#one night in a hula hut

[sohannabarberaesque]

Hawai’i calls The Banana Splits back, if but out of sentiment (part two)

(With apologies to Webley “Webb” Edwards [1902-1977] and his long-running Hawai’ian music radio programme Hawai’i Calls [1935-1975] as much as Hanna-Barbera)

The morning after: Following the Continental breakfast offered by the hotel, one of the porters handed Fleegle, de facto leader of the Banana Splits, a message by parties unknown directing them to “meet us by Duke at 10.”

“So who exactly is the ‘Duke’ referred to in this message?” was how Drooper queried things, with the manager explaining that such referred to the statue of “Duke” Kahanamoku at Waikiki Beach, one of modern surfing’s more revered figures by virtue of his introducing that ancient and most revered of Polynesian water sports through exhibitions at Huntington Beach in 1911 (introducing surfing to America) and Freshwater Beach, Sydney, in 1915 (likewise to Australia)--which seems ironic considering that Christian missionaries from the United States, inter alii, tried to suppress surfing in the Hawai’an Islands during the 1820′s and 1830′s because of the “immodesty” inherent (as in the boardriders going naked, which was looked on as one with Sin, never mind that the nakedness was largely out of comfort as much as custom).

At any rate, strolling down Kalakaua Avenue, basically Waikiki’s “main street,” from their hotel, Our Bhoys managed to get surprised looks from surfers and other beach goers headed out to a day’s pleasure on Waikiki, aloha print or no aloha print--and maybe one or two autograph/selfie requests--towards the Duke Kahanamoku statue, bound to see its share of leis draped around his neck (with only the statue of King Kamehamela in front of ‘Iolani Palace getting more) as a show of affectation. And once The Duke’s statue was reached, even as the Kalakaua Avenue traffic was going along at a good clip--

“Hello, boys!!”

It turned out being no less than Mildew Wolf, one with Peter Potamus’ Travelling SCUBA Par-tay, delivering such with trademark snarkiness.

“So you’re The Banana Splits, huh--Bingo, Drooper, Fleegle and Snorky?”

The which Snorky responded rather affirmatively, as confirmed by Drooper so interpreting.

Which had Bingo asking “Why would you want us to meet you beside a statue of a surfing legend like ‘Duke’ Kahanamoku when you happen to be part of a diving troupe?”

“I can see the aloha print is rather flattering,” Mildew observed, never mind that Mildew’s style was more Crazy Shirts, which begat the cheesy T-shirt phenomenon on Waikiki in 1962. (In Mildew’s case, his shirt drew inspiration from Native Hawai’ian lore.)

“So let me guess,” Fleegle enquireth, “what you have in mind--you want us to take up the diving experience, I assume?”

“However did you guess?” After a short pause, Mildew Wolf remarked “Follow uncle,” and led them to a side street about halfway towards Ala Wai Creek, whereupon they were directed to a campy-looking rebuild of a Volkswagen minibus whose entrance door featured the “Diver Down” flag prominently; not long afterward, same would be opened by--

“PETER POTAMUS?!” exclaimed the Splits in sheer disbelief.”

“None other than!” would be the reply, even if Peter’s trademark safari jacket and pith helmet seemed borderline suspicious in the tropical heat.

“So why choose us exactly, Peter?” was how Drooper parsed the question. “And how exactly did you know we were spending a few days here, to begin with?”

“Dumb luck” was all Peter could gather. At any rate, all got into the minibus and set off ... which began with a short excursion to the USS Arizona Memorial at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, paying solemn respect and tribute to such sailors as were killed in the shock Japanese attack on the naval station on December 7, 1941, forcing America’s hand into World War II. It may have felt a little solemn for a prelude to what was going to be a rather interesting day ahead.

Because after this rather solemn tribute, it was doubling back on the H1 freeway through Honolulu eastward towards “the Blue Hole” otherwise known as Hanamua Bay State Underwater Park, particularly popular with snorkellers and SCUBA divers because of the rather lush coral reefs to be had offshore as well as the legendary dropoff. Following some awfully impressive snorkelling there, Peter felt it worthwhile to try another interesting dive spot off Makapu’u Point on the southeast fringe of the island of O’ahu, reachable by way of a dive pontoon Peter and Mildew were able to hire over in Waimānalo Beach by way of the local dive shop, itself right on the main highway ... and with some help of some crew from said dive shop, Peter and Mildew were able to coax the Splits into SCUBA gear for a SCUBA lesson which turned out being exceptionally memorable. As in memorable for the flatulence discharged underwater, especially considering the inexperience that Our Bhoys had with SCUBA while trying to stay focused on the view underwater.

“At any rate,” Peter was quick to explain, “such gas passing as you had underwater is not exactly your fault, to begin with. Divers are bound to pass a lot of gas underwater anyway ... Shall we try again, hoping not to get too focused on the likely breaking of wind?” You can guess how that dive turned out, especially when you had unlikely dive instructors and coaches like Peter Potamus and Mildew Wolf “on the spot” in Hawai’i and pointing out some rather beautiful bits of reef, with monk seals and dolphins joining in on the swim ... followed by the magnum opus of any dive with Peter known as the Underwater Hippo Hug on the ocean bottom (which, for some reason, Bingo couldn’t help but feel all the more wonderful about).

*************

“Boys,” Peter Potamus was quick to explain after wrapping up the dive session, “I’ve decided to lay on a surprise for all of you this evening!” (This as the sun was starting to go down, which, considering the latitudes at which Hawai’i is situated, is bound to be rather sudden, not to mention a rather roundabout drive along O’ahu’s eastern shore.)

It was just past the Valley of the Temples, south of Kahalu’u, that Peter explained what was about to go down for the Splits: Nothing less than a night in a hula hut which Peter knew about, on a remote side road which mainstream maps chose not to include, complete with the old-school luau of roasted spit pig and other typically Hawai’ian delicacies as included Japanese noodles and Korean kimchi guaranteed to go all night. Not to mention keeping alive the old, eroticised style of hula which was driven underground thanks to missionary and trader influence because of perceived “sinful” associations.

Admittedly, the Splits took some time to get acquainted with that rather starchy Hawai’an appetiser poi, which Drooper was quick to compare with eating a mix of flour, water and library paste as if having to explain to Snorky that he shouldn’t use his trunk to consume poi wasn’t awful enough ... and to imagine a rather impressive mix of spit-roasted pork, hula in the “natural” style and a view looking out upon a moonlit Kāne’ohe Bay with the tide coming in coming together for a night as worthy of remembrance as the diving earlier in the day!

(Oh, and did I mention their being invited to sleep with the girls of that noble establishment, to be followed practically at sunrise by some uniquely Hawai’ian skinny dipping--including some unlikely pre-dawn time underwater?)

Look, then, for more interesting escapades with The Banana Splits in Hawai’i next week in this space!

@warnerarchive @hanna-barbera-land @warnerbrosentertainment @moonrock1973 @the-banana-splits-ask-blog @wherearethememesonmyplate @hanna-barbera-blog @themineralyoucrave @joey-gatorman @straights-world @screamingtoosoftly @hanna-barberians @cottoncandy-wannabe @the-banana-splits-blog @jg376

[missamyrisa2]

The Giggle Abduction Ritual Part 1

Amy had quite enough of this town’s shenanigans. The tickle tortures in the library, the kissy product testers, tickly doctors, and now even her car had subjected her to endless taunting tickle teases. Rumors had been spreading about this wicked witch who had taken up residence in the old mushroom grove. Brave boys returned as giggling messes, relieved of their clothing, shivering with sensation, and cursed to laugh at random hours of the night. A young heartbroken lady spoke of the erotic magical bliss that awaits any who are worthy of the woman’s charms. Amy knew she had finally found her solution. 

Errant snickers teetered in the mist as Amy carefully stepped over the small white picket fence with her long legs. The air shuddered into crisp coolness. Leaves gently rapped against the tall mushroom caps, kissed by glistening moonbeams. The soft air nipped at Amy’s exposed belly, a strip of twitchy flesh between her cropped top and beltline like a beacon in the dark. One foot in front of the other, her black platform sandals squished in the grassy soil. Amy’s lips tingled in anticipation ~ surely awaiting a tickly trap or three. But the grove was deathly silent. 

She hummed as a cat purrs to comfort itself - both in fear of the witch, and disappointment that she may not be deemed worthy of an appearance. Deep in the grove, as the moonlight grew weary and the ground more ancient, the sound of eternal skeletal giggles rasped in her ears. Amy nearly fell as she whirled around. The distance to her entry point winked on a far horizon. Infinite black stretched in all directions. She gasped, feeling the presence of someone approaching rapidly ~ and turned to be face to face with an ornate wooden door adorned with countless knockers ~ all bearing grinning laughing faces.

Amy smirked at this cute yet frightful design. Her purple nails grazed on the cool metal of the doorknockers, each face holding a feathery implement seemingly moving to watch her curiosities. Grasping one feathered ring carefully, she knocked. Rather than a banging sound, a distinct girly giggle began. She snickered with it, and tried another as the door did not open. More laughter joined the first. Amy couldn’t help but channel a bit of tickler, tracing their noses and ears, ringing their feathered earrings and collars. The door became a cacophony of ticklish laughter, howling into the grove’s eternal eve. 

“Oh, what the fuck!”

A frustrated voice bellowed from inside. The door suddenly slammed open, an impertinent raven-haired girl nearly bowled Amy over as she clomped out. “You stupid whore, once they start up they’ll cackle like dumb dicks for hours!” Her deep blue eyes, flash of white teeth with extra long points, absolutely perfect cascade of shimmering black hair, and most of all, the glowing pink lips certainly distracted Amy’s shock. 

“Hey bitch. What do you want?” She quickly discarded her rage as the doorknockers calmed, hushing into whimpering chuckles at the presence of this new arrival. “Did boobarella take your words or something? Answer me, you fucking strumpet. Where do you even get a flower like that, were you frozen in time from 1995 I’m talking to you blondie!”

Amy squinted her eyes for a moment, blushing at the stream of profanity and her immediate attraction to the girl. Her tummy twitched madly. “Tyler?” She asked in a moment of realization. “What~ why~ how are you here? Why are you a witch’s assistant?”

“I dunno, why is anything anything? Get the fucking fuck in here Goldienips, take some speed, and get your monkey paw wish and hurry the hell up so we can have bang uglies later I haven’t got all fucking day just kidding but seriously my door is always open just like your legs you tramp!”

Tyler seized Amy by the shoulders and heaved her inside the witch’s hut, muttering more curses as she twirled away down a hallway, her pink lacey dress a hypnotic hula hoop of activity. Amy shook her head in disbelief, turning and once again right into her destiny. Or rather, a prominent bosom. 

“Mmmph!! Sorry!” The tall girl fell backwards, gasping and blushing madly before the witch, who looked down with intense curiosity and deep chuckles. 

“My, my, my. What do we have here? A little flower doodle wandered into my home ~ oooh” she stepped closer, her form and countenance stunning Amy into stunned squeaks. “And she wants my magic hmmm~ mmmhmm~”

The blonde girl stammered, fiddling with her long locks as the witch paced around with a knowing smirk as though she had heard these words a hundred times over.

“Welllll you seeee I have this problem. People keep uhm, y’know, tickling me. As they do. People tickle me and do it so much that I uhhh~”

“Orgasm.” The witch interjected, making a jerking motion with her meaty hand.

“Yeahhhh. Soo it’s a real humdinger and I can’t get them to stop sooo I thought you could with your magic just ya know, takee it away??”

The witch snickered, and drew her nails around Amy’s nape, her other hand palming the girl’s twitching tummy. “Take away what?”

“My uhmm. The thing, with the thingy. All the eeeehh~~ stuff?”

“Your TICKLISHNESS?!” Her voice boomed deeply in the hut, fingers drawing up to scratch playfully at Amy’s exposed tum. She recoiled with mad giggles, trying to wriggle free. But the witch had her trapped easily, one hand holding her backside, one hand tickling her belly, and that buxom form keeping Amy from retreating in any direction~ once she had thoroughly turned Amy’s cheeks pink and her belly into a minefield of bounces, she relented.

“My dear flower. I can’t cure such sensation. Even if I could ~ why would I deprive you of such a lovely feeling?”

“Because people keep tickling me!! You did toooo~” Amy whimpered a giggle, trying to straighten her outfit.

“Stop being so cute, then. Stop having an adorable giggle.” She remarked releasing Amy and stepping back, the witch tracing her lip with a nail thoughtfully. 

