Here in Hawaii we’ve learned just that.

Popai

On the other side of this island, we arrived in Hawaii and found ourselves in a rainforest and lava paradise. We learned the art of permaculture, and living in an ecologically sustainable manner. We learned to eat well, discovered so many amazing foods, and got in shape. Kelly lost 30 pounds without even trying, and I – well, not so much.

I learned how to milk goats, we both learned the art of hitch hiking, and we enjoyed the spectacular waves in our little paradise.

We became acquainted with the modern hippie life, and learned to just let go and dance like no one is watching.

But.

We were incredibly remote. Incredibly. Being reliant on nothing but solar power and with constant rain for over a month, the wet hikes into town for internet connections wore us down pretty quickly.

Couple that with centipede bites (two attacks in our first two weeks, I might add!), enduring overt acts of racism, and a few other challenges, we couldn’t go on living there.

What will we remember at the end of it all? Lots of things. Good things. In fact, not more than a week after we left Popai, we found ourselves reminiscing about some of the things we missed. We continue to reminisce, and relive some of the great memories.

Onwards and upwards.

Kona

In search of some sunshine and a little more convenience, we settled in at a hostel in Kona, working in trade for our accommodation and other perks. We certainly enjoyed lots of sunshine, beach time, and I got a chance to test my artistic side with some murals which I painted right on the building and other fixtures. My most ambitious piece wraps around the front corner of the building, spanning over 8 feet wide by 4 feet high. What a way to leave a mark!

Some of the latest pieces of artwork I was so lucky to do…

We met some amazing people and have increased our network of friends around the world, and I even conquered a fear or two.

But.

We experienced a mild culture (and environmental) shock in coming here from where we were staying. We observed all too clearly the abysmal animal rights situation in Hawaii. I got a black eye, and we both contracted a rare neurological disease!

And saddest of all, we discovered that the Aloha is gone from Hawaii.

What will we remember at the end of it all? Again, lots of things, and good things at that.

As we wrap up our lives here in Hawaii, we continue to reminisce and relive our experiences here. We expect to continue learning and growing from this place long after we are gone.

Onwards and Upwards.

Goodbye, Hawaii. We don’t know if we will grace your shores again, but in our memories we will regularly swim in your warm waters, bask in your sunshine, and explore your vast and beautiful land.

Anybody who spends some time on the road, especially in hostels, will eat more than their fair share of Ramen. You know – the oriental noodle-cakes you boil for two minutes, add “flavour” packets, and then “enjoy”?

There are a number of reasons I object vehemently to this garbage:

• The first ingredient in the “flavour” pouch is MSG
• The noodles don’t bear any resemblance to noodles I’ve ever had (and I’ve had a lot of noodles)
• There are no vegetables (unless you call the occasional green fleck in the “flavour” packet a vegetable
• Yawn…they’re BORING!

Instead, here’s my take on ramen. It’s healthy, it tastes great, and (as with most of our recipes) you can work with whatever is in your fridge and substitute at will.

-quantities below are per serving-

1 ¼ – 1 ½ cup water
2 tsp powdered chicken stock bouillon
2 tsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp soy sauce
¼ – ½ tsp chili flakes
1 tbsp chopped fresh ginger

1 tbsp thinly sliced onion
1 small bunch of baby bok choy
½ carrot, thinly sliced
½ green pepper, thinly sliced

1 bunch of bean threads (clear dried noodles made of 100% mung beans you buy in the oriental supermarket. For lack of these, any clear oriental noodle will do, or if you must – the noodles from a ramen packet)

½ sheet toasted nori (seaweed)
1 egg

Bring first six ingredients to a boil in a medium sized pot.
Add onion, bok choy, carrot, and green pepper. Boil for 2 minutes.
Add bean threads. Boil for 1 minute. Stir with a fork to separate and mix noodles.
Tear up the nori into approx 1 inch squares, and add.
Add the egg. Scramble it into the soup and bring to a boil.
Turn off the heat as soon as it boils and let sit to finish cooking the egg and cool the broth to a palatable temperature.

Garnish with chopped green onions and hoisin if desired.

Enjoy – and don’t burn your mouth!

