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cleantechventures-blog · 4 years

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Explained: Energy Storage

Batteries play two key roles in the energy sector: maintaining consistent grid voltage, a function called frequency regulation, and multi-hour storage for intermittent electricity harvested from wind and solar sources (read more here).

One battery dominates the current marketplace: lithium ion. The high-energy density (storage capacity per volume) of lithium ion cells makes them a great match for portable electronics, substantiating their widespread use in mobile phones, laptops, and electric vehicles. Though developed for these smaller applications, lithium ion accounts for more than 80% of utility-scale battery storage.

These cells, however, have two major issues. Firstly, operating them in high temperatures severely reduces their battery cycle life, thus temperature controls are needed to keep them cool. Those controls, in turn, create a “parasitic” drain on electricity that reduces overall cell efficiency. The flammability of lithium ion electrolytes is the second, even more serious concern. In addition to highly-publicized Tesla vehicle and Samsung smartphone battery fires, a number of utility-scale battery installations have burst into flames, most recently at Arizona Public Service’s McKicken storage facility in April 2019.

Researchers are developing materials and designs to produce cells that are safer, cheaper, have a longer battery life, and perform better in hot climates than existing lithium ion batteries. Some notable possibilities include lithium-metal, lithium-sulfur, solid-state batteries incorporating ceramics or solid polymers, and “flow batteries” with external tanks that allow for easy expansion of storage capacity.

PRICES DROP, DEMAND SURGES

The shortcomings of lithium ion batteries haven’t hindered their exponential growth in the US battery storage market. From just a few megawatts a decade ago, utility-scale battery installations reached 866 megawatts of power capacity by February 2019, and total battery storage is expected to approach 4.5 gigawatts of cumulative capacity by 2024 – a significant leap, but still just a fraction of a percent of overall U.S. generating capacity. To safeguard grid stability against increased consumption and demand uncertainty, deeper investments in energy storage will be needed, for longer-duration, inter-day storage equaling roughly 3-7% of renewable energy-based electricity production.

Though lithium ion prices continue to plummet, as production ramps up. Between 2010 and 2018, the average price of a lithium ion battery pack dropped from $1,160 per kilowatt-hour to $176 per kilowatt-hour – an 85% reduction in just eight years. Within the next few years, Bloomberg New Energy Finance predicts a further drop in price to $94 per kilowatt-hour in 2024 and $62 per kilowatt-hour in 2030.

This huge decline in battery prices has economically enabled solar plants to be paired with storage, particularly in states where high electricity rates coincide with strong policy (like high renewable portfolio standards). A Hawaiian solar-plus-storage plant on the island of Kauai is expected to save 2.8 million gallons of diesel oil annually while supplying 65% of the island’s peak nighttime electric load. It is part of a cohort of new and planned solar-plus-storage facilities that will help Hawaii meet a regulatory mandate requiring 70% renewable energy-based electricity by 2030 and 100% renewable electricity by 2045.

In California, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power has also committed to making battery storage an integral part of its infrastructure. In September 2019, it approved a power purchase agreement that will provide 400 megawatts of solar power and 1,200 megawatt-hours of battery-stored energy for an astonishingly low price of 3.3 cents per kilowatt-hour, making it a cheaper source of electricity than natural gas. Along with the advantage of favorable economics, this deal was driven by the city’s commitment to deliver customers 100% renewable electricity by 2045.

MICROGRIDS

Along with their utility-scale functions, batteries are emerging as key elements in microgrids – small-scale power systems that can supplement or substitute for grid-supplied electricity. The recent spate of hurricanes and wildfires knocking out grid-supplied electricity has brought significant awareness to microgrids, especially for emergency shelters, hospitals, and similar applications. Creating “energy islands” by pairing battery storage with solar arrays creates a degree of local energy autonomy if grid power is lost (now being planned for Puerto Rico). This architecture is valuable for responding to cyber-threats as well as extreme weather events.

THE NEXT GENERATION

What technologies are out there to meet our growing demand (25-62% increase by 2050, according to NREL), and replace the hazardous, inefficient lithium ion cell?

Pumped-Storage Hydropower: Pumped-storage hydro (PSH) facilities are large-scale energy storage plants that use gravitational force to generate electricity. Water is pumped to a higher elevation for storage during low-cost energy periods and high renewable energy generation periods. When electricity is needed, water is released back to the lower pool, generating power through turbines. Recent innovations have allowed PSH facilities to have adjustable speeds, in order to be more responsive to the needs of the energy grid, and also to operate in closed-loop systems. A closed loop PSH operates without being connected to a continuously flowing water source, unlike traditional pumped-storage hydropower, making pumped-storage hydropower an option for more locations.

In comparison to other forms of energy storage, pumped-storage hydropower can be cheaper, especially for very large capacity storage (which other technologies struggle to match). According to the Electric Power Research Institute, the installed cost for pumped-storage hydropower varies between $1,700 and $5,100/kW, compared to $2,500/kW to 3,900/kW for lithium-ion batteries. Pumped-storage hydropower is more than 80 percent energy efficient through a full cycle, and PSH facilities can typically provide 10 hours of electricity, compared to about 6 hours for lithium-ion batteries. Despite these advantages, the challenge of PSH projects is that they are long-term investments: permitting and construction can take 3-5 years each. This can scare off investors who would prefer shorter-term investments, especially in a fast-changing market.

Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES): With compressed air storage, air is pumped into an underground hole, most likely a salt cavern, during off-peak hours when electricity is cheaper. When energy is needed, the air from the underground cave is released back up into the facility, where it is heated and the resulting expansion turns an electricity generator. This heating process usually uses natural gas, which releases carbon; however, CAES triples the energy output of facilities using natural gas alone. CAES can achieve up to 70% energy efficiency when the heat from the air pressure is retained, otherwise efficiency is between 42-55%.

Thermal (including Molten Salt): Thermal energy storage facilities use temperature to store energy. When energy needs to be stored, rocks, salts, water, or other materials are heated and kept in insulated environments. When energy needs to be generated, the thermal energy is released by pumping cold water onto the hot rocks, salts, or hot water in order to produce steam, which spins turbines. Thermal energy storage can also be used to heat and cool buildings instead of generating electricity. For example, thermal storage can be used to make ice overnight to cool a building during the day. Thermal efficiency can range from 50 percent to 90 percent depending on the type of thermal energy used.

Flow Batteries: Flow batteries are an alternative to lithium-ion batteries. While less popular than lithium-ion batteries—flow batteries make up less than 5& of the battery market—flow batteries have been used in multiple energy storage projects that require longer energy storage durations. Flow batteries have relatively low energy densities and have long life cycles, which makes them well-suited for supplying continuous power.

Solid State Batteries: Solid state batteries have multiple advantages over lithium-ion batteries in large-scale grid storage. Solid-state batteries contain solid electrolytes which have higher energy densities and are much less prone to fires than liquid electrolytes, such as those found in lithium-ion batteries. Their smaller volumes and higher safety make solid-state batteries well suited for large-scale grid applications.

However, solid state battery technology is currently more expensive than lithium-ion battery technology because it is less developed. Fast-growing lithium-ion production has led to economies of scale, which solid-state batteries will find hard to match in the coming years.