“That’s it!!” Amy stomped a foot, throwing an arm up in a cheer. “Take my giggles! Take them all! No one will tickle me if I can’t giggle right?”

The witch put her hands on her thick belt, chuckling out. “Why ~ of course. And dear flower, I can certainly extract every giggle in your soul. Would you like me to take your squeaks too?”

“Hmmm. Nahh. I think I might need those. What if I land a role in Deflator Mouse?”

The Witch snickered and backed Amy against the wall, fingers tracing her cheeks and tickling at her neck. “A shame, your giggles are delightful. But I will give them a warm home here. Come.”

She tugged on Amy’s flower shaped belt buckle and tickled at her waistline with long strides, poking and scratching at her hip bones popping out her pants. The witch bullied Amy around the room with tickles in a slow chase ~ working her into an adjacent room. The shapely rough-skinned witch continued her teasy torment, chuckling and nodding as she pushed Amy onto a chair. 

Amy wiggled, still giggling from all the attention of those sharp nails. And she gasped out a squeaky giggle when the witch’s powerful hands seized her pants and yanked them down slightly, exposing more lower abdomen and hips, then daintily pinched her nails to lift Amy’s cropped top up further. “First, we apply the oils~” The magical lady hummed and dipped her fingers into an unknown vial, letting the slippery liquid dribble and coat about. She took a breath as if drawing in Amy’s spirit and began lovingly massaging around her tummy and chest and waist. “Now don’t fidget. I’ll make it worse if you can’t sit still.” Amy tried to stifle the sensation but she was soon a giggling mess all over, her hips bucking in protest at the sensual tummy rubs. 

With her exposed belly shining in the dim torchlights, Amy breathed slow, trying to relax as the Witch lifted a ceremonial looking white candle, lined with feathery runes. “With this ancient magick we shall seal those sounds and capture them from your spirit. When we finish, you shall giggle no more my flower.” 

Amy screeched as the wax dribbled down, landing to the left of her navel. It was hot even through the protective oil, and felt far heavier than a droplet of wax had any right to feel. “Mmmhh!” Giggles flowed nervously and freely. More drops of wax descended ~ one after another, coating her sensitive midsection. 

“Don’t fight it, Amy. Let the magic work.” 

The warmth, the gaze of the witch, the residual tickles ~ it overwhelmed Amy particularly as her navel began filling with the hot thick liquid. She giggled and gasped, and struggled on the chair. Her hands grasped the air, her flower bobbed gently. She found herself outrageously aroused, slipping giggle moans from the attention and intoxicating proximity of the witch. 

And then the last drop fell. Amy’s belly was coated in the wax. The Witch leaned in and pursed her plump lips. “Hold on precious. This can be ~ intense~” she began blowing softly. A cool relentless breeze swept over the wax and Amy’s belly, cooling the solution and sealing it to her sensitive skin. The magic invaded downward, swirling through her belly. Amy’s body arched and shook with ticklish shivers. “This is what it takes lil flower. This is what you wanted my  Kitchy kitchy~” 

She blew again and again, the soft attention, the sensual movement of her lips. Amy bit her own lip and shook her head, the blonde locks flying about. She felt clenches on her giggles as they tumbled out. The wax solidified into her navel, holding it captive. It hugged tightly to her trembling body ~ a second skin. With a sly grin exposing those imperfect yet perfectly teasy teeth, the witch flashed her nails once more. 

“Oooh nooo~ please nooo don’t not the taps. You don’t understand I mean do you have tooo? It’s just it’s gonna tickle and I specifically want to avoid situations like this and unnnnnhhh~~~!!”

Amy’s begs were cut off as the witch nodded and mmmhmm and simply descended her waving nails, testing the wax coating. The extra sensation drove Amy into giggly madness in record time, babbling about museum sculptures of tickles and giggle canvases being painted as those wicked nails traced and poked and gently scratched. The whole ordeal was teasing the girl’s body so badly, and evidently, as the witch flashed a sly sneer before letting one single index finger begin tracing the bulge in Amy’s pants up and down slowly.

“Mmmm!! Don’t tickle my princess partttt!!”

She howled, slipping snickermoans left and right as her body was taunted into further arousal. “Careful my Amy flower, if you break the wax seal we’ll have to start all over. Self control, little flower. Self control.” She made kissy motions towards her helpless victim, stroke tickling Amy into a moany mess, and sighing happily as she took the opportunity to walk her other hand up Amy’s quivering chest, trace a lip, and slip a finger inside Amy’s mouth.

“There darling. Yes. Mmmmhm.”

Amy complied to the teases, taking everything the witch gave, suckling that finger and eagerly trembling under the endless motion of the nail tickling her princess part. At last the witch had her fill. This part was wholly unncessary yes, but wholly fun for the curvy lady. 

With a grand gesture, the witch rose, her fingers weaving a magic web about Amy’s waxed belly. Purple lines glowed into existence, spreading and elongating. Amy whimpered through her teased state, fearful of the arcane energies being summoned around. A sparkling torrent of pink began trembling out of her sealed navel ~ the witch drew her fingers upward, urging the snaking tickle energy out. 

“Come chuckles, come snickers, come laughs, come giggles~”

“Join with me once more~”

“We dance unto the howling stars~”

The witch twirled and bounced around Amy, displaying a limber array of motions the girl never would have thought possible. The door to the room flew open as Tyler poked her head in “hey large marge, where the fuck is the cottage cheese-ooh for fuck’s sake” she slammed the door in a huff seeing the dance and the pink snake of energy whirling from Amy’s bouncing tickled belly, stomping back down the hall.

Amy shrieked, she giggled uncontrollably. The spell was drawing up all her past ticklish encounters. Knowing smiles surrounded her face, an endless gallery of tickler visages - old boyfriends, girlfriends, fashion model bullies, random encounters, hooded library ticklers, curious scientists, a secret order of elderly ticklers whom Amy didn’t recognize but instantly realized had probably orchestrated a number of situations, elvis-looking aliens, gangsters, the parade of ticklers was endless, and all their past tickles on Amy’s body came rocketing back in a train of recollection. The laughs returned, like an echo chamber of every tickle she’d ever endured. Her body writhed and bounced, the sensations twining along her belly ~ as if all those ticklers stepped into the room to give her one last poke, stroke, and tease on her tickle spots.

The witch smiled brightly. The room had quieted, and in her hand the remnants of the pink snake of pure Amy giggles dissolved. But there was one last order of business. “Now hold still. This is gonna be like a band-aid. Gotta do it quick, Right off!”

Her nails scratched under the edge of the wax sheet, and peeled it up in one hurried fluid lift. Amy yelped and screeched, the sensation absolutely feeling like a second skin torn from her body. Beneath, her skin was a luminescent pink, twitching and bouncing wildly in protest. But Amy barely noticed, she was mortified and curious about what the Witch now held lovingly. A perfect form of Amy’s belly, with a deep sculpture of her navel. 

“Oooh gross. Is that what my button looks like? It’s all deep and weird. Are you gonna keep that?”

“Yes dear flower. I require payment. Did I not mention?”

Amy shrank and the table. Stupid Tyler and her stupid always correct predictions. 

“Worry not Amy, you got what you came for, yes?” The witch leaned in darted her fingers over Amy’s hips, tracing to her belly and dipping a nail into her navel. Amy flexed and wiggled, but no giggles emerged. It certainly tickled, but there was no sound accompanying. 

“Awwee yessss! No more silly giggles!! Hah! Let’s see all those jerkfaces try to get me now!”

Amy leapt up from her seat and hugged the buxom magical lady, who was all too eager to take the embrace, squeezing Amy tight before unceremoniously tossing her back. “And now you’ll be leaving. Your tryst with my Tyler will have to wait.”

The witched winked and flicked her fingers at Amy, who found herself strolling outside the white picket fence in the next breath. Her pinkened tummy twitched in the cool mist of the night. But the air wasn’t inspiring any giggles. She picked up a blade of grass and twirled it thoughtfully around her navel. No sounds escaped despite the twitches. Amy danced and did a celebratory cartwheel, well more like an awkward somersault but the mood was right. She was free of her giggles.

The following days were a blissful dream for Amy. She walked without fear of being trapped into a giggle extraction. The world seemed to part and allow her through now. All was right, and Amy took up a new old job, working the library once more ~ but of course, that’s not the end of the tale. 

Back at the witch’s hut, Tyler rolled her eyes watching the woman work her craft. The wax sculpture of Amy’s belly suspended in the air. 

“Now my doll ~ we awaken the sensation once more.”

Quivering pink tendrils emerged from the witch’s palm, and coalesced into the swirling snake of giggly energy. She carefully angled the raw tickle force and let it glide upwards into the wax. 

Amy stifled a phantom sensation as she tapped away at her computer. She straightened her denim skirt and nervously adjusted the sleeves of her fuzzy sweater top, fidgeting with the big buttons. No way, she thought, just a ghost feeling.

The witch smirked as the wax glowed and sparkled with energy, the giggly essence reunited with its framework. 

“Here your giggles lie with me, dear flower.”

Amy rose up to shake the dew of the ghostly tingle away. She walked over to the book deposit and started building a stack. Two steps into her return, she dropped them all. “Nooo~ nuuuu what’s happening~” she called out, her belly trembling madly.

Dark nails trailed the underside of the wax belly, gliding along its curvatures and tracing the bottom of the navel form. Amy’s giggles filled the room, squeaking resisting ticklish laughs. 

At the library, Amy writhed in her crawl, clawing at her exposed tummy. The witch’s phantom touches relentlessly followed every twitch on the wax as it softly bent about, matching Amy’s motions. Both Amy’s captive laughs and her pleas from afar filled the chamber. But the worse to come was when those wicked dark lips began caressing the wax navel rim.

Amy pressed her lips together. The giggles were gone, but something else remained. The kissy brushy taunt drew back and forth slowly on Amy’s trembling midsection, as a nail tickled the underside of her navel bottom, scratching it so lightly. “Mmmmhh stappiiitttt this wasn’t part of the deal!!”

Library patrons gathered. Knowing smiles were exchanged, as were payments for bets taken on how long their dear sweet librarian would last before another incident. Amy’s belted hips bucked and her thighs shook, toes curling in her shoes as a long sweet moan wormed out from her lips. “Unnnnhhh not the kisssess those lips mmh don’t tickle my navelll!” she rolled and squirmed on the floor like a gasping fish, invisible touches and teases lingering all around her ticklish sensual areas. 

Amy’s witchy tormentor grinned at her voodoo belly, and went all in now, dancing nails with one hand and taking a polishing brush with the other, the impossibly soft horse hair tail sending Amy into a silent sensitive dance to the amusement of her onlookers. The lips returned, kissing and brushing again. Amy couldn’t fight the amorous sensations ~ her princess part swelled and strained on her panties, lifting her little skirt and giving everyone quite the show. 

Giggly Amy moans swirled about the witch. She wouldn’t relent, despite her assistant’s tired sighs at this lengthy ritual. Raising the wax belly up slightly, the pleasingly plump magical tormentor dipped her head and captured the underside of the navel between her teeth. Amy screamed a gasping moan, her back arching and freezing as she was seized viciously by this new sensation. Her hyper ticklish navel was held by the knot, and sucked gently ~ Amy feebly tried to resist, but the deluge of sensation rocketed her right into a silent gigglegasm ~ her mouth agape in teased pleasure.

Help arrived, of course. Familiar patrons darted their fingers all over Amy as she struggled madly to endure. What a huge miscalculation ~ she couldn’t giggle, but the facial expressions and bouncy twitchy body was more than enough for her admirers to enjoy. Particularly as her princess part was explored once more with post-gigglegasm handjobbing. 

The witch, deeply satisfied, rubbed her chest and squeezed her witchy buttons. Payment was made in full for her services. And most satisfying of all, she knew her return on investment was yet to come~

[stitchandani]

thoughts//Halloween in Stitch and Ani

Happy Halloween, here’s some thoughts on the subject in regards to our characters/setting!

Nani still waits for Trick-or-Treaters every year, with David by her side. Sometimes they dress up (but not usually), and they’ve taken to secretly hoarding all the good candy in a bowl on the couch. The Trick-or-Treaters get the boring candy in a bowl by the door, and the Kawenas munch the good stuff while watching horror flicks in between doorbell rings.