He also happens to have a doctorate, and has come up with the “Theory of Everything”, which is being taken quite seriously by the scientific community.

How about that….a nomad who seems to have things figured out on a universal scale. How’s that for insight!

Here’s the full article.

I just found this article online, which hails Bangkok as the worst city in the world for traffic. So bad, in fact, that the police are trained in childbirth techniques, as hundreds of women are relegated to delivering their progeny…in the midst of traffic jams.

I remember (and not exactly fondly) of those numerous soul-sucking days, stuck in Toronto traffic. Calling clients from the car apologizing that I would be 10 minutes late. Then calling 10 minutes later having moved mere inches, apologizing that I might be closer to half an hour late. Then calling 20 minutes later to simply reschedule because I’ll never arrive.

Wasting hours upon hours upon days in traffic.

And apparently, all that was child’s play in comparison to what Bangkok has to offer! Excellent.

All I can do is thank my lucky stars that we don’t have to commute anywhere in a hurry during our upcoming visit to Thailand.

With bananas growing in abundance in Hawaii, and since I can only eat them if they are baked (I love them raw however they don’t love me so much), it was natural that we had to find a way to enjoy bananas in the baked-goods form.

Many an evening has been spent with these fresh hot muffins being devoured by our house-mates in varied states of ecstasy. The crispy topping and peanut butter filling are the clinchers.

And yes. They’re terrible for you if you’re on a low-sugar diet. Get over it.

1 ½ cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
3 bananas, mashed
½ cup sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup oil

½ cup peanut butter
1 egg
1/4 cup brown sugar (optional – I usually omit it due to guilt at this stage)

1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp flour
3 tbsp rolled oats
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1tbsp melted butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Grease 12 muffin cups.
Mix the first four ingredients in a large bowl.
In another smaller bowl blend the bananas, sugar, egg, and oil. Mix well.
Stir the wet mix into the dry mix and combine just until moist. Do not over-stir. Add apple sauce if the mixture is not moist enough.

Combine the peanut butter, egg, and brown sugar in a small bowl.

Fill the muffin cups almost half-way with the banana muffin mixture.
Drop a rounded teaspoonful of the peanut butter mixture into the middle of the muffins. Divide evenly between all 12 muffin cups.
Fill the muffin cups the rest of the way with the remaining banana muffin mixture.

Combine the last 5 ingredients. Mixture should be moist but (hopefully) crumbly. Sprinkle (or spread) evenly on top of muffins.

Bake for 18-20 minutes. I dare you not to eat them warm out of the oven.

Although I have a history of competitive skydiving, motorcycle racing, worldwide bungee jumping, mountaineering, caving, and multi-pitch rock climbing, I am not without my fears. And as with most fears, they are irrational.

One such fear is a bit of a phobia around the ocean.

They say that you are either a mountain person or a water person. Water people feel claustrophobic in the mountains, and mountain people feel over-exposed and vulnerable on the water. Having been in both environments, I feel safe saying I am a mountain person through and through.

All this is not to say I don’t like the water. I love being near the water; it’s calming and beautiful. I was a water-baby growing up, swimming as early as the age of two. I lived in pools. When I had the chance to go to a friend’s cottage, I loved lakes too.

I also swam in the ocean growing up from time to time. No problem. No event. All good.

But…even as a child, something didn’t bode well for me in the ocean. From the crabs that wanted to nibble on my toes amidst the thick seaweed in Cape Cod, to the rip tides and currents threatening to whisk me away in Florida, I always felt I needed to be on guard in and around the ocean.

I can’t explain it entirely. That’s why they call it an irrational fear, I guess. All I can say is that I simply feel that there are too many forces that want us out of the ocean for me to want to mess with them. Creatures that will bite, sting, or otherwise find creative ways to kill you. Rip tides and undertow that will drown you. Rogue waves, little waves, big waves, you name it, right down to the tides themselves. It all scares me.

But here in Hawaii I’ve made a good show of it. I’ve been boogie boarding (although it was dangerous; I got a black eye), and snorkeling and spear fishing (although I contracted a rare neurological disease in so doing).

Hmm.

