As of late...

Time is flying. Too fast.
It seems like I got back on the island only a few weeks ago, but it has been a sweet three months.
As always, not really any legit complaints in my life though I could find a few things to ramble on about if I wanted to. It's all waterfalls and beaches, walks and bike rides, horses and fish, and of course a little study and a lot of hard work. To sum the three months up, I could take up a good, well, three months... But instead I will very quickly enlighten you with a short glimpse at the amazingness of Lucinda kate's current affairs, as I know you've all been on the edge of your seats (Francie trying not to pee with excitement) in anticipation of this email/blog post... Ha, yeah right. But I will tell a few tales 'cause although I pretend this blog is to keep you all updated and ensure you that I have not suffered an unspeakable fate, it is really so I can relive this chapter of my life that is coming to an end FAR too soon...

My 21st birthday was, to say the least, rad. Mum shouted me breakfast at the royal Hawaiian in honor of that great man who is my Grandpa. After stuffing my face with eggs bene, I spent the day like a beached whale in the sand, sipping mimosas at Waimea bay. Emily and Erin organised an amazing day full of my favourite things, followed by dinner with the hanai family. I was even bed by 11pm!! Just like my 18th birthday but without the vomiting a mum ;)

Woke up to an amazing prezzie from Erin - national geographic, prayer flags and photos decorating the lounge :)

Cake on the beach

Happy birthday at Waimea bay. Amazing

School has trickled by at what seems like sloths pace. Painfully slow, interesting and hairy.
I was lucky enough to spend my 'spring break' on Big Island (the island called Hawai'i) with my roomie Madi, and her lovely family. We departed our warm and cozy home for the cold, empty airport at 340am. Since I am a broke student we had to get the cheapest flights available... This meant we arrived utterly exhausted and in need of a chill day. Relaxing though it was to sit in lazy boy chairs and watch movie after movie, this was only acceptable on day one, and come morning number 2 I was itching for some adventure. My few days there were choice. With cooler temperatures and a very, verrrrry slow pace of living, it felt a lot different to Oahu. Almost like a different country. The whole island is amazing and definitely a magical place.

Wild horses joined us in Waipio Valley

Hilo lava cliffs. 

Lava caves

Waipio valley - one of my favourite places of this lifetime

Madi and I on the black sand beach at Waipio

More wild horses, this foal must have been only a few weeks old

Friendly wild pony who loved cashew nuts

not so friendly wild pony who was a little skittish

Madi making peace with the friendly ones

Kisses :)

Found a brittle star friend while snokelling in the tide pools

Ocean, my haven

Snorkelling in the tide pools created by old lava flow. This was AMAZING! The corals here were huge, bright and thriving, home to so many fish, cucumbers and other critters.
sorry for the butt crack shot..

Kayak trip up a river with waterfalls and rocks to play on

Playing on fallen trees. Madi is lots of fun!

More climbing with the falls in the backround

We've continued to explore our island when not bogged down with school work and I was even lucky enough to have a visit from the wonderful Lydia Lyell. These were some of the best 10 days spent on the island and I loved getting to share my secret spots and hiding holes with her. We played, swam, beached, surfed before the sun rose, caused some trouble, hiked, listed to live jazz, and even shopped (well Lydia did as I have no moola to spare). With many laughs and exchanges of stories, the days went, as usual, way too fast and Lyd soon had to head home on the plane with her daddy as pilot. Tear. Everyone loved her. Almost 2 weeks after she left my roomies are still asking if we can keep her. The family loved her to bits and being the amazing child that she is, she left a mark on this little island and an especially big mark on a certain boat named bang.

Fav place for a quick dip and sunset 

The lovely Lydia in her babe aloha attire 

Sunset at our spot, it was a beauty just for Lyd

Lydia and I playing in Manoa falls near home

Warming up after a chilly dip under the waterfall

Beer and north shore after a hard morning surfing

Dawn patrol surfing, first ones out - even beat the sun

Playing on the beach

Although I have grown up a lot over this past 9 months, I am sad to say that I am still a very silly child at heart. An example I know you will all enjoy.. 

This episode of idiocy and total dorkness took place a few minutes after the above picture was taken. As you all know, my competitive nature often overshadows the oh so limited amount of 'thinking before acting', self control, and common sense that I poses. 

I will set the scene... After a long morning of surfing, Lydia, Madi, Nicole and I are enjoying a relaxing dip in the shallows. Small waves are gently rolling in and biting our ankles, as the real surf is out deeper on the reef. 

My short attention span kicks in and I decide that it is time for a wave-jumping competition. This Lucy-invented game is as follows. Contestants sprint from the beach to the shallow water as the wave approaches and do the raddest, most stylish jump onto/into the oncoming small waves as they possibly can. 

Judged, of course, by myself I was surprised that I only managed to recruit Madi. After one or two rounds of me beating her by a mile I decided to up the anti and try for the glory of the forwards flip. Dun dun dunn...

My first attempt was terrible, resulting in me mistiming the sprint, screeching to a halt before I jumping, and falling hard on my knees as if I had no control over my limbs. 

Needless to say the girls were in fits of laughter. 

My second attempt, while Madi casually stood watching and probably trying to learn from my wicked technique (smart move), went almost as bad. I jumped, forgot to flip, and just belly flopped onto the wave. 

Third times a charm, right? 

Wrong.. Third times a fail. 

This time I run with great timing, style and speed, leading into a poor jump that was not quite high enough, a flip that was not quite flip-like enough, and go head first into the smooth face of the wave. 

Now you are all probably thinking "well thats o.k it's just water, surely it didn't hurt or anything". 

Wrong again... Being the great mathematician that I am I calculated that I must have hit the wave at exactly the right angle for it to deliver enough of a blow that it felt like I had hit concrete, not water. I came up in so much pain I couldn't see, though that could have been because my eyes were full of seawater... 

I crawled, like a big slow monk seal, onto the beach and moaned with pain. It was so bad that I felt sick, light headed and dizzy for the rest of the day and had a headache that lasted almost 4 days. 

From the diagnosis of the onlookers of this disastrous attempt at sly skill, I had given myself a concussion. That's right, I gave myself a wee concussion by trying to flip into knee deep water. 

I think people call that sort of thing stupidity?

So dear friends, in conclusion, I leave you with a poem.

Life is great and life is fun,

but do not flip into shallow water for it is dumb. 

Aloha and Aroha and Mahaloz