Hydrogen: Hydrogen fuel cells, which generate electricity by combining hydrogen and oxygen, have appealing characteristics: they are reliable and quiet (with no moving parts), have a small footprint and high energy density, and release no emissions (when running on pure hydrogen, their only byproduct is water). The process can also be reversed, making it useful for energy storage: electrolysis of water produces oxygen and hydrogen. Fuel cell facilities can, therefore, produce hydrogen when electricity is cheap, and later use that hydrogen to generate electricity when it is needed (in most cases, the hydrogen is produced in one location, and used in another). Hydrogen can also be produced by reforming biogas, ethanol, or hydrocarbons, a cheaper method that emits carbon pollution. Though hydrogen fuel cells remain expensive (primarily because of their need for platinum, an expensive metal), they are being used as primary and backup power for many critical facilities (telecom relays, data centers, and credit card processing).

Flywheels: Flywheels are not suitable for long-term energy storage, but are very effective for load-leveling and load-shifting applications. Flywheels are known for their long-life cycle, high-energy density, low maintenance costs, and quick response speeds. Motors store energy into flywheels by accelerating their spins to very high rates (up to 50,000 rpm). The motor can later use that stored kinetic energy to generate electricity by going into reverse. Flywheels are commonly left in a vacuum so as to minimize air friction, which would slow the wheel.

For further information or strategy consultation regarding raising seed round, advisory partnership and creation of business plan including extended pitch deck, you may contact Cleantech Ventures.

#energy #solar power #save energy #wind energy #flywheel #thermal energy storage market #energy conservation #energy costs #energy crisis

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amyseocarner-blog · 5 years

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thing-you-do-with-that-thing · 6 years

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Aia Ku’u Pu’uwai

Pairing: Cockles

Square Filled: Tourguide!Jensen (AU Bingo) and Traveling (Fluff Bingo)

Warnings: Crude flirting, Language, Objectification of Jensen, Implied smut ;)

Rating: Teen

Word Count: 2500ish

A/N: This one is written for @spnaubingo and @spnfluffbingo

Thanks to @emilyevanston for being super awesome and helping me get an actual idea from this concept despite it’s not her fandom. I owe you one Katie!

Thanks to @manawhaat for being a sweetheart and betaing this for me.

Disclaimer: I am not Hawaiian so the title could be off I just really liked it and googled it to mean With My Heart. I have also never been to Hawaii. My descriptions are from google searches and what I’ve seen on Hawaii 5-0

***My fics are not to be saved nor posted on any other sites without my express written permission.***

SPN AU BINGO MASTERLIST - SPN FLUFF BINGO MASTERLIST

Misha yawned, stretching his arms above his head. He knew he shouldn’t have booked a tour that started this early the morning after he landed, but the pictures on the website had looked amazing. Misha had been working as a travel journalist for five years now. He picked different tours, in different locations and wrote a review for his magazine. He knew that just because something seemed amazing on the website didn’t mean they always would be. He had encountered enough bad tour guides and screwy hotels to know that, but he also never made up his mind beforehand. Something about the idea of a guided tour biking around the island of Oahu. He came with a positive mindset and was ready for whatever the next two weeks were going to throw at him. Or so he thought. That was right up until he saw the tour guide walking towards the group with a huge, genuine smile plastered across his face.

The beauty of the Hawaiian island paled in comparison to the man striding towards him on bowed legs. His shorts were stretched by the thickly muscled thighs and his t-shirt hugged his chest and biceps in all the right places. His skin was tanned, but miles of freckles were still visible all over his arms, neck, and face. His eyes were greenest Misha had ever seen, but that was not all. A kindness and warmth shone from this man and Misha instantly felt drawn to him. So much so that when the tour guide looked around the group and his eyes locked with Misha’s as he introduced himself, the journalist looked down, blushing under the guides gaze.

“Good morning. My names is Jensen Ackles. This is my assistant Osric Chau. We’ll be your guides for the next two weeks. We got a few things and stops planned for you guys, but if you encounter anything along the way you would like to check out a bit closer please let us know. We are pretty flexible,” Jensen sent Misha a smirk as he said the last sentences causing Misha to almost drop his jaw. Was Jensen flirting with him? No. Misha decided he had to be imagining things.

Over the next few days, it became harder and harder for Misha to stick to that story, though. Just like it was insanely difficult to keep his focus on the guided tour he had come here to write about, not on how his guide’s calves flex as he stepped on the pedals of his bike.

Jensen was just like Misha had expected not just a pretty face. He was calm and attentive to all of his guests. He listened when they voiced concerns and he was open to any suggestions that would add the experience of the island. Osric was a ball of energy and made everyone smile with his shenanigans and crazy stories during breaks. He never had Misha’s full attention though, his eyes were usually resting on Jensen as he chewed on his lunch and smiled, shaking his head at his crazy assistant. Misha wished he had the balls to just walk over and sit next to him, but he was barely able to muster the courage to ask the man questions as they stopped looking at sceneries.

Misha cursed himself more than once. He was acting and feeling like a high school kid around his first crush. He was too old to be behaving like this. Jensen was flirty with him and always smiling whenever their eyes met, so why couldn’t Misha just talk to him like a normal person? That’s how the first few days passed, with the small exception of the day they went scuba diving and Jensen checked Misha’s gear, running his hands over his body, under the pretenses of doing his job.

“Just making sure you can handle my package,” Jensen grinned, making Misha gulp and spin around to face him. Jensen didn’t flinch. That cheeky smirk stayed plastered on his stupidly beautiful face as Misha swallowed and tried to regain control of his voice.

“W-what?”

“The oxygen tank. Just making sure it was fastened correctly,” Jensen explained, before throwing Misha a wink, turning to help some of the other guests. Misha just stood there staring at Jensen’s back like a deer caught in the headlight. He had really said that, hadn’t he? It couldn’t be all in Misha’s head. Jensen was flirting with him, and crudely s.

The diving experience had been amazing and Jensen had led them through a reef, allowing his guests to get some of the most breathtaking pictures Misha had even gotten on any of his travels. The wildlife and ocean floor was a sight to behold and there was no way in hell Misha wasn’t going to give this trip five stars as soon as he got back to the mainland, writing up the piece.

That was still over a week away, though, and Misha was in no rush to get home. He was having the time of his life on this work vacation, even if Jensen’s blatant flirting still threw him off his game by a mile. Misha wasn’t usually a shy guy and he had no idea what it was about Jensen that made him turn into a blushing teenage girl. Yes, he was hot as hell, but Misha had dated hot men before. It was something else. Maybe it was the quiet confidence or the kindness and calm that radiated from him. Misha wasn’t sure but he knew he had to get a grip on himself soon if he didn’t want the opportunity to really get to know this Greek god of a man to slip through his fingers.

Misha had decided today would be the day. The last day on the island would be their surf lessons, but once again Misha’s courage had escaped him the second Jensen had gotten too close. The guides were only able to rent out a limited number of boards, and the guests drew numbers to see who would go first, while the others would have to wait for the first group of riders to be done. After drawing the second group, the blue-eyed travel journalist was sitting on the curve outside the hotel they were all staying at, for now. Tomorrow most of the group, along with Jensen and Osric, were flying to Kauai to continue the adventure for another week.

Misha watched them surf and chatted with other guests, but kept getting distracted by the way Jensen ran around the beach, wading waist deep in the beautiful ocean. Before he knew it, the first group had all tired out and gotten their rides, and it was his turn to strip out of his shirt and stand barefoot on the beach with his board.

“Mr. Ackles,” Misha called Jensen over as he stood by his board, shifting on his feet a little nervous the second their eyes met. Jensen’s face split into a smile that made the sun seem bleak in comparison.

“Jensen. Mr. Ackles is my father,” Jensen corrected as he approached Misha. “What’s up, Mish?”