Lilo goes with the kids to Trick-or-Treat until they reach Kiki’s Coffee Hut. Then she lets them go alone and heads to the hula school to set up the annual Halloween party. (Everyone will meet there later on.) She employs a lot of Stitch’s cousins to help her decorate, especially the ones that live at the school (Subwoof, Yaarp, etc.). Household Experiments too! Lilo always dresses up on Halloween, and yes, it usually has to do with being undead. You can make anything into a zombie with the right prop! Lilo has a lot of mixed feelings about Halloween - it is the anniversary of the day she and Stitch split. But it’s also her favorite holiday, and she has a lot of good memories to associate it with too. She likes to get to the school early to decorate, before the party starts, to be alone and gather her thoughts and feelings. Halloween means a lot of things for Lilo at this point.

Ani, Kai, and Mason go out with Stitch to Trick-or-Treat, obviously, and Ani has to do damage control when it comes to Kai and Stitch, because they’re always fighting. Of course, she and Mason don’t get along too well either. But they’re all practically family and by order of Nani, Kai has to stay with his cousin for the evening to make sure she’s safe/not lost/not kidnapped/not poisoned. (Halloween can be dangerous for kids even on Kauai, and Nani’s House Rules must not be ignored.)

obviously Kai and Mason break those rules halfway through the night and split up from Stitch and Ani

Kai likes/hates Halloween. It’s his birthday, after all, and everyone does celebrate his birthday. Just usually before or after Halloween. But he’s acutely aware of the fact that a holiday usually takes priority over his actual date of birth every year, so sometimes he’s grumpier than usual on that day, feeling more left out by this. And sometimes he’s not, because getting in costume with Mason and eating candy all night is fun, birthday or no birthday. Mason has a blast no matter what - he tries to scare Ani, he steals Stitch’s candy with Kai, he plays pranks on townspeople. Little stinker.

Eventually the kids and Stitch reunite because they all have to stop by Spooky’s haunted house, bypassing the line of Trick-or-Treaters and teens daring each other to go in. The kids/Stitch sneak in the back entrance and join Spooky and some of the Experiments for a Halloween bash. They have to make an appearance, it’s polite.

Stitch will leave the kids once they’re all together again and go to join Lilo at the halau. (It’s a little awkward sometimes, because they both know what day it is for them, but they never say anything about it and try to just focus on the good Halloweens they always had together.)

around this time the three kids head over to Lilo’s hula school party to meet up with the rest of the family

Jumba and Pleakley basically spend the early hours of the evening (and all day) trying to agree on costumes. Pleakley goes nuts trying to give every sudden idea he has a chance to be worn that day, while Jumba has at least three complaints for every costume. Ani once suggested that her great-uncles go out without a costume, without even a disguise, because they’re aliens and everyone would think they’re already wearing costumes. Pleakley is appalled by this idea, whereas Jumba thinks it’s genius (of course) and wants to try it right away. Pleakley nixes this, using the excuse that it’s “too risky” even though we all know he just wants to keep dressing up -

then Jumba and Pleakley go and help Lilo set up for the party

The party is, at first, for the hula school students and their families, but when all those boring people have gone home, Lilo and Stitch and their Ohana have their own Family-Only Halloween Spectacular. There’s tons of food, tons of Experiments, dancing, laughing, Mason pouring punch down the back of Ani’s 50’s dress, Kai eating all the pumpkin pie and making it seem like it was Stitch, Pleakley dragging Jumba off for costume changes every 30 minutes, Nani and David dancing/chilling at a table watching the fun. Lilo always hosts a lot of mini games for everyone, with the help of Stitch’s cousins. Everyone eats and dances and fights and plays keep-away with their mini game prizes until they’re all too exhausted and end up sugar-crashing on the floor together, moaning about how they don’t want to clean up.

Secretly, this is exactly how Kai wants to spend his birthdays. Every year. But of course he’d never tell them that…

[mistyskiesrambles]

you like taking care of kids and hanging out with them?

Yeah it’s so much fun! Just some random occurrences but:

In like? 9th grade my school’s STEM Academy had this picnic thing at a park and a lot of us were playing frisbee and a few lil kids came up to me and were like “Can we play too?” And idk that just made me really happy ‘cause smol child was like this one seems approachable, and later my friend was like “its probs cause ur shorter so they thought you were one of them” which whskhkshs smhhh, but if being short makes lil kids think I’m nice then Ill take what I can get lol ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Ooh and then one year my dads office asked me to watch all of the lil kids during their Christmas office party, and I was upstairs with these two sisters and we were watching the Last Unicorn Together and also there was a little fake kitchen set so one of them was making me food and I’d be like “om nom no, this is so good!” And she’d smile and I’d be like 🥺🥺🥺. And then later they were like “👀this place is haunted” and I was like okie lets roll with that so I was like “I heard they can only get you when your touching the floor” and then throughout the rest of the night I got to pretend to be a ghost and theyd jump from couches or climb up this ladder that led to a loft bed(idk what it was it was cool tho) and there was just a lot of laughs and it was just so much fun!

Ooh and then I also volunteered to take care of toddlers during Church service and just!! They are so cute!! And also so smart like the kids will come up to me and be like ‘look look!!! I know my colors!!’ And bring me up to this lil keyboard and I’ll press the buttons and then they’ll be like ‘red!! blue!!’ And so on and so forth and theyre just so happy! And like the same with this alphabet book they have, theyre just so excited to be like !! Look what I know!! And i love it! And then also you bring out different toys and like sometimes you have a case where kids want to swipe something from someone whose playing with it so I tell them they have to wait a little bit before it’s their turn but in the meanwhile I’ll bring them to our closet of toys and pick something and get to do that thing where you’re like! Woahhh look at how cool this is, and like if its a car or plane you get to do the accompanying car/sounds or you get something that pops out when you turn a knob and they’ll just be like :OOO ‘can I okay with that?’ And ofc they can :’) Also the things kids say are literally just so adorable and also funny at times but then also just like?? Idk they make me happy cause theyre getting used to getting their words out and I just? Feel so happy and like proud?? When theyre taking their time to try and say some things? And also like they’ll literally talk to you about anything on their mind I just love it! And sometimes they might do something wrong and i get to help steer them in the right direction and its like wow! What I do helps guide them and I just think thats so cool!!

Ooh and also in my tags I mentioned I worked at a daycare and just!! I miss it so much! They are literally so wholesome like there was one day where at random one of the kids was like ‘it’s time for hugs!’ And went around hugging everyone and I just about melted like 🥺🥺🥺 Also at the end of the day when their parents come its just adorable to see them running up to their parents :’) and there was this one girl who was one of the last to go and she was a lil upset cause she wanted to see her dad, so I was playing ponies with her to distract her and then I saw her dad through the window and was like “ooooh look who I see!!!” And she turned around and was literally jumping up and down like !!!! Hes here!!! And I’m just 🥺🥺🥺 Also the serotonin I get when over that week a kid says I’m their favorite counselor and proceeds to sit next to me all the time or hold my hand when were walking in lines and asks if they can trace me in chalk when were outside or asks me to build them a hula hoop hut or just exists within my vicinity I just—

Anywaysss this was probably way more than you were asking but yeah I love hanging out with kids 🥰🥰🥰

[ligit-squid]

Remembrance of A Bond

The sun was beating down on anything its rays touched, the sand hot to the touch and creatures escaping to the shadows to cool down. In the water, dolphins chirped and clicked, whistling to each other. They took turns springing into the air above the water. Sea birds soaring in the air and watched below them. One dipping down to catch a fish that was close to the surface.

On the beach, two teenagers were busy playing a game. Tossing a small, hand-sized rubber ball at each other, hoping the other will catch it. One was a boy, who had raven hair and olive tanned skin. His brown eyes were bright with enjoyment. He was wearing a loose blue and white striped tank-top, and a pair of tan cargo shorts. A homemade thread bead bracelet was on his wrist, decorating it was a sandbar shark tooth.

The girl was wearing a white crop-top with a flowing knee-length skirt, a white tank-top and around her neck was a shark-tooth necklace. She, like the boy, ran in the sand with bare feet. Around her head, she wore a headscarf, hiding what was underneath.

“I’m throwing it farl, Troy!” the girl called out, trotting backward. She threw the rubber ball at him, but he didn’t catch it. It soared past him while he tumbled backward into the sand. The boy—Troy, huffed and got up, brushing away the sand that had collected on his clothing. “Good throw, Lian!”

The girl smiled, “Thanks for the compliment, Troy. Maybe one day you’ll be good as me,” her tone was tantalizing. Troy laughed and grabbed the ball that was in the sand a few feet away from him.

“Kids’, sandwiches are ready!” a woman in her late thirties or early forties called out from the porch of the beach house. The two teenagers laughed and shoved each other while retreating to the hut. The woman from before smiled as she watched them, only the slightest frown at the tips of her lips. Lian and Troy finished shoving at each other and went inside, quickly sitting down and eating their sandwiches.

“Gracias, Mrs. Haku, for the sandwich,” Troy said, though his mouth was still filled with ham and cheese sandwich.

“Thank you, Troy—now, please finish eating before you talk,” the older woman chuckled. The boy listened and continue to eat away at the sandwich. Lian, unlike Troy, ate hers at a slower pace, occasionally stopped by small fits of coughing. During one of her fits, the headscarf had started to slip. Lian noticed and simply took it off. It revealed an almost bald head—only a few strands of hair in some places.

“Your father is due home any minute now, Lian,” Mrs. Haku spoke up. She was filling the feed for the parrots, whose cage was in the corner.

“We’re still doing the campfire later, right?” Lian asked. Mrs. Harper laughed half-heartedly.

“Yes we’ll still have the fire, the rain from yesterday wasn’t enough to make the logs wet,” the older woman said. The two teenagers gave their announced excitement, Troy even shooting up and shouting his excitement.

“Troy, I’m just as excited as you, but we don’t want Emilio to cause a disturbance,” a man said from the door, a grin on his face. He was tall with a sunburned tan, his dirty blond hair in a man bun.

“Papa!” Lian ran over to him and wrapping him in a hug. He gave a throaty laugh but hugged her back.

Ollie, the family’s dog, skittered in through the door after the man. It’s colored coat covered in wood shavings and grit. 

“Ryan! Clean Ollie off before he comes inside! He’s going to make a mess,” Mrs. Haku exclaimed. The man laughed.

“He can come run in the water with us?” Troy suggested.

“Alright, but Lian, you need to take your medication soon.”

Lian had been a very sick child throughout her school years, missing a lot of days and constant trips to the clinic a few towns away. Doctors claimed it as ‘poor genetics’. It wasn’t until she was fifteen they did a blood test, that’s when they found out she actually had leukemia. It was a devastating discovery, but Lian wanted to keep everyone happy. She continued on with life like before, but with more medications and occasional chemotherapy. Over the time she’s gone through chemo, her skin got paler, she started to lose weight, and her hair started to fall out.

Her father—Ryan Haku—was reluctant to put his only child on the medications and chemotherapy. He eventually put her up for it, hoping it could stop cancer from spreading. Ryan’s wishes weren’t heard, unfortunately. In recent months, their family doctor at the clinic broke the news to them that Lian wouldn’t live to be nineteen. It broke them, knowing their daughter would pass away before them.

Troy had been by Lian's side through those hard years. He was only half a year older than her, and they both turned out to be good friends. Best friends. Troy and Lian were a Romeo and Juliet type of relationship. They loved each other, but Lian was destined to pass away. Troy, however, promised he’d stay with her till she couldn’t anymore.

“When are we having the campfire?” Lian asked.

“As soon as your mother gets the food ready,” Ryan replied, retreating to Nalani and his shared bedroom.

“I have everything ready so we can all head down to the beach,” Lian’s mom—Nalani Haku—mused. She was in the kitchen again, grabbing different foods and drinks into the carrier bag that laid on the counter.

Troy and Lian were already heading for the door, Ollie in tow behind them. The border collie yapped away as it chased after the two young adults, happily jumping in the waves that crashed on the beach. Troy and Lian ran after the dog, laughing while splashing each other. Nalani and Ryan went to join them, sitting a bit away from the water and sat down. Nalani set her bag down beside her, Ryan tweaking the strings of his old ukulele. When the two teenagers were tired out they joined the adults by the now burning fire. The heat from the flames danced on their skin as their shadows stretched out on the sand. The sound of the wood crackling and crashing waves filled the air but was interrupted by a soft strum on the ukulele.

“Mahalo nui ia Ke Ali’i wahine. ‘O Lili’ulani ‘O ka Wo hi ku. Ka pipio mai o ke anuenuehi,” Ryan started to sing, strumming the ukulele’s strings.

“Na waiho’o lu’u a halikeole’e. E nana na maka i ke ao malama mai. Hawai’i akea I Kaua’i. ‘O Kalākaua he inoa. ‘O ka pua mae’ole i ka lā.” Ryan continued singing as Ollie bounded over, sitting at his feet.

