| In 2014, part of the Bird/Molski family wanted to ‘do’ Hawaii. They persuaded me to come along; I am glad I did. Firstly, it gave me the opportunity to visit close friends, Carol and Jim, who live in distant Hawaii; friends I hadn’t seen for 32 years. Secondly, it gave me the opportunity to follow the ‘footsteps’ of Paul Edmund Strzelecki from Hilo Bay to Kilauea crater; not to mention spending ‘another day in paradise’ each and every day- family get togethers, visiting Pearl Harbour, the USS Missouri the ship on which Japan signed the instrument of surrender on September 2nd, 1945, Punchbowl cemetery, Buddhist Temples, native Heiaus, Koko Head Botanical Gardens, Beaches and Turtle sites etc.
Reminiscing over the events of the Hawaii leg of my travels has brought profound realisations that reaffirm my lifelong belief in a government framework where power and lawmaking is strictly limited; a government architecture with boundaries ‘we the governed’ have set that are strong and resilient enough to stop politicians and bureaucrats of any persuasion who happen to be in the ‘driver’s seat’ at any point in time from exploiting the agencies of government they currently control to play god over us human beings. This seems an odd ‘holiday’ benefit, even if the destination was Hawaii, where sun, surf, food, friendly people, a relaxed atmosphere, glorious scenery and the like come easily to mind!
Please bear with me while I lay the groundwork of the ‘how so’. Firstly, I believe God has entrusted us with the responsibility of self-government and from God we receive life, free will and each other. God given free will allows me to explore life as I see fit, to express my individuality within community parameters, to develop and hone my talents, to be the best person I can be playing the hand I have been dealt. I flourish when I am free! Living in the “Land of Liberty”, Carol and Jim have flourished too. There you have it! Reminiscing, I have realised for the first time that I benefit when others flourish in freedom!!!! Tyrannies do not attract many tourists!!!
Family gathering |
Friends: this is Carol |
Friends: this is Jim |
What a great time it was comparing life journeys, viewpoints, different ways of doing things, how Carol and Jim have explored life, admiring and benefitting from the talents, personalities and character they have formed and honed and their creativity. I vicariously enjoyed their Patagonia expedition with Craig and Lydia through Carol’s beautifully illustrated book about their hiking and canoeing adventure a few months before. Coincidentally, Strzelecki, in the second half of 1836 had completed a similar trek crossing the Andes from Argentina to Chile researching the mineralogy and studying native cultures! Here are extracts from Jim’s ‘travelogue’.
"We have been back more than three weeks, and we are still buzzing from the trip. Packs and cold-weather hiking clothes have been cleaned and put away. Photos have been downloaded and backed up. Carol has published a book of photos for hands-on sharing. We've found a few bottles of Argentine Malbec and/or Chilean Carmenere wines, and I've prepared a meal of Patagonian 6-hour-Malbec-braised lamb shanks to bring back the flavors. However, even these are not necessary for us to flash back on a crystal clear memory of a wonderful trip.
Lago del Desierto was our first destination for a series of hikes. Our outfitter had arranged for our larger, heavier packs to be transported by van or boat to our destination for each evening. This allowed us to walk with only day packs carrying rain gear, jackets, lunches and personal items. A broken down truck on the Chilean side of Lago del Desierto meant we could not get to our home-stay destination in Candelario Mancilla, which worked out well at the end of a 22 kilometer walk, as we had an excellent night as unexpected guests in the cabin owned by "Tito" --- along with 8 or 9 other trekkers and bikers looking for a place to spend the night. ……..
Artwork by Carol |
Bone carving by Jim |
A backtrack hike to Lago del Desierto the next day got us to Aguas Arriba Lodge, Ibor and Pato's dream 5-room hotel on the shore of the lake, across from the Vespignani glaciers. Oh, my! Two nights of luxury, with great food and company, and a perfect day hike to Glacier Huemul almost spoiled us and more than made up for the missed homestay in Candelario Mancilla.
We were dropped off at the trailhead for a 6-7 hour walk from Hostería El Pilar to El Chaltén town. The first half of the walk was a pleasantly cool lenga forest trail with views across the valley toward Glacier Piedras Blancas and the Fitzroy massif. At the half-way point, Carol and Lydia continued on the trail to El Chaltén town, while Craig and I hiked the side trail up to Lago de los Tres --- a 1-hour relentlessly steep climb on a rocky open trail that was buffeted by what we believed were strong winds, until we got to the terminal moraine on top in front of the lake. There, we were knocked down by 100km/hour winds that we were glad to retreat from, even after the thrill of the view of Fitzroy.
The next morning we were picked up early for our transport southward, leaving El Chaltén and headed to Torres del Paine. The route took us mostly along the Patagonian steppe --- think cold winter desert; wide open vistas to the Andes mountains in the west; and, lots of wildlife easily visible, even from our van. We saw rhea (large flightless birds similar to ostrich), guanaco (a wild camelid, similar to the domestic lama), and Andean condor (largest flying birds in the western hemisphere).
Upon crossing the border and entering Chile we met Nico, our guide for the next few days ……. We were dropped off at Refugio Las Torres, just inside the Parque Nacional Torres del Paine ……..Different from our first week on the Argentine side of Patagonia, this week we carried our larger packs and more clothing and sleeping bags necessary for our planned all-day hikes between the refugios and one night of camping in a tent.
Aloha.
Jim" 
Carol's album. The cover |
Carol's album. Here's Felix |
Carol's album. Featuring little Sirena |
Carol's album. Kosciuszko - of course! |
Carol's album. Strzelecki - of course! |
P. E. de Strzelecki's humanitarian deeds at the Irish Famine 1846 on YouTube
Jim is retired now after a lifelong career of helping youth in Thailand, the Middle East and the Pacific Islands through his leadership roles in “Peace Corps”, a program established by President Kennedy in 1961. Jim has developed his artistic side and, amongst other things, he is a skilled craftsman, ‘bone carver’ and ‘braider’. Carol is an entomologist currently working as State Operations Support Officer in the US Department of Agriculture, but plans to retire soon. Carol welcomed me at Honolulu airport and she still has the exact smiling eyes I remembered when they visited Australia in 1985!!! I recall to this day, years later discovering beautifully written ‘thank you notes’ she had left behind in nooks and crannies at my home. I don’t know how she finds the time, but she is also a wood carver, painter, rock tumbler, home designer and photographer extraordinaire. Carol’s recent albums, including one with Jim’s braiding can be viewed online:
www.flickr.com/photos/ipiac/sets/72157650862515528/
More artwork by Carol |
More bone carvings by Jim |
God has given us life, free will and each other. Differences enhance our lives, especially when we live in liberty and have a respectful, caring and sharing spirit. Lo and behold, the day I returned home from a hectic 3 month journey, I received a surprise package; Carol’s album titled “Felix’s Hawaii: August 2014”. Precious pictures of shared moments with family, friends and Strzelecki; reminiscing now I conclude, we each benefit when others flourish in freedom!!!! Poignant meaning to John Donne’s poem of For Whom The Bell Tolls.
No man is an island,
Entire of itself.
Each is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less.
As well as if a promontory were[].
As well as if a manor of thine own
Or of thine friend's were.
Each man's death diminishes me,
For I am involved in mankind.
Therefore, send not to know
For whom the bell tolls,
It tolls for thee.
God is a God of surprises!
You can read about in the ‘footsteps’ of Paul Edmund Strzelecki from Hilo Bay to Kilauea crater in part 2 of this article. Soon.
Felix Molski
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