Misha’s heart jumped into his throat with that nickname, and he silently cursed himself, as he fought to keep it together. “I… ehm… I actually never surfed before,” Misha lied. He had but he was also just bad enough at it that he was sure Jensen would believe the lie once they got into the water.

“Oh that’s no problem,” Jensen grinned dropping his board on the sand right next to Misha’s. “Lie down on the board on your stomach, chest up, ass down,” Jensen guided, with a smirk, correcting Misha’s posture with his hands as well as his voice. It was all Misha could do not to groan from the way the guide’s touch felt against his naked back. His breathing speed up as Jensen lied down next to him on the board, mimicking a paddle. “You need to paddle as hard as you can to get over that wave. It’s tough, cause the water is escaping you, but once you get to the crest you can go over and ride that bad boy on your stomach,” Jensen held onto the sides of the board, showing where he should hold and how to shift his weight to balance, “or you can get up.” Jensen jumped, both feet landing on the board at the same time, showing perfect form, not to mention showing off his impressive physique.

Misha just stared, desperately trying to come up with something to say- something that would resemble some sort of human interaction and not the noises he was choking back.

“Jay! Need your help over here,” Osric called, tearing Jensen’s attention away from Misha momentarily before he turned back to face him. A genuine sweet smile was on his lips as he gave Misha a small nod.

“Work on your technique. Wanna see you poppin’ up when I look over here,” Jensen ordered before turning his back to Misha.

“You’ll be back before I get in the water right?” Misha called out, kicking himself with how needy that sounded, but Jensen just turned around with a shit eating grin on his face.

“Oh you’re on my to do list, Mish,” Jensen winked, before turning back around and jogging towards Osric, leaving Misha with his jaw hanging so low it was almost touching the beach floor.

Jensen walked out from the hotel with a regretful look on his face. “I am so sorry, you guys, but there seems to have been a mix-up and we haven’t quite gotten as many rooms as we asked for. The travel company will reimburse all of you for the cost of rooms since the hotel didn’t hold up the agreement, but we need you guys to pair up with someone you’d be willing to share a room with until the hotel has enough open rooms to place us individually.”

There were a few grumbles among the guests but most had gotten to know each other fairly well, so they seemed to pair off rather quickly. Everyone but Misha, who had either been busy taking notes for his article or staring and Jensen the entire trip, instead of socializing with the other guests.

“Well that seemed to work out fairly well,” Jensen praised the guests handing out keys, before reaching Misha last, “looks like you’re with me, Mish. I hope that’s okay?” Jensen asked, a genuine concern to his voice over the crude flirting and smug remarks Misha had come to expect from him over the past few days.

“That’s fine, Jensen. It’ll be fun to get to know you a little better” Misha answered him, feeling a little bolder with the changed attitude of the tour guide. Jensen seemed to relax instantly after that, sending Misha one of the shit-eating grins that left Misha tingling and slightly nervous.

Misha waited along with Jensen until all the guests had been helped to their rooms. He sat in a corner of the foyer waiting for his guide to be ready to leave for their room, taking notes and not noticing Jensen whispering something to Osric. Misha also didn’t see the exchange of keys or the grin on Osric’s face as he placed a slap to a rather uneasy looking Jensen’s shoulder.

“This way,” Jensen mumbled, sending Misha a small smile but otherwise keeping his eyes nailed to the floor as he led the way towards their room. Misha couldn’t help but frown as he watched the guide, wondering what was going on with him. He didn’t know him all that well, but from the seven days Misha had spent with Jensen, he had not once seen him act like he was now-On edge and maybe almost shy.

Misha pushed the thought out of his mind, chalking it up to the stress the room mix up had caused. Even if Jensen had handled it amazingly well.

Misha stopped dead in his tracks, pulling from his thoughts when he entered the room with Jensen, who had been holding the door open for Misha, right behind him. There was only one bed in the room. Misha’s cheeks flushed bright red as he turned around to face Jensen, who stood with his back against the door and his eyes nailed to the floor. Jensen’s hand nervously ran behind the back of his neck and his eyes didn’t, for the first time in a week, meet Misha’s when he spoke.

“I’m sorry. Os is in a room with two beds. I’ve never done anything like this before… I just- I like you, Misha. If you wanna kick me out right now, I’ll leave. No questions, no awkwardness tomorrow,” Jensen rambled and Misha couldn’t help but smile. The cockiness had been hot as hell but Misha found himself falling for the shy, blushing man in front of him even harder.

“And if I don’t?” Misha asked, taking a step forward, all of a sudden feeling bold. He wanted to see where this night would take them. Hell, he wanted everything Jensen was willing to give him and not just tonight. Misha wanted to get to know him and for Jensen to get to know Misha.

Jensen’s eyes snapped up to meet Misha’s and a small smile played on his lips. “Then I’ll stay.” Misha grinned as he remembered the remarks Jensen had made that had thrown him off his game more than once this week. It made him giddy inside, and he decided now was a good time to get a little payback, before Jensen found his swagger and Misha lost his ability to speak again.

“Man… Air Conditioning must be broken,” Misha spoked waving his notebook in front of his face, enjoying the confused look on Jensen’s face for a while before he continued taking a step towards his guide. “It’s damn hot in here. Or is it just you?”

Jensen’s raised his eyebrows and an amused smile spread across his face. He took a step towards Misha closing the distance between them.

“You’re a fast learner. Saw you riding those waves...makes me wonder what else you can ride,” Jensen grinned, gently taking a hold of Misha’s collar. Misha’s hands came to rest on Jensen’s hips and he his breath quickened with how close they suddenly were.

“Narh. Just had a great teacher,” Misha tried to shrug, not willing to let Jensen see just how badly he was affecting him just yet.

“Is that so?” Jensen wiggled his eyebrows playfully, making Misha laugh. “You think I can borrow a kiss then?”

Misha smiled, digging his fingers into Jensen’s hip bones. “Only if you’ll give it back.”

Jensen practically let out a groan. “That and so much more, Mish.” Jensen didn’t stop to see the pink flush in Misha’s cheeks before he crashed his lips into his in a warm, passionate kiss. All shyness and every act forgotten as they tumbled towards the bed, never once breaking the kiss.

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Cockles Tag Team

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lucyparkinson-601 · 2 years

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Full Interview

- Tuesday 10th May 2022 -

Which countries did you visit on your trip?

First, I went to America for a month. I had a special plane pass that allowed me to travel around mainland America on standby. From there I visited Hawaii and a few of the islands: Oahu and Kauai. After that, I flew to New Zealand and stayed with a mutual friend where I experienced the major tourist attractions on both the North and South Island. After New Zealand, I went across the ditch to Australia where I had a bus ticket which took me around the whole of the country, starting in Sydney and finishing in Perth. While in Australia, I spent a lot of time with my cousin in Sydney, as well as visiting the friends that I’d previously met during my college experience in Buffalo, New York. It was great being able to catch up with my roommate who lived in Adelaide. After Australia I journeyed to Bali, where I spent most of my time getting to know the locals in Abud. From there, I visited Singapore for a few weeks before returning back home to the UK.

What made you choose these countries?

I knew I needed to visit America, Australia and New Zealand to catch up with my friends from Buffalo, and I was desperate to go to Bali because I’d heard it was really exotic and incredibly different to anything I’d experienced before, having never travelled as a kid.

How long were you away for?

11 months. I left the UK in July of 1992 and returned in June of 1993.

What is your favourite country that you visited? Why?