“Ka pua maila i ka mauna. I ke kuahiwi ‘o Mauna Kea. Ke ‘ā maila i Kīlauea.” Troy joined, swaying slightly. 

“Mālamalama i Wahinekapu. A ka luna o Uwēkahuna. I ka pali kapu o Kau’auea.” The two of them sang, their voices being carried on the wind. The gentle strumming of the ukulele mixed with their sound, creating a beautiful melody.

“Ea mai ke ali’i kia manu. Ua wehi ka hula o ka mamo. Ka pua nani a’o Hawai’i.” Lian’s soft voice braided into their melody as her eyes glittered joyfully. “‘O Kalākaua he inoa. ‘O Kalākaua he inoa. ‘O ka pua mau’ole i ka lā. Ka pua maila i ka mauna.”

“I ke kuahiwi ‘o Mauna Kea. Ke ‘ā maila i Kīlauea. Mālamalama i Wahinekapu. A ka luna o Uwēkahuna.” Nalani started to sing as the two teenagers started dancing around in the sand. 

“I ka pali kapu o Ka’auea. Mahalo nui ‘ia ke Kuini. ‘O Lili’ulani Wo ka ‘o hi ku. Ea mai ke ali’i kia manu.” Ollie sprung up and started running around them, it’s tail wagging frantically. 

“Ua wehi i ka hulu o ka mamo. Ka pua nani a’o Hawai’i. ‘O Kalakaua he inoa. He Inoa No Kalani Kalākaua Kulele.” The two collapsed back onto the sand in a fit of laughter, covering their clothes completely in sand. 

Later on in the evening, when both Ryan and Nalani went inside for the night, Troy and Lian—with the company of Ollie—went to the field a bit away from the beach. It was farther away from the torchlight, making it easier for them to see the billions of stars in the sky above them. The sky was painted like a canvas, the dark sky was the once black canvas, while the stars and clouds decorated it. The moon was raised high in the sky, hanging over them and the ocean.

Lian’s eyes lit up from the joy of watching the stars. She had wanted to study the stars when she grew up, but it was a lost hope. Because she was so sick all the time, Troy brought her astronomy books to read—which she loved and thanked him for.

“The first one to find a constellation wins!” Troy said suddenly. They laughed and began their search of looking for a constellation. They both spotted the Scorpius constellation, then Aquila, then Orion the Hunter. It continued for hours, looking at the stars.

During that time of stargazing, Troy started to feel distraught. He looked over at his best friend, examining her. Her body was thinner, loss of hair, needing a breathing tube to make sure she didn’t pass away in her sleep not being able to breathe. The Hispanic boy sometimes wished she’d never gotten so sick, that she never had leukemia. To people who didn’t know Lian thought of her as weak, but Troy knew better. This was Lian at her strongest. She was fighting to make them smile, to make them happy.

“Troy,” Lian said. “I want you to remember this moment. I want you to make this a special memory, our special memory.”

They had gone back to her house not long after. They bid each other goodnight before Troy headed up farther along the road to get to his house. Lian’s father was already asleep when she came inside—having a tendency of falling asleep while watching the news. She headed for her room, where she changed into her sleeping attire. Walking over to her window, she gazed out onto the empty street. The light of the moon washed over the rooftops and the long road, making everything seem monotone and stale. The only things moving were the branches and leaves on trees, the wind flowing through them. Lian sighed, closing her curtains and flipping off the lights in her room. She crawled into bed, the cool sheets sending goosebumps up her arms and legs, and stared at the ceiling. Her mother came in her room to help her with the breathing tubes, and kissed her forehead, bidding goodnight. Not long later, Lian fell into a sleep-filled world.

In only a matter of weeks, Lian’s health spiral downward. It wasn’t until August twelfth, two-thousand and eleven, at four-twenty two that Lian had passed away. Troy received a call that afternoon about Lian and immediately left to comfort his second family. Two weeks later, Lian’s funeral went as scheduled.

“We meet here today to honor and pay tribute to the life of Lian Hope Haku, and to express our love and admiration for her.

“Also to try to bring some comfort to those of her family and friends who are here and have been deeply hurt by her sudden death.

“Lian wasn't a particularly religious person, so it's befitting that her funeral ceremony should reflect what she was, ...a gentle, ...kind, …loving person; devoted to her family and friends.

“It's only natural that we should be sad today, because, in a practical sense, Lian is no longer a part of our lives, ‘we must die, we know’ said a character in Shakespeare, ‘tis but the time and drawing days out that men stand upon’, and so we all come to ponder the life and death of a truly wonderful lady aged eighteen; with confused and mixed feelings.

“For we have a powerful sense of loss; combined with a recognition that; if death must come, its as well that its not unduly prolonged, we don't want to see someone we love suffer, so this sorrow; and our sense of the fitness of things; don't sit easily together, one purpose of our proceedings here today; is in some way to try to reconcile those feelings.

“Today is also a day for memories, today will be remembered for many reasons, but mainly I hope it will be remembered by you all; as a very special day, a special day in which you shared some time with others; in order to pay your last respects; and to say both mentally and physically; a sad and fond farewell to a wonderful lady, ...lady whom we were all so very privileged to have known,” the funeral service last three hours. Ryan held his wife close to him while she wept. The ones who were to come to the funeral were her parents, Troy and his family, and other relatives. Some were close friends of Lian and the family—like Mrs. Pine from across the street, who had known the family from when Nalani was young.

Ryan and Nalani still stood beside the Banner family after the funeral. Alicia Banner had pulled Lian’s mother into a comforting hug, tears were falling down her face. Troy’s brothers and himself were in a hug as well. Diego was clutching onto Miguel’s shirt as he cried. Miguel, the oldest of the three, could barely keep himself from sobbing. Lian played a big role in their lives and it pained them to see her time come to an end so quickly.

Nalani and Ryan had decided to never move something from their daughter's bedroom. The breathing tubes and oxygen tank beside her bed served only as a reminder that she died. The friend group between Lian and Troy made memorials for the girl, their friend. They place a picture frame with a picture of her out on their porches, beside that were two candles. From then on, Troy had kept a picture in his wallet, the picture of them at the age of twelve, doing a fake wedding.

Remembrance of A Bond was written back in 2018, and was drafted into a writers competition. No winners were announced due to the competition being canceled, but me and my sister had fun writing it.

[story-the-world]

Montauk

Montauk is an interesting place. I’ve heard it described as College 2.0. It is located at the end of Long Island, and the end of the ‘Hamptons.’ If you are thinking of posh beach houses and fancy dinner parties, you will not find them here (go to East Hampton). Montauk is great for its beaches and its town. Below is my attempt to describe the ‘perfect’ weekend. Note that the timing is important, and if you don’t have the right cadence, you will be waiting in lines, or at empty bars.

Thursday:

Thursday night is when everything starts, and when most people arrive in the summer. Restaurants are generally less crowded. Take the cannonball (4:00 train from Penn) or drive. Ideally, get to Duryea’s or Montauket early, eat, and stay for sunset. Once the sun goes down, take an uber to the Point. During the summer both Duryea’s and Montauket get crowded, Duryea’s is more of a food place, Montauket more for drinks. Try to get there around 6 if you want a table and food. Other option is to eat something quick at the house and go just for drinks. The Point doesn’t get crowded til around 11, but you might as well get their early and have a few drinks. Most other places will be dead Thursday night. If you didn’t eat before, Gig shack is a good place to grab a ‘quick’ bite to eat before heading to the Point. Shagwong is also next door if you want the more ‘dive’ scene.

Friday:

Spend the day at the beach or Sole. The beach will be less crowded on Friday since the full weekend crew will still be in transit. Sole is my favorite day spot. No minimum spend and a full backyard to play games. Pool is nice and they sometimes have a band/DJ. Avoid Montauk Beach Club as it is expensive and the staff is not very welcoming. For the beach, I like near IGA. There is a big parking lot, and it is less crowded than Sloppy Tuna. Obviously, if you are there to be in the mix, go to the Sloppy Tuna beach (and the bar for mid-afternoon snacks/drinks). Ditch beach is nice too, and more of a local spot. This is where you get the surf crowd.

Friday night, order pizza or grill at your house. Don’t try to make a reservation as dinner will be expensive and take too long. Head to Ruschmeyer around 7:30 to avoid the line. Note if there is a line, it will not move.. have your cab take you somewhere else! Because you will be at Rush so early, you might want to leave around midnight (it seems to clear out around 1). Head over to the Point/Memory Motel for some late night antics and photo booths.

Saturday:

Spend the day at the beach or Sole – basically do the other one that you didn’t do on Friday. Saturday night.. same as Friday.. no dinner reservations, pizza or bbq at the house. In the afternoon you could head to Surf Lodge, however it might be difficult to get in – or have a minimum spend. I really like to go to Lynn’s Hula Hut mid-evening. Get the Hula juice and chat to Lynn! She is amazing. It is a good start to the night and they usually have a band. Saturday night is not my favorite. I would avoid Grey Lady (not sure why people like it there – its crowded, has no bathrooms, and plays lousy music/tries to get people to buy table service). Also avoid Crow’s Nest for dinner (drinks are ok, but the food is less than stellar) and Navy Beach (sunset is nice, but food is meh and again, atmosphere is bad).

If you are at Lynns, Swallow East is a good bar that usually has a band – and isn’t too crazy. Liar’s is also great to end the night as it is an old school dive (get the mud slide!). If you go to Liars on Friday, they have Karaoke! Point/Memory are always solid on a Saturday night. Avoid Surf/Rusch.

Sunday:

Sunday is the best day in Montauk – hands down. Wake up and head to a beach club (Sole is place of choice). Drink Rose, play games, and forget about work on Monday. At around 3pm, head back to change. Head to Surf Lodge by 4 to beat the line and see the band – usually they get pretty good acts – no reservations needed unless it’s a huge name. After Surf, head to Swallow East for Reggae night. If you have time, you can stop at Lynn’s for a Hula Juice on the way. Remember to take your shoes off! After Swallow, head to Liars to finish the night. You can try to head into town… but the crowd is hit or miss. Leave at 5am Monday to make it into work!

Some other tips:

as mentioned before, avoid big group dinners, they are expensive and take a long time, they also provide low value

Uber is back and the easiest way around the city, avoid the big van cabs if you can (they are a rip-off at $5 a head)

Train, drive or bus all work, but avoid the heavy traffic times if you drive/bus (4-7pm Thursday/Friday, all day Sunday)

Montauk Brewery is nice in the afternoon, but crowded, only beer and not a great atmosphere – I would generally skip

Gurney’s Beach Club is really nice, but for me, the only way its worth it is if your staying over there. It gets expensive fast – but obviously has that ‘upscale’ atmosphere

Make new friends – you’re on vacation

[sohannabarberaesque]

A rather intimate moment experienced by The Banana Splits at an old-school Hawai'ian hula hut during a visit down Hawai'i way

A NATIVE HULA GAL, who was having Fleegle as her companion for the night: Ooooohhhhh, Fleegle ... who was that you were diving with earlier?

FLEEGLE, trying not to be nervous at the obvious: Any particular reason for knowing?

NATIVE HULA GIRL: Uh--just interested in knowing who my companions are like.

FLEEGLE: Actually, it was fellow members of the band, with Peter Potamus and Mildew Wolf leading us on.

NATIVE HULA GIRL, in a somewhat seductive tone: No wonder ... I can't resist the sight of a purple hippopotamus diving in these waters ... especially when he's in SCUBA gear ...

FLEEGLE: So what's your interest in me tonight?

NATIVE HULA GIRL: Well ... let's just say ...

[You can assume the rest]

[sammyhale]

J2 VegasCon 2017 Gold Panel

Jared gets down on one knee and gestures to Jensen, introducing him onstage (Link)

Jensen is eating breakfast while Jared is talking about their juice cleanse. Jared: Juice cleanse was miserable. Says he just wanted to chew things and starts chewing his finger.

Jared: *drops mic* Jensen: For those of you playing the mic drop game, take a drink.

Jared did the mic drop after a fan told Jensen he was amazing last night :P

Jared talks about how Jensen was over at his house the other night and was singing Adele as a family friend played the piano.

Gen’s family has a baby grand piano that’s in their house. Jensen and the fam were at their place for the Super Bowl.

Jared says he has video of Jensen singing Adele.

Fan says she’s a Dean girl. Jared says that Dean girls are awesome and that he’s a Dean girl, too. Also, he can drink coffee while Jensen answers questions lol.

