Could have something to do with the 14+ hours of travel. Or maybe the 3:30 am wake-up call. Or the fact that I didn't really sleep the previous evening. Apparently Clarion Hotel/Park & Fly is home to a Sunday night coke binge party (dramatic crying in the hallway included!)
At any rate, I'm a little out of it.
The woman driving the taxi tisks, "...they really should have sent someone to pick you up."
I don't understand.
She stops a few kilometres away at our car rental. The metre shoots up from $8 to $10. I offer her $12. "... waited for over two hours and for only twelve dollars!"
The issue becomes clear, but I'm too tired to argue. I end up giving her $15. Suddenly, she's all sunshine and rainbows, "Enjoy your trip, thanks so much," she coos.
Following a mountain of paperwork, they bring our car around. She's a beat-up old Honda, but she'll do. She makes some worrisome noises, but she's still a steal. The receptionist asks us where we're camping first. When I answer Anahola, she says "Ohhh..." her look says it all.
Once pressed, she admits, "There's a large homeless population who live at that beach, but mind your P's and Q's and you should be fine."
A tad worrisome.
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| Fun fact: Kauai has the world's largest feral chicken population |
We hit up Walmart to grab the essentials (ie: beer and candy) and replace the camping stove that was detained at customs. The greeter stops me at the door and scolds me for trying to bring my backpack in. She points me to the electronic locker system. We're definitely not in Fernie anymore.
We crawl through the evening traffic and make it to Anahola Beach before nightfall.
There are several tents dotted along a grassy bank and a couple more setup a few metres over, in a sparse forest. At the farthest end of the forest there are structures that look more permanent, so we stay on the side we're at and setup under the trees.
The gusty winds make setting up an ordeal, to the point where when we realize the opening is facing the wrong direction, we can't be bothered adjusting it.
A couple beers later and my eyelids are sandbags. I call it quits by 8 pm and retire to my tent for another restless night. Between the paper-thin sleeping mats and the sporadic gusts of tent-rattling winds, I barely sleep.
~~~
I wake up to Mike trying to lure me out of the tent with coffee (the little angel). It's luke-warm at best, but it's coffee, so I'm happy. See, we couldn't find a camping stove at Walmart, so we settled for the only other option: a chafing fuel disk stove.* It's measly stature paired with the gusty winds means it can sort of warm things, but don't count on a rolling boil.
*I urge you to check the link, so you can truly appreciate how pitiful this thing is
The sky is a muted grey, the wind hasn't let up, so we decide to explore. We chase waterfalls, munch on roadside grilled chicken and hit up a nearby thrift store (which doesn't hold a candle to the Fernie Sally Ann) before retiring back to our campsite and enjoying some tepid no-name brand ramen.
"Someone just told me that a couple nights ago all of the tents pitched under the trees had their cars vandalized and their stuff stolen."
Oh.
"Will you guys move?"
We haven't experienced any issues yet and besides, there are so many people set up around us now, surely there's power in numbers. We opt to stay put, but it makes for yet another restless sleep.
Morning light fills the tent and I rise and shine before my alarm. I'm optimistic for sunshine.
I place my little pot of water on the chafing stove in preparation for instant coffee and start to pack. I'm eager to get to the Hindu Monastery in time for the 9 a.m. tour and apparently I'm not alone.
The place is packed with silver haired tourists, many proudly returning for their 2nd or 3rd times. We're corralled into a large tent where our old, white tour guide drones on and on. He asks if anyone has questions and the crowd delivers. He answers half-heartedly and even admits to making up some answers on the spot. What he's really passionate about discussing are all the items available for purchase at the gift shop. Heck, they even have apps available for purchase on iTunes.
At one point, a man in the front row raises his hand; when he's picked he stands up, faces the group and explains that he is a born and raised Hindu from South India and that he respectfully wishes to clarify some things. He reiterates some previous questions and expands on the explanations given. When he finishes, everyone bursts into applause. I wish they would let him take over as our guide.
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| The worlds largest crystal is cool and all, but LOOK AT THIS SPIDER! |
We waltz through the stunning grounds and hear interesting facts. We're asked to stay together as a group and not to stop for photos until the tour portion is complete, but no one listens.
Slowly, we make our way down to the new temple being constructed. Five carpenters are hand chiseling all the intricate details into multiple kinds of granite. Construction began in 1990, but won't be complete until April 2022!
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| Pretty impressive stuff |
We slip away from the never-ending-tour and are beyond gleeful that the sun is finally shining.
We hurry down to the boardwalk to rent a couple bikes and cruise along the oceanside.
A local man is selling big drinking coconuts out of his truck. Excited, I approach him and ask how much. He tells me $5 US (special tourist price, I'm sure.) I almost respond with, 'Muy caro!' and then remember that I'm in the states. Too ashamed to be branded as a cheapskate, I cough up the $5.
I really need to learn to haggle... At least it was a good coconut...
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