kauai 2009 :: hitchhiking

it's a way of life in kauai.
i decided not to rent a car during my stay. i just figured it would work out alright w/o one. so, hitch hiking became my way. i did it almost everyday, multiple times in a given day to get to where i wanted to go.

let me tell you, i met SO MANY PEOPLE while hitch hiking.
the picker-uppers came in all shapes, colors, smells, sizes... but one thing definitely characterized all of them: what it told me about the people.

take jeffrey (above) for example.
it's sunday morning... 8am. i decided to check out calvary chapel kauai, but didn't know if anyone was even awake to give me a ride. who knew what the traffic would be like out at the princeville bus stop? so i put my intention out there and decided i would catch a ride if i was meant to go.

i stood by the stop w/ my muddy red feet, backpack in tow and stuck my thumb out.
jeffrey was probably the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd car that came my way who pulled over to give me a ride. he said he pulled over because he wondered what the heck i was doing out there.

he drove and we chatted away while heading south about 20 miles to kapa'a. on the way, i asked him about the "secret" waterfall in kilauea and how i might find it. so, he asks if i want to see the lighthouse. (lol, i'm pretty sure there was some connection as to why it went from waterfalls to the lighthouse & the transition wasn't as abrupt as i just described it.) jeffrey busts a U in his minivan and we head into the town. he gives me a little tour, i take some photos, and take that picture of him. (he looked so masculine with the morning light shining overhead above the hills.) anyway, he chat more about family, life, etc and he takes me the rest of the way. then we depart ways after a meaningful life exchange.

what strikes me about hitch hiking in kauai ::
1. how open & trusting people are.
sure, i don't have bloody fangs coming out of my mouth nor was i holding some large weapon, but even if i did, i think someone would still give me a ride. (fine. this is a stretch.)

2. they go out of their way to help another person.
they are not so scheduled and driven that they "drive by" opportunities to help (yes, pun intended). by default, people create space in their lives to do these things....and so it's not "out of their way" type of activity, it's "a way of life" activity.

i want that.
i want my way of life to be about slowing down, creating space, and letting generosity flow.
i want to pick up those thumb-sticker-outter-liz's on random 8am sunday mornings.