Our Engagement Story

As I’m sure most of you are already aware, Ryan and I got engaged! I feel like I had been waiting for this moment, with this man for my whole life, even before I knew him.

On one of our last vacation days, October 15^th, we decided to go take our Christmas card photos. We always do it ourselves with a tripod and self-timer so it was nothing out of the ordinary for us to drive off into nowhere, find a pretty spot and start shooting. We went to a couple different spots and tried a few different angles before we found the perfect one. Near the river, perfect lighting and beautiful fall leaves. We shot many photos here before I was fully satisfied that we had at least a couple where my face cooperated.

Throughout our time here, I noticed Ryan put his hand in his pocket a few times and in the back of my mind, I hoped so hard that he was feeling for a ring, but ultimately decided he was probably making sure he hadn’t lost the keys to our rental car.

It turns out, when you know, you know. He really did have a ring in there!

Anyway, before we got there I had actually suggested that we be done because we would have plenty of photos to choose from. Ryan disagreed and said we needed a few more. I did my part, standing in frame while he gets the camera focused and sets the timer. From there I think I had the ring on my finger before I realized what was even happening, I just kept asking, “Is this real?” “Are you serious?” “What?!” until it finally sank in. He caught the moment on camera and it is so special for me to have that.

We had a sweet moment together before he went to turn the camera off and that’s when it really hit me. This man, the most perfect man, wants to marry me! I proceeded to sob/laugh with joy. It turns out he had the ring for months and was just waiting for the right moment and also, my best friends had known about it!!

Honestly, I’m surprised I made it back to the car without walking into something, I couldn’t (and months later, still can’t) stop staring at the ring. It’s just what I would have chosen and I love it so much!

When we got back to the house we called or texted our parents, grandparents, siblings and close friends to share the excitement, because lets face it, even an hour of keeping it to myself would have been too long.

I’ve been wedding planning in my head for years so it was only a matter of hours before we decided on the size, guest list and date; and within a few weeks we had a venue, catering and bar booked, bridesmaid dresses bought, wedding dresses tried and suit tentatively chosen.

The wedding will be October 12^th, 2019 and I cannot wait!

Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island

I can’t say exactly what has been happening with my blog this year, but I haven’t felt super drawn to it. I have my moments, I’ll write a whole bunch, post it, and act like I’ll continue to do so, but then life gets in the way and I get busy. Busy doing nothing in particular and nothing worth writing about. I also frequently write posts, finish them to about 75% and then leave them in my drafts. I'm sure one day they'll be finished and posted.


All that aside, it is almost vacation time and that is my favorite time to write. Partly because I like to share but also because going back, re-reading and re-living these trips is one of my favorite things to do.


Ryan and I leave for the Maritimes (yes, again) on Saturday and I cannot wait! We will be gone for 10 days and 11 nights and that seems simultaneously like a nice long trip and also like it's hardly anytime at all.


This year we will spend the majority of our time visiting Prince Edward Island and just a few days in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Here’s the plan:


We arrive at 7am the day before Thanksgiving. We have reserved a rental car and will be headed straight for Barrington to visit Ryan’s family, probably with a stop along the way for treats at Lahave Bakery. We will spend 2 days and 2 nights in the area before moving on.

Stop number 2 is Moncton, New Brunswick. We should be meeting up with my brother and his family for the evening. I haven’t seen my niece since 2015 when we visited and I’ve never met my nephew who will be 3 this month. While we are in New Brunswick we are also planning a trip to St Martin’s to see the sea caves at low tide; hopefully the tide times will work for us!


After a short stay in NB we will make our way to PEI where I expect to be quite busy but will also hopefully have a bit of relaxation. So far our plans include Cow’s ice cream, Moo Moo grilled cheese, visiting Green Gables, Thunder Cove and driving tip-to-tip on the island. I found what looks like a very nice home on AirBnB and we will stay there the whole time, taking daily road trips.


Finally, we will head back to Nova Scotia and spend a day each in Cape Breton and Halifax with a short stop in between to visit my Nanny in Truro. 1 day is not enough for Cape Breton, but I couldn't go to Nova Scotia in October and miss out on the fall colors throughout the Cape Breton Highlands national park. I'm hoping to get to Inverness, Meat Cove and maybe Baddeck. As for Halifax, in our 3 previous visits we have never spent more than a few hours in the city and never spent the night. I really love Halifax and can't wait to spend some time there this time (mostly eating..)