Definitely Bali. It was because it was so unique and the fact that I got to view it through the eyes of the locals rather than a tourist, made the experience really special. I remember eating food at the local night markets off banana leaves and the friends that I’d made taking me to the local waterfalls to swim; ones that tourists didn’t know about. I got to experience authentic Balinese culture, getting to attend a funeral and a wedding, as well as visiting the homes of the locals. I also got to learn the local language, which I still remember parts of to this day.

Is there a memory from the trip that stands out to you the most? What is it?

Going out with the mounted police. A family friend that I visited in America, won a prize for an experience out with the police horses, where I was taken out for a day on patrol. Having grown up with horses all of my life, this was really special for me. As a child we had one of our horses actually go off and be a mounted police horse, so I remember this occasion very fondly. It’s something that I look back on now that feels even more special, truly a once in a lifetime opportunity that you wouldn’t get to experience nowadays.

What motivated you to travel?

All of my young life I had lived in a little market town called Thirsk. My parents had never travelled and never had the desire to, so I didn’t know anything else other than Thirsk. Thirsk was our universe. When I got the chance to go to university in Buffalo at 19, my perspective of the world completely changed. I was in an international hall of residence full of people doing the same exchange program as me. As well as getting to know Americans, I got to meet lots of different people from all over the world. When I left Buffalo to come back to the UK, I vowed that I’d travel to see everyone once I’d finished my studies.

How did you prepare for your trip? How long did it take?

I came back from Buffalo knowing that I wanted to travel, so I worked every shift that I could waitressing at the local pub to earn as much money as I could. I spent 2 years saving, not going out and buying clothes to save for my trip. I would spend time looking at maps and talking to friends in these countries, planning what I wanted to do. I used the ‘Lonely Planet’ books to read and research what I wanted to do. It was far more difficult than planning for trips nowadays, having no internet and social media!

What did you bring with you?

I bought a large green backpack from ‘Blacks’ in the UK before I left, as well as my film camera and 40+ rolls of film. With using film, I didn’t get to see any of the pictures until I got home 11 months later. I always had my precious carrier bag full of film with me to prevent me losing my precious photos. I went with the basics and collected a lot of things on my travels. I also sent a lot of stuff home in the mail to give myself more luggage space. I carried around travellers’ cheques, since they didn’t have cash machines and plenty of ‘Lonely Planet’ books for each country I was visiting, since we didn’t have internet back then.

How did you stay in touch with your family back home while on your travels?

I sent a postcard to my Mum and Dad, as well as my Nan from every different city that I visited. I spoke to them from Graceland on Christmas day over the phone and my dad cried the whole time, so I couldn’t speak to him! I remember that so clearly! Every now and again I would also send a fax to my Mum’s work.

What are your favourite souvenirs that you’ve collected on your travels?

The photographs that I took would probably be my favourite souvenir from the trip. I also got a beautiful necklace that a little girl in Bali made for me from seeds and grasses, that is really special to me. I also brought back some carvings from Bali which we still have in our living room today!

Was it nerve-wracking travelling by yourself?

Yes, it was particularly nerve-wracking when I first left Manchester Airport and again when I left friends that I’d spent lots of time with. Arriving in Bali was especially scary because the taxi driver wouldn’t take me to my hotel in Kuta and insisted on taking me to his friend’s hotel, where he’d get a cut of the money. In the end I just made him stop the taxi and I got out, but there were lots of men trying to grab me, it was terrifying. I went into the first hotel that I could find and the trip got so much better after that. Another scary experience that I had was at a hostel in Memphis with my friend Jo. The hostel rooms had no locks on the doors, so we decided to put a chair by the door, under the handle to act as a lock. During the night, the drunken hostel owner tried to get into our room, so Jo and I decided we needed to leave and climbed out of our window. The man proceeded to follow us in a Ute, so we ended up getting on a random bus just to escape from him!

How did your overseas experience impact you as a person?

My trip definitely gave me a real love for travelling. To think that I’d never been on a plane until I was 19, I continued travelling after this trip. And this trip is why we’re here in New Zealand today.

Although Bali was my favourite place that I’d visited on my trip, I could never see myself living and working there, however I could see myself living and working in New Zealand. When I went for my first teaching job interview, they asked me where I saw myself when I left that particular school, if I happened to get the job and my answer to that was that I’d be “teaching in New Zealand”. It took a while, but we made it here eventually. For my children I feel that we gave them a great travel experience as kids, visiting lots of friends from different cultures and backgrounds across the world, inspiring them to want to travel as well. How we brought you and your brother up was impacted directly from this trip.

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carlson05skafte · 2 years

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Did You Begin Kitchen Island For Ardour or Money?

Whenever you figure all of this out and you've got the concepts all set you may if you haven't presently choose a whole lot. Let's check out 4 design ideas that can turn your kitchen right into a social hub for you, your folks and your loved ones. If there are four wheels to be connected to the furniture, then the overall weight needs to be divided by 4 to get the person load-bearing capability of each wheel. If you are considering promoting your home in the near future, it is never a foul thought to remodel your kitchen so that you could ask extra money when you place it in the marketplace. Incorporating a little green residing into your kitchen design just isn't a bad thought. A boldly curving granite countertop by means of a kitchen with teak cabinets with their bold, horizontal strains is a perfect instance of this pattern.

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While sitting on the entrance patio, as soon as can see the deer, rabbits and Marsh Harriers in the nature reserve. The original Kiele front 9 completes the 18 holes of Kiele golf. Our elegantly appointed two and three-bedroom Kauai luxurious vacation rentals provide spacious living and dining areas, a completely equipped gourmet kitchen, and non-public balcony overlooking lush garden, golf or Pacific views. The upstairs a part of the watermill has now been transformed into two double bedrooms en suite and the downstairs into a residing area with kitchen, lounge and many others. There's a shaded patio by a waterfall which is perfect for al fresco dining or for having fun with a glass of wine on heat evenings. Your copper vary hood will turn into a focal point in your kitchen, mixing in seamlessly. This makes every piece of copper utterly unique while including welcome character to your kitchen space. Changing out the overall look or feel of your dining is commonly achieved by choosing a theme that showcases your unique type while nonetheless flowing with the design of your home. They're very decorative, and they look as if you can image them in kitchens 2 hundred years ago as effectively.

Provides ambient as well as process lighting for a house. It supplies personalised services that guarantee an easy and comfy keep. Track lighting supplies process gentle for a space. When you've got artwork in your hallway, track lighting is the perfect approach to illuminate the artwork, in addition to provide some further mild that is probably much needed. If you will have a stable coloration throughout an open flooring plan may effectively perform for you. This is why you need to fastidiously plan before getting observe lights. Why Get Track Lighting? Lighting a room is sometimes a difficult activity. An attic can present the perfect alternative to put an underutilized room to good use. But here is the nice facet, it does not have to be this difficult, when coming for a trip to Sri Lanka. Will a very good deal of alterations should be produced? Find most of your meals preparation will thereafter develop into less chaos in your kitchen.