Okay, so upon further inspection, maybe with my track record so far it wasn’t such a hot idea to do what I’m about to tell you I did. But I did it anyway.

Out by the pier there is a tiny beach, and some buoys connected by rope that stretch out about a quarter of a kilometer out into the water. They are intended to keep boats close the pier, and to allow swimmers a safe place to swim, snorkel, and frolic. People training for triathlons who aren’t interested in doing laps in the pool are frequently seen swimming along these buoys.

I have often looked out at these swimmers and thought that it would be a great workout, and a wonderful way to enjoy the supposed healing powers of the ocean. It didn’t look so far to the end of the buoys. Of course, nothing looks very far over the water.

I knew I could do the actual swim. I may have to stop a few times, I thought, but I’m a strong swimmer. No problem.

It’s just…

Well Nora, what is it? Huh? What?

Um…

What already? Are you a scaredy cat?

Um…

…And with that I decide to do it. I choose a pretty calm day to tackle the swim so at least I don’t have to deal with waves or currents while I swim. I have a nasty habit of getting a little panicky when I get out a little distance from shore, so I vow to keep close to the buoy line so I can grab on if I need to. Of course, hanging on to a rope doesn’t help much when you’re being eaten alive. No matter.

I also decide to go with snorkel and mask so I can see where I’m going and don’t have to worry about taking breaths while doing the front crawl. I need to make this as easy on myself as possible; I’m getting palpitations at this point.

Into the water I climb. Okay, first part is easy. Mask and snorkel on, check. Okay, it’s go time. Let’s get ‘er done.

With an audience of people gathered to recreate at the pier, I start swimming like the triathlete I imagine myself to be. Beautiful form. Long legs. Graceful kicks. Breathing is constant and controlled.

I move from buoy to buoy like I’ve been doing it all my life. A few gentle waves wash over me. No problem. I pre-occupy myself with the scenery down below: beautiful coral, lots of fish, and golden sand.

As I continue, the coral starts dropping away as it gets deeper and deeper, and the visibility decreases. I can still see the bottom, no problem. Nice fish. Nice fish. Little fish. Nothing big and harmful lurking.

I stop at the halfway mark and take stock of how far I’ve come. It doesn’t look too bad. Shore seems within easy swimming distance away. Lots of energy and courage left. Let’s keep going.

My breathing has increased, but I’m not tired per se. Just yesterday I swam a kilometer in the pool; this is nothing by comparison. Keep going. I watch my form and make sure my movements are maximizing my glide through the water. I have a nasty habit of kicking from the knee down instead of with my whole leg. I adjust my kicks and feel myself propelling through the water faster. Excellent.

A few buoys later I take stock again. Shore is getting further away. The bottom is getting deeper. I am swimming towards a great blue void in front of me that is eerily telling me to be careful. No, it’s not telling me to be careful; it’s telling me to stay away. Keep going, Nora; it’s all in your head.

You don’t have to go to the end, just to the next buoy, I tell myself. Just make it to the next buoy. You can reevaluate then. The next buoy comes. Breathing is still fine, not feeling overly panicky. Can still see shore.

I keep going. I’m in it now. I can’t possibly turn around before reaching the last buoy at this stage of the game – I’m pretty much there. Keep those legs kicking properly. Make sure those arms are propelling you through the water.

Whew. Out to the end. Made it. Quick internal check: feeling pretty good. Coughed a few times, but haven’t swallowed any water, and breathing is decent. I’m tired, but now I have no choice but to keep going. And I have no desire to stay out this far from shore for any length of time.

I turn around, victorious with having made it to the very end of the buoys. Hopefully the current and tides will help bring me in; it was quite a slog to get out here.

Keep those legs kicking, those arms. Occupy yourself with the scenery…what nice fish. Nice yellow and black and blue fish. Fish. Big fish. Really big fish. They’re in the ocean too. What’s that I hear behind me? Is that a monster-fish? It sounds really big. Really, really big. Do I look back to see what it is? Would it matter? If it’s going to eat me, it’s going to eat me. I could try to swim faster, but…

Yes. Swim faster. That’s a good idea. The big fish behind me gets louder. Shit…it’s closing in on me. I’m a goner, for sure. Don’t look. Don’t look – it won’t help. It will only make you panic. Wait a minute – I already am panicking!