Jared: The SPNFamily has helped me understand we are all multifaceted people.

Jensen: It’s always hard to play for both of us when one of the brothers is changed. Always difficult adjusting to storylines where one of the brothers is down a dark path.

Jared says Sam is always changing like everyone is always changing.

Jared enjoyed writing all of the post-it notes in the last ep, like “lamp,” “another lamp” “coffee-no touchie!”

Jared told Jensen to “suck it” when the question was for him. Crowd *cheers* Jared: What happens in Vegas...

Someone asked about Austin. Jared gave Hula Hut an endorsement even though the food isn’t great at all lol. He says that Hula Hut’s atmosphere gave him the sense of people really loving a place. Recommends it to new Austinites.

If Jared could write a children’s book it would be about love and acceptance for yourself. If would be called WILFJ (What I Learned From Jensen) at Jensen’s prompting.

Jared says he would write a kid���s book because there are things he wishes he had learned sooner. Jensen: It’s titled, “Things I Learned From Jensen.”

Regarding Jared’s chapter in Fangasm’s new upcoming book: “I perform for a living. Nothing was as terrifying as writing a chapter of a book.”

At some point, Jared wraps his arm around Jensen while talking (link)

Jensen: No joke, we talked about naming the twins Law and Order lol.

Jared had suggested “Kindness Kim and Liberty Larry” for the twins.

Jensen: Those emotionally charged scenes are hard for us.

They are asked how they come down from emotional scenes. Jensen used to listen to music - he points to Jared - “I know you’ve done this.”

They’ve been doing this so long they don’t really have to do that anymore but Jensen sometimes gets home emotionally drained.

Jared talks about his experience working with Peter O’Toole and how he got worked up over nerves. Peter told him to “Leave Jared’s tears at home” and to save it for his character.

Jensen told Jared to pick a question asker. Then picked one for him and Jared went with it. ;P

The guy who was operating Larry, the mechanical bull in the last ep, was the guy who actually runs it there. Jensen rode that bull in fast motion and is still sore.

Jared was playing a table game last night and the girlfriend of the dude recognized Jared. Dude: “Do you have to cry?” Jared: “I cry all of the time.” “But you’re a big dude.” *mic drop*

Another: Jared was at blackjack yesterday with a guy. He mentioned he cries all of the time. The guy said, “But you’re a big dude.” Jared was like, yep! Men can cry, too, he was unapologetic about it.

Jensen said Jared wasn’t that big. Jared stepped directly in front of Jensen and lifted his chest and arms to cover him. Jensen, behind Jared, peeked out from underneath Jared’s raised arm by his side. Jared slaps his thigh/butt. (Video link: x) :D

Jensen talks about a bar in LA he went to when he first got there. Jared: Don’t look at me. Jensen: I know you’ve been here.

Fan says she loved Eric Brady. Jared starts freaking out: “OMG ME TOO!”

The boys joke around about a fan complimenting them. Jared says month fan discovered him was best of her life. Jensen says you don’t discover him, you just know who he is. Jared, after they’re done joking around: If you were to take what we say at panels and just wrote it down, we sound like such assholes.  

Jared says that Kevin Parks still mixes up their names. “He’ll call me Jensen. Kevin, you know more about SPN than anyone!”

Jensen: Crew still mix us up to this day. Jared: Twinsies!

Info via: Fangasm, Cherie, Kat, Wendy, Sil’s livetweet list

[perucougar28-blog]

2016 – The Year I Went Around The World Finding Beauty Within Darkness

“Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.” – Ibn Battuta

I have returned to the UK with a sinking feeling in my heart, in January I gave up my flat and put my things into a storage container to travel around the world with just a suitcase and camera bag as my home I’ve not missed my things one little bit. I began the new year with a fresh passport and have already filled half with stamps from all around the globe, but not only have I collected stamps, I’ve gained hundreds of memories that I will take to my grave, this year has been the best in my life.

I’ve been to 22 countries, Netherlands, Ukraine, Japan, Philippines, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, India, Germany, Switzerland, Lichtenstein, Greece, Austria, Slovakia, Hungry, Czech Republic, Greece, USA, Mexico, Cuba & Canada in 3 continents, Asia, Europe and USA. Kalinga, Chernobyl, Varanasi and Detroit will particularly always hold my heart.

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.” – Mark Twain

I’ve had 45 flights.

London, UK – Netherlands, Eindhoven  – London, UK  – Kiev, Ukraine  – London, UK  – Seoul, Korea – Fukuoka, Japan * Hiroshima, Japan – Tokyo, Japan – Manila, Philippines – Siem Reap, Cambodia * Phnom Penh, Cambodia – Bangkok, Thailand – Chaing Rai, Thailand  – Bangkok Thailand * Ko Phangan, Thailand * Phuket, Thailand – Hanoi, Vietnam – Da Nang, Vietnam – Singapore – Manila, Philippines  – Singapore  – Bali, Indonesia  – Ngura, Indonesia  – Bali, Indonesia – Makassar, Indonesia – Singapore  – New Delhi  – Varanasi  – Mumbai, India  – Doha, Quatar – London, UK – Berlin, Germany – London, UK  – Kefalonia, Greece  – London, UK  – Cologne, Germany – London, UK  – NYC, USA * Detroit, USA – NYC, USA  – Mexico City, Mexico – Havana, Cuba – Mexico City, Mexico – Cancun, Mexico  – Detroit, USA – Boston, USA * Philadelphia, USA – Detroit, USA – NYC, USA – London, UK

“We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.”

I’ve travelled for miles and miles and miles across every country by catamaran, bamboo train, bamboo raft, speed boat, tuk tuk, jeepney, train, motor bike, scooter, car, bus, truck, trike, auto rickshaw, boat, bullet train, cycle rickshaw, horse and walked 2000 km.

I Visited over 100 Dark Tourism sites, over 100 abandoned buildings and a load of tourist sites thrown in. I have two external hard drives with images to fill two books and two new decay photography series. I poured every inch of energy and passion into these photos and I’m exhausted but loved that every day was a different adventure. I can’t wait to start sharing them and the stories behind. Its been hard as I have had no time to edit and share them, I just can’t wait to show you all in my books which will come out in 2017 & 2018. I completely pushed myself out of my comfort zone and going the extra mile to capture them.

I just could never have imagined the things I’ve experienced, the beautiful people I’ve meet and the things I’ve seen. I’ve been travelling constantly since 2012 but never to this extent, I could never have dreamt I would have been able to do something like this and I feel very blessed.

I thank everyone who has followed my daily visual diary and been with me along the way. I started doing this just so my family knew I was still alive no matter where I may have been on the planet, but so many have you have watched this journey and worried when I didn’t update, I thank you for caring and your comments showing so much interest is what Ive been up to, I just didn’t expect that at all.

I’ve made every single day count, each hour has brought a new adventure. I’ve seen things I’d never thought I could imagine, experienced every sense, sight, sound, smell, touch in their extremities. I’ve meet so many wonderful humans along the way, making new friendships, some so strong they will remain in my heart until I die. Some just paths crossed but sharing happy moments together. I’ve had people show kindness all along the way and I feel truly blessed, thank you all for being part of this no matter how big or small.

At the start of the year in Ukraine I visited the abandoned town of Pripyat in Chernobyl for the third time whilst snow fell all around us, which was a completly new experience for me in this desolate place. It gained a sense of mystery and sadness, which will always remain with me. Seeing a place so full of desolation and despair, makes you realise how special life is and Im glad to have had this experience at the start of this year.

In Japan I explored the abandoned streets of nuclear Fukushima, walked for miles in the Japanese suicide forest and amongst the cherry blossoms and bamboo forests of Japan, eaten fresh sushi and seen beautiful castles. It was my first time experiencing a culture so different to in Europe and the USA and was a perfect start to my 4 month trip around Asia.

In the Philippines I rode on the top of a Jeepney, sun on my skin and wind in my hair and visited 1000 year old Kabayan mummies in a secret cave. I walked across rope bridges with breathtaking mountain views as far as the eye can see. Saw my first water buffalo, drank rice wine for the first time and got crazy drunk. I saw the incredible Banaue rice terraces and then travelled to Sagada to sleep in a wooden hut and see hanging coffins on a cliff with some Iranians.

I’ve discovered the ancient ruins of Ankor Wat in Cambodia and rode for hours through the dust in a tuk tuk, I rode on the back of my first motor bike and started an addiction for that. I watched the sunrise over a mystical temple and had my photo taken with a monk. I’ve cried tears at the killing fields in Cambodia and watched a lightning storm from high up overlooking dry land as far as I could see monkeys ran around my feet. I’ve got drunk with friends, danced and eaten insects.

In Thailand I meet an elephant, visited the black and white temples which took my breathe away, spent time on the beach with my good friends, relaxing and got taught to hula hoop under a full moon. I volunteered at an animal shelter in Ko Phangan by dressing up doggies and taking their photo.

Vietnam I spent hours walking around Hanoi getting lost in the bustle of the old town and then got stupidity drunk one night, it was so much fun but I missed my tour to Halong bay because of a mega hangover. I sat on the back of a motor bike on an unforgettable trip around Da Nang and visited  my cousin and her family in Ho Chi Min city.

Back in the Philippines I climbed my first mountain, lay on the top camping under the stars and felt my first earth quake under my body. I taught a little boy in a hut at the top of a mountain how to make selfies on my phone. I slept in a wooden hut and sat round a bonfire while everyone played guitar, drank and sang. Travelled to the far remote village of Kalinga a mystical land where I was tattooed by a 98 year old lady and her grand daughter with an orange tree needle and the ink with the ash of a fire, while native pigs ran all around me.

In Indonesia I got a poke tattoo meaning beauty, rode a horse up a volcano and stood on the top of the crater as it erupted and covered me from head to toe in black dust. I trekked up my second mountain in the darkness of morning and down into the crater to witness the blue flames of burning sulphur and then made a campfire at the summit to watch the sunrise. I witnessed my first dead body and felt true happiness of the power of life through seeing death. I attended a unique funeral in a place where death is celebrated more then life and watched the death of animals for the first time, buffalo and pigs died but it taught me a lesson on the importance of life and how fleeting it can be.

In India I spent three weeks in the holy lands of Varanasi, spending each day in a weird trance like state. The power of spirituality constantly around me, I felt at home here, surrounded by the beauty of decay and in this place where my senses in every way where heightened I felt at peace with the world. I watched the cremation of bodies by the side of the river Ganges and smiled at a culture where death could be beautiful. I bathed in the river Ganges with friends at 2am and danced in the rain in moments of pure joy. Every day I drank chai and eat an assortment of curries and bought an Indian wedding dress which my friend took photos of around the streets of Varanasi. I felt pure happiness as I explored the slums of Mumbai, had kids swarming around me with the biggest smiles on their faces, despite living in such bad conditions.

On return from Asia I went on a 20 day road trip with one of my new best friends and favourite clown Ben, who I had only known 5 hours before we embarked on a 20,000 km road trip around Europe, we got on like we had known each other for years. We meet up with amazing people along the way and visited hundreds of jewelled skeletons, mummies and crypts along with a tonne of abandoned buildings, drinking lots of wine and forging a strong friendship that means the world to me. (Miss you Ben)

I photographed my good friends Stephi and Sean’s wedding in Greece, such a beautiful magical day filled with laughter and some pushing in pools very early in the morning and waking up in the best mans bed (he wasn’t in it, he’d just been a gentleman to the drunk photographer who got pushed fully clothed into the pool)

I last minute booked a flight to Cologne for Photokina where I spent a week surrounded by incredibly talented photographers from all around the world, in an apartment sharing laughs, food, drink and inspiration. Got photographed by the mightly talented Renee Robyn in a giant ballgown in front of hundreds of people at Cologne Cathedral.

Taken by Renee Robyn

Returning to the UK for a couple of weeks I caught up with family and friends and made a couple of special new ones. Before flying to the USA where I spent two months road tripping around 8 states. We drove from NYC to Detroit capturing dark tourism sites and abandoned buildings.

For so long I’d wanted to explore Detroit and it was special for me to finally be there. I watched the sunset on a crumbling Detroit rooftop with a new special person in my life, drinking beer and then sat with him in his truck on the Detroit, Canada border dancing in the rain at midnight. With promise that hopefully I could return to actually cross the border.

I partied in NYC with inspiring USA photographers and meet some I have wanted to hook up with for ages, caught up with my NYC photography agent and did a shoot in Central Park with a bunch of incredibly talented photographers.

