I got up this morning, packed my suitcase and drove up the road from Lihue, Kauai to Hanalei, Kauai. I've spent the past week, working during the mornings, afternoons at the beach or pool or at least working in the middle of paradise. Hawaii is truly a beautiful place, with beautiful water, with a sense of equanimity.

The kids and their dad flew home on the red eye last night. I stayed at the resort hotel and ran into the lady who sat next to me on the plane and her three daughters. It was so nice to see their family interactions and just hang out chit chatting in the warm tropical breeze. Yoga was also nice there... backbending... fun. I didn't do whole practices, also did the starmaster thingy that they had in the gym. I got up this morning though and drove to the North side. Stopped at the health food store, bought a FakNBacon sandwich, a cold water, filled my CamelPak and started the 8 mile round-trip hike to Hanakapi'ai Falls. It was awesome. The last time I had that much fun hiking was last year when I hiked near Hood River. The hike to the beach was mellow.

The hike to the falls was amazing. It was hard, strenuous and technical like all the reviews said. I got lost a few times. I was heartened by the friendliness and the teamwork of fellow humans when traversing difficult terrain and rivers. I loved the sound of the bamboo forest. I just stood there, in amazement at the song in the air all around me. I debated simply staying there... could anything be really any better?

To be honest, the falls wasn't better than the bamboo forest but the hike to get there, was simply stunning. I sat, on the rocks, watching the water falls... and I thought about Shasta and how awesome the experience of Shasta is. I can't wait for Shasta this year. I feel like I won't be able to breathe then.. .it's kinda like the finish line for me right now.

The hike back out was much harder. My knee goes funky with a lot of downhills and this was all very technical downhill. At this point, I can barely move my knee... I think I won't be practicing at Pineapple Yoga tomorrow.. not if it's like this in the morning.

Red-eye flight to Seattle tomorrow. Back to reality that has been nicely escaped. Work is so crazy that I feel like I'm flying in unchartered territory again... grounding, breath, in out, repeat.