Hold on. Listen. (Keep swimming like mad, but listen). What is that sound? Is it really a fish? Or a boat? Or…aw man. It’s just my feet breaking the surface of the water as I kick. Wow. Am I embarrassed or what. Keep swimming.

I take comfort in the ocean floor creeping slowly upwards towards me. Wow – is there ever a lot of life on this reef! Hold on…am I going the right way even? The reef really seems to be coming up on me faster than it dropped off going the other way. What if I get beached or something on the reef? Or cut myself on the coral? Then I’m a goner for sure…no hope for a bleeding swimmer out in the ocean with a big sea-monster chasing after her.

Keep swimming. Don’t stop now. Breathing is getting heavier, but so is the stress level. Just keep going. Maximize your kicking. And for the love of god – paddle! Breathe. Kick. Paddle. Breathe. Kick. Paddle.

People on the shore are shouting. Why are they shouting? Are they calling to me? Is there something I need to know? Is a large out-of-control boat about to run me over? Is there a giant sea-monster behind me? Are they waving madly at me? Don’t look up. Don’t do it. You don’t want to look up in time to see them waving madly at you and slow your progress against the sea-monster. Rogue wave. Jellyfish. Giant man-eating turtle. Just keep going, keep going.

Getting closer to shore. Gosh – does this swim ever end? Why the hell did I decide to do this anyway? What hair-brained idea was this to swim in the frigging ocean? What made me think I could swim with the triathletes? They probably slather some sort of anti-ocean cream all over themselves anyway, to make them impervious to all the ocean’s perils. Where’s my damn anti-ocean cream? Yup – I left it at home.

Home. Shore. Keep swimming. Legs, breathe, paddle. There’s nobody but you to finish this swim. No help. You’ve got to do it on your own, so get it done!

Finally after an eternity of swimming and fighting the forces of the ocean, I see a body. Oh shit – it’s dead. A dead body? What am I swimming into? Is this why people were shouting on shore? Were they telling me to stay away?

Hold on. The body moved. They’re not dead; just a Japanese tourist floating on their back in the water by the shore. Whew.

I put my feet down on the soft sand in waist-deep water. I take off my mask and snorkel. Take stock. Breathing pretty good. Fingers and toes in tact. Slightly panicky, but I’m free now – I did it.

I emerge from the water in front of my audience as if this is the hundredth time I’ve done this swim today. No problem. I’m training for a triathlon, didn’t you know? Yes, of course I’d be happy to sign autographs. Please – not all at once.

Although I’m a superstar in my head, there is very little commotion around me. I’m sure nobody even noticed my swim to the end of the buoys and back, much less the imaginary monsters chasing after me, the rogue wave I survived that almost took out the city of Kona, and whatever other perils I dreamed up while out there by myself a quarter of a kilometer off-shore.

For all the people enjoying a sunny day at the pier, it was just another day.

For me, it was victory.

And tomorrow, I’ll do it again.

Maybe.

Here is the roundup of links and articles written in the last couple of weeks. I wasn’t as active in posting these last two weeks as I have been recently. But I still churned out a few decent articles if I do say so myself:

Vagabondish

11 Bizarre Hotels that will Knock Your Socks Off
This is a fun look at some of the strangest accommodations I’ve ever found. Sewage pipes? Harbour Cranes? A giant dog? What haven’t they thought of?

Taking The World By Train
Explore how to travel the world by train. Kelly & I fell in love with it while traveling across Canada, and plan to use the train some more in Southeast Asia, and possibly in Australia too.

Wise Bread

Seven Ways to be the Life of Every Party
Just read it, and do it, and you’ll have party-planners knocking down your door.

Solve Problems, Study, and Brainstorm using Mind Maps
Mind Mapping is a technique I’ve been using occasionally for some time, and not only is it apparently incredibly effective in increasing brain efficiency, but it’s fun too!

There is no Tomorrow.
No, it’s not an apocalyptic piece. Instead, look at it as a little bit of tough love and encouragement to live a balanced life. Don’t wait for “tomorrow” for anything…it’s an excuse and a euphemism for “I can’t think about that right now”.

