Tropical Foliage—Head Spinning Fantasyland

Hanacopiae, Kauai
Aug. `73

Everything went well. The flight over was great. I arrived in Kauai
around 8 a.m. and immediately started hitchhiking. I got a ride to
Hanalei, the town at the end of the road. Apparently, Hanalei was a
magnet for "back to nature hippies." They filled the town. I stayed
only long enough to get directions to the wilderness trail that wound
its way around the Na Pali coastline, eventually ending up in the
Kalalau Valley. I planned to camp on the beach at the end of the
twelve-mile hike.

I went to Butch and Pua's wedding the day before I arrived on Kauai.
It was super. It was an authentic Hawaiian Luau. About fifty people
attended, and the roast pig was delicious. Pua, in her white wedding
dress, was gorgeous, but Butch, in a suit, looked out of place. They
were married on the beach, and afterwards, there was enough Primo beer
to satisfy a group twice the size. After a few beers, I was even able
to eat the poi without making a face. For a wedding present, I set
Butch up with my job at the Fogcutter. I think Pua liked my present
more than Butch did, but hey, what's that saying, "Give a guy a loaf
of bread and he gets hungry again; give him a `fishing pole, and…"

The first six miles on the trail weren't too difficult. Perfumed
flowers bloomed where the sunlight made it through the dense tropical
foliage. The smell of ripe guava also permeated the air. The flora was
so rich and thick that it made my head spin. I hadn't eaten anything
since the wedding. After living off Fogcutter food for so long, I just
wanted to feel my belly empty. When I came to a huge Mango tree,
though, my fast ended. The mangos were delicious. The clear mountain
streams were inviting too. Rarely, did I pass one without stopping for
a drink. The wettest spot on Earth was just east of the Kalalau
Valley, so I had plenty of water breaks. Every time the trail passed
under the giant, shaded, jungle canopies, it felt like I was in a
fantasyland.

When I came to the 150-foot waterfall at Hanacopiae, I was tired,
dirty, and hot, so I removed my clothes and jumped in. After swimming
to where the falls met the river, I took a picture. I swam using only
one arm since I needed to keep the camera dry. I was right beneath the
falls when I took it. I hoped it would turn out. The place was so
beautiful, I didn't want to leave, but I had to if I wanted to make
the beach by nightfall.