Much Better

So after I wrote that last post I got up and went into the kitchen feeling like I was gonna pack it in and head back to Cortes. However,  I got talking to one of the girls I met last night and as it turned out she rented a car.  Things started to look up.  She then said she was going to go kayaking and snorkeling. I asked to tag along.

OH MY GOD WHAT A DAY!!  We went to the Captain Cook Monument that isn't far from the hostel.  When we got there a couple of local guys asked us if we needed help to get the kayak in the water.  For $5.  You had to drop the kayak into the water from a wharf that was about 3 feet high then jump in.  Yikes.  We attempted it on our own. After successfully getting in without tipping it, we paddled out into the ocean.

This was my first time actually kayaking and swimming in an ocean!!  (Actually the first time I was in the ocean was on Cortes but it was a very quick dip as the Pacific in the north was only 10 degrees.)  As we paddled out we had a school of spinner dolphins come up to the boat.  I started to cry.  They were so beautiful and playful.  We followed them for about 45 minutes.  The day just got better and better from there.  Swimming with the fish and manta rays, watching humped back whales jump and dance in the water.  Then beer and pizza on a patio at sunset.  It was a totally magical, beautiful transforming day.  It was the perfect day to begin a new life.  I started to let go of the fear of uncertainty and decided that not knowing what the day will bring can be pretty fun.

Ok...traveling isn't so bad after all.  I still can't believe I'm in Hawaii. I still need to open up and learn to not be so fearful.  It will come with time.

One thing I was aware of today is how bloody cautious I've become.  I was usually the first person to jump in to do something adventurous.  Now I'm the one saying "I don't know..we may get in trouble, or we shouldn't be doing this or whatever....And nothing that would really land me in any legal or physical trouble. Nor anything that is really irresponsible either.  Somewhere along the way I feel I've lost the spontaneous adventurous edge I loved.  I'm not sure what happened.  If this is what it means to get older than I don't want a part of it.

Photos of the day on Flicker.  Unfortunately I didn't have a waterproof camera and didn't get any fish, dolphin or whale shots.  :-(