Warming up to it

I'm afraid I just can't help myself. I'm crazed with anticipation. My beloved BC coastal wilderness, I will miss you. I will miss those misty moist mossy lungs of the Earth. I almost can't believe anything else exists right now. But I am hungry, hungry, hungry for sunshine - I hope I'm not being a traitor to my native land. These pictures are from my first, solo trip to Maui. I just had to cry when I arrived there, because it is so impossibly beautiful - the air just wraps you up in sweet rich life.

Just imagine the way this sand feels underfoot. You can't. It's too soft for words. It's so fine it actually becomes part of your skin. You almost can't wash it off.

Look at these trees! Just look at these amazing peg-leg roots! Like some kind of crazy cartoon.

One of the north-shore beaches at dusk - 2 blocks away from the Monastery I stayed at.

Sugar cane fields line the roads in Paia. Everything has this golden hue - both from the sun and from the red-brown soil that works its way over every surface.

The coastline along the Road to Hana. Thick, dense jungle. Sheer cliffs dropping down to the sea.

Upcountry, heading up the slopes toward the volcano. Ranch lands, views of the other islands in the distance. Goat farms, lavender fields, hillsides covered in tufts of something that looked like heather, like some tropical version of the Scottish highlands.

Black sand beach - so hot!

The Stupa at the Tibetan monastery where I stayed, lit up in celebration of Buddha's birthday. Which is different all over the world. (It's the full moon day of the sixth month of the Buddhist lunar calendar, which would be the fourth month of the Chinese calendar, except in years in which there's an extra full moon, and then Buddha's birthday falls in the seventh month, except where it starts a week earlier. In Tibet it's usually a month later; in Japan, Buddha's Birthday always is April 8.... ?!)

The western mountains, on the hot, dry side of the island. Pineapple and mango plantations line the roads.

Pewter light.

A little bit scared. Though it was the one and only shark sign I saw on the island.

Front of the little monastery. There were cats, and bunches of apple bananas hanging outside the doors. Kind, kind people. And Huge harmless spiders. I'll go visit when I'm there.

When I'm there... When I'm there... When I'm there...

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