Visiting Hawaii, it's a little bit like achieving a dream. This archipelago of the Pacific Ocean brings back so many things which engraved my subconscious that going there stroke like an obviousness. Surfing, walking on a desert beach of the Pacific or marveling in front of a volcano are some activities I never enjoyed before this long trip and for which a certain attraction emerged. Premeditation, subconscious desire or undisclosed intentions, Hawaii gathers all of that and even a little bit more.
At the Honolulu airport, I wait for some long minutes in front of the carousel looking for my rucksack which won't come. It remained in Fiji where I was in transit for several hours. Nothing really serious, I will find it 2 days later in a perfect condition. I go through the customs and go out the arrival hall. I immediately make out my Thai friend Cho who settled here 5 years ago and I haven't meet since then. We attempt to sum up the past time in a few sentences and we leave for building new memories by visiting the east coast of the Oahu island. The road goes along the indented coastline where convenient car parks allow us to stop and enjoy the view. Some magnificent sand crescents soften the disjointed outlines of the coast. Among the discoveries of the island, we stop at two of the most beautiful beaches: Lanikai and Kailua.
The next day, the working week starts again for Cho and I'm going to appreciate a tasty cocktail made of solo discoveries during the day and guided visits in the end of the afternoon and in the evening. I get to the Waikiki mythical beach where a flock of holidaymakers contemplate the surfers who glide on the long breaking waves. Waikiki doesn't come down to a mere strip of sand where each one defends his square meter of towel at high cost, it's a district of Honolulu which concentrates the main part of the tourist life. Restaurants, hotels, souvenirs stalls and surf shops succeed one another in chaotic order. A pedestrian promenade runs alongside the ocean and goes by the Duke Kahanamoku's statue, local legend who was Olympic champion in swimming at the beginning of the century before traveling the world to introduce the surfing to the West. I rent a surf board to carry on my slow increase started in Bali. As on the beach, there are lines in the foam to take the good wave.
The bus network is really convenient since with only 2$, we can go wherever we want on the island. I'm heading for Sunset beach located on the North Shore, 2h away from Honolulu. This beach welcome a round of the surfing world cup every year. To be more precise, the place is called Banzaï Pipeline and stands in the middle of Sunset beach. When the winter comes, that's here the size of the waves are the most important. Colossal rollers that intrepid surfers take. I wisely stay sitting on the beach, aware that I'm still far from the level. And when the evening arrives, I meet again my friend with the same pleasure, he brings me to restaurants far from the tourists and we share some good time of the life and memorable laughters. This week ran far too fast and I already leave for another island, Kauai where I have an appointment with a legendary trek, the Kalalau trail. As for Cho, we'll see on Big Island we'll visit together.
Keyword - on a surfboard -
Friday 24 October 2008
Aloha from Hawaii
By dorian on Friday 24 October 2008, 19:34 - RTW2-Hawaii
Friday 17 October 2008
some fears on the Yasur volcano
By dorian on Friday 17 October 2008, 19:29 - RTW2-Vanuatu
From a tip to the other one of the Vanuatu archipelago, I leave the underwater scenery of Espiritu Santo to dive into the smoking steams of the Yasur volcano on the Tanna island. A 20-seat small plane drops us off at the tiny airport of Lenakel. In the arrival hall, a driver of the Jungle Oasis resort (a gathering of wooden huts built for the tourists) holds out a sign with the name of the campground on it. I unload my bag at the back of the pick-up and we head towards the inside of the island. An about-2-hour lift on a road furrowed by continuous rains. The abundant vegetation isolates me from the sight of the surroundings. We go over a hill where the view clears out and we dash down again into the meanders of the forest before the verdure suddenly stops, pushed back by a grayish strange sand made up of minute particles of pumice. The Yasur volcano spreads out its claws and marks its territory outwards the crater. A hoarse rumble soars out of the gray thickness. A shout of an angry nature who shows the beginnings of an encounter with an genuine active volcano which expresses itself by expelling its venom of lava.
One of the singular activities, probably unique in the world, is the opportunity of surfing on the ashes of the volcano. Jungle Oasis owns a worn-out, bad-quality snowboard which will do for the occasion (I will learn later it was possible to rent a better snowboard at the next-door village). The ascent is exhausting with an eye riveted skywards, at each new chuckle of the mountain. Each step sinks deeply in the particles of ash. Practically arrived at the top, I put on the board and face the steep slope. I make up my way onto the volcano. A total freedom punctuated by otherworldly splutters which make me jump at each new expression. A unique experience in a unique scenery.