1. Putting an island in the middle of the kitchen that may provide freestanding storage that is also handy from any spot in the kitchen. Some much more aged homes with the awkward cooking space location flooring technique with restricted space can furthermore draw a income from a cooking place island design and elegance thought. In fact a professional contractor may also help to verify the job is done proper: proper use of primer, sanding materials, amount of paint, quality of paint and other mechanics. Leave it to the contractors and painting companies to suggest preparation remedy, type and quantity of primer and paint, and some steerage on which colours tend to make spaces smaller or bigger, or which colors have been paired previously for shoppers looking to create your most well-liked mood. Allow them to handle the details like which kind of paint to pick out: latex, oil, matte, satin or gloss? Professional paint contractors shouldn't be within the business of telling you which ones colors are best to your kitchen or bathroom or bedroom. Also, it is best to decide on a spread hood that comes with lighting and noise discount for multi-performance. The sixth and last cause to decide on a copper stove hood on your distinctive kitchen design is the price.

About Us: Copper Kitchen Specialists is a household owned and operated copper vary hood design and customized design firm. It presents a seashore house for household fun. This pet pleasant hotel gives complimentary parking, pools and health heart. A major middle for tourism. A chair turns into a house office chair; baskets become laundry hampers, a heart desk becomes movable dining desk and so forth. A place that's now being deliberate as an workplace can turn into a guestroom or a nursery. The extra imaginative you are, the diverse software you'll be able to think about. Today's kitchens are more than just locations to arrange meals. Mostly people are in hunt of the place which provides the important places situated near their place. A midnight blue kitchen island would set many people working and gossiping during those uncommon lovely evenings with family and buddies. An unusual place that folks do not generally suppose about placing track lighting is a dark closet.

If you'd like the world suppose about organizing a room switch. An additional bedroom could possibly be come a function out room or a family space/library. This is also a spot the place visitors are entertained, and members of the family typically indulge into late night chats. rolling kitchen cart in your outdoor space based mostly on your loved ones wants and entertainment necessities. Before you approach a remodeler, it is advisable to have a concrete thought of what exactly are your necessities. What kind of functions are you hoping to have. Lets you have an interactive house. Though such a arrange could save you some counter space but the hassles are too many. Chances are you'll desire a dishwasher or an island in the center of your kitchen but at times you have to do a commerce off. These grills typically come in natural fuel or liquid propane varieties and should characteristic accessories such as rotisseries and warming trays.

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Homeowners have started to decide on natural finishes over different kinds of materials when remodeling the home. A targeted strategy is predicted out of your professional residence remodeling service so that no mistake is committed throughout the continuing process. That will help you to work by the method. The important thing to a perfect kitchen lies in how easily you possibly can work and move around it. stove in island reiterate. You select your color based mostly on your ardour, and the professionals do the dirty work. Keep in mind that with a view to be attractive, the final look must be 'unified' in either colour or type. Alternatively, take a look at retro 50's kitchen furnishings if you want something that's previous however not traditional. Track lighting in a kitchen is best when it is a U-shaped monitor. If you want each single space to have its personal shade the most effective prepare for you would be a closed program which might develop separate particular person rooms. Gorgeous gardens turns into nothing once the sun sets, until you utilize contemporary lighting to set off the very best features. Track lighting is a fashionable lighting method that is turning into an increasing number of fashionable in contemporary homes.

When you have a trendy look to your house, observe lights are very contemporary choices so as to add to your house. Not solely do lights add to the attraction of a kitchen's look, but additionally they add to the security of a kitchen. There will likely be alterations at some place to add a storage or alter the dimension or type of a area is fairly easy however you had much better be able to shell out lots much more for customized made ideas. Customized methods are more high-priced however the expense of pre-drawn ideas could possibly be as nicely in the event you request any modifications to them. You possibly can go with a pre-drawn technique or a customized made program that is drawn to your specifications. The plan for your new house may be each customized made or pre-drawn. The efficient u-shape plan is flexible. As soon as you get the plan you can make any essential earlier moment adjustments. NOW being a time of unique climatic modifications. This region known as the Limousin is a brand new one on the vacationer itinerary as it was for many years a usually French vacation region nevertheless the key is now out. The mill cottage has now been converted into a vacation cottage on this central a part of France referred to as the Limousin.

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yeecorp21 · 29 days

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Planning for Your Future: YeeCorp's Fiancé Process Can Help You Achieve Your Goals

Are you looking for the best Investment Protection Planning in Kauai, Hawaii? At YeeCorp, we know the importance of securing your financial future and are dedicated to helping you achieve your financial goals through our financial planning in Hawaii.

Since 1988, we have been offering financial and insurance advice to our clients from a wide range of financial backgrounds. Our experienced and loyal team of finance is committed to providing A Financial Plan in Kauai, HI that provides short-term security while saving your future.

Financial planning is very important for everyone who wants to achieve their financial future goals. It organizes your current situation with your future goals, providing you with a roadmap for your financial journey. Our finance team will work with you to create the best financial plan that will consider your risk tolerance, investment goals, and timeline.

At YeeCorp Financial, our team believes in being transparent with your fiancé. Our goal is to provide our clients with the knowledge that they need to make financial decisions. We understand that the world of finance can be very complex, which is why we are dedicated to guiding you through our fiancé process. We'll explain our financial concepts in very simple terms so that you can easily understand your financial plan.

At our company, we provide a wide range of insurance planning in financial planning in Kauai, HI, including life insurance, disability insurance, Group Life Insurance, Health Insurance, and many more. Our experienced financial advisors will work with you to analyze the right financial coverage that fits your fiancé’s needs. We will carefully identify your current financial situation, future goals, and risks to recommend the most suitable insurance for your future. If you want to secure your future and want to reach your long-term financial goals, YeeCorp Financial can help. Contact us today to schedule a consultation at (808) 245-5384 and you can also visit our official website at www.yeecorp.com.

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yeecorpfinancial · 2 years

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Get Instant Insurance Service Today for Your Better Tomorrow

Do you want beneficial Insurance in Kauai, HI? If yes, then we are here to recommend to you the best company, YeeCorp Financial which can provide you with the best financial and Health Insurance Plans in Kauai HI. Everyone knows insurance can be beneficial for us to make our future secure. But still, somehow we all get confused while choosing insurance. That’s why we are here to help you to figure out the suitable insurance for you.

We can provide you with financial and health insurance and both can be beneficial for you and your loved ones. To unpredictable illnesses, it can help you financially to get recover fast. We also serve Asset Management in Big Island. This is also a kind of financial help and includes in finance insurance. Our aim is not to provide you insurance but to secure your future with the help of our insurance service.

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barbararjohnson7 · 4 years

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The best way to Learn about About Kauai Flood Damage Restoration In just 7 Days.

Implement These Guidelines To Enhance Your Property

Although the possibilities of redecorating can be quite a daunting one, you don’t need to look far to discover the inspiration you will need. Much like other areas of life, things will likely be better while you are educated. This piece will educate you on some key fundamentals certain to help obtain your project going.

When attempting to choose a project, consider whether you plan on selling or staying after which make a decision on how customized any project must be. The greater number of personal your renovation is, it might be not as likely that someone else will purchase the house for what it set you back to complete the work from the beginning.

Any major renovations you possess planned for your home ought to be reviewed by a professional. If you do not or someone you care about has become professionally trained at design, whatever plan you create is unlikely to become functional. An expert designer can think of concrete plans that happen to be viable which conform to local building codes.

Take into consideration getting a combo washer-dryer unit if you are limited on space inside your laundry area. Various combo washer-dryers might be fitted to exchange the place for any dishwasher. It is actually easy to wash and dry clothes in the combo unit.

Cover electrical outlets with aluminum foil prior to painting your walls. The foil is quite a bit easier to apply than tape and protects the complete cover from splatters and drips. Plus, cleanup time will likely be much shorter! Just be certain the paint is completely dry before you take the foil off for recycling.