As I always do, I will be writing all about what we see and do on this trip so keep an eye out for more posts!

Abraham Lake + Crescent Falls - Winter vs. Summer

Several months ago now we made it out to see something I’ve been excited about for a few years, and it was everything I hoped for!

On a random Saturday morning we left home bright and early with the desire to make the most of our day in the mountains since it’s over 3 hours each way. Ryan and I had been to Abraham Lake about 3 times before and it’s been beautiful each time, but what I was after this time was the frozen bubbles.

If you’ve never heard of frozen bubbles before I wouldn’t be surprised. I've never heard of this anywhere else and every picture I’ve seen is at Abraham Lake. This strange and beautiful sight is caused by dead organic matter (leaves and animals) falling into the water and sinking to the bottom where bacteria can eat it and create methane gas.

If you are interested in finding it for yourself, there are only a few spots on the lake where the bubbles appear and you’ll probably know where that is because of how many other cars and people are there. If you plan to arrive before the crowds you’ll want to look for “Windy Point” which has no signs but does come up on Maps and is, unsurprisingly, extremely windy. I guess this information isn't terribly helpful at the moment, but there is always next winter!

As previously stated, it was pretty obvious once we arrived that this was the place. Plenty of people were around, all with heads down and cameras out, just as pleased as we were to have finally found the spot. The ice is some of the clearest I’ve seen and gives the illusion of walking on water, except when you step on a patch of bubbles.

During the same trip we visited Crescent Falls. I've been many times before but never in winter and I was curious about whether the fall would be frozen; it was.

In stark contrast, we've just been to visit again and it's a whole different world. Abraham Lake is Alberta's largest man-made lake, created by the building of the Bighorn dam in the 1970's. Because of the dam the lake depth fluctuates quite significantly between seasons and this year is was the lowest I've personally seen. We only spent a short time there during our trip but we were able to drive out to a point that is usually under water and therefore get a slightly new perspective.

Again, we made Crescent Falls part of the same trip due to its close proximity. I managed to convince everyone to hike to the bottom of the fall with me this time since no one would in the winter and it was much more fun. If you've ever considered going down but didn't like the look of the trail, just remember that I got a 6 year old down and up again without incident.

I took the aforementioned 6 year old as close as you can go to the base of the waterfall without getting your shoes wet and she screamed in delight that this was the most amazing thing she had ever seen. And that pure joy was one of the most amazing things I've seen.

Which do you prefer, Summer or Winter in the mountains?

The Very Best Soft and Fluffy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Baking is something I love to do and have for a long time. However, I also really like to eat the things I bake and since I have no self-control I try to limit how often I make treats.

Now, here’s the thing about chocolate chip cookies; I like mine without chocolate chips. I know it’s strange, and I’ve never met anyone else who shares my preference, but I swear it’s delicious! That being said, my most recent batch does have chocolate chips because I will be using them to make s’mores and this cuts out a bit of the melted chocolate mess.


1/2 cup butter - soft, not melted

1/2 cup coconut oil – I have used solid, soft and melted, all worked fine.
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla – I never actually measure mine, just pour!
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp baking soda - Dissolved in 1 tbsp. hot water
2 1/2 cups flour
Extras, however many please you! – Chips, candy, nuts or nothing at all


Preheat the oven to 350F
Beat the butter and coconut oil until smooth
Add white and brown sugar, beat until smooth and creamy
Add eggs, mixing between additions
Dissolve the baking soda in hot water
Add the soda water, salt and vanilla
Add flour, mix until dough forms
Stir in any extras
Roll the dough into balls, approx. 1.5 tbsp and place on a baking sheet
Chill for 2-5 minutes in the fridge
Bake for 13 minutes – Cookies will be pale with lightly golden bottoms and quite soft. They firm slightly while cooling.
Makes approximately 30-35 cookies

Here is my best cookie advice: Don't skip the chilling stage. Chilling the dough before baking allows the butter and oil to harden and therefore not melt as fast in the oven. When the butter/oil doesn't melt so fast the cookies don't spread as much and therefore stay tall and fluffy inside.

I know 1 tbsp seems a bit small for a cookie, but 1. I like the convenience of getting tons of cookies out of one batch, 2. I feel less guilty when I eat a lot of small cookies and 3. We all know that little desserts are very appealing.



