Whoops, this one got away from me. Hawai’i was so amazing, I had to spend my first week in Australia writing about it 😂 Trying out some new photo galleries, and for the first time – VIDEO!
Maui Resorts
The first 5 days were with my mom, aunt, and cousin in a resort on the northwest side of Maui. It was a new kind of travel for me, one that I can safely determine is Not My Style. Not much to do around, overpriced hotel restaurants, and the only people to meet/talk to were other resort types. It was interesting to see this “bubble” of vacationing on the island, but it’s not one I will seek out again.
Side note: there’s a rage inside me when I learned how much these resorts cost guests/families, how much trash they produce, and how much poverty and homelessness exist in other parts of the island. I knew the resorts were developed on (often sacred) native land, but I was surprised to see the juxtaposition of current quality of life on Maui.
Snorkel Time
But Maui was more than a microcosm of modern-day colonialism, and I did manage to compartmentalize and enjoy the good parts. The first day we arrived, we went out to the beach in front of our resort – surprisingly uncrowded – and had a nice couple hours in the water. We even met a sea turtle that had come close to shore!
The next day, we took snorkel gear to Napili Bay, a gentle spot on the north coast teeming with reefs. I had been looking forward to snorkeling again since doing it in Belize last October, and Maui did not disappoint. In just a couple hours I saw: eels, urchins, sea stars, dozens of kinds of coral and tropical fish, and even got lucky enough to see an uncamouflaged octopus as it moved between hiding spots! Sadly, the only pictures I got are the ones inside my head…
Oh, and these, from the professional photographer/free diver on our sailing snorkel trip the next day (thanks Emily!)
I immediately went Mermaid Mode with my flippers in the water. I especially like diving down to swim closer to the floor and reefs – it makes me feel like a fish! I was frustrated by the water pressure hurting my ears, and asked for some advice from the crew before our second stop. After a little practice, I could get like 20 feet deep without feeling like my head was going to explode!
Unfortunately, I yet again fell victim to the combined powers of a fun activity and free alcohol, and neglected to re-apply my sunscreen between dives… ☀️🔥😓 At least my back stopped hurting by the time I left Maui!
Private Hike
After dropping my family off at the airport, I headed to Pride Maui’s picnic, which happened to be that day. It was a cute and informal setup with food and tents at Kamaole Beach Park. I awkwardly introduced myself to a group, and met a gal named Celeste who grew up on the island, and was back visiting – she struck me as one of those ‘community-leader’ types I admire so much. She gave me a recommendation for a local hike along the beach, that ends where the Waihe’e River meets the Pacific Ocean.
I ended up having a private river pool all to myself, where I watched the sunset and once again felt a deep appreciation for the opportunities I have to do this. If not for having to hike back in the dark, I would have stayed there all night. Instead, I went to Wailuku to check into my hostel and hit one more recommendation before my flight out the next afternoon.
Benefits of being Visibly Queer
Usually, being visibly queer or gender nonconforming increases the risk of existing in public. From unwanted attention in the form of stares or intrusive questions, to discrimination or even outright violence. Sometimes, well-meaning people will volunteer information to me: they have a trans friend or kid; they’re sorry about the latest transphobic developments in the news; or they heard about a queer thing I might like.
The last night at the resort, our server mentioned he manages a bar on the other side of the island, and for Pride they’re opening Sunday (tomorrow) for the first time, with karaoke. I realize the bar is a 10-minute walk from the hostel I booked to get an extra day on Maui without my family, so told him I’d check it out.
Local Bar
Like La Marida queer bar in Granada, I entered to loud music being played to nobody. Unlike that other bar though, the bartender Angel was warm and talkative, and my new resort server/bar manager friend was happy to see me. He told me he had two friends coming by that I’d get along with (I found out later, he called them because he didn’t want me to leave). Aside from a group’s pub-crawl pit-stop for Irish car bombs, me and my new friends (Daphne, Kat, John, and Angel) had the bar (and karaoke) to ourselves.
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After a fun night out, we parted ways and I went back to my hostel, only to find out 1. the keypad for the main door was broken and 2. their after-hours phone line was down…
If I hadn’t met a very kind lesbian that night, who offered her couch, I might have actually slept on the street. So when I came back in the morning, I got a refund for the room I didn’t sleep in, and refrained from my usual “this-is-serious-and-unacceptable” rant I felt like giving.
After a quick stop through the Iao Valley at Daphne’s recommendation, I left Maui happy with my brief-but-intense non-resort adventures.
Change of Plans
Since I first started planning this trip, I had tried to find a couchsurf or workaway host on one of the islands, so I could see more than just the resorts. Unable to find anything, I resigned to staying in a hostel on O’ahu, to make it easier to fly out from Honolulu. Until…
Two days before I was supposed to be on O’ahu, I got this message on CouchSurfing. So naturally, I trusted this stranger, canceled my O’ahu hostel, and rebooked flights to+from Kauai. As soon as she picked me up from the airport on Kauai, I knew we’d have a good time, as we started exploring the island over the next 2.5 days.
Kauai Dreams
I had heard this island had the best ratio of nature:people, so of course I wanted to go there most of all. Thankfully, Veronika had done a ton of research on potential stops, and got good suggestions from the van owner. This post is already longer than I thought it’d be, but Kauai was genuinely such a special time for me, I want to make sure I don’t leave anything out.
If (when) I come back to Kauai, I hope to plan further in advance so I can get hiking/camping permits for the Kalalau Trail, as well as some other scenic spots. Even without access to them, we got breathtaking views, challenging hikes, and serene beaches.
