Fire Chief Fernando

August 2015 – March 2016

When I look at the above dates it almost seems as though someone has died; living a short 7-month existence on Earth. The true representation of those dates is actually a journey.

The story begins all the way back in June of 2014. While visiting my Dad, my sister and her children came to Michigan too for a visit. My nephew and oldest niece received one of their first Lego kits during this trip. After heading back to England, the kids realized that a motorcycle helmet was left at granddad’s house.

Fast forward to July 2015. While Skyping with my sister, my nephew pops onto the screen and asks me to look for said helmet. Even though a year had passed, he still had not forgot about a red Lego helmet. So I took out my Lego box and started digging. What I showed him changed everything. I didn’t find the red helmet. Instead I held up a Lego guy that didn’t look like it was from my original collection.

“My Fire Chief!” Casey exclaimed.

Apparently, he was so focused on the helmet that he completely forgot that he left an entire person. Casey wanted me to mail it to him but he wasn’t willing to pay for the Fire Chief’s way. So instead he came to Hawaii with me. In the back of my mind I figured I would head to England at some point and would reunite Casey with his Lego then.

Thus began the journey of Fire Chief Fernando. My initial idea was to take a picture of him at all of the different sights and places I was seeing and send him a different one every month. I ran this idea past Hilary and she had the idea to put them all in a book and give it too him for his birthday.

As it always seems to happen, I took her idea a step further. Over the past months my photo diary of Fire Chief Fernando’s adventures was filling up nicely. It was time to write his story.

And so Fire Chief Fernando’s Quest for Fire unfolded. The only thing left to include in the book are his pictures from his journey from Hawaii to England for the last page.

Part of me is sad that my time with Fire Chief Fernando is coming to a close. It has been nice having a project to focus on while on my adventures around the island. I often remind myself that everywhere he has been I have been too!  So thankful for the small little companion who found a way to weave in an educational lesson about fire at every location.

I hope Casey enjoys learning about this little Lego Man’s adventures too!

No Outlet Roadtrip

Sometimes when a door opens, you don’t walk through you run while inviting people to join you. 

My door: a vehicle that would not be in use due to the owner taking a trip off the Island.

My plan: Roadtrip to circumnavigate the amazing Big Island to dive even further into its diversity. 

The friends: Brianna for the whole trip, Annie for the first half, and Julianna to join for the last day. 

The only rule: go down every road we feel draw to explore. And that is exactly what we did.

The name of the trip was two-fold: 1.) most of the streets that we ventured down had a no outlet (or dead end) sign and 2.) all of us were feeling a bit worn down from the job. After a few back-to-back tough shifts we were all feeling like we had no outlet. 

Fortunately, this trip came at the perfect time.

5 days, 9 districts, 18 beaches, 6 mountain/volcanoes, 1 coffee farm, 12 cliff bars, 10 CDs, 2 whales, 2 painted churches, 2 rainbows, 3 waterfalls, 2 libraries, 1 crow mailbox with 4 dolls on top, and 679 miles on a moving, growing, volcanic island in the middle of the pacific that currently has a total of 4038 square miles

Priceless :)

Friday, February 5^th: 

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Camped at Whittington Beach Park

Saturday, February 6^th: 

Ka’u Coffee Mill, Na`alehu Farmer’s Market, Wood Valley Temple, Punalu`u Bakery, Hana Hou Restaurant, Camped at South Point

Sunday, February 7^th: 

Sunrise at South Point, Drive toward Oceanview, Miloli`I and Ho`okena beach park closed due to dengue, Pu`uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park (lunch), Painted church – St. Benedict’s (1902), Kealakekua Bay – Grey sand, Magic Sands/Pahoehoe Banyans Beach, “Dead End” road cliffs with drenching waves, Wawaloli Beach Park (pine tree beach), Surfers at sunset, tail gate dinner, Saddle rd drive to return Annie, Night in Hilo.

Monday, February 8^th: 

The fantastic 5 panoramic: Mauna Kea (top), Haleakala (small top L), Kohala (top R), Mauna Loa (bottom L),  Haulalai (Bottom R); Waialea Bay (Beach 69), Hapuna Beach State Park, Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, Pu`ukohul Heiau National historical site, Spencer Beach Park (sunset), Waioloa Beach Resort ice cream w/ hula keiki, Kapa`a beach park camping

Tuesday, February 9^th: 

Maui greeting with 2 killer whales sightings and a swordfish jumping out of the water, Pololu valley hike, north kohala library, `upolu airport, retreat center, Hamakua Coast, Akaka Falls, honolii beach park, night in Hilo

Wednesday, February 10^th: 

Isaac Hale Beacj Park, Poihiki Hot Springs, Mackenzie State Recreation Area, Kahena Black Sand Beach, Painted Church