Never underestimate the length of time a project could take or the potential concerns that could cause it to take more time or will cost more. Come up with a comprehensive list of tasks you have to complete. You must also consider obtaining a second opinion to ensure that you haven’t missed important details. You save lots of money just by keeping to some plan that features everything you will have to do.

When investing in started on any home remodeling project, will not be too quick to begin demolition.

It is very important investigate exactly what is behind your walls ahead of tearing them out. When there is electricity involved at home improvements, it costs much to repair it.

Any time you hire some other company to accomplish redecorating jobs to suit your needs, it really is imperative that you look into the legitimacy of the company first. If this company doesn’t provide their physical address and only conducts business via phone, they could be small-time and might not be reputable. Select businesses that have great reputations.

When you want professional guidance using a redesigning project, make certain you along with your workers draft a written contract before any work is done.

A legal contract can help help keep you safe. Unless you possess a contract, then it is easier for someone to take advantage of you.

Ideally, the information you’ve reviewed here have given you some terrific redecorating ideas. Teaching yourself in regards to the project you are doing provides you with an excellent start. Keep these guidelines in mind, and do more research in the specific projects and tasks you want to accomplish around your home….

from K9WK Home Interior Design Tricks http://www.k9wk.com/the-best-way-to-learn-about-about-kauai-flood-damage-restoration-in-just-7-days/

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insurancelifedream · 4 years

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Why You Should Not Go To Life Flight Insurance | life flight insurance

You can be sure that there is a life flight insurance plan available for you if you travel outside the United States or for the residents of the United Kingdom who wants to go out of town or abroad. Life flight is an exciting adventure that can be had by those who like to travel from one place to another without actually being physically present there. This is because the insurance is not only offered for people who are out of the country but for those who are just going to another part of the country or even another part of the world. The policy should be purchased online through your preferred life insurance company and then it is valid for the duration that you are away from home.

A flight life insurance plan is available to cover the trip as well as the activities that take place before and during the trip. If you are an adult and you are planning on traveling alone, this plan will also cover you and your family when traveling in groups. For example, if you have a group of kids who are traveling with you and they are traveling with you because they have an older person along as their travel companion, you can purchase this plan to cover both parties. This means that if one of your kids gets sick and has to stay in the hospital for several days, the others can also receive medical assistance through the plan.

There are different types of life flight insurance that are available in the market. One of them is called the individual life insurance plan that covers a specific term of your life. There are other plans that are intended to cover a longer term of the life of an individual. For instance, if a single person is going to the island of Kauai to take care of a sick relative, he can purchase the whole life insurance policy so that his loved ones do not have to worry about his health while he is gone. Another type of life flight insurance plan that is available is the universal life insurance plan that provides coverage for the entire life of an individual.

The rates of the flight life insurance policies vary depending on the coverage that is purchased. The younger you are, the lower the rate of the policy will be. The age of the person who is purchasing the policy is also taken into consideration. The plan that you are purchasing can also include accidental death and property damage. as well as the policy provider and the type of coverage that you are purchasing.

If you are purchasing this kind of plan online, you can compare rates among many companies in minutes. through the Internet. The best thing about buying online is that you can find and compare quotes from different companies at the same time, instead of having to shop around.

Life flight insurance is very popular and is a good option to take when someone is leaving home to take care of a family member or friend. If you are an individual, you can purchase the insurance for yourself or for your spouse, or you can find a policy for the whole family to cover everyone, even your dog and cat. Even if you have a small amount of life insurance, this is a great idea to protect your family from the unforeseen. It will not cost you a lot of money to buy a life insurance plan and you may just save it all by purchasing it online, and saving hundreds of dollars on your premiums over the next ten years.

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The post Why You Should Not Go To Life Flight Insurance | life flight insurance appeared first on Insurance.

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#Life Insurance #life flight insurance #life flight insurance alaska #life flight insurance californi

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tirsaroundtheworld · 6 years

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Hawaii

After a 3-movies-and-a-far-too-short-nap flight, we arrived in Honolulu. The change of scenery could not have been more different; jackets changed to boardshorts, scarfs and hats to sarongs and snorkel sets, hot tea to icetea, pinetrees to palmtrees and 10 degrees to 25. Yet, on first sight, we also found quite some similarities between New Zealand and Hawaii. The ancient Hawaiians share their Polynesian descent with the Maori and different aspects of their initial culture are still visible in both countries, though evolved differently over time. Both the Hawaiians and the Maori make use of a ‘tiki’ as a symbol for strength, their languages are similarly phonetic, they brought the same types of produce, have similar tattoos and generally have a similar look. Just as in New Zealand, the population now merely consist of transplants and people with partial Hawaiian descend, but the culture is still alive.

We arrived in Oahu, the 3rd largest island that, as we later learned, is referred to as ‘the city’. It also seems to be the least favourite island, which could explain the fact that we were slightly dissapointed. With the presence of the state’s busy capital city, its many highways filled with pressing traffic, its neverending supply of airconditioned superstores, its skyhigh pricetags and its honestly not that impressive scenery, Oahu came nowhere near our experiences in New Zealand (which, as must be said, had set the bar incredibly high 😂). After backpacking in cheap Asia and basic campinglife in New Zealand, we were now forced into a very American lifestyle, complete with a decadent rental car to get around, crazy supersize food portions, an instant cold due to the strong airco and staying in pricey accommodation, which asked for quite some getting used to. Luckily we stayed with a very nice couple in a centrally located airbnb, the mega cheap car rental deal that we had found turned out not to be a scam and got us rolling around in nothing less than a bright red Volkswagen Beetle convertable and we quickly got the hang of finding the most local spots to get a better feel of the island. We spent 5 days cruising all around the island and these where the highlights of our adventures:

# One thing one can absolutely not miss when on Oahu is Pearl Harbour. We rewatched the movie for the occasion and spent hours exploring the memorial ground and museums to learn more about the painful events that happened almost 70 years ago. An interesting experience!

# One of the downsides of traveling with a rental car is the need for parking space. Probably 99% of Hawaii has plenty of that, but we happened to stay in that 1% where finding a spot is a true struggle. Needless to say we were surprised to find a free spot, almost too conveniently close to home! A few hours later a nice and shiny fine on the windshield explained why no-one had parked there (and that the car’s rego was overdue).. Note to self: do not park within 10 feet of a fire hydrant or it will cost you. 😂 Gotta learn the hard way I guess, at least we managed to remain fine-free from there. 💪

# Oahu is Hawaii’s hikers’ paradise and we tried a selection of tracks, with the memory of our 3728272 breathtaking hikes in NZ still fresh in our minds and muscles. From all the hilltop views, emerald waters and dramatic coastlines we mostly enjoyed the hike to deserted Makapu’u Point with its beautiful views, from where we spotted two great whales jumping up and showing us their mighty tails. Awesomeee! 🐋

# Speaking of spotting sea life; we spotted our very first wild sea turtle while snorkeling in the beautiful and preserved Hanauma Bay. The very pretty and gracious fellow gave us quite a show too; for what seemed like hours he swam peacefully around the reef, going up to get air, going down to nibble on some tasty-looking algae (not) and getting up very close, seemingly interested in us too. And as if all that wasn’t enough, we shared this wonderful experience with another tourist who happened to be holding a HUGE super pro underwater camera. A big thanks to Richard for the photo-proof of this magical encounter! 🐢💖

# To end our time on Oahu in style, we went to watch the sunset at the famous and overcrowded but beautiful Waikiki Beach with our nice Airbnb hosts. The plan was to watch the weekly fireworks from the terrace where we had dinner, but it turned out that we were on the wrong side of the beach for that so the many tall buildings along the coast blocked our view.. The fireworks sounded beautiful though! We ended the night with a few drinks and dances in a very happy Hula bar, of which we never realized that it was a gay bar until we left. 😂 Time flies when you’re having fun!

