3 meters of space between you and the biker in front of you at all times. As well, the van that took us to the top, follows us down, so we are protected from the cars behind us. We still have to watch out for cars coming up the hill, but we bike in the very centre of the road, so crossing the middle line usually isn't too much of a big deal. Even so, the roads are very curvy, so you have to be on your guard at all times. However, biking down is oddly peaceful. There is a neat combination of knowing you are in Hawaii, doing a once-in-a-lifetime kind of thing, and the constant rush of wind in your ears that makes you feel like you're so powerful, so on-top-of-the world...so independent. I mean, even though I'm biking down with an entire group, the ride is very solo - you are in charge of your own destiny, and the trip is what you make it. For safety reasons, you never look behind you...you're always looking towards what lies ahead. And as the road grows steeper and you start moving faster, it's simply a battle between you and the gravel beneath your tires.

I don't really have any pictures of me physically biking down the hill. I mean, 1) You can't even really call it biking, because for the whole 37 miles you pedal about 500 yards and 2) For safety, you can't exactly have someone stop to take an 'in-action' shot of you. We did stop, however, at one point to get some shots of the scenery below.

This is the south coast of Maui. We stayed in Kihei, along this coast.

Along the way we saw some cool things (even though focusing on the road doesn't leave a lot of time for sightseeing.) We saw people biking UP the volcano. I personally think they're crazy, but it's definitely a feat of strength to be able to do that. It's probably even more rewarding to bike down after that. As well, we went through a grove of eucalyptus trees, which gave off a strong, minty scent that was out of this world. As we got lower and lower towards the base, we started seeing some really unique plants and flowers, dotting the countryside.

We stopped for lunch, and brought our adrenaline pumped hearts back to normal. During lunch, our tour guide found a Jackson chameleon in a tree, and we all got to hold it. It is such a cool creature. It has these weird claws that cling to you (or whatever it is trying to hold on to), and three horns on the top of it's head. Now, I'll openly admit to being one of those people who, despite the bones, doubt the existence of prehistoric creatures (ie: dinosaurs), but this thing reminded me so much of a triceratops, I'm tempted to believe. It seriously looked like a mini dinosaur. Though, I will say, after telling me it was called a Jackson, I definitely had the song stuck in my head for the rest of the day (and was probably guilty of belting out a few words here and there.)

There were also these really cool looking flowers called protea. I've never seen anything like them before.

After lunch, we got to take off the windbreakers, and finish the bike ride to our final stop. This, believe it or not, was slightly more dangerous, because since we were now in residential territory, the van wouldn't follow behind us, and we had to bike on the shoulder of the road.

For posterity's sake, I took a picture of the top from the bottom, just so I could say I had a picture of the bottom from the top and vice versa.

We all made it down safely, and dropped off our bikes and were taken back to our condo in one piece. For the rest of the day we did what became custom for us in the afternoon - we were lazy. Whether we went swimming, sat by the pool, or did some shopping (damn you American stores for getting me addicted and then forcing me to painfully discover that you don't ship to Canada!), we always took some time each day to enjoy doing nothing (or in my case, spending lots and LOTS of hard-earned cash.) To quote Shannon Hamilton, "I love the smell of commerce in the morning." Or afternoon. Whatever.

Karaoke Kyla

I can't sing. Everyone knows this. Yet I love karaoke. Go figure.

I am a joyful noisemaker. What I severely lack in talent, I make up for with pure, unadulterated enthusiasm.

I sang for you, Cookie, like I said I would (it's a song I thought you could appreciate):

"But you always really knew/
I just wanna be with you/

And I’m in so deep/
You know I’m such a fool for you/
You got me wrapped around your finger/
Do you have to let it linger/
Do you have to do you have to/
Do you have to let it linger"

In other news, I think I just lost a lot of respect for Gwen Stefani after hearing a couple girls singing her new song in the elevator:

They got all offended when I asked them why they were singing the yodeling song from The Sound Of Music.

They didn't even REALIZE that Gwen Stefani totally ripped off the classic movie.

Why Gwen...why?

Wittier In '07

I started writing a corny opening sentence about 'another year gone by...' but then I decided that was entirely against what I wanted this post to be about.

I guess, for the new year, I kind of want this blog to go in a different direction. I haven't decided what direction that is yet...I kind of decided all this on a whim.

All I know is that I am bored with writing "I woke up, went to school and did 'this' (fill in whatever you want 'this' to be) today." I want my posts to be wittier, more clever...more thought out. I've also enjoyed posting YouTube movies and other odds and ends I find while surfing the net, so I might throw more of those posts into the mix.

