Oh, the people you’ll meet!
This dead tree was in our way, so I moved it! No problem. Be impressed.
One of the great joys of travel is the prospect of meeting new people and hearing a few of their stories. Stories – everybody’s got one.
Our server at a restaurant on Waikiki Beach was an upbeat, talkative person and an excellent server. As with many people on the islands, we wanted to learn if she was a native of Hawaii or one of the thousands who migrated here in search of a laid-back lifestyle. As we awaited our food and drinks, Rick and I developed intricate narratives of the life journey she experienced to land on this beach. We then asked her if she grew up in the Aloha state, to which she replied, “Nope.” “That’s what we thought,” we replied.
“Well, we have two theories of how you came to live here. Can we share them with you?” She was delighted! “Oh, I can’t wait to hear this!” Rick went first, and he came close to being accurate. Rick’s narrative prompted her to tell us that she was from Massachusetts and had done an internship on the island. The young lady loved it so much that she returned home, then back to Honolulu to settle. So far, she was having a blast. She then wanted me to explain my theory of her life which she found pretty amusing and confirmed that many young people come to live in this place in the manner I described. We laughed and learned from this delightful, adventurous young woman for the next hour or so.
On the hike upon which the picture above was taken, we met an older couple which means they were about my age. The bearded sage and his wife were comfortably parked on a rock enjoying the view of a waterfall. About a hundred feet down was a large swimming hole with numerous young people taking a dip. I thought about doing the same until the couple explained that to get down there, one had to climb a steep rock ridge, hike down a few dozen yards, then grab a rope and hang on for dear life while descending to the tiny beach. About that time, some young whippersnappers bounded up the rocks and headed off into the jungle. I immediately said to myself, “Self, we will not be doing that exercise today.”
The old fellow observed the look on my face and said, “You won’t see me doing that anymore.” To which I replied, “Yea, that doesn’t look like fun anymore. One arrives at a season when it’s a big adventure just getting off a barstool without falling.” We both had a chuckle.
An older Asian couple arrived about this time, and he immediately approached us, asking if we wanted him to take our picture. He sported a cheery smile and proceeded to take several shots from different angles. He obviously knew a lot more about photography than I so I was grateful. I didn’t think to ask where they were from, but, given their language, it was not from the states.
On our way back up the trail, we encountered a beautiful young, blonde-headed woman escorting a semi-frail man, which I assumed was her father. She was patiently assisting him down the path. She asked how far it was to the waterfall and then concluded there was no way they would make it. We explained there was a lesser cascade just a few feet down the path, and maybe they could give that one a shot.
We later ran across the couple exiting one of those cool three-wheeled “spyder” cycles and heading into a shop. I stopped them and asked if they got to see the falls, to which they replied they had not. The trek was a little more than what the older gentleman was up to attempt. He then chuckled and pointed to his leg, which had a long stream of dried blood on his shin. I thought, “been there, done that a hundred times.” We entered what we thought was a pipe knick-knack shop only to discover it was indeed a “pipe” shop of the kind one uses to smoke whacky-tobacky. I remember those days well and still love that smell. Some things never change. He was going out when I was coming in, and he tapped me on the shoulder, leaned over towards my ear, and said, “You can get yourself dope pipe here.” He laughed and exited. Funny guy.
Wednesday, on our ATV safari, we were hosted by two guides. The lead guide explained he had lived here for around ten years. He worked for this company the entire time, and it was obvious he loved his job. He told wonderful stories about the island and especially the movies made there. His second in command was a younger man who was native to Kuai. He was talkative and shared much about the history of his people, particularly his family heritage. He grew up poor, with his parents and grandparents living just below where we were standing in a lush valley where over three hundred workers enjoyed community living and working together on the sugar plantation. They were part of groups of immigrant workers from several Asian countries and, to my surprise, a large contingent of Portuguese people.
He was curious about our employment, and he was fascinated to learn I am a writer who had been a pastor for many years. I’m not sure he had met someone of my background, and he had a perplexed look on his face at first. He then said, “You mean writer, as in books?” I affirmed his presumption, and he moved on to Rick and Lori’s employment history. He was intrigued that Rick had worked in logistics most of his career.
We ultimately learned that the sugar industry moved to Brazil, which was a revelation to me. They still grow enough to make some fine rums, so they’ve got that going for them. Many residents work on coffee plantations, huge cattle ranches, and in the tourism industry. These two personalities truly enhanced our adventure.
At the end of our journey, we quietly generously tipped both of our guides, and when Rick gave the young man the money, the tanned storyteller wearing a baseball cap nearly cried! It was a poignant scene. I was surprised to notice that, as far as we could observe, no one else tipped the guides! Really! That is bad form. I hate it when people take advantage of those in the service industry. My conviction is that if you are not going to be generous, then stay home, so I hope we were wrong about our fellow ATV travelers. And that’s how I feel about that.
Later today, we will enjoy a dinner cruise and view the spectacular Nepali coastline. I’m sure we will encounter some interesting folks while enjoying a luau and a Mai Tai.
The world is teeming with breathtaking views. As I write, my daughter is experiencing the glorious vistas of Everest as her team treks up to base camp. All of my daughters enjoy seeing what the world has to offer. They all love adventure, but I am also grateful that they equally love God’s crowning creation – people.
My daughter will return with descriptions of places only a few ever see, but she will also cherish stories of relationships discovered along the way. Inspiration sprouts from many sources, and they enrich each of our stories.
“Be genuinely interested in everyone you meet, and everyone you meet will be genuinely interested in you.” Rasheed Ogunlaru
“I meet people, and they become chapters in my stories.” Avijeet Das
What story will you write today?
Live Inspired!
Don Mark