Waimea Canyon Day 1
Veronika was motivated to get the most out of her time on Kauai, so she set a good pace for our adventures, starting with the drive alongside the Waimea Canyon, a rocky expanse at the center of the island filled with lush valleys and scenic waterfalls.
The first time I saw the canyon, I thought it looked like Peru’s Red Valley, which had me weeping when I stood in it. One of the most beautiful landscapes I thought I’d ever see was just blown out of the water, and it was only our first stop.
Our second stop held nothing back – a different view of the same valley, this time with a rain cloud above, creating a rainbow that perfectly fell into the canyon. It didn’t feel real. I’m going to be thinking about that view for the rest of my life, I think.
After driving to the top of the road for sunset at Kalalau Lookout, we returned to our overnight parking for camp dinner fixings. Early bedtime to catch the sunrise over the canyon, and make the most of our one full-day on the island.
Waimea Canyon Day 2
Clouds blocked most of the sunrise, but it was still nice to start the day early. It also meant we got our first hike to Waipo’o Falls entirely to ourselves. We were a bit disappointed you couldn’t actually see the falls from the end of the trail (just the river that feeds them), but I enjoyed seeing a lot more of the arid landscape in/around the canyon.
After a quick water refill, we started a longer hike that took us as far east as we could reach from this side of the island – along the Akalai Swamp trail, to Kilohana Lookout. It took twice as long as we expected, and the elevation really tested my calves, but the terrain and views were more than worth the effort.
Weather on the islands, especially Kauai, was incredible to witness – often completely different across different regions of the small island. It does rain a lot, which means that picturesque views are often blocked by a sheet of white, as was the case when we finally arrived at Kilohana Lookout.
Despite Veronika’s drive to keep us on-schedule, she was willing to wait longer than I was for the clouds to clear. And I’m so glad we did:
The hike back was a slog, but we made it back to the car just in time for bathroom-sink-showers and another sunset at Kalalau Lookout.
12 Hours Remain
Our last day on Kauai, we left the Waimea Canyon and traveled all the way around to the north side of the island to see its beaches. We made & ate breakfast in a light rain in Hanalei Bay, then headed for Ha’ena Beach, to walk along the coast to Ke’e Beach, just outside the State Park. We were only able to find 1 hour parking, so couldn’t stay long, but it was cool to look up at the mountains we were just on the night before.
On our way back to return the car, we made one more beach stop at Queen’s Bath, a series of pools in rock formations by the coast. It was a favorite of adventurous kids and sea turtles, both of whom I worried about in the surging tides near sharp rocks. Veronika and I had a quick swim in the gentler of the pools, then had to get going to get everything ready to return the van: shower+change, pack, clean, and fill the gas tank.
In a funny coincidence, Veronika had left her luggage in the same hostel I booked on O’ahu, so she decided to book a night there too. After saying goodbye at the Kauai airport, we met again at the Honolulu airport to share a Lyft to our Hostel. Finally, a quick turnaround for a meetup with another international friend, a Swiss lady named Janine. She messaged me to hang out on O’ahu, but I had to cancel on her after switching my plans for Kauai. I’m glad we were still able to have a nice night out with dinner and drinks (oh, and she had been messaging Veronika too, so we all went together).
I had to be responsible for my early flight to Sydney, so we went our separate ways after midnight. I expected to have traveling companions in the friends I was staying with, but it was a nice surprise to be able to meet and travel with new friends too. Now I can add “Czech Republic” to my list of “Places to Visit where I know People”
Reflections
While I was having the time of my life in the middle of the ocean, the latest flashpoint of the U.S.’s descent into full fascism erupted in my home state. As ICE continues to destroy communities and families, particularly in high-profile cities like LA, Americans have been fighting back to resist, disrupt, or block their efforts.
I was in Columbus, Ohio in the summer of 2020 when the National Guard was deployed at protests. I remember marching downtown, and seeing a Humvee with a machine gun, deployed in the alley I used to take to cut through traffic. The narratives I’ve been hearing now seem the same as back then:
Acceptable protests should be peaceful and unobstructive → any violence or disruption means the entire protest is actually a riot, which is unacceptable → any amount of violence or disruption is justifiable to stop the riot
It is an unwinnable cycle. Any protest that escalates beyond verbal dissent loses favor, and those that don’t are ignored. Personally, I do see the value and power of disruption, and hope to see more of it from protests and activists in the future. But I also think protest is the most generally well-known form of resistance, and that there are other avenues for achieving social change. I’d like to write a lot more about this, but for now, have some diverse examples that came to mind (there’s more nuance to this, but basically act within your means while ensuring your safety):
- Organize opportunities for connection – events, meetups, clubs, etc.
- Speak up about issues you care about; don’t give ignorance airtime in conversation
- Find/create avenues for community care, resource sharing, and reciprocal support
- Resist compliance with fascist, anti-science, or bigoted policies and laws
- Physically disrupt weapons manufacturing, natural resource exploitation, and authoritarian programs
- Provide direct (monetary) support to those most at risk (immigrants & queer people)
If you’re reading this, you’re probably someone who cares about making the world a better place. If you’re like me, you might be worried about the direction things are going. I hope you can continue to find ways to build up those around you and protect yourself from the forces that wish us harm. I hope our successes, small and large, provide motivation and hope for your own action. Because no matter what the world looks like, or what era we’re born into, it needs good people trying their best to help others. And I’m grateful to know so many of these good people 😊💜
Until next time,
💜Ada
P.S.
Turns out Hank Green has once again articulated my thoughts much better than I could: https://youtu.be/oBgHmqa0qeU
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