Or does Canada still look like this?
photo – Warren Long
The older I get, the more I like going somewhere SUNNY for January – March, the ice age months in Canada.
Category: travel
Hawaiian sovereignty movement
Respect is a word you see and hear a lot in Kauai.
I assume it to mean newcomers should respect the original Hawaiian culture.
The biggest problem in Kauai, so far as I could tell, was resentment on the part of “Hawaiians” for mistreatment on the part of invaders, like myself.
Hawaiians of European background tell tales of racism against the Whites.
The Hawaiian sovereignty movement consists of organizations and individuals seeking some form of sovereignty for Hawai’i.
Generally, the movement’s focus is on self-determination and self-governance for people of whole or part Native Hawaiian ancestry or, in some cases, for “Hawaiian nationals”, without regard to race or ancestry.
In some instances the focus also includes redress from the United States for the 1893 overthrow of Queen Lili’uokalani, and for what is seen as a prolonged military occupation beginning in 1898 with the annexation of the Republic of Hawaii to the United States, and continuing until the present day. The movement generally views both the overthrow and annexation as illegal, and holds the U.S. government responsible for these actions. The historical and legal basis for these claims is one of considerable dispute.
Sadly there are perhaps no pure blood indigenous Hawaiians left. But some of those who identify themselves as “Hawaiians” have taken up the Hawaiian sovereignty movement. Thugs and vandals use Hawaiian pride as an excuse for misdeeds, at times.
I went to visit the spot where Captain Cook first stepped on to Hawaiian soil in 1778 on Kauai, the mouth of the Waimea river:
It’s a rundown hangout for local kids. There’s very little mention of Cook in this rural town. I could not even find the one statue they have of the great seafarer.
Some have no regrets that Cook was later killed by Hawaiians.
hostel at Hermosa Beach, California
The hostel I usually stay at in Los Angeles has banned me for life.
LA Adventurer Hotel requires you have a foreign passport AND be under 30-years-of-age.
In the past I’ve been able to talk myself in. I “was once 30”, I claim. In 2008, this no longer gets me past the door.
Happily, I’ve discovered another great hostel willing to take old cranks:
Surf City Hostel.
It’s got a “killer location” right on Hermosa Beach — Beach Volleyball Capital of the World. Not quite so close to LAX, but not bad. You don’t need to rent a car to get to Hermosa.
Like LA Adventurer, it’s noisy. But you can’t beat $25 / night for a dorm bed, including breakfast.
Hermosa (“beautiful” in Spanish) is an accurate description of this city’s beach, which is also flat, sandy, and long; ideal for sunbathing, beach volleyball, surfing and paddleboarding.
With a mellow vibe. And a wonderful fitness culture, you’ll find me at Hermosa when in Los Angels.
Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia – AMAZING
Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia is the world’s largest salt flat.
I was there in 2004: travelogue – the world’s most dangerous road and my photos
I only wish it had been during one of the rare rain storms. Here’s what happens:
That’s got to be the most amazing natural landscape ever.
Hawaii 5-0
It took me 50yrs to finally get to Hawaii.
Don’t know why so long.
Hawaii is magic.
Back when we were kids in Calgary, only the RICH people went to Hawaii on family holiday. Most, like us, jumped in the car and drove to British Columbia. Also great.
Over on my hiking blog I have a number of additional posts:
With the Masons:
hiking Waimea Canyon, Hawaii with kids dangerous spikes on the hiking trail best hike south coast Kauai, Hawaii
hike Na Pali in Hawaii with kids
On my own:
my Alakai Swamp trail run in Hawaii Powerline Trail, Kauai, Hawaii
Kaapoko tunnel hike, Kauai, Hawaii Nualolo – Awa Awaphui Trails Loop, Hawaii paradise – the Kalalau Trail in Hawaii
And I never even made it to Secret Beach.
larger – flickr – bryce_edwards
Might have to go back. Glasers are going in August …. hmmm.
Masons and tropical birds
In Kauai, Hawaii.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Mazatlán, Mexico 2008 photos
Added a last few pics.
See my Mazatlán, Mexico 2008 photo set on flickr.
Adios.
El Centro in Maz is great. But I don’t like Mexico, in general.
That country is getting far too affluent for me. Too fat.
Literally, in 2008, seems to me, there are more obese Mexicans, even, than obese gringo tourists. The downside of making economic gain.
the decline of Lonely Planet
Through my websites, people have bought hundreds, perhaps thousands of Lonely Planet guidebooks. They reinvented the genre, in my opinion. Never buy any other company without first comparing against LP.
Sadly, for the past 6-7 years I’ve started to notice problems.
LP author Thomas Kohnstamm has a new book coming out this week:
THE Lonely Planet guidebook empire is reeling from claims by one of its authors that he plagiarised and made up large sections of his books and dealt drugs to make up for poor pay.
Thomas Kohnstamm also claims in a book that he accepted free travel, in contravention of the Melbourne-based company’s policy.
His revelations have rocked the travel publisher, which sells more than six million guides a year – guides that generations of tourists have come to rely on.
Mr Kohnstamm, whose book is titled Do Travel Writers Go To Hell? said yesterday that he had worked on more than a dozen books for Lonely Planet, including their titles on Brazil, Colombia, the Caribbean, South America, Venezuela and Chile.
In one case, he said he had not even visited the country he wrote about.
“They didn’t pay me enough to go Colombia,” he said.
“I wrote the book in San Francisco. I got the information from a chick I was dating – an intern in the Colombian consulate. …
These days I am more likely to buy from other companies: Moon and Footprint, for two.
BBC recently purchased controlling interest in Lonely Planet. BBC has their own problems, however. I’m not sure LP can recover.
video – Bottlenose dolphin and whales – Hawaii
Our catamaran trip to the Na Pali coast, Kauai, Hawaii.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube:
2min
Masons do Hawaii right
It’s a special day over at the Mason house. …
The 2wk anniversary of their return from Hawaii.
I’ve got many of my best photos from their 2 week family holiday posted on flickr now. (I tagged along as official photographer.)
It’s almost impossible for the family Mason to organize big holidays away. (I’m shocked they pulled this one off.) And it turned out GREAT.
Jane forever has been trying to organize a big holiday with her life long friend Monica.
Monica’s daughters had plenty of fun too. This trip worked for everyone.
Henry had his birthday on the island.
One day, not so far in the future, the Masons will look back on Kauai as one of the best family trips ever.
I feel lucky to have been with them there.
More photos from Kauai on my Mason photo set. Or see all my photos sets.
Rick McCharles 
