• Hawaiian Summer Camp,  Travel Tips

    Maui: Last Look

    My last night on Maui, I slept on a beach. My friends and I arrived after dark, pitched our tents, and fell asleep to the sound of waves crashing just a few feet away. We awoke to this view: It was the perfect end to two months in Hawai’i, and it’s also the end of my blog posts about that trip. People think it sounds ridiculous when I tell them I lived on Maui for two months, but I’ve learned that traveling to “dream” destinations doesn’t have to be expensive. I spent less than $1,500 to enjoy two months on Maui, and at least half of that went towards my…

  • Hawaiian Summer Camp,  Travel Tips

    The Hana Highway and Hana Town: A Pseudo-Local Perspective

    I lived in Hana, Hawai’i for two months while working on an organic farm, and, as such, I have some insights into what life is like there. I want to share my pseudo-local perspective with anyone considering a visit or a more extended stay like mine. These are the insider tips you learn from living in a place, and knowing people who have lived there longer, but they are not the lifetime of understanding that comes from being born and raised in a place. Hence “pseudo-local.” I’ve mentioned the Hana Highway twice before (here and here), but I’m dedicating a post to it now because it’s one of the main…

  • Meta-Blogging

    25 things to do before I turn 25

    Today is my 23rd birthday (don’t worry, I wrote this post ahead of time, and I’m off doing something fun with my day) and this seemed like as good a time as any to announce my latest project, which is: 25 things to do before I turn 25 (I know, I’m a baby, and you can’t believe you’ve been taking my travel advice.) I’m a list-maker by nature, and I always enjoy reading other people’s lists of things to do before [insert upcoming birthday here] so I decided to make my own. I’m not a big fan of “bucket lists” because, as I’ve mentioned before, I think people should take…

  • Hawaiian Summer Camp

    Today I’m giving the people what they want…

    …photos of Maui’s beautiful beaches. Thus far, most of my posts about Hawai’i have centered on my experiences living and working on an organic farm, but, never fear, I do occasionally stop gardening and go to the beach. There are three well-known beaches near Hana — Waianapanapa State Park, Red Sands, and Hamoa — as well as a smattering of more secret beaches (including one that the people on the farm actually refer to as “Secret Beach”) that I have yet to visit. I should probably let the photos speak for themselves, but I’m terrible at that, so you’re all stuck with my usual witty commentary. Waianapanapa (or Waianaps, as…