How I Saved $35,000 in Under 3 Years While Still Having a Life

I remember a time, not so long ago, when paying monthly bills felt like a burden and I was excited to put $50 in my savings. I have come a long way since then and learned so much.


Working in restaurants and hair salons meant I always had cash, the biggest chunk of my income was from tips, and my minimum-wage pay cheque was pretty small. The issue wasn’t that I didn’t make enough, because I did, it was that always having cash meant it was easier to spend without thinking and the bulk of my money never made it to my bank account, never mind my savings. Since then I have moved to a well-paying salary job where I never see cash and it has been so much easier to save.


I don’t remember now why I started tracking my spending or following a budget, but it has been one of the best financial decisions I’ve made. I created a spreadsheet where I tracked every dollar going in and out of my accounts, tallied my savings and started reading my trends. Having to see, plain as day, how much money I was spending on “miscellaneous” is quite a slap in the face. Just to drive the point home I looked back on my monthly spending sheet, chose a random month and came back with $1062.80 in miscellaneous spending! That doesn’t include bills, groceries, gas, etc. and to be clear, this wasn’t a special month, it was very like many other months.


Now, I’m not going to act like I don’t waste money or shop unnecessarily anymore, I do, but I am much more aware of it and try to make better choices. One of the best ways to do that is moving money from the account attached to my debit card into my savings as soon as possible. Once it goes into savings it’s off limits.

Now that you know the back story, let me tell you how I got to where I am.


My desires and the motivation created by them have likely been the biggest contributor to my ability to save. I am planning for a big move sometime in the future and I’d like it to be as simple as possible. I don’t want to arrive with nothing in savings and struggle to get my life up and running again because I can’t afford it. Likewise, I want to travel as much and as often as I can. I hear about people flying across the world and all they could afford was that plane ticket and hope to figure the rest out when they arrive, that will never be me. And lastly for my significant plans, I very simply want to live the life I want. When I have children I don’t want to worry about whether I can afford them, if I decide to go back to school I want to be able to, if a last minute opportunity comes about I want to take it. Having a money cushion allows me to live the life I want, not just the life I can afford.


As I’m sure many people do, I make an effort to keep my monthly bills as low as possible and live below what I can afford. When I realized how much it was costing me to drive and park at work every day I started taking the train. When the city started charging to park at the train station I took the bus to the train. When I looked at how much I was paying just to have/park/maintain a vehicle that I only drove 1-2 times a week, I sold it. I do miss my van and the freedom it afforded me but it was no longer worth the price I was paying. Similarly, I paid off my phone in full to be able to take advantage of a deal that would lower my monthly phone bill from $100 to $60.


My monthly bills, fixed and variable, total about 49% of my income (on average) allowing me to spend save the remaining 51%. Sure, I could use that to pay for a vehicle I never use, or more clothes that I’ll wear once or go out for lunch everyday but I would much rather squirrel it away for future possibilities.


Here’s where that 49% is going:


38% - Rent takes up the biggest chunk but is also my favorite part to spend on. That probably sounds weird but living in an apartment that I genuinely love and really enjoy spending time in is well worth the cost. I also include home insurance and my parking stall with rent. I can’t really say if I’m paying a lot, very little or somewhere in between for rent because it is so variable depending on where you live, but I think it is pretty average for my location.

30% - Groceries, that thing we all need but would probably rather spend on eating out, or maybe a private chef.. This is the only chunk of my bills that really change from month-to-month. I try really hard to keep within the limits I’ve created for myself but it doesn’t always happen.

21% - Transportation includes my city transit pass and half of the insurance and gas for the car I share with my boyfriend. This total was significantly higher not long ago but selling my vehicle and paying off our shared car has done wonders!

5% - My cell phone is not only my connection to friends and family but also my entertainment, camera, GPS and note pad, among other things. For me it is worth every penny I pay into it.

3% - Electricity. I would say utilities, but everything else is included in my rent.

3% - Miscellaneous payments, bank fees, etc. Things I would rather not pay for but am anyways.


Spending bans are my next big contributor. I have done seven 1-month long spending bans over the past 2 years and they have contributed nearly half of my total savings! I usual choose my ban-months for particular reasons. Typically I’ll do one for the month before a vacation to help bulk up my account but I also try to do one in the month I’ll be getting a tax refund (if I do) as well as triple-pay months. One of these months also coincidentally lined up with when I sold my van so that was a great bonus!


