April 4, 2016 Crazy-early next morning, B snuck out to the Pololu Valley Overlook for sunrise photos. He returned hours later ripping and raring to go as the family crawled from their rooms. It was their last morning in their Basement Ohana. “Do you want to go the beach a little? It’ll be your last chance toContinue reading “A Light in Darkness”
Author Archives: ajtanek
A Glimpse
April 3, 2016 “I wanted to get going early today, so we could get into the Mauna Kea Beach because there are a limited amount of parking spots and it fills up fast,” B said as AJ came from the bathroom, still-pajamaed and un-showered. “I didn’t know,” AJ said, bleary-eyed fromContinue reading “A Glimpse”
Black Sand Eden, Lunch With a Gecko, and the Copper-Eyed Cat
April 2, 2016 Sunday morning drew forth gentler than the day before. “No beach shoes, just hiking today,” B said. The family started out on a scenic drive through ever greener and steeper landscape, past ranches and stables hidden behind huge dark trees and tropical hedges, tracing winding roads and passing through tiny villages toContinue reading “Black Sand Eden, Lunch With a Gecko, and the Copper-Eyed Cat”
Ponder the Path of Your Feet
April 1, 2016 The morning came slowly to the Eastern Standard Time Zone family as they soaked up sleep confusedly to wake at 6 AM Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time. Showers, breakfast, and imperfect preparations filled the hours before their first Hawaii beach experience. AJ collected water bottles, Agenda, maps and sunblock and stuffed them in herContinue reading “Ponder the Path of Your Feet”
Reviving Wonder
March 30, 2016 Four steps to Hawaii Island from Michigan: 1. Drive to Chicago, stay one night in a hotel. 2. Park car, take shuttle to the airport, get on an early morning flight to Honolulu. 3. From Honolulu get on a plane to Hilo, Hawaii Island. 4. Get rental car, drive to rented houseContinue reading “Reviving Wonder”
A Disney End
Day 9 Just a few steps into Disneyland a humbling realization overcame AJ’s cool attitude toward the amusement parks: Disney loved story. Disney had been “bringing the story to life” all around her in California Adventure the day before, but she was too busy trying to ‘get fun’ and adjust her overloaded senses to payContinue reading “A Disney End”
California Adventure: The Disney Version
Day 8 “I don’t hate Disneyland … for long. It takes me an hour or two to get used to it,” AJ said to B as they were waiting in the first line of the day at the gates of California Adventure along with thousands of other fun-seekers. Coming from the relative peace and subduedContinue reading “California Adventure: The Disney Version”
Appendix T for Trees
Appendix T for Trees AJ’s horticultural background would not allow her to go through the world without putting names to and classifying the plants around her. However far from home she went, foreign lands never seemed too strange or frightening if she could name a few plants on the trail or roadside. On the tripContinue reading “Appendix T for Trees”
Long Trails and Tall Trees
Day 7 The family started day seven of their Sierra Nevada travels by eating breakfast outside in the gentle morning sunlight, shooing bees away from their food as they watched a flock of wild turkeys strut by. They were at We Three Bakery, a sweet little restaurant along the road leading into Sequoia National Park.Continue reading “Long Trails and Tall Trees”
Defeat at Vernal Falls and Goodbye for Now
Day 6 After breakfasting at the lodge food court, the family packed up their belongings and checked out of their woodsy room at 3434 Hemlock Building, Yosemite Lodge, Yosemite National Park. They drove to the same parking lot they had discovered the day before, then waited patiently at a shuttle stop for a ride to theContinue reading “Defeat at Vernal Falls and Goodbye for Now”
Not I 