Danger Zone

Getting around Oahu these past few weeks hasn't always been peaches and sunshine. While Monica was here we were able to bum rides off of her mom, and casually take the bus to and from central Honolulu. But after Monica left, I was on my own, and this idea became known quickly after my first 3 hour long bus ride. Lexy and I had to figure out an alternative mode of transportation, but with the legal age to rent a vehicle sitting at 21, we were out of luck. Until John, a beacon of hope/rental promoter approached us in the streets and sent us towards the light.

You know the expression commonly used while driving regarding bad drivers? "They'll give a license to anyone these days," is how it goes I think. Well the same goes for mopeds. All we had to do was sign a form, do a quick, unsupervised lap around the block, have a driver's license, and we were off. When Alexa first hopped on the moped, I saw the horror ensue in the renter's eyes as he watched her wobble to the stop sign. With a blantant reluctancy only reserved for people such as myself and Alexa, he handed us the keys to two brand new mopeds.

As thrilled as we were to have quick and easy transportation, we were both worried about our past driving experiences, and were left without a scrap of confidence. Little did we know that Honolulu is home to some of the world's worst drivers, and we fit in just fine. Weaving through traffic, cutting off vehicles, nearly skimming pedestrians, and forgetting to signal were common occurences, but like we had originally planned at the beginning of the day, we made it to Manoa Falls. Parking wasn't so easy, seeing as the mopeds had to be chained to a stationary object. It's a lot harder to find when you're in the middle of the rainforest. After severely burning myself on the moped's exhaust pipe, I was able to secure the bikes to a pole, and set off on the hike.

The first few steps of the hike were as exhilerating as they were memorable. The rain had begun to hammer the tops of the trees that provided minimal coverage, and the harsh winds we had once experienced were silenced through the forest's natural shelter belts. Through deep breaths, I took in the smells and sounds of the wild. I was frozen in time while all around me nature continued to blossom. As we struggled through the mud and newly formed streams, we noticed an opening in the trees. Like stepping into a rainforest dome, we were encapsulated by connected banyan trees and stretching vines. It was incredible to witness the truth that lie behind the lush plant life.

We continued to hike against the downhill moving waters which slowly expanded into rushing tributaries. With each step I found myself becoming more and more in sync with my surroundings, and was able to stray away from the pain my legs felt, or the chill that the rain had brought. After about 45 minutes of trudging through the mud, we crawled over a last set of boulders and came face to face with the imagine that had convinced us to begin the hike. We craned our necks against the fall's reaching heights and strained our eyes from the sun that broke through the canopy. From its highest point we could see the powerful white sheets of water being thrust over the rock hang and plummetting into the wading pools below. It was overwhelming to take in such beauty all at once, and so we took our time absorbing this fantasty world.

The hike back was easier. After having committed the contours of the hike to memory, I effortlessly climbed downhill, loosing my breath at the sight of the emerald forest, as if I was seeing it all again for the first time.