Taken by Vincent Minor

In Mexico, with my bro from another mother and awesome friends I experienced the Day of the Dead Festival, photographed the slums in Mexico City, went to the haunted island of dead dolls, Mexican Pyramids and  road tripped 9 hours on Halloween to see creepy Mexican mummies, which were totally the best dead things I’ve laid my eyes on.

We flew to Havana, Cuba where we walked for hours in the blasting sunshine capturing photos of the beautifully crumbling buildings. Rode in gorgeous vintage cars and got stupidity drunk at an arty party capturing the hearts of many Cuban guys.

Returning to the USA I spent my final weeks of this adventure first in Salem where I saw where the Salem witch trials happened, with my beloved kind friend Karen I got a pentagram and Ether symbol tattooed on my ankles.  I stayed with great friends Shannon and Dave for a week in their gorgeous home in Rhode Island exploring beautiful abandoned buildings in 4 states. I will never forget the ticks that attacked me and Shannon, multiple 5am wake up times, exploring in the snow and some tricky entries into some epic buildings.

I got a bus to NYC and spent my first thanks giving, watched the Macy thanks giving parade and eating turkey with wonderful new friends, remembering how thankful I am to be alive and living this life.

And slowly it began to dawn on me that it would all be over very soon, knowing I had just two weeks left, I made plans to spend time exploring decaying buildings in Philadelphia and then back to Detroit which held my heart. I spent 100 blissful hours in the arms of a special guy who took me raving in downtown Detroit, On my last day we ventured into Canada for burgers, more partying and an airbnb where we lay on the floor next to a glowing fire. a perfect end to the perfect year. I’m left heartbroken for so many reasons that all this is ending, it feels like I have been stabbed heard in the heart and even writing this blog I am choked by happy and sad tears, think of everything I have done.

People ask me along the way if I’m here for business or pleasure. Ultimately I am working on a photography book commission and also as an anthropological researcher so I can write a thesis in 2017. These have funded this travel and so it has been important for me to achieve what is necessary for these things. I’ve been so exhausted at some stages, but I always kept pushing not wanting to miss a second, always saying yes to every opportunity that throws itself at me. Sometimes after long days travelling for hours, shooting in hot or freezing temperatures and countless km’s walking I arrive back to where I’m sleeping in the early hours in the morning, running on empty I need to find the strength to charge batteries, back up photos, pack, arrange tours and hotels. But I wouldn’t change it, I love how the crazy pace of life.

This work has been ridden with a huge sense of pleasure, I’ve squeezed into my busy schedule time to see other things that wasn’t necessarily for my work and also found the time out to just enjoy a bit of social and relaxation time. I’m lucky in that I can say I feel so passionate about my work that I feel truly blessed and lucky that I can call this my job.

This year has been unforgettable for my life. I have learnt that I no longer need a house and possessions  to be truly happy. I’d sooner collect memories then digits in my bank account. I’ve witnessed true poverty with people living with so little but with the biggest smiles on their faces and this to me has been life changing. I know I’m destined to migrate in time, my only ties to the uk are my mum, dad, nan and my brothers family and where ever I end up they will always be in my heart like they have been on this trip and there will always be plenty of visits. The world is my playground and I lust over these moments. I cry as all this has all touched my soul in more ways then one, I am in love with these people and cultures  I’ve seen that even in poverty these people smile and are grateful with even the small things in life. I have been a free spirit for this a year, I’ve never been happier.

This is a new chapter for my life and I’m fully prepared to lead it now with no structure whatsoever. I just know I’m not one to settle down and I just want to feel free. I have no plans to take my possessions out of the storage container I placed them in January, I’m even toying with the idea of losing some ‘stuff’. I have no desire for things and I’m quite happy to just live with a back pack and camera, just continuing to explore this beautiful world for as long as I can and I already have new ideas for book projects to take me to new countries I wish to experience.

And to the people! I’ve meet up with so many incredible humans along the way, I’ve meet up with over 150 of you fantastic individuals this year and I thank you all for your friendships and time. And to my auntie Diana who I lost in September you will always be in my thoughts. And especially those that have spent time to help me create my book Fukushima and Dark Tourism. These are now 95% photographically complete and return to Fukushima comes out in just 3 months and Dark Tourism a year after that. I have come in contact with so many souls along the way this year, love to you all and I hope our paths will cross again in my life story.

I am a dark soul laced with the beauty I see in my surroundings. I choose to encompass myself with death and decay, but my existence is a banding of the beauty found in darkness. I have battled for so many years on why this sorrow consumes my existence, but now I have come to realise it is fine, I am fearless. I used to worry about my difference, my inability to fit in with the normal world, but I have come to realise that I can make a living from being an artistic soul. It makes me unique and therefore it is not something to try and hide.

My camera is how I view the world, it is my key to express the malevolence, beauty and melancholia that manifests inside my dark heart, it is my cathartic release to the visions of surreal darkness that lie inside my mind. I find that my antidote is to seek out in this unique world the beauty found in darkness, poetry and meaning in the forgotten, surreal, worlds amongst decay. My artworks breathe life into forgotten locations, they reawaken old narratives, find beauty and meaning in their shadowy ruin, revive the memories of lost moments in places tainted by the indigenous.

Unseen to the ordinary public who pass their boarded windows and fenced walls, I find entry to these mystical places hidden to the world, I sensitively capture them as beautiful piece of art as they deserve to be recorded for posterity too, before they are lost as time rolls inexorably on and they merely become ashes and dust. I capture the stories and characteristics through carefully composed images to include the romanticism and delicate memories of these ruins. In reality they will cease to exist very soon and as the memories fade, these places and the souls who once gave life to them will be forgotten, I find my inspiration in places lost in time.

I feel euphoria as I grow and never stop learning from this magical gift of capturing the emotion of these realms of the unconscious. I follow the ethereal light amongst the darkness, in finding emotion and serenity in these mystical locations. I will continue to push the boundaries of my work, never stop learning, make sacrifices and find courage to achieve the things I dream of. I have always believed to not put off until tomorrow what can be done today and that life is not about collecting possessions but experiences, when you are dead these will decay and be gone like so many of the haunting places I choose to take my camera

Living is about experiences, dreaming, challenging yourself, loving, travelling, collecting memories not things, as long as I can remember my life has been one big adventure. I dream big, photography is my passion, it consumes me, it makes this world real and the wonderment of creating art is more important to me then the air I inhale, it is my enchanted door away from the demons inside.

My soul is dark

But my existence full of light

I find beauty in darkness and this reflects in everything I create.

“Light Cannot Exist Without Darkness”

Fukushima Coming April 2017

Amazon Pre Order UK

Amazon Pre Order USA

Source: http://www.rebeccabathoryblog.com/2016-the-year-i-went-around-the-world-finding-beauty-within-darkness/

[winterpart3-blog]

Rebecca Bathory

“Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.” – Ibn Battuta

I have returned to the UK with a sinking feeling in my heart, in January I gave up my flat and put my things into a storage container to travel around the world with just a suitcase and camera bag as my home I’ve not missed my things one little bit. I began the new year with a fresh passport and have already filled half with stamps from all around the globe, but not only have I collected stamps, I’ve gained hundreds of memories that I will take to my grave, this year has been the best in my life.

I’ve been to 22 countries, Netherlands, Ukraine, Japan, Philippines, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, India, Germany, Switzerland, Lichtenstein, Greece, Austria, Slovakia, Hungry, Czech Republic, Greece, USA, Mexico, Cuba & Canada in 3 continents, Asia, Europe and USA. Kalinga, Chernobyl, Varanasi and Detroit will particularly always hold my heart.

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.” – Mark Twain

I’ve had 45 flights.

London, UK – Netherlands, Eindhoven  – London, UK  – Kiev, Ukraine  – London, UK  – Seoul, Korea – Fukuoka, Japan * Hiroshima, Japan – Tokyo, Japan – Manila, Philippines – Siem Reap, Cambodia * Phnom Penh, Cambodia – Bangkok, Thailand – Chaing Rai, Thailand  – Bangkok Thailand * Ko Phangan, Thailand * Phuket, Thailand – Hanoi, Vietnam – Da Nang, Vietnam – Singapore – Manila, Philippines  – Singapore  – Bali, Indonesia  – Ngura, Indonesia  – Bali, Indonesia – Makassar, Indonesia – Singapore  – New Delhi  – Varanasi  – Mumbai, India  – Doha, Quatar – London, UK – Berlin, Germany – London, UK  – Kefalonia, Greece  – London, UK  – Cologne, Germany – London, UK  – NYC, USA * Detroit, USA – NYC, USA  – Mexico City, Mexico – Havana, Cuba – Mexico City, Mexico – Cancun, Mexico  – Detroit, USA – Boston, USA * Philadelphia, USA – Detroit, USA – NYC, USA – London, UK

“We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.”

I’ve travelled for miles and miles and miles across every country by catamaran, bamboo train, bamboo raft, speed boat, tuk tuk, jeepney, train, motor bike, scooter, car, bus, truck, trike, auto rickshaw, boat, bullet train, cycle rickshaw, horse and walked 2000 km.

I Visited over 100 Dark Tourism sites, over 100 abandoned buildings and a load of tourist sites thrown in. I have two external hard drives with images to fill two books and two new decay photography series. I poured every inch of energy and passion into these photos and I’m exhausted but loved that every day was a different adventure. I can’t wait to start sharing them and the stories behind. Its been hard as I have had no time to edit and share them, I just can’t wait to show you all in my books which will come out in 2017 & 2018. I completely pushed myself out of my comfort zone and going the extra mile to capture them.

I just could never have imagined the things I’ve experienced, the beautiful people I’ve meet and the things I’ve seen. I’ve been travelling constantly since 2012 but never to this extent, I could never have dreamt I would have been able to do something like this and I feel very blessed.

I thank everyone who has followed my daily visual diary and been with me along the way. I started doing this just so my family knew I was still alive no matter where I may have been on the planet, but so many have you have watched this journey and worried when I didn’t update, I thank you for caring and your comments showing so much interest is what Ive been up to, I just didn’t expect that at all.

I’ve made every single day count, each hour has brought a new adventure. I’ve seen things I’d never thought I could imagine, experienced every sense, sight, sound, smell, touch in their extremities. I’ve meet so many wonderful humans along the way, making new friendships, some so strong they will remain in my heart until I die. Some just paths crossed but sharing happy moments together. I’ve had people show kindness all along the way and I feel truly blessed, thank you all for being part of this no matter how big or small.

At the start of the year in Ukraine I visited the abandoned town of Pripyat in Chernobyl for the third time whilst snow fell all around us, which was a completly new experience for me in this desolate place. It gained a sense of mystery and sadness, which will always remain with me. Seeing a place so full of desolation and despair, makes you realise how special life is and Im glad to have had this experience at the start of this year.

In Japan I explored the abandoned streets of nuclear Fukushima, walked for miles in the Japanese suicide forest and amongst the cherry blossoms and bamboo forests of Japan, eaten fresh sushi and seen beautiful castles. It was my first time experiencing a culture so different to in Europe and the USA and was a perfect start to my 4 month trip around Asia.

In the Philippines I rode on the top of a Jeepney, sun on my skin and wind in my hair and visited 1000 year old Kabayan mummies in a secret cave. I walked across rope bridges with breathtaking mountain views as far as the eye can see. Saw my first water buffalo, drank rice wine for the first time and got crazy drunk. I saw the incredible Banaue rice terraces and then travelled to Sagada to sleep in a wooden hut and see hanging coffins on a cliff with some Iranians.

I’ve discovered the ancient ruins of Ankor Wat in Cambodia and rode for hours through the dust in a tuk tuk, I rode on the back of my first motor bike and started an addiction for that. I watched the sunrise over a mystical temple and had my photo taken with a monk. I’ve cried tears at the killing fields in Cambodia and watched a lightning storm from high up overlooking dry land as far as I could see monkeys ran around my feet. I’ve got drunk with friends, danced and eaten insects.

In Thailand I meet an elephant, visited the black and white temples which took my breathe away, spent time on the beach with my good friends, relaxing and got taught to hula hoop under a full moon. I volunteered at an animal shelter in Ko Phangan by dressing up doggies and taking their photo.

Vietnam I spent hours walking around Hanoi getting lost in the bustle of the old town and then got stupidity drunk one night, it was so much fun but I missed my tour to Halong bay because of a mega hangover. I sat on the back of a motor bike on an unforgettable trip around Da Nang and visited  my cousin and her family in Ho Chi Min city.