On the very opposite side of the spectrum I try to keep contributions to my savings account as low-pressure as possible. Some months I only manage to save $50 because I have that set as an automatic contribution and others, like when I sold my van, I save several thousand. Any savings is better than no savings so I don’t beat myself.

In the process of living life I’m constantly learning and money is no exception. For example, I’m still trying to figure out how to stay on my monthly grocery budget, which shouldn’t be hard but it is. Sometimes I casually try to figure out how to buy a home, not because I want to, but because the process sounds scary and confusing. I’m trying to convince myself to be more minimal, an ongoing journey, and hoping that having less also means buying less and living more freely. Everything I’ve done to get to the savings point I’m at has been trial and error assisted by many internet searches and several YouTube channels.


I figured something else out very recently and I feel a bit silly having not thought of it before this year. In two and half years of budgeting I never once included spending money or savings into the equation. The thought did not ever enter my mind. I made sure to cover all my bills, groceries, gas and my automatic contributions but nothing else, the rest of my money was free to be spent or saved without a particular goal in mind. True, I was usually pretty good about shuffling some money over to savings, but for a long time it was just the excess after shopping, eating and entertainment. Having realized how much I allowed myself to spend in the past I have finally added a spending category to my budget as well as an amount I know I should be able to save. Sticking to the spending allotment is a work in progress, but that’s ok!


Throughout all of this I have still been able to live my life. I’ve made travel a priority and been on many trips, 9 I believe, near, far, budget and expensive. Ryan and I have paid off the car. I’ve shopped for myself, bought gifts, eaten out and enjoyed concerts and movies. I don’t feel at all like I’ve been held back by saving. I’m very happy with the apartment we live in. I’m not yet tired of the fact that I’ve worn the same clothes for ages. I’m not upset about sharing a vehicle.

I’m actively creating the life I want to live by living in a way I’m comfortable with, and for me that has huge value.

Twenty Eighteen Goals, Mid Year Review

I made quite a few goals for myself this year, some easier than others, but I have every intention of crushing as many of them as I can. Here’s how I’m doing so far.

Improve my health – I had to make a few changes here and there, add iron supplements to my daily regime, and just generally be a bit more conscious of what is going on. I’ve been eating a bit better, and by that I mean I’ve shrunken my portion sizes and am making a strong effort to resist the donuts and cookies that seem to end up in my office every week. I’m more active, spending more time outside and doing more things that make me happy, just because.


Get in shape – I’ve made this goal a part of my everyday life in hopes of it being a bit more sustainable and so far it seems to be working. I walk every day at work, run the stairs in my office building (17 stories,) run at home with Ryan and ride our bikes for leisure, exercise and occasionally instead of driving places we need to go anyway.

Run 10km – I managed to convince Ryan that he should run with me and we were doing really well. The first run we did was 2.4km and by week 2 we were up to 3.4km. We took a little break because it go so hot here, but hoping to pick it back up and continue working towards my 10km!

Sort everything I own, again – To be honest, I haven't felt the need to do this again, but I am making an effort to get rid of things as I notice they are un-used or unloved. I’m still working on the mental block that has me keeping some things though, so any ideas how to do that would be great!


Reading – As of the end of June I have read 10 books! I can only think of one other time in my life that I read this much and I’m realizing how much I actually do enjoy it if the story is right. I’m not sure what I will read next, but I will continue to read!

Travel – Continuing to travel is always going to be a goal, whether I write it down or not. I have an ever growing list of places I want to go, extended trips to take and experiences to have. So far this year I have been to my third Hawaiian island and it was an absolute dream! I finally booked a trip for Ryan and I as well but that isn't until October.

Do more outside – I’ve been doing really well on this front so far, fingers crossed I can keep it up! I have been going for walks outside nearly every day at work, walking, running and biking with Ryan at home, spending some time at the nearby National Parks and we’ve been for our first camping trip of the season! We’ve also been going for picnics with friends at one of the city parks and I’m loving that.

Take a road trip – Ryan and I took a spontaneous road trip to Jasper National Park in May and it was a perfect day. Even though we came and went in a single day, it is always worthwhile to get out! I have high hopes for several more road trips throughout the summer including 2 trips to Saskatchewan and maybe a few more to the mountains!

Take a course or 2 – I was registered for my first course, Birth Doula, in May but it got cancelled at the last moment when the instructor was hospitalized. I have since re-booked for the end of July and cannot wait to get started! The second course I would like to take, scuba diving, is an ongoing potential. It doesn’t take a huge time commitment but it does require me to spend several days in another city. One of these years I’m sure it’ll happen for me.