In under half an hour we flew from Oahu to Kauai, ‘the garden island’. This beautiful island, the 4th in size and 2nd in highest prices, offers some of the most eye-popping scenery and is a lot less American and commercialized than Oahu. Forced by our last-minuteness, we booked the most expensive accommodation we had stayed at all year (and probably even EVER) but spent the next 7 days sleeping like royals. And this is what we did:

# One of the island’s main tourist attractions is the Wailua waterfall. With reason; the falls are truly beautiful and you can drive up all the way to the lookout platform for a magnificent view. Less touristy is the climb down to the actual bottom of the falls, which follows a muddy and steep drop down through thick jungle after you made your way over the fence that’s there to keep you from going there. Once we reached the pool at the bottom we were all alone (apart from some 38393738373 asshole mosquitos) and enjoyed a refreshing swim around the falls and its magical rainbows in the sunlight. 🌈💦

# As if celebrating your birthday with your bum on a stunning beach, dipping in crystal blue seas, staring at palmtrees and sipping from a cooled fresh coconut isn’t enough of a present, we treated each other to one of the most adrenaline rushing experiences we ever had: a skydive! After a first attempt was canceled due to the strong wind, we got up super early, drove to the tiny airport in pretty Port Allen, signed the piles of papers preventing us to have any possible reason to sue the company, got on board of the plane, enjoyed a short scenic flight over the Southern coast of Kauai, jumped and 3 minutes later gently landed back safely on the ground. Doesn’t sound like much, but WOW, what an experience!! I wish that moment of free falling had lasted forever, tumbling down and piercing through clouds, rain and even rainbows before the most amazing sights of the ground below open up in front of you. I was lucky enough to be given some control of the parachute by my ‘buddy’ who I was with in this tandem jump, so I could make turns and see all around while we slowly descended and the harness’s wedgy started to be increasingly more uncomfortable. Quite an exciting start of our 28th and 30th years on this beautiful earth! 🎉

# Along the line of extremities, hidden in the middle of Kauai is the extremely beautiful Waimea canyon - one of the most unexpected sights we found on this trip. Perfectly American we followed the stunning Waimea Canyon Drive all the way up to the step of the central lookout. Just before a stream of tourist busses arrived we took our time to soak in the breathtaking sight of steep cracks of land descending into a deep and colourful valley with beautiful waterfalls and perfectly snaky rivers as silver lining. For the first time Hawaii came close to some of New Zealand’s spectacular sights! We tried to lose the better parts of the crowds by hiking deeper into the valley, passing dense forests, exposed ridges, rocky slopes and countless sick views. We chased waterfalls, balanced on fallen trees and got off the beaten track; what a good day! 💖

# It took some time, but we finally accepted that Hawaii is much more of a place for a holiday than to travel around in. And as soon as we switched to holiday mode, we started to appreciate the comfort we found ourselves in rather than bothering the high pricetags while we could do with so much less. We adapted a slower pace and lined up right next to the seals to chill on Kauai’s stunning Tunnels Beach, found the most beautiful Secret Beach and snorkeled its amazing reef filled with bright fish and turtles, indulged in typical koi burgers and poke bowls, visited farmers markets and hung out in in our lovely Airbnb.

# Any visit to Kauai is incomplete without an encounter with the most amazing and historically important Na Pali Coast, famous for its sheer cliffs and lush green valleys. We found ourselves in the middle of the crowds marching along the muddy Kalalau track that goes rights through the Na Pali Coast state park, until we reached the beautiful Hanakapi’ai Beach, 4 miles into the track. Unfortunately, the views along the track were not as breathtaking as we had hoped and expected, and the crowded beach wasn’t a peaceful oasis to experiece the serene beauty of this special place at all. Nonetheless it was a stunning walk, but we realized that it is hard to experience a majestic place like this from right in the middle; it can better be enjoyed from a helicopter or by boat to see it as a whole. Oh well, at least we saved hundreds of Dollars by just exploring the area by foot. 👍

Warming up to Hawaii more and more we flew to The Big Island, obviously largest in size - it is as large as the size of all other islands combined - but also the youngest of them all. 8 of the world’s 13 climate zones exist on this island, and to us it seemed to be the most ‘Hawaiian’ with less tourists and commercial areas, more ancient Hawaiian sights and a lower pace of life. Upon arrival in Kona we were surrounded by black, solidified lava, which doesn’t look too paradise-y, but we ended up extending and extending our stay as there is so much more around and the highlights kept on coming:

# Going to Hawaii is equal to going surfing, so we had to hit the surf at least once. We were lucky enough to stay with a nice, retired local on Airbnb who took us and his surfboards to his favorite beach where we spent all morning being thrown around by the waves. Right away we were done with surfing, so instead of cruising the island in search of the best surf we got under the waves in search of the best snorkeling spots. Just for the record; the beautiful and insanely colourful reefs and fishes at Two Step won!

# Aiming for a slow afternoon, we went to Kiholo Bay. This peaceful bay is to be found at the end of a not so slow hike along the coast, passing several beaches, a beautiful Balinese house, some private mansions and a field of lava. But once there, it was all worth it; we found a stunning black sand nook and crannie that we shared with just sea turtles (many of them though 😍) to soak in some sun and test our new GoPro. All afternoon we didn’t see another human soul, which felt like a true miracle on Hawaii!

# The first few nights we stayed in Kona with the surfer host, who had ensured us that it barely ever rained on that side of the island. Ironically, we woke up the third morning (and actually already a few times during the night) in the middle of terrible rain and storm. We decided to move to the ‘Hilo side’ of the island, all the way to the east, where the weather is usually a lot wetter but the Airbnb’s a lot cheaper. We ended up in a perfect place on a hill just outside hippy-town Pahoa with the nicest hosts, who we ended up staying with for 12 days. They shared the best places to go and see, where to eat, what to do and what not to do and they took us to the local weekly food festival where we enjoyed local and nonlocal foods, live music and hula dancers. Spending some more time in one place allowed us to find our own favourite supermarkets, beaches, cafes and bars, plus get the hang of the directions! All the right ingredients to blend in and experience a more authentic side of Hawaii; we loved it!

