Thursday, August 28, 2008

Four Day Weekend

I'm taking tomorrow off, giving me a four day weekend. I'm going to try and cram a week's worth of living into it.

I fly into Hilo tonight, and then drive down to Puna. I'll crash with Dave at Kalani Honua tonight. It's a strange place, an 'eco-resort' where guys from New York and California pay the landowner to work there. They're building him some kind of alternative community, which is all fine and good. I just don't understand the part where people pay him to work for him, although I'm told it's all about the experience. Part of the experience should include a hot tub under the stars, and I'll be fine with that.

Friday morning we'll meet Kale, members of the Kanaka Moku O Keawe Council, and some representatives from Office of Hawaiian Affairs to walk the coast around Opihikao. There are a lot of development pressures in the area, and I'm hoping to learn from these guys more about what we need to protect. As I am on vacation I think we'll have the freedom to explore a bit more deeply than if I was there in my official capacity.

Friday afternoon we drive to Kailua Kona. I've rented a 3BR condo in Keauhou for the race, and was originally going to share it with Dave and the women's crew. Now the women's crew has collapsed, and I don't know for sure who will be there. I'll be out of cell phone range, so I'll find out when they knock on the door.

Hopefully, we have time to stop by Volcano NP. I want to see the new vent at Halema`uma`u.

Friday afternoon we rig. Friday evening I'll cook a carb-heavy dinner for the crews. I picked up a lot of ingredients at Tamura's already - Italian Pomi tomatoes that I hope don't blow up in my luggage, Flott tuna from Sicily, Novia del Sol anchovy-stuffed olives, capers from Turkey, and anchovies. I just don't trust the stores in Kona to have what I want. I'm making pasta all puttanesca, and I'm a picky putta.

OK. Dinner for 16, then we make our ho`okupu, our offering to Kanaloa, for the next days race.

Saturday is the Queen Lili`uokalani Canoe Race. The women will race the canoes 18 miles from Kailua Bay to Honaunau, and the men race the canoes back. We're hoping for calmer waters - the race is long and hot. It's also the largest long distance canoe race in the world - 100 international teams will be competing.

Saturday night is a torch-light parade through Kailua-Kona, and then what is rumored to be a massive and legendary blow-out that night.

Sunday is more racing (not us), then a luau, then Dave and I drive back to Hilo side to Akiko's Buddhist Bed and Breakfast. I'm really looking forward to this place. It's in Wailea, a fading plantation village that seems to have skipped past most of the latter part of the 20th century.

I guess we can relax on Monday.

And then it's back to Honolulu, and back to work, Tuesday morning.

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