6 Reasons to Start a Spending Ban

I know that excess and deprivation can both be bad and sometimes is much more ideal, but going for a full month without spending any money feels amazing. I started this practice back in August 2016 and have done 7 month-long bans since then totalling $16,000 in savings. That total isn't necessarily going to be very realistic for everyone but for me it worked on the basis of selling my vehicle for cash and lining up ban-months with tax refunds and months that I get 3 pay cheques instead of 2.


Here’s the idea. Every few months, or more/less, take one full month and commit to spending no money outside of necessary bills and groceries. For me, that also means making a stronger effort to stay within my grocery budget (which I am not great at!) If I can help it, I also try to pre-purchase items before the ban if I know I’m going to run out within that month. I also follow a strict rule about buying food, in and out of the spending ban. If I need to buy breakfast because I didn't have time for something before leaving home it must be bought in cash. Cash that I already have, not that I've taken out for the purpose of spending. Cash is my "free" money.


I’m not sure how I came up with this idea, possibly from an article I read about a woman who didn’t spend for a year (including occasionally dumpster diving for food..) I’m very attracted to the idea but I also have no desire to deprive myself even half as much as she did, I like my food from the store, thank you very much!


There are so many great reasons to take up the occasional spending ban, here are a few:


ONE:
You get more time to consider the things you want to buy.


Impulse buying, seasonal shops, social media.. these are all big purchasing influencers and sometimes convince us to buy things we don't really need. Do you really need that top? Is it worth it to eat out again? Don’t you already have that in 2 other colors? Will you wear that for more than one season? If you see something you really love this gives you the chance to really consider it, evaluate if you truly need/want it and if you can afford it – all before making the purchase. If it turns out you don't really want it, you've saved some money, if you do need it then you get something that will feel more valuable to you.


TWO:
If I don’t buy ____, that’s $___ that I can put towards _____.


I think this is my favorite reason. Realizing that the fewer things I buy and therefore the more I put in savings, the more I have to put towards my next trip! Not buying a $2.50 bagel for breakfast before work might not seem like a big deal, but that is over $50/month if you’re buying every day. $50 can then become a nice dinner out, a room upgrade on your next trip, a new piece of clothing or simply 50 extra dollars in your emergency fund.


I’ve been asked many times how I afford to travel as much as I do (which isn’t even that much!) and this is a big contributor. The other thing to remember is that saving feels more worthwhile if you have a goal and something you truly value to potential spend on later. Travelling is important to me so I make it a priority.

THREE:
Watching my savings grow is way more satisfying than buy stuff.


I have a spreadsheet where I track my budget, spending and savings and watching the savings number grow month-by-month, even though I don’t really know what I’m saving for, is so thrilling! Once you get over the need to spend money to feel good, you’ll realize it feels even better not to.


FOUR:
The big pay-off.


In the end of the month, or quarter or year when I look at everything I’ve saved and realize everything I can now do, it really can buy happiness. Financial comfort and safety allow me to point my life in the direction that pleases me and I can reach for more. Not buying lunch every day, shopping on the weekends or missing an event can feel shitty at the time, but when it allows you to take a spontaneous trip later, or buy something special or go on a fancy date it will feel worthwhile. Your choices shouldn’t be save money OR have fun. The more you save the more freedom you have for spontaneity!


FIVE:
Remember that it isn’t the end of the world if you spend a bit.


I have flexible rules for myself while living on my ban and I keep them flexible because it isn’t the end of the world either way. I love months were I spend nothing at all, but if my phone dies I’m going to get a new one. If I run out of a product that I use every day, I’ll replace it. If something I have decided 100% to buy in the near future anyway goes on for 40% off, I’m probably going to buy it. It really isn’t a big deal.


SIX:
A new appreciation for not spending.


Since starting this journey I have spent more time outside, had more game nights, re-learned to ride a bike and ended up in a wardrobe I love to wear. I now have an arsenal of free thing that I love to do and a lot of the time I do them even when I could be spending money.


Writing all of this out to share has me feeling like I might be ready for a new challenge and I've never done ban months back-to-back, maybe I should try for 3 months?

5 Things You Should Not Miss on the Big Island {Hawaii, Day 5+6}

I find that the farther I get from a trip the harder it becomes to write about and since I’ve been back for 2 months now I decided I better get this finished!