# One of the most interesting and varied national parks of all of the USA is Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. We spent a day exploring this widespread wonderland of craters, lava tubes, thermic activity, ancient petroglyphs, rainforests and spectacular coastal formations and special it was for sure! Especially our drive down to the Southern coast, when the sky cleared, the sun started setting and reflecting on te solidified lava and we could see as far as the end of the coast, was one to remember. And as if we hadn’t seen enough beauty, the park completely changed in the dark! We went back to the star feature of the park, the massive Halema’uma’u crater, the home of Pele, goddess of fire, that seemed all peaceful and quiet during the day but was now spurting burning, bright red lava!! Now that’s a seriously unusual sight for us Dutchies, wow!! 🔥

# Another unusual thing that we went to see is the summit of Mauna Kea, the world’s tallest mountain. What struck us as most unusual about it is the fact that you can just drive up to the summit, at 4.200 meters! Half way up the drive we made an half hour stop at the visitor center, to acclimatize to the altitude and to make a short walk up one of the cones. From there it took us under half an hour to reach the summit, where we got an out of this world panoramic view over the slopes of the mountain, the beautiful surroundings and over the incoming clouds. Unfortunately, it wasn’t clear enough to see any of the other islands - but hey, we were expecting less visibility after recent persistant bad weather! Being that high feels a bit weird, so we didn’t stay for too long before we returned - right in time to avoid the crowds that were coming in to settle for some star gazing. Sometimes you spend the afternoon in the supermarket, sometimes on top of the world’s tallest mountain! A ma zing! 🗻

# Another special place on The Big Island is Waipi’o Valley, which can only be reached by a steep road leading into the valley. One option to go down is by shuttle (a 15 min ride at max), which would cost us nothing less than 60$ a person, so we decided to ‘just’ walk down. Once we reached the valley floor, we found ourselves right in the middle of a blooming green oasis, the most fertile grounds, an abundancy of fresh fruits growing from the trees in and around the gardens of the hippy locals - who aren’t that approving of them curious tourists -, lushy cliffs all around, the smell of weed and free roaming ponies. No wonder the locals are really pressuring the governments to keep their policies out of this valley; time stops here. We continued to walk deeper into the valley, aiming to find a huge waterfall, but a few miles of walking, millions of mosquito bites (on my side) and a slip and fall in the river we had to cross later we learned that we had gone the wrong way and had to turn right back around… In the end we never found the waterfall, but we did end up at a beautiful beach where we enjoyed a picnic on the black sand before we struggled our way up the steep road out of the valley. An adventurous way to keep our summer bodies in shape! 💪

# We ended our stay on the lovely Big Island with a night trip to see Puna’s lava stream. Here, lava from the Kilauea volcano flows down into the ocean, which should be a spectacular sight. To get to the flow, we rented mountainbikes to bike 6 km into the volcanoes national park, from where we continued by foot. The flow was not strong enough to reach the ocean, so we started walking landward as we could see smoldering lava in the dark distance. We walked and walked and walked over the sharp and crunching solidified lava from previous streams, which must be the most deceptive surface in the world as we just did not seem to get any closer. Finally, after an 1,5 hours walk, we literally felt heat under our feet and started to see burning lava through the cracks of the lava we were walking on. Scary!! And just when it all started to feel slightly too dangerous for our taste, we bumped into the actual flow of burning, glowing lava! Wow, that truly was one of the most special things we have seen!! And very very hot, so after we took a really good look and some underlit pictures we decided to start making our way back. It took forever before we finally got back home, but whát an experience! 😱

Sort of sad to move on but ready for new adventures at the same time, we made our way to the airport. The rental shuttle dropped us at the smallest airstrip at the side the airport, where it turned out that we had booked two seats on a tiny 7 seat plane! Though the windy weather made the short flight significantly less comfortable, the stunning views we got while flying over the Big Island’s extraordinary landscape to and over Maui completely made up for it. We had heard a lot of good things about Maui and we had saved our last week on Hawaii to find out for ourselves:

# We were off to a great start when we checked in to a conveniently located Airbnb where our hosts happened to be a very fun couple of our age with who we really clicked! Even though they had adapted the ‘Maui midnight’ routine, which meant that they would go to bed at 8 pm and wake up at 4 am, we managed to spend some time together and really became friends. They had a reaaally cool dog too, awesome!

# One of the main attractions on Maui is ‘the road to Hana’. This road leads from the ‘commercial’ centre around Kahului to Hana in the rather remote and natural side of the island, passing beautiful, thick rainforest dotted with countless waterfalls, rainbow eucalyptus, lushy cliffs, stunning coastal views and food-trucks with local treats. After the ‘secret’ Bamboo Forest that we heard about, to be reached by climbing through the fence around the 6,5 miles marker along the road, turned out not to be the ‘hidden oasis’ that we expected to find, we continued to Hana with just a single stop for some fabulous banana bread, straight from the oven; a treat that cannot be missed on this road! Though honestly beautiful at times, the road was just dreadfully crowded with countless tourists including reckless Asian drivers. Hana itself is a tiny, sleepy place, where we just stopped for some chili dog before we continued our roadtrip along the coast. Even though it is a lot longer in miles, we decided to continue driving around the island, rather than driving back the way we came, and that was the best choice we could have made! Even though ‘the road to Hana’ is supposed to be the main attraction, we were blown away by the beauty of the road on the other side of the island! It took us along the most stunning coastal views - from where we could actually see almost all other Hawaiian islands! -, around a range of stunning, lushy cliffs and beautiful rivers floating through while the sun was setting and the sky turned fifty shades of pink. Where we drove the road to Hana almost in one go, here we literally stopped around every corner! Wow! 💖

# One of our absolute highlights on Maui was catching the sunset at the beautiful crater rim of Haleakalã. On the way to the top we enjoyed some seriously beautiful views, though they weren’t as impressive as Mauna Kea. We settled down on the West side of the of the crater rim, from where we watched the sun going down, through the crowds into the ocean behind the hills, completed by the sky’s brightly changing colours. Will sunsets ever get boring?

# All the way at the Eastern end of the Haleakalã National Park we went for a walk along the Pipiway Trail, which led us through thick forest, past a gigantic tree that looked all magical with the sun roaming through its many branches and into the most amazing Bamboo Forest that not even the ones in Japan could compare to. We kept following the path that got more and more narrow as we continued, with tons of branches of bamboo bending over us and closing us in. At the end we reached an opening with a waterfall and millions of mosquitos, so we quickly made our way back into the jungle. Hawaiian jungle must be the most beautiful we’ve seen!

# Maui seems to have it all; there is a commercial center with resorts and high-end shops, there is a quiet and natural side with countless waterfalls and thick jungle, there are beaches of all sorts and densities and there are many small and rather authentic villages as Kihei, Paia and Lahaina. We loved to spend our time roaming the tiny streets with cute shops, artist markets and peaceful parks, visiting museums to learn more about Maui’s whaling and settlers history and feel the vibes, while indulging in fresh smoothies, açai bowls and shave ice. We did save one of the bests for last!

# Our favorite beach on Maui was Big Beach, where we were lucky enough to meet some nice people to play beach volleyball with. We came back for the weekly beach volley ‘competitions’, which is a gathering of people who spend all day playing volleyball, chatting, swimming and drinking. Gotta love islandlife! 🤙

# As recommended by our new Airbnb friends, we made a beautiful hike along the Waihe’e Ridge. In under two hours, we climbed higher and higher, following the ridge and enjoying the most beautiful views over the ‘Iao Valey, the coast and the other side of the island. How I wish we would live in a place like this and could do this as our daily exersize! 💫

# We had our first couchsurfing experience! It took us a year, but we finally signed up and were accepted to be hosted by a lovely couple on the island. Other than with Airbnb, these people really invested in getting to know us a little bit, we had dinner together and we shared travel experiences. It is really interested to see how an experience changes when the influence of money is taken from the equation! Our stay really added to a genuine and authentic experience of Hawaiian life on Maui, and we hope to be able to return the favor one day as our lovely hosts come to visit us in NL!

And then, all of a sudden, those 5 weeks that seemed so long at the start had flown over and our date of departure arrived. Still sandy from our last day at the beach, we changed into our warm winter clothes on the airport and checked in. Bye bye summer, beachbums, palmtrees and coconuts; time to get used to some winter temperatures in Chicago! ❄️🇱🇷

#Oahu #Honolulu #Kauai #The Big Island #Maui #Hawaii #traveling #aroundtheworld #blog

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