Day 39

So we got up at 5am and took our backpacks and a flashlight and started our journey. It was dark and cold and spooky walking through our familiar paths in this way. I jumped at shadows and noises that I had no reason to. The walk up the driveway was a lot at that earlier, and no sleep, I was to excited to sleep. We saw a truck at the Chevron and I decided ot try and hitch rather than walk uphill 45 minutes to the bus stop. The guy said sure and we got a ride to Manago hotel with three of the cutest sweetest dogs in the back with us. It was a good thing we got there early because I had major intestinal distress. Jeremiah saw a bathroom at the senior center just behind us and I barely made the walk to the toilet. I had to poo so bad it impaired my walking. Oh the sweet relief, there was no way I would have made the bus ride so it was perfect that we got the ride and arrived early. We met a girl waiting for the bus who been to Oregon, and the Cheese factory and we reminisced of our home state. The bus was freezing cold and it was so dark out. It was nice that just as things started to lighten up was when we were getting in unfamiliar territory. The rolling hills on the start had little patches of dried grass that looked exactly like the savannah grass in Zoo Tycoon, it was kind of funny and I wish Alana had been there to concur with me : ) After that I sort of slept and tried to forget I was freezing until we hit Waimea. Waimea is beautiful. The rolling green hills in the background were just amazing. The bus stops behind this big store complex and the driver tells us everyone has to get off and it will resume at 8:20, it was 7:50, so we figured we had half an hour. We went to starbucks and got some food and hot cocoa and came back at 8:10-8:15, we waited, and waited, we finally asked around and they said the next bus wasn’t until 10:45. So the bus driver gave us the wrong time and location, it had actually left at 8:05 by the main road. We had about three hours to kill, great, I was a quite missed but Jeremiah was optimistic and happy so I tried to buck up, but I was looking forward to getting into Hilo at 10am, not 2 or 3. We meet this guy named Adan in the same situation and I kid you not his voice is identical to Jeff Bridges, quite amusing. This guy was a character, we chat about where we’re form what we’re doing, the weather, and then his philosophical rant begins. He talks about hydrogen atoms, biology, science type stuff. How DNA has a conscience and we didn’t get here by marinating billions of years ago in some cesspool and evolve from there. He isn’t religious, after thinking about all the fancy things he said, this guy used big words and I didn’t understand half of it, I think he believed that some alien life left matter on earth that is the very advanced in almost a technical way, as the cells and DNA and evolution we are. It was very thought provoking and interesting, but kind of crazy. We wondered in and out of a few stores and got on the bus where he started talking about it again, but now about how bad things are getting anf the fact that we are dissecting and studying, and essentially screwing with the very cells and DNA that make us, and altering them, is so wrong. I sort of agree, that we affect and hurt the very things that make us. He also talked about Monsanto, which I am convinced in the root of all evil, and their domination of seeds, and essentially our lives. I then proceeded to nod off and let Jeremiah chat. I slept almost all the way to Hilo. We get there and I am still freezing. We check out the hostel, too expensive! And decide to eat, then find a bed. We have a delicious Tai meal at a very charming little restaurant. Now it’s quite warm and clear blue skies. The waitress gives us a map and general idea of where the hotels are and we’re off. To get there you walk through the most beautiful, huge garden. Full of cute little ponds, streams, footbridges. We inquire prices at several hotels and settle on the Hilo Bay Hotel. Our room is pretty cool, it was $73 dollars for the night, only $8 more then the hostel and we get private everything, a pool, and breakfast, so definitely worth it. Later, after the fact we learn was free entertainment at dinner too, but we missed out. We go try the pool and only get our feet wet and read its so freezing and the sun isn’t out anymore. When we get up to leave we go dip our feet in the ocean about ten feet away and its like twenty degrees warmer, but gross and there are tons of leaves, quite funny the ocean is warmer then the pool. We had seen an add on the map for this interesting looking store and have nothing else to do that evening so we walk. In short we walked about two hours to and from, and some getting lost for a lame, overpriced, small place, impossible to find. We are so worn out we take a break and eat at this place identical to L&L but named something different and nourish ourselves. I am so exhausted I ask Jeremiah to just talk and keep me distracted on the almost hour walk back. We end up singing every lyric of every Bowie song we can think of. It was a lot of fun and a fond memory I’ll keep for a while. We get home and crash. I soaked in the tub and the fan is loud and sounds like its broken and trying to hang on, but its nice to relax anyway. So we have been traveling all-day and done essentially nothing except spend a lot of money on food and bed out of desperation. Tomorrow is Volcano or bust!