America Through My Eyes – Hawaiian Islands – 3

America Through My Eyes

Hawaiian Islands (Part 3)

Telugu Original : Dr K.Geeta 

English Translation: V.Vijaya Kumar

          On a sunny morning we set off from our accommodation on the west coast of the Big Island to explore the sights of the east coast. Enjoying the fragrance of my favorite Deva Gunneru flowers seen everywhere in Hawaii, the first sight on the east coast about an hour and a half away was “Waiapo Point”, a green valley and a wide beach under a rainbow-speckled sky.

          After visiting the most important Akaka Falls and Rainbow Falls we wanted to take a lunch break.

          We traveled along the way through the green hills covered with countless bushes and vines in the pouring down rain. I found that the west coast is not as green and abundant as the east coast. I thought the highest mountains in the middle of the island prevented the sea clouds from reaching the east and west direction. 

Akaka Falls

The “Akaka Falls” can be seen from the top and there was a way to go down to some extent. In such places, Siri usually feels disturbed. She demands to be picked up when coming back though comfortable during descending. I decided to stay with Siri on top. Satya and Varu went down and came back in half an hour.

          We spent time playing in the green lawns around us, looking at the beauty of the waterfall above us.

          Siri when we let her unattended she sneaks out like an arrow, not bothering what is on her way while running. On this trip as far as possible, we wished for her to walk at a low pace but failed. Can anyone stop a free bird? instead of making her walk, we learnt to run!

          Until they got back, I plucked leaves and flowers to keep the child busy and start playing. She became decent and loved it. My mind was blown away towards the waterfall rushing into the valley. They went down in our absence and took photos of beautiful trees, creepers and bushes. A great consolation at least for me!

Aloha Farms

At the turn of the road after the falls, there was a coconut shop called “Aloha Farms” outside the garden. The shopkeeper was dressed in local attire and calling out to the passersby. We stopped there to drink coconut milk. The shopkeeper suggested adding pineapple to the tender coconut cheese. Coconuts were five dollars each, while pineapples were eight dollars. I bought small bananas for three dollars and a small piece of sugarcane for one dollar. When I was bargaining in a nearby shop for guavas they forced me to come back. The vendor packed the tender coconut with pieces of pineapple, shook them briskly and offered. The pineapple pieces were not very juicy but very sweet, the coconut was not sweet, but tender and the combination of the two tasted good, and the children liked to eat it. I had never tried this combination earlier. Now it is understood that something new should be tried.

          On the way we passed through the “Hawaii Botanical Gardens” where we enjoyed the diverse flora.

Rainbow Falls

“Rainbow Falls” can only be seen from above. A small waterfall surrounded by beautiful fern trees and looking over the green moss-covered walls is a beautiful experience. When we reached there, Siri was exhausted.

          It was already lunchtime. We crossed the road opposite the falls when we saw something like a food shop and ran towards it. But it was just a small shop with cakes and coffee.

Hilo

We went downtown Hilo, a large town on the east coast, for lunch. By going there we could see two more sightseeing places. One is the Coconut Island, the smallest island, by walking across the small bridge in the “Liliuokalani Gardens” built in the name of a former queen, and the second one is the giant banyan tree downtown.

          We didn’t want to take much time for lunch. Moreover, children do not like to eat anything except noodles. We stopped at a deli on the roadside and bought some noodles and french fries.

          The Giant Banyan was located in a park-like place along the road downtown. There was no proper parking lot. It didn’t seem possible to get down and spend a long time with the children. We stopped at the  5 minute parking place and strolled around for a while.

          In the afternoon the island weather made our faces feel like a layer not too oily, nor too dry. Due to jet lag from traveling three hours, we were extremely hungry and fell asleep early. Everyone was tired. We had to reach the observatories on the slopes of “Mauna Kea” by sunset. 

Coconut Island

As it was 4:00 a.m. already, we decided to go to the coast of the Caspian Sea. I had read somewhere about a small coastal Coconut Island. Instead of wandering at the beach, we decided to go there five minutes from downtown. The Coconut Island car parking was found on the coastal path. Coconut Island was like a small park when we crossed through a small walkable bridge. It is an island nestled in the sea.