The last 2 days of our trip were very laid back. We went snorkelling at 2-Step both mornings, swam at two different beaches in the afternoons, did a bit of shopping, spent some time in downtown Kona and I finally got to eat at Bubba Gump Shrimp!

2-Step was amazing, as it had been on our previous visits. I didn’t see any more dolphins or turtles, but I spent some time exploring new areas of coral, stalking my favorite fish and swimming through the bubbles created by the scuba divers below me.

On day 5 we drove to Hapuna Beach State park. It was the only time we drove North past Kona and I wish we had have done it sooner. Despite the crazy wind that seemed to be threatening to push us off the highway it was a really nice area to drive and what I honestly expected more of the island to look like. Unfortunately, being the driver means I have almost no photos from these last days!

The beach is a little over an hour from where we were staying but it gave us the chance to drive past the airport and figure out how long we would need to get there the next day. Once we arrived, paid $5 to park and got to the sand I had to cringe a bit. There is almost no shade at all on this whole massive beach and I am not a sun worshipper, the sand is also incredibly hot despite its pale color. I would venture to say that this is likely the hottest and driest part of the island as well.

We found a place to leave our towels, loaded up on sunscreen and ran as fast as we could to the water in an attempt to keep our feet from burning. As much as I wasn’t excited about this beach in the beginning, I have to admit that it was a really gorgeous place to spend an afternoon and if you stay deep in the water with hat, sunglasses and sunscreen on you’ll hardly notice the crazy heat.

The second beach we visited, and sadly our last dip in the ocean, was at Magic Sands in Kona. The beach is very small and fairly crowded but it has bathrooms, showers, shade and is conveniently located in the city. The waves at this beach were fairly large and a lot of fun to play in, but I wouldn't recommend being too near to the shoreline. I saw several people get knocked over, rolled and spit out (with swimwear barely intact) by the powerful waves. That being said, going out a bit deeper tends to keep that from happening.

After our final swim we went to Bubba Gump Shrimp Co for.. lobster! Lobster mac n' cheese to be specific. I don't know that I would consider this a must visit restaurant, but I would definitely recommend trying it at least once if you get the chance. We also got a nice view over the water and out to the cruise ships from our table on the patio. 

Our long, very cold and thoroughly exhausting flight home gave me a chance to think about all the amazing things I got to experience and these are my top five that should not be missed:

1. Snorkel (or dive) with Manta Rays

This is without a doubt one of the most incredible things I've ever done. I remember watching movies like Free Willy as a child and thinking how amazing it would be to get so close to wild marine animals; I guess this fulfilled that. Getting to see these giant animals up close, see their behavior and have them completely unconcerned about the watching people was amazing.


2. Visit the summit of Mauna Kea
You don't need to do anything, you don't even need to get out of the car if you'd rather not, but just being up there and taking in the view is truly breathtaking. This is one of the only places in the world that you can go from sea level to 14, 000ft in two hours. The drive to the top was a bit intimidating but also quite thrilling and it gives you ample time to take in your surroundings before you come out above the clouds.

3. Snorkel (or dive) at 2-step

Though it is quite crowded, 2-step is well worth the visit. The water is full of a diverse assortment of marine life from coral and fish to turtles and dolphins making this one of the best snorkel spots in the state of Hawaii. We got lucky to see all of these things, have beautiful weather, meet interesting people that frequent this place and be staying within a 5 minute drive. Even if you're not interested in snorkelling or diving, dolphins and turtles can frequently been seen from the rocky shore.


4. Take in the lookout and drive to the bottom of Waipio Valley
Waipio Valley from above is a really beautiful scene and well worth the drive to visit, a lot of people go just to check the lookout point! Personally I found the way to the bottom to be one of the most fun drives I've done, with its bumps, ruts and steep corners. The black sand beach and waterfalls at the bottom are gorgeous and a perfect place to spend an afternoon, just keep in mind that swimming can be dangerous here because of rip currents and high swells. The valley is also home to Hawaii islands tallest waterfall at 1300ft.

5. Visit Volcanoes National Park

I'm not sure now what I was expecting, but it wasn't what I found in the national park. I suppose I imagined one big lava field when in reality it is a wildly diverse landscape that is as much green as it is black. The park is currently closed due to the dangers of an erupting volcano, but I think that makes my visit that much more special. I'm not sure what the park will look like when it opens again, but I would highly recommend you find out (and let me know!)