Back in the Philippines I climbed my first mountain, lay on the top camping under the stars and felt my first earth quake under my body. I taught a little boy in a hut at the top of a mountain how to make selfies on my phone. I slept in a wooden hut and sat round a bonfire while everyone played guitar, drank and sang. Travelled to the far remote village of Kalinga a mystical land where I was tattooed by a 98 year old lady and her grand daughter with an orange tree needle and the ink with the ash of a fire, while native pigs ran all around me.

In Indonesia I got a poke tattoo meaning beauty, rode a horse up a volcano and stood on the top of the crater as it erupted and covered me from head to toe in black dust. I trekked up my second mountain in the darkness of morning and down into the crater to witness the blue flames of burning sulphur and then made a campfire at the summit to watch the sunrise. I witnessed my first dead body and felt true happiness of the power of life through seeing death. I attended a unique funeral in a place where death is celebrated more then life and watched the death of animals for the first time, buffalo and pigs died but it taught me a lesson on the importance of life and how fleeting it can be.

In India I spent three weeks in the holy lands of Varanasi, spending each day in a weird trance like state. The power of spirituality constantly around me, I felt at home here, surrounded by the beauty of decay and in this place where my senses in every way where heightened I felt at peace with the world. I watched the cremation of bodies by the side of the river Ganges and smiled at a culture where death could be beautiful. I bathed in the river Ganges with friends at 2am and danced in the rain in moments of pure joy. Every day I drank chai and eat an assortment of curries and bought an Indian wedding dress which my friend took photos of around the streets of Varanasi. I felt pure happiness as I explored the slums of Mumbai, had kids swarming around me with the biggest smiles on their faces, despite living in such bad conditions.

On return from Asia I went on a 20 day road trip with one of my new best friends and favourite clown Ben, who I had only known 5 hours before we embarked on a 20,000 km road trip around Europe, we got on like we had known each other for years. We meet up with amazing people along the way and visited hundreds of jewelled skeletons, mummies and crypts along with a tonne of abandoned buildings, drinking lots of wine and forging a strong friendship that means the world to me. (Miss you Ben)

I photographed my good friends Stephi and Sean’s wedding in Greece, such a beautiful magical day filled with laughter and some pushing in pools very early in the morning and waking up in the best mans bed (he wasn’t in it, he’d just been a gentleman to the drunk photographer who got pushed fully clothed into the pool)

I last minute booked a flight to Cologne for Photokina where I spent a week surrounded by incredibly talented photographers from all around the world, in an apartment sharing laughs, food, drink and inspiration. Got photographed by the mightly talented Renee Robyn in a giant ballgown in front of hundreds of people at Cologne Cathedral.

Taken by Renee Robyn

Returning to the UK for a couple of weeks I caught up with family and friends and made a couple of special new ones. Before flying to the USA where I spent two months road tripping around 8 states. We drove from NYC to Detroit capturing dark tourism sites and abandoned buildings.

For so long I’d wanted to explore Detroit and it was special for me to finally be there. I watched the sunset on a crumbling Detroit rooftop with a new special person in my life, drinking beer and then sat with him in his truck on the Detroit, Canada border dancing in the rain at midnight. With promise that hopefully I could return to actually cross the border.

I partied in NYC with inspiring USA photographers and meet some I have wanted to hook up with for ages, caught up with my NYC photography agent and did a shoot in Central Park with a bunch of incredibly talented photographers.

Taken by Vincent Minor

In Mexico, with my bro from another mother and awesome friends I experienced the Day of the Dead Festival, photographed the slums in Mexico City, went to the haunted island of dead dolls, Mexican Pyramids and  road tripped 9 hours on Halloween to see creepy Mexican mummies, which were totally the best dead things I’ve laid my eyes on.

We flew to Havana, Cuba where we walked for hours in the blasting sunshine capturing photos of the beautifully crumbling buildings. Rode in gorgeous vintage cars and got stupidity drunk at an arty party capturing the hearts of many Cuban guys.

Returning to the USA I spent my final weeks of this adventure first in Salem where I saw where the Salem witch trials happened, with my beloved kind friend Karen I got a pentagram and Ether symbol tattooed on my ankles.  I stayed with great friends Shannon and Dave for a week in their gorgeous home in Rhode Island exploring beautiful abandoned buildings in 4 states. I will never forget the ticks that attacked me and Shannon, multiple 5am wake up times, exploring in the snow and some tricky entries into some epic buildings.

I got a bus to NYC and spent my first thanks giving, watched the Macy thanks giving parade and eating turkey with wonderful new friends, remembering how thankful I am to be alive and living this life.

And slowly it began to dawn on me that it would all be over very soon, knowing I had just two weeks left, I made plans to spend time exploring decaying buildings in Philadelphia and then back to Detroit which held my heart. I spent 100 blissful hours in the arms of a special guy who took me raving in downtown Detroit, On my last day we ventured into Canada for burgers, more partying and an airbnb where we lay on the floor next to a glowing fire. a perfect end to the perfect year. I’m left heartbroken for so many reasons that all this is ending, it feels like I have been stabbed heard in the heart and even writing this blog I am choked by happy and sad tears, think of everything I have done.

People ask me along the way if I’m here for business or pleasure. Ultimately I am working on a photography book commission and also as an anthropological researcher so I can write a thesis in 2017. These have funded this travel and so it has been important for me to achieve what is necessary for these things. I’ve been so exhausted at some stages, but I always kept pushing not wanting to miss a second, always saying yes to every opportunity that throws itself at me. Sometimes after long days travelling for hours, shooting in hot or freezing temperatures and countless km’s walking I arrive back to where I’m sleeping in the early hours in the morning, running on empty I need to find the strength to charge batteries, back up photos, pack, arrange tours and hotels. But I wouldn’t change it, I love how the crazy pace of life.

This work has been ridden with a huge sense of pleasure, I’ve squeezed into my busy schedule time to see other things that wasn’t necessarily for my work and also found the time out to just enjoy a bit of social and relaxation time. I’m lucky in that I can say I feel so passionate about my work that I feel truly blessed and lucky that I can call this my job.

This year has been unforgettable for my life. I have learnt that I no longer need a house and possessions  to be truly happy. I’d sooner collect memories then digits in my bank account. I’ve witnessed true poverty with people living with so little but with the biggest smiles on their faces and this to me has been life changing. I know I’m destined to migrate in time, my only ties to the uk are my mum, dad, nan and my brothers family and where ever I end up they will always be in my heart like they have been on this trip and there will always be plenty of visits. The world is my playground and I lust over these moments. I cry as all this has all touched my soul in more ways then one, I am in love with these people and cultures  I’ve seen that even in poverty these people smile and are grateful with even the small things in life. I have been a free spirit for this a year, I’ve never been happier.

This is a new chapter for my life and I’m fully prepared to lead it now with no structure whatsoever. I just know I’m not one to settle down and I just want to feel free. I have no plans to take my possessions out of the storage container I placed them in January, I’m even toying with the idea of losing some ‘stuff’. I have no desire for things and I’m quite happy to just live with a back pack and camera, just continuing to explore this beautiful world for as long as I can and I already have new ideas for book projects to take me to new countries I wish to experience.

And to the people! I’ve meet up with so many incredible humans along the way, I’ve meet up with over 150 of you fantastic individuals this year and I thank you all for your friendships and time. And to my auntie Diana who I lost in September you will always be in my thoughts. And especially those that have spent time to help me create my book Fukushima and Dark Tourism. These are now 95% photographically complete and return to Fukushima comes out in just 3 months and Dark Tourism a year after that. I have come in contact with so many souls along the way this year, love to you all and I hope our paths will cross again in my life story.

I am a dark soul laced with the beauty I see in my surroundings. I choose to encompass myself with death and decay, but my existence is a banding of the beauty found in darkness. I have battled for so many years on why this sorrow consumes my existence, but now I have come to realise it is fine, I am fearless. I used to worry about my difference, my inability to fit in with the normal world, but I have come to realise that I can make a living from being an artistic soul. It makes me unique and therefore it is not something to try and hide.

My camera is how I view the world, it is my key to express the malevolence, beauty and melancholia that manifests inside my dark heart, it is my cathartic release to the visions of surreal darkness that lie inside my mind. I find that my antidote is to seek out in this unique world the beauty found in darkness, poetry and meaning in the forgotten, surreal, worlds amongst decay. My artworks breathe life into forgotten locations, they reawaken old narratives, find beauty and meaning in their shadowy ruin, revive the memories of lost moments in places tainted by the indigenous.

Unseen to the ordinary public who pass their boarded windows and fenced walls, I find entry to these mystical places hidden to the world, I sensitively capture them as beautiful piece of art as they deserve to be recorded for posterity too, before they are lost as time rolls inexorably on and they merely become ashes and dust. I capture the stories and characteristics through carefully composed images to include the romanticism and delicate memories of these ruins. In reality they will cease to exist very soon and as the memories fade, these places and the souls who once gave life to them will be forgotten, I find my inspiration in places lost in time.

I feel euphoria as I grow and never stop learning from this magical gift of capturing the emotion of these realms of the unconscious. I follow the ethereal light amongst the darkness, in finding emotion and serenity in these mystical locations. I will continue to push the boundaries of my work, never stop learning, make sacrifices and find courage to achieve the things I dream of. I have always believed to not put off until tomorrow what can be done today and that life is not about collecting possessions but experiences, when you are dead these will decay and be gone like so many of the haunting places I choose to take my camera

Living is about experiences, dreaming, challenging yourself, loving, travelling, collecting memories not things, as long as I can remember my life has been one big adventure. I dream big, photography is my passion, it consumes me, it makes this world real and the wonderment of creating art is more important to me then the air I inhale, it is my enchanted door away from the demons inside.

My soul is dark

But my existence full of light

I find beauty in darkness and this reflects in everything I create.

“Light Cannot Exist Without Darkness”

Fukushima Coming April 2017

Amazon Pre Order UK

Amazon Pre Order USA

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[smelentintedglasses-blog]

Traveling around Cambodia with Max and a teeny bit of Thailand. Was such a strange time. Very overwhelming, and in a lot of ways was the opposite of New Zealand if there is such a thing... The temples were beautiful, and I met such interesting people.  We started off in Siem Reap, and had quite bad jet lag, then made our way down slowly via Phnom Penh, Kampot, Silhanoukville, Otres and then Koh Rong island finally. I think my favourite place was Kampot because there were lots of interesting places to explore on the motor bikes and it was a lot more laid back and less in your face than the big cities. We went to explore this old abandoned casino on the top of Bokor Mountain, which I found really interesting. It was so hot there and I struggled with that, especially in the cities, but once we had got down to Otres we stayed on a beach for ages and went swimming everyday and it was a nice break from the heat, I made a hula hoop and taught this little girl how to hula hoop and left it there for her to have. We stayed in wooden or bamboo huts most of the time in Cambodia. To get to Koh Rong Island we got a boat from Silhanoukville which took nearly an hour, and then we stayed in different places there. It seemed like the place where all the cool kids went, and there was a lot of partying. There was some beautiful beaches to explore there. I went through a jungle which I saw some monkeys climbing in trees, and then down some massive rocks half climbing, to get to this very secluded beach, it was gorgeous! I went to a festival on one of them which was a 4/20 festival.. was really nice! It was lovely to be able to swim in the sea and listen to music at the same time. Then at night time I only had a couple of sips from one drink and I felt really ill, and I ran through the woods and through the town back to where we were staying and was so sick for 3 days and couldn’t eat or keep anything down for ages. I thought I was going to die from dehydration! If max wasn’t there to get me clean water I dont know what I would have done! I lost so much weight. Then when I started to feel a bit better Max got sick. I felt totally trapped on this island because there was very little medical care on the island, and to get back to the main land we’d have to get on a boat at the right time and I’d heard Cambodian health care wasn’t the greatest. Luckily I had tablets for various things and we both came out of it eventually! Then we made it back up to Siem Reap, and through to Thailand, to get to Bangkok which is where we flew home from to London Heathrow. Bangkok where my lovely aunties met us and we drove back to Bristol! It all felt so surreal to be with family again back on British soil! It was so lovely to be away, and exactly what I needed. I realized as soon as I got back home that I need to go away on another adventure again so my next plan is to save up money with my new job at home, and then next summer/spring time I am going to travel around Europe! I expected to settle into home life straight away but it took ages for me to adjust to it all, so lovely to see my friends again and I have been working in different festivals this summer which has been really fun! I have realized I much prefer living outside and not in a house.. and I don’t need as many possessions as what I’ve got to have a happy life! And my close friends have remained my close friends which shows me I have some lovely people in my life, and I feel way more confident about myself and my ability to adapt! I would love it if everyone goes and has their own adventures wherever they want because you can do it!

