I'll take you in my backpack

3/22/19 I'm hoping that this post helps people wanting info about the Diamond Head hike because when I was looking for info online (including climb time) I found very little that provided the information that I needed. I was in Hawaii on a time crunch, there for 2 days for a training for work then flying out. I wanted to get in some of the beauty before leaving the island. When considering Koko Head and Diamond Head, Diamond Head won because of the close proximity to where I was staying (Waikiki) and the time crunch of needing to catch a flight that day. I took a Lyft to Diamond Head, they stop you at the tunnel until the park opens. Some people park there (very limited spots) and tour buses drop people off there as well. There is a park ranger who lines people up to try to make sure it's a smooth process and flow getting people into the ticket booth. From the tunnel you go down a small hill and around the corner and the ticket booth will be in front of you (it's a...

12/28/17 Shortly after my delicious breakfast this morning, but before Made arrived to pick me up for adventures, Ogy's mom came in with a basket full of flowers, holy water, incense and other goodies. Mystery solved. She is the sweet person who has been leaving all of the offerings throughout the villa. This was the first time I noticed them inside the villa. She left one poolside, one in front of the steps, one on the kitchen counter, and many outside.  These offerings (not just in my villa but everywhere in Bali) are something that I will never forget. The beautiful flowers, the sweet smelling incense, the little woven palm baskets that they all sit in, how they are all swept into a pile at the end of the day. The second that I laid eyes on Made this morning I started in on Mt Batur, he tried diversion tactics, he tried flat out "no", he tried refocusing to today's itinerary (waterfalls, a village, and a temple), the man used some of my own tactics I was impres...