Now, off to plan my trip to Kauai for next year! Visiting all the main Hawaiian islands was my very first ever bucket list goal at 10 years old, long before I knew what a bucket list was. 

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Kilauea Volcano and Snorkelling with Wild Manta Rays {Hawaii, Day 4}

Seeing an active volcano was one of the things I was most looking forward to on the Big Island, hearing on the news that it has erupted dramatically within a week of me standing on it is shocking. Nature is unpredictable and we never know when things will change. Kilauea has been erupting continuously since 1983 with varying levels of destruction, over 100 homes have been destroyed in that time. As of now most of the national park remains closed to the public. Click here for closure info and current photos from the crater.

As was very typical, we started the day off with a 2-hour drive. To be clear, none of these long drives bothered me in the slightest due to the fact that they’re beautiful and scenic. We went straight to the visitor centre when we arrived, looked at the maps, decided where to go and went.

Here is a bit of what we saw.

  

Our very first stop was to see the steam vents. We walked a short marked trail to see several spots that allow steam to escape from underground.

Along the same trail we saw the sulphur shelf and very near by, and quite memorably, we also saw a small hole that a 10 year old who went off the path fell through in the 90's. The hole would have been covered by a thin crust caused by the steam before he stepped on it.. The steam inside was about 700 degrees Celsius but he somehow got out alive with burns on only 10% of his body.


One of the things I was most excited to see was Nāhuku or as it is more commonly known, Thurston lava tube. A short walk through a lush forest of tree ferns leads to the lava tube. You walk right through, in one side and out the other, back into the forest. The tube is open 24/7 so you can visit any time. Lights have been installed inside, presumably for safety reasons, but they get turned off at night so visitors can experience the true darkness of the cave if they wish.

From the fern forest we drove to the Jagger Museum which has the best view of the Kīlauea caldera/Halema'uma'u crater . Don't be fooled by photos though, you are quite far from the active vent and cannot get any closer. If you look closely you can see a small amount of lava bubbling up beneath the gas and steam. Not that we stayed to see but the whole area glows red in the darkness.

 

An unexpected favorite from this day was stopping to see the Pu‘u Loa petroglyphs.  The hole is where families would bring newborns and place their umbilical cords. It connects the baby to its family and the earth. Some markings were also made by ancient travellers, a sort of "DH was here" kind of thing.

We drove a significant portion of the Chain of Craters road, stopping many times along the way to walk through the lava fields, do short hikes or just take in the views all around us. I wish I got more photos but as the driver I would have had to stop constantly to capture it all.

When we had our fill of the park we drove to the nearby black sand beach in hopes of seeing the green sea turtles. We had planned to swim as well but decided against it since we would be snorkelling later in the evening. Strangely, all the turtles laying on the beach were within an area that had been marked out with rocks. I know that the rocks are put there to make a boundary between man and turtle, but how do the turtles know to go there?!


As great as the park and beach were, the best part of this day (or maybe the whole trip) happened after the sun went down; Night snorkelling with Manta Rays.

We drove to downtown Kona, got into our wetsuits, onto a boat and took a short ride to where the Rays spend their nights. I spent 4 months waiting for this and could not wait to get in the water with them.

The tour we went on had very specific rules about what you should and cannot do in the water. The leader has a surf board with a battery and lights on top (with holes cut in the board so the light shines under the surface), handles around the edges and a rope at the end so he can pull us to where we need to be. We are expected to keep our mask and snorkel on at all times, hands stay on the handles, legs stay straight out along the surface. We were also given a noodle to put around our waists to help keep us up. Putting legs down or reaching isn’t allowed and will get you kicked out.

We were only in the water for a minute when we got our first sighting, surprisingly it wasn’t a Manta Ray, it was a pod of dolphins! Some kept their distance but a few swam right below us, close enough for our lead to touch if he had wanted to. For the record, touching, feeding, chasing, or generally harassing marine life is Illegal in Hawaii.


I’m not sure how best to describe this whole experience. The Manta Rays are like giant butterflies under the water; gentle and unconcerned by our presence. The lights on the surf board attract Plankton, one of the main sources of food for Mantas, and therefore attract the Manta Rays and keep them swimming nearby. We had several come right up to perform their feeding backflips, and it was quite a sight.
We were in the water about 40 minutes or so and it was truly one of the most memorable things I've done. I couldn't recommend it enough. This is the company I went through for anyone interested in trying it out for themselves!