[adventuresoffangirls]

Double Dose of GRO

We were super excited about this trip. We’ve been waiting for months. Our excitement couldn’t be contained. Of course, we were excited because Green River Ordinance, our first music loves. But we were also really happy to see Lauren again! She drove all the way from Joplin, MO to go on this road trip.

We all got ready at Krissy’s work and then headed to Conroe to pick up Caitlin’s husband, Mike. When we arrived in the parking garage at the venue, we decided that we needed to do some parking lot Jaeger bombs to get the night started. We did not regret them. We did however regret the fact that our legs were sticky from spilling the Jaeger on them. Oh, and Caitlin’s car smelt like Jaeger the next day. 

We made our way up to the box office where the lady giving out wristbands had perfect wristband game. This is important. Your whole night is ruined when the wristband is too tight. She then directed us to where we could find the food trucks. We chowed down on brisket nachos (which Krissy offered to share with Jamey), cotton candy, fried Oreos, sausage on a stick, and more.

Finally, it was time for the show. We were front and center as usual. Blogging about GRO is hard for us. We’ve never had to put GRO into words. And if we did put everything we felt into words, we’d be going on for days. So, we’ll just discuss the highlights. 

THEY PLAYED BETTER LOVE! Better Love is our all-time favorite GRO song. Krissy’s even got lyrics from it tattooed on her. And it’s the first song that we taught ourselves how to sign. They haven’t played it in a while so we were super excited. Like we almost cried!

GRO did a lot of acoustic songs requested by the crowd at the end of this show. They started with West Wind, which apparently started in a Walmart parking lot. This was the greatest moment ever because Josh forgot the lyrics and you could see the “deer in headlights” look on his face. But you can always count on your fangirls to carry you through when this happens, which is exactly what we did. You can witness that here:

They also did Heart of Me, Life in the Wind, You, Me & the Sea (as requested by us), and Keep Your Heart Open. 

We didn’t hang around after the show because we still had a 45-minute drive back to Krissy’s place and we would be seeing them the next day. We did, however, go get Whataburger, which is exactly what you should do after every GRO show. 

Once at Krissy’s house, we ate our food, discovered that we didn’t have any batteries for the air mattress for Lauren to sleep on, and watched Caitlin’s copy of City Sessions Dallas featuring GRO. This video is baby GRO. Like before we knew what GRO was. We sat there and giggled over Josh’s dance moves and Geoff’s hair. That black streak tho. 

Moving on to Saturday. Oh god Saturday!

We were all #teamnosleep especially Krissy who woke up early to spend time with her niece because it was her birthday. 

Once we were on the road, we decided that we needed to continue showing Lauren Texas the right way by taking her to Shipley’s and a tiny Texas Walmart. We bought some pool noodles and hula hooped in the middle of the store. You know, all the fun stuff.

Next door to our hotel, there was a Taco Bell/KFC/Pizza Hut. We decided to grab lunch/dinner and some extra tacos for after the show. The drunk versions of ourselves would definitely thank us later. So, after ordering and eating our mountain of food, we decided to check out the pool situation. It was full of kids and so was the hot tub. We were a little disappointed, but we just took the time to get day drunk and make key chains for the band. We’ve decided that we are going to start making keychains and bracelets that support our blog. These keychains say, “Dream Big” which if you know us you know that this is our mantra. Feel free to hit us up if you’d like a key chain or bracelet with this on it.

Caitlin bought us these sealable flasks that are made of plastic. They are basically a ziplock baggie that you can heat seal. They even come with an attached funnel for easier filling. They are the best thing ever. The brand is Slick Shotz. They kinda look like blood bags which makes it even cooler. Gruene Hall doesn’t serve liquor. They only serve beer and wine. We used these to sneak in Jaeger bombs.

After getting ready and covering ourselves in glitter spray, we took a Lyft to the venue. We spent the entire trip there watch Lauren flirt with the driver. Her flirt game was so on point. We were super proud.

When we arrived in Gruene, we went to Mozie’s which is across the street from Gruene Hall. We needed to put our flasks in our bra. While we were there, we decided to get a drink. Out of nowhere, Lauren says “I miss Troy!” This made us all miss Troy Cartwright. He is our best friend and Gruene Hall is where we became best friends. We were a little salty that he wasn’t the opener for this show, but we understand that that’s not how the music world works.

We absolutely loved their opener tho. His name is Devon Gilfillian and he’s so super talented. His voice is INSANE! And he wore this awesome bolo tie on stage. We were impressed. Lauren was in heaven because he’s bluesy and blues music is favorite. He is massively talented and you will definitely be hearing about him in the future.

Jamey Ice joined Devon on stage for an amazing jam session for one of his songs. It was awesome. You can definitely tell that Jamey is in his element when he is just shredding on that guitar. Also, we have noticed before that he is always in extra rock star mode when his wife, Melissa, is there. It’s super cute.

When GRO came on, there was a wave of excitement coming from the crowd. Shows at Gruene Hall are always more fun. It’s an iconic Texas venue and you can tell that the guys enjoy playing there. There’s extra jamming and just when you think there show can’t get any better it does.

They played West Wind again. This time with a full band. We couldn’t stop laughing during it because it felt like they were playing it just to prove to us that they did know the lyrics. We were kinda sad tho because there wasn’t any banjo. BRING BACK THE BANJO!

They played You Can’t Always Get What You Want by the Rolling Stones. They cover this on the regular, but it was extra awesome. Everyone was having a blast.

Caitlin may or may not have been told by the security guard to get off the stage when Geoff told her to “follow her heart” when she asked if it would be cool. It wasn’t cool apparently.

They closed the night with Under Fire, which is one of Krissy’s absolute favorites. They came out into the crowd and played it acoustic. They like to close the show this way. It’s an amazing moment of just them and the crowd. It’s really beautiful.

After the show, we talked to all of the guys and gave them the key chains that we made. We also gave them all shit for not answering our five questions for the blog. Joshua did math which prompted Caitlin to say “Look at you mathing and shit.”

We do want to point out that we did get a thumbs up response from Geoff when we sent him our questions. Plus, he was the first person to share our blog and we really appreciate that. If it weren’t for him, we wouldn’t even know who Northern National are. And we love them.

While waiting for our lyft, Jamey photobombed us. It turned into the best picture ever. Even tho Krissy turned her head to look at him and now looks like a demon in the picture.

Highlights from our lyft drive home:

“You can’t have tacos until you wash your face.”

“You hair raped someone and that’s kinda creepy.”

“I can’t say this in front of our lyft driver. It’s too embarrassing.”

“You’re never going to see me again. Just say it.”

PS James, our driver, was fantastic.

We would like for everyone to know that Lauren did get her tacos. And they were a little disappointing.

Highlights from the ride home:

We gave money to a guy jamming out on his guitar on the side of the road.

We took Lauren to her first baby bucees.

We still can’t believe that there is a town in Texas called Uhland. This prompted us to pronounce it Uh-land. And proceed to call everything uh-stuff.

All in all it was an amazing trip and we cannot wait to do it all again. Until next time.

Dream Big Always,

Krissy & Caitlin

[kazheadrestcom]

The Luxurious Kona Coast Part II – Resorts in Hawaii

Continuing our exploration of the  Luxurious Kona Coast, Kaz Headrest presents the second article in the series on resorts in Hawaii. Just north of Kona is the Kohala Coast. So we thought we would feature some of the amazing places in the neighborhood. For thousands of years the Hawaiian people lived and recorded their lives by carving pictures in the rock in the area called Puako.  Ancient Hawaiians called their stone art k’i’i pohaku, or images in stone or as we call them petroglyphs. “The field of petrogylphs can be accessed from the Holoholokai beach park in Mauna Lani Resort to the south of Puako. “The 233-acre Puako Petroglyph Archaeological District. is the largest concentration of petroglyphs in the Pacific .   These Malama Petroglyhs were made thousands of years ago. The field has over 3000 carvings including paddlers, sails, marchers, dancers, and family groups, as well as dogs, chickens, turtles, and deity symbols.” The park can be accessed either by going through the Mauna Lani resort, or via the Puako beachfront southwards from Paniau (utility pole 143) at the south end of Puako road. There are restrooms and shower facilities here. Petroglyphs are very culturally significant to Hawaiian culture. Please visit these with respect.

Located 23 miles north of the Kona International Airport the Mauna Lani Resort  sits oceanfront on the finest stretch of shoreline on the sunny Kohala Coast and is one of the most amazing resorts in Hawaii. The Mauna Lani features 30 oceanfront acres and three miles of secluded shoreline. The resort has two 18-hole courses, the championship Francis H. I’i Brown North and South. Carved from ancient lava fields, the oceanside golf courses are rated among the most beautiful resort courses in the world. The Mauna Lani also features an amazing spa with nine indoor treatment rooms, a steam bath and whirlpool, manicure and pedicure facilities, facial rooms, a full-service hair and beauty salon and spa boutique. The land where Mauna Lani Spa sits is known as Kalahuipua’a, a place of spiritual power and energy (mana) where Hawaiian royalty used to escape to rejuvenate their health and spirit. Built among ancient lava, Mauna Lani Spa resembles a peaceful Hawaiian village with outdoor thatched hale (huts) for treatments. A Hawaiian medicinal garden with lemongrass, tea leaves and Kukui nut bring soothing and healing elements to the environment. The elements of Earth, Air, Fire and Water influence the treatments and experiences, such as mud wraps using volcanic ash, hot stone therapies and seaweed wraps and baths. Mauna Lani Spa’s unique open-air Lava Sauna Experience is the perfect way to experience the spiritual powers of the surroundings.” Every month when the full moon rises, Mauna Lani gets ready for an enchanted evening of storytelling and entertainment on the lawn at the oceanfront Eva Parker Woods Cottage. Hotel guests,Hawaii residents, and resort employees and their families are all welcome to join Danny Akaka for “Twilight at Kalahuipua‘a,” a night of storytelling, music and perhaps a little hula.

“Chef Clayton Arakawa’s passion for showcasing local ingredients in bold and innovative ways is evident in each dish he prepares. Born and raised in Hawaii, his personal take on contemporary Hawaii cuisine draws from the Islands’ diverse multicultural population, while emphasizing the distinct flavors that are truly unique to Hawaii. He has held the position of Executive Chef at Mauna Lani since early 2012. He acknowledges great traditions such as roasting Kalua Pig and that being in the center of the Pacific Ocean, you get the freshest fish. Working closely with the farmers and ranchers of Hawaii Island is at the forefront of his culinary creations. Chef Arakawa’s cooking style is simple and unique, creating a harmonious balance of textures and flavors on the plate. In addition to overseeing the entire culinary operations at Mauna Lani Bay, including the famous CanoeHouse restaurant and the popular Bay Terrace restaurant, Chef Arakawa leads signature culinary events for the resort, including the annual Celebrity Chef Tour weekend benefiting the James Beard Foundation each January.” As one of the premier resorts in Hawaii, the Mauna Lani  features 341 guest rooms and suites each with a tropical ambiance and private lanais. The ocean Bungalows are secluded yet conveniently located within a minute’s walk of the hotel lobby. Each bungalow features 4,000 square feet of living space, including two master bedrooms, three baths, a private swimming pool, whirlpool spa, a spacious lanai and a full kitchen.

Treat yourself to a beautiful experience at the Mauna Lani and satisfy your every whim from the world class golf course, the amazing, relaxing spa and some of the finest cuisine in all the resorts in Hawaii. Get in touch with ancient Hawaii and marvel at the Puako petroglyphs and theTwilight at Kalahuipua‘a, full moon ceremony. Travel in comfort, relax and enjoy life at the Mauna Lani.

Treat yourself to a beautiful experience at the Mauna Lani and satisfy your every whim from the world class golf course, the amazing, relaxing spa and some of the finest cuisine in all the resorts in Hawaii. Get in touch with ancient Hawaii and marvel at the Puako petroglyphs and theTwilight at Kalahuipua‘a, full moon ceremony. Travel in comfort, relax and enjoy life at the Mauna Lani.

Brought to you by Kaz Headrest. Travel in comfort with a Kaz Headrest. Available on

from Blog – Kaz Headrest https://www.kazheadrest.com/blog/the-luxurious-kona-coast-part-ii-resorts-in-hawaii/

[kazheadrest]

The Luxurious Kona Coast Part II – Resorts in Hawaii

Continuing our exploration of the  Luxurious Kona Coast, Kaz Headrest presents the second article in the series on resorts in Hawaii. Just north of Kona is the Kohala Coast. So we thought we would feature