However, the main part of the action stimulated by a pathological curiosity drives me to the origin of this telluric cough. From the campground, it's a 45-minute short walk on a 4WD path. I pay the right of going ahead at the end of the village and stride along this rocky-ash-covered soil. The greenery-clad sides accompany my stroll when the track opens out a car park where several 4x4 vehicles are still there. A mailbox (the only one on a volcano!) marks the beginning of the final path dotted with the footprints of number of thrill-seeking adventurers wannabes. The detonations sound clearly when a explosion, louder than the others, propels glowing residues high in the sky. My eyes rise, a natural firework illuminates the firmament. The survival instinct of each guest present on this inhospitable land assesses the size of the lava projectiles. No worries for this time, each chunk of magma heavy falls down in the crater. A muffled and choked sound which leaves us a break before the next explosion. I sit down and wait. The roars are constant and the episodic gushing out of melting rock delight the spectators. With this hint of continuous fear when the reddening mouth spits out its drops of lava, each one lift his eyes towards the highest particles and size up their potential danger as they fall down.
The next day, I climb again the Yasur, the viewpoint of the last day is filled with smoke and I stop on the right side of the crater. The activity seems calm until all the visitors of the evening leave the place. I'm alone. The crimson shine of the volcanic hearth breaks through the black night. A weird feeling takes me up, an awe-inspiring mixture of curiosity and fear. The reason should have wanted me to go down with the last tourists and yet the irresistible urge to remain, to listen to and to marvel at another explosion, to thrill again at the rhythm of the earth vibrations. But, the activity of the volcano increases, the interval between two expressions reduce and the incandescent shells fly higher and higher. My heart palpitations fidget far beyond bearable, I stand up and clear off. The volcanologist Aroun Tazieff will wait to find a successor. However, reminding it again, how exciting it was to be sitting alone at the edge of this crater.
Tuesday 12 August 2008
Discovering the surf at Bali
By dorian on Tuesday 12 August 2008, 18:19 - RTW2-Indonesia
Several hours of flight, quite a long time of waiting, 2 different airlines, I set foot in Denpasar, the lively capital city of Bali. The 4-letter enumeration of this bit of land announces some idyllic holidays on a heavenly island for a lot of people. My family picks me up at the airport with a large smile. Quite 2 months we haven't seen at each other. Everything seems to go by so fast. We negotiate a bemo (local van) to rush to the Legian district. The Legian and Kuta area gathers a great number of tourists and all the relating economy. Succession of hotels, restaurants, travel agencies, craft and surf shops. The urge is too tempting. Several years Jo and I have dreamt of breaking waves, tubes and gliding. Being at one with the ocean. Alone with his board to stroke the element. More than a sport, the surf enthusiasts consider it to be a way of life. Perhaps it will be ours in a few hours after our introductory session. On the beach, every 50 meters, stalls offer boards for rent. Longboard, mini-malibu or thruster, we quickly learn the terms. We book a 2-hour lesson. Private coaching on the beach, our instructor breaks down the moves to stand up. Then, the board wedged under the armpit, we cheerfully walk towards the waves. A set of advice later, a special pleasure-tinted feeling overwhelms me. I keep standing on the board! The road is still hazardous before turning in the giant waves but the joy is definitely here, as an obvious fact.
But the learning will be still long, very long... Because before being on the front cover of the surf magazines, We entered for the greatest fall competition.
Armelle and Magali join us and the entire team is gathered for a 15-day Balinese adventure. Loving reunion.
To extend the soft and gilded Kuta life, We go to visit the south of the island. Balangan, Dreamland or Padang-Padang, a coconut-trees-fringed or cliff-flanked paradise. Something in common goes through these light-sanded strips watered by shapely breaker. While we look at the surfers and body-boarders who compete for a wave, a leitmotiv constantly comes back. Dumbstruck, our look doesn't come off these heavenly expanses any more ; last shangri-la for the people stressed by the urban hubbub.
Our eyes decipher the waves in the distance. Only a board is missing...
At the end of the day, we visit the Uluwatu temple. Sanctuary of more-or-less-aggressive monkeys which have the unfortunate tendency of grabbing everything that juts out from the pockets. The sun goes down on the horizon, our eyes leap from the ocean to the reddening sky. The twilight sweeps away the last rays of this wonderful day.
visits