Have you been to Hanamanu? It's on the way to Hana, Maui. It's a long curvy road, and
dangerous. But then you get to Hanamanu Bay. The black sand glistens in the sun. You
can feel the spray coming down the two lane highway into the valley. It is lush. Ginger
grows profusely, infusing the air with a mystical scent of a sweet reality.
Even living in Paia gets stressful. Too many people liked coming over to my high beamed
ceilinged studio. So I'd pack up the cooler and gas up the van every now and then and
head out to Hanamanu. There I could camp at night by the rocky shore. My kids loved
surfing there. The Hawaiians put their nets out to catch some fish. While they waited
they would scourer the rocks for ono opihi which they cook over
an open fire. They're generous too, and the opihi tastes great the way they make it.
I spent days there camping out, writing my novel and scripts, listening to the stars and playing guitar
to the moon.