Until, however, I can figure out what new direction I want for this blog in 2007, you are all stuck with a typical 2006 kind of entry.

Coming home this Christmas was good for me (and not only to catch up on my sleep.)

For those of you who know me well, it's been a year since I've last been home, since I opted to stay in Toronto and work for the summer.

While a lot has changed, it's refreshing to know that some things stay the same. Cookie (Lindsay) and I still amuse ourselves with our inside jokes, and all of us girls (adding Kelley and Jocelyn into the mix) still enjoy posing in front of cameras for endless glamour shots. Andrew still hits on anything that moves despite now having a girlfriend, and Bryan and I still get into our outrageous sarcasm battles which typically get both of us into trouble. Despite having not seen Andy for well over a year (longer than the others), he's still as I remember him, but maybe with more direction. Ricky is still Ricky, but impressed me this Christmas with his independence and drive, and Nick is still Nick, offering me a quarter to ride the pony and almost losing gracefully at bowling (and he would have lost gracefully had he not beat me by 3 measly points.)

Even though it's hard to tell what the future holds with this group of friends I know that these constants are what will keep them forever etched in my heart. See...I'm reverting back to 2006 corniness!

I'd comment more on the changes that have taken place, but some of them are still too painful to really deal with (not to mention that I don't entirely know my audience and there are certain things that I refuse to tell certain people.)

Now, this wouldn't be a 2006-esque post if I did not quote some song that reminded me of these changes. Well, my friends, that song is "How To Save A Life" by The Fray (and not The Phrase as I thought my sister had said.)

I would post the music video, but I read somewhere that there are like 3 music videos for this song, so I'll simply the matter and just post the song. Now, if it doesn't work, don't blame me. The speakers on my computer at home aren't working, so I won't be able to test this until I get back to school tomorrow:

Anyway, the chorus goes something like this:

"Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend/
Somewhere along in the bitterness/
And I would have stayed with you all night/
Had I known how to save a life."

For so long, I listened to those lyrics and believed them. For some reason, I believed, that the things that have changed in my life were some how my doing, and the reason I felt I had lost must have been my fault.

Yet, and I'm not sure when, I came to this realization:

What happened, and what transpired is not my fault. I did nothing wrong. As much as I like to control things, I can't take the blame for what was lost. I have washed my hands of it, and finally now, in 2007, can take a deep breath and know that I have (FINALLY!) moved on.

(I had something to say at this point, but no matter how I reworded it, I couldn't fix it to not bring back that bitterness that I just talked about, and that would defeat the purpose of my post. If you're curious, ask, but I may choose not to tell you. So nyah nyah nyah!)

As a side note, I wouldn't recommend listening to that song in the car. It's kind of one of those songs that a show like The O.C. or Grey's Anatomy would play to show something really terrible happening, like a car crash. For all I know, they already have. I don't know...I don't watch those shows. But really, don't do it. I listened to it in the car and was all freaked out that I was going to crash, and I was going to be found in a pile of burning twisted metal, and as a muscular fireman pulled me from the wreckage, that song started magically playing for all to hear, as he dragged my limp body away, the car exploding in the background, lighting up the starry sky.

Ok, so I watch a lot of movies.

In other news, Arrested Development is the best thing that has ever happened to me. Music World was having a sale so on a whim I bought the first and second seasons, having never watched a single episode. Now, in the past week I've watched 2 entire seasons (or 40 lovely episodes) and now have the strong craving for more. So strong, in fact, that I'm willing to sacrifice everything I own and love just to get my hands on the 3rd season. (Ok, that's a lie. I couldn't give up most of the things I own, and definitely not anything I love, but that does not negate the fact that I need the next season and I need it SOON!)

Moving on, I made some solid resolutions this year:

1) Eat more junk food
2) Sleep past noon more often
3) Spend exorbitant amounts of money on things I don't need
4) Watch more movies

and

5) Find new and exciting ways to bring up Steve Buscemi in normal everyday conversations.

I feel they are good resolutions...ones I can actually keep.

Actually no, I didn't really make any resolutions. I find people do and then get frustrated when they realize they are failures...I mean, realize that they failed...their resolutions. Yeah...

Rather, I'd just like to work on making myself a better person, in mind body and spirit. At the same time, however, I'd like to think I didn't need a fancy schmancy changing of the year to be a better human.

Anyway, I'm going to bed. I promised Cookie I would arise before noon so we can chill before I catch my evening plane back to TO, and sadly leave one of the things I couldn't give up for Season 3 of Arrested Development - a sense of home.

I'll miss you guys.

So let's see what direction this blog takes...your guess is as good as mine.

I look forward to blogging with you in '07!