I didn't know that the Big Island of Hawaii had so much variety in climate. One side of the island is much drier and sunnier, and one side is wet and rainforesty. We ended up driving around the whole island over the course of a week, and it was cool seeing how different each area is, but by far my favorite part was the rainforest side! I LOVE rainforest! I've always wanted to see one, but I never thought I would get to! Well—I suppose I've been to a temperate rainforest at the Redwoods. But THIS little fella is as close as I've gotten, or thought I would ever get, to a tropical rainforest! (I'm sorry I called that a "little fella." I already regret it. But no going back now.)
Anyway, Hawaii's tropical rainforest was everything I dreamed it would be. There weren't any jaguars or macaws or monkeys, which I guess is a little sad, but it was still SO BEAUTIFUL. The sheer number of plants, and then the diversity of those plants, and the exoticism of them, was almost overwhelming. We drove along the Eastern Coast and it seemed like we couldn't drive more than a couple miles without crossing another stream, and every stream had multiple beautiful waterfalls, and every waterfall was surrounded by dense green forest full of ferns and flowers and vines. It made me think, desert-dweller that I am, about how there is definitely not an even distribution of greenery on this planet (and I suppose it would be quite boring if there was!).
When you look at a map of that side of the island, you can see why we were crossing so many streams. They are everywhere, feeding those green forests and running right down into the ocean—and that led to one of the most beautiful sights, which was where the rainforest met the ocean, like this:
You can stop along the road to look at vistas and waterfalls, and we did—many, many times; it's lucky Abe is a very patient person and likes rainforests too. But we stopped often enough that even from him, Sam and I could feel emanating waves of "Ugh, let's get on with it!" after a while. Perhaps you, O Reader of this Hawaii Trip Chronicle, find yourself sympathizing with him? Ha! Sam and I have no sense of getting on with it, left to ourselves. I suppose for that's reason it's good that we are so rarely left to ourselves! (As I said earlier, if it were up to me I'd probably be still standing and watching that volcano…which would have meant I'd never have gotten to see this amazing rainforest!)
But! Even better than stopping along the road to look off at the rainforest was venturing off INTO the rainforest. There are hikes and forest preserves (I'll show some of those later on) but even just wandering down into little gulleys and groves was a whole different experience than looking at the canopy from above. And some of these areas were so…I don't know, quiet and unassuming? We took a little scenic drive and there was hardly anyone on the narrow back roads; there were a few modest houses and ordinary chicken-and-laundry-filled backyards; it didn't feel like "A Destination" anyone would go to, and yet it was one of the most stunningly beautiful places we've ever been. I can't even imagine what it would be like to step out into your regular backyard and see, twenty yards down the road…this:
I love the huge moss-covered boulders in this picture. And that bridge you can make out behind the trees is the small one-lane road crossing the river.
We did get bitten by a few mosquitos here (we had mosquito repellent but…didn't put it in the car on this day. Argh) but they weren't really as bad as I thought they might be! We managed to keep them off of Clementine, mostly.
Vines! So many vines! You might, if you know me well, think I wouldn't like them (I have…a thing about certain kinds of fast-growing things), but I do! They don't grow too fast and they seem…I don't know, adequately contained in the proper environment. Anyway, I think they're beautiful. As long as I don't think too deeply about them putting their little toes into the branches and widening crannies, shouldering through holes…
Clementine was there!
Look at the cool roots twisting around each other by the river down there! (Perfectly slow-growing, natural, non-invasive growth…)
There's that same moss-covered boulder from above (picture taken while standing on the bridge).
SO many things were moss-covered. (No, I don't mind moss! I love it! It's like tree-velvet! I don't really think of it as…growing…at all.)
This wall!! Can you even believe it IS a wall?!
I believe this is the exact view about which I ran back to the car and said to Sam and Abe, "You have to come and see, it's just exactly the way a rainforest is SUPPOSED to be!" Isn't it?
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