          It’s beautifully lined up by coconut trees, and lawns and surrounded by rocks. This uninhabited island looked many times more beautiful than the shores of the city of Hilo. It would have been more appealing if the island had been left in its natural way instead of being designed as a park in a city. In the local language, “Moku Ola” means Island of life or Healing Island. We mean in India the “Sanjivani Island”

          The children had the opportunity to wade in the waters of the Big Island for the first time. It was very difficult to control the children to dip only their feet and retreat. I remember my childhood when I saw children running like monkeys all over the coconut island, swinging on the bridge ropes, hanging on the trees near the car parking lot, many springs that had been spent reeled before my eyes. 

Mauna Kea Observatories

Although everyone wanted to spend some time there, the “Mauna Kea” was far away from there so we were compelled to move away.

          After another and a half hours of travel, we reached the foot of the mountain where the observatories were located. The greenness and warmth of the coast suddenly disappeared.

          We traveled over the frozen lava layers where the volcano once overflowed and headed forward on the dry volcanic area without a single plant. The land was shining in copper color strangely. We reached the 9,200-foot-high visiting center and stepped outside. We were suddenly surrounded by a terrible cold wind and we hurriedly took out the coats from the car and got dressed. 

          The visiting center was on one side of the road and a traditional Adivasi place was on the other side, piled with stones and covered with leaves and flowers. The piled-up stones were the nests that the local tribes built for the father gods at high places, which earlier we were informed in a video presentation in the information center that they should not be touched.

          I felt there that, Science on one side and Tradition on the other side had lifted man with both hands. The ancient memories that have flowed into the modern era seem to be haunted.

          To get to the top, we must watch the half-hour video shown there and should also know the information of various shows held there. No one gives any information above.

          We were glad to have hired a jeep, knowing that only four-wheel drive vehicles were allowed. But after taking one turn, we realized that even the four-wheel engine was also useless on that sloppy road. No matter how low the speed was, the jeep slipped back and forth on that soil road losing its grip. The evening rays were falling directly into the eyes, from the opposite side making them invisible. I had to resume driving for 40-50 minutes to travel uphill. In two turns, thick clouds appeared, as if seen from an airplane below the road. There were no railings on either side of the road. Even though I was driving in such a cold, I was sweating! Luckily I was driving so everything that depends on me in difficult times always teaches me great caution. Therefore, the mind becomes calm. If Satya drives, I don’t have the same confidence in myself as I do. If he makes any small mistake while driving, I scream in fear and it scares him even more leading surely to commit another mistake. Instead of all these shortfalls, I always take the lead of the chariot to control my fear at times like this. Even children feel secure if I drive.

          At the time of reaching the top, to see the sunset, another hundred people had already gathered there.

          Unlike us, special guided tours in small buses were also entertained. And none of the dozen observatories there at 14,000 feet are for visitors. All were accessible to researchers only. I felt I was on another planet. It seemed this was the most suitable place on Earth to research the clearest sky.

          It would be a great time to spend a beautiful night looking at the stars there on a comfortable outdoor bed if there was no cold. But it’s impossible to spare two minutes there. We parked the jeep in a certain place on the road facing the sunset and looked through the window shields. With 40% less oxygen than usual, we felt dizzy outside.

          As soon as the sun was set and it got dark, the guards started chasing us to vacate the place and ordered us to leave. Soon some big cylindrical pipes rose from the observatories, stretching out the necks into the sky and began to rotate round and round.

          At sunset, the entire copper field around us was transformed into blackness, and the sun rays prevalent on the white clouds lay like a second sky, coloured in orange. No matter how many strange things I see, the most unique thing on earth is the sunset, which always amazes me.

          Whether you see the sunset on the seashore, on the slopes of the mountains, or in the middle of the smokestacks of the city, there are so many sunsets that shine with different beauties. I felt after watching the sunset, a wonderful new day on earth will always be there following every sunset! 

*****

(to be continued)