This is what my ancestors are doing over there in the Soviet Union that changed name to something else…

QUITE worth your time to check out!

Olamanu mountain range, Kailua, Oahu, Hawaii

Here are the 5 ultimate activities I do during my free time in Hawaii. These are things you can usually find me doing on the weekends mostly, but maybe anytime:

1. Bodyboarding / Surfing. I much prefer bodyboarding since I can ride big waves and it might be a few more years before I reach that level with surfing. Bodyboarding Hawaii waves is the ultimate fun for me – and I like it more than even breathing.

Bodysurfing can probably fit in here too. Bodysurfing at point panic or some other great spot is special in a way that defies words. There’s something cool about being able to slide down a wave using your body as a board. It’s the ideal minimalist activity.

2. Snorkeling / Free-diving. In Maui I do quite a bit of snorkeling and freediving. There are some primo spots on Maui’s west side – Kahana and more west, that are just picture perfect spots. Other than a guy beside me having his arm tore into by a small barracuda I’ve had no real nasty experiences with it.

3. Biking or Running either on the Ala Wai Canal at night – or around Diamondhead and Kapiolani Park in early evening and sometimes daytime. Two of the greatest places to run in Waikiki.

4. Hiking one of the amazing ridge trails from leeward side up to the peak of the Ko’olau mountain range and seeing the wide expanse of Kailua, the ocean, and the sleeping dragon (Olamana hills).

5. Camping out, barbeque, throwing frisbee, and swimming leisurely at Bellows Beach Park in Waimanalo. I’ve had some of the best times in my life right there. The ultimate spot for me. Can bodyboard there too – though the waves don’t get all that much more than 3-4 feet usually. When they do they don’t break very slowly and it’s a short ride. An idyllic spot though. Highly recommended!

What are your 5 favorite activities to do in Hawaii?

The other day when I was looking up hiking on Kauai, Hawaii this video popped into my field of view on Youtube. Initially I thought, yeah sure – scariest trail.

Then I watched it.

This hiking “trail” has got to be the most dangerous I’ve ever seen – and, most of it is concrete trail. That is, where the concrete hasn’t just fallen apart and down the side of the mountain leaving the metal bar framework to walk on!

In Hawaii we have some trails that are slippery and a bit hairy, I wouldn’t call them hairy scary though.

Don’t miss at 5:51 where he walks toe-to-heel over the beam.

A must-see video for anyone that hikes because as the hiker goes on, you’ll question yourself and whether you would keep going. I’d have to see it live before deciding if I’d do it.

Hairy Scary Hiking Video:

Would you hike this trail?

There are a lot of Buddhists in Hawaii – maybe more so per capita than in any other US State. I’ve mentioned many times on this site that I practiced Vipassana meditation for a number of months and over the years I can say I’ve gained a lot of happiness as a result. There are different lines of Buddhism – and here in Thailand they practice Theravada Buddhism which some say is the closest to what the Buddha originally taught.

Buddhist birthday amulet (Tuesday)

My wife sells Thai Buddhist amulets and other jewelry at her website. She has gold Buddha amulets, Good Luck amulets, protection amulets, and business prosperity amulets. Recently she bought some new types that I’m struggling to get up online but they include:

• Day of the Week Buddhist Birthday Amulets (Buddha in a diff. pose for each day)
• Good Luck Monk Amulets
• Kwan Yin (Goddess of Compassion) Amulets
• Gold Buddha Amulets
• Solid Silver Ajarn Jumnien (Good Luck Monk) Amulets
• Many types of bracelets and Buddhist yant cloths…

If you’re in the market for someone’s birthday gift and you want to give the person something they’ll not find anywhere in America or wherever you are – have a look at the Buddhist Birthday amulets. There is a separate one for each day of the week corresponding to the day when they were born.

There are even free bracelets and yant cloths if you pay the $9 shipping.

With every sale she donates 10% back to the temple where we buy all the Buddhist items we sell. Good karma for us you know!

Best of Life!

Vern