Snap Beaches

If you get a chance to pick up a hard copy of this paper in the Beaches/Danforth area in Toronto, please do. Following is the link to the online version:

Big Island Variety
This month in Snap I take a look at the amazing diversity on the Big Island of Hawaii. Did you know that out of the 13 global micro-climates, 11 exist on this little island alone? Wow.

As with the macaroons, the secret to making this dish unique and unforgettable is the use of fresh coconut in place of coconut milk. It adds amazing taste, richness, as well as texture that you don’t get with the coconut milk. However you won’t find it quite as smooth and creamy as the traditional counterpart, so this recipe may not be for everybody.

As usual, the quantities (and even the ingredients) are estimations at best, and meant to be used as a guideline only. Have fun!

2 tbsp oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
1 tbsp ginger, chopped
cooked tofu / chicken / beef (choose which protein you want for this meal)
1 onion coarsely chopped
½ green pepper cut into strips
½ red pepper cut into strips
1 large carrot diced
1 cup chopped mushrooms
2 tbsp rice vinegar or white wine
¼ cup bamboo shoots sliced
¼ cup water chestnuts sliced
1 cup freshly grated coconut
2 tbsp red curry paste
2 tbsp sugar
1-2 cups milk
cornstarch as needed

In a wok or large frying pan heat oil.

Add the garlic, ginger, and crushed red pepper until brown and aromatic.

Add onions and fry for two minutes.

Add green pepper, red pepper, carrots, and mushrooms. Fry for 2 minutes.

Add rice wine and cover to steam the veggies for a few minutes, until al dente.

Uncover and add meat, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts and fry until all is well mixed and warm.

Set all aside in a bowl. Return the wok to the stove.

Heat milk (start with one cup) and stir in red curry paste until dissolved.

Add coconut and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. (Add more milk during this process if you think you will want more sauce).

Add sugar and taste. You may want to add a little salt too.

Return veggies and meat to wok and mix all thoroughly. If you need to thicken the sauce add some cornstarch dissolved in a little water and stir well. Keep adding cornstarch until desired thickness is achieved.

Serve over hot rice and try not to eat too much!

The music is a sample from the recent original piece by Kelly, called First Light.

Enjoy!

-names have been changed to protect identities-

Joe is about 40 years old and from England. He led an entire life doing exactly what you’re supposed to do. He went to school, had a great job, owned a nice house, and invested wisely. Trouble is, he hated his job, had no love for his house, and was so uninspired by his life that he couldn’t even bring himself to spend his hard-earned money on anything that might make him happier. He fell into a life of getting up, going to work, coming home, and watching the tube until he could go to bed and repeat the same routine the following day.

After some deliberation, he saw no reason to continue on this road, as it was only further pushing him into a state of apathy and downright depression. So the house was sold, the job quit, and an eight-month vacation embarked upon.

I met Joe at the 6 month mark of his vacation. He had been pretty much around the world, and was on his way back to the Philippines, where he found he was truly happy. I asked him if he has to return to England after his eight-months are up. Not only was the answer “no”, but he was actually thinking about buying a small place in the Philippines to run as a hostel. He loved the true hospitality and friendliness of the locals, knew other ex-pats who were operating hostels, and had a sparkle in his eye when he spoke of it.

I saw him off on his way back there, and I hope to visit his establishment soon.

Kudos, Joe.

Suzanne is from Australia, and like so many Australian travelers I’ve met, she has a taste and knack for adventure. After finishing school, there was no way she was going to rope herself into a career right away without seeing what the world has to offer. So round-the-world she is traveling, on what is becoming widely known as a “gap year”.

Through courageous solo hostel travel, she has made fast friends with many people, which is paving the way to stay in their homes when she travels through their neck of the woods. She is cheerful, bright, and seems to be searching for something….and not quite sure what it is yet. (I guess all travelers are searching for something, aren’t they?!)

Her life is exciting, because she is open-minded to whatever gets thrown her way. With her education and career path she could live almost anywhere in the world, and is open to just such an opportunity.

