Arrival

I was very happy to finally reach this sign. It says, first in Hawaiian and then in English: "This is sacred land. Give it your utmost care. Respect it and leave knowing you have preserved it for future generations."

When I reached the beach, some hippies who live up there called me up to a communal campground on one of the heliports. They gave me some polenta they had made (served on a banana leaf), a mango (the valley was full of them), and some water. Then a college kid took me down to the campsites, showing me the waterfall where everyone bathes, brushes their teeth, and gets their water (I used a filter) and the eco-toilets. I set up a camp for the first night on the edge of the campground because all the sites were full. All night long I heard things walking around very near me, and the next morning another camper, who probably heard me lifting my tarp to call out, "Who's there?" several times, told me that the goats walk around there at night. They'd apparently had the same experience their first night. He told me they were leaving (they were a group of 12), and pointed out a good spot near the beach, with a fire pit and some privacy.