I can’t wait to see where she lands. I know it will be on her feet. Just don’t know where yet.

Kudos, Suzanne.

Walter is a fellow Canadian embarking on his 50’s. You wouldn’t know it to talk to him though; he is young at heart, and can meld beautifully into a dorm full of 20-somethings without blinking an eye. But there’s something that just isn’t clicking in his life.

He has a treasure chest of experience and skills behind him, and is traveling in search of big changes. What those changes look like are still unknown to him, but he is daily actively opening his mind to the possibilities. He is inspired by our life and is standing at the edge of the chasm of selling everything and taking the plunge into sustainable travel, just dipping a toe in the water right now to get a feel for the temperature.

I wouldn’t be surprised if he returned home to sell his house and wrap up his affairs so he can chase down a dream that both excites and scares the hell out of him. He feels more alive now than he ever has.

Kudos, Walter.

And I know some people who just don’t get it. They think they do, but they don’t. All I get from these people are words of judgment and encouragement to do what they think we should do.

They see our tales of adventure and misadventure thus far as mostly misadventure (maybe I have portrayed it that way in this blog, I don’t know), and don’t see the humour and fun in it all. I tend to think misadventure makes for some of the best stories!

But mostly they don’t understand the concept of sustainable travel, and instead I get flack for not being “retired” to their own definition of retirement…which is not having to work at all, and sitting back on investments and a rich pension to settle into a life of regular vacations and relaxation.

Sorry – I’m only 31 years old, and I’m not rich. I never wanted to work like a dog seven days a week to earn enough money so I could eventually stop altogether. I tried, and ultimately that was what led to my burning out; it wasn’t sustainable for me.

So now, I work part-time in exchange for accommodations, write to make extra cash, and use both to experience the world as a whole. This is sustainable travel. I don’t have to clock in, and I can do it from almost anywhere in the world. To some, this defines retirement. At least to me right now, it does. It’s not ideal – trust me it has its ups and downs – but then again, rarely does something meet absolutely all our idealistic expectations.

Although our experiences in Hawaii have been varied, I know that when we leave here we will have seen the whole enchilada for all it’s worth. We tapped into the rhythm of the island, met people we would never have met as tourists, went places we never would have gone if just passing through, and spent an entire six months of winter in Hawaii. This blog is not littered with tales of daily adventure, climbing every mountain, and flitting from one attraction to another. To some this may be disappointing, and contradicts some people’s definitions of “travel” and “retirement”.

So if you feel I have misrepresented my situation on this blog, please forgive me. I’d love your feedback and suggestions.

One of the beautiful things I’ve learned in my time here (as I sit at an outdoor café overlooking the ocean just before sunset), is that everybody’s dreams are different. And they change with life. Joe’s dreams initially were to meld into the societal norms, but his dreams started to change and he’s now chasing after new ones. He’ll find what he wants in the Philippines I have no doubt. It may not be good for him forever, but nothing is forever.

Suzanne is looking at a blank page in designing her life and is living the dream, painting in large strokes and seeing what colours look good to her. What she chooses for the next 10 years of her life won’t be a life choice. It will simply be a start.

And Walter already understands that nothing is written in stone. He is in the process of reinventing himself yet again, a difficult and cathartic journey. He also knows that no decision he makes now is forever either.

None of these people are doing anything rash or irresponsible either, including us. We are not poor, even though we pick up loose change on the streets. We have money set aside and invested for “retirement” when we can’t (or choose not to) earn money any longer in our elder years, we have money set aside for “settling down” and setting up a home if and when we choose to do so, and we have money aside for traveling now and for the next few years between odd jobs and work-trade arrangements.

Joe, Suzanne, and Walter are traveling to mould their lives and destinies into what they want them to be. Each of their stories is very different, and each of them brings around the world with them a whole different set of values, backgrounds, and financial situations.

If you are reading this blog and you just don’t get it yourself, I appreciate that, and would love to hear from you in the comments section. (Supporters and those who empathize, please don’t stay quiet either)! I don’t expect to be on the road for the rest of my life (although who knows!), and I expect the nature of our travel will change many times over.

To me, life is about the journey through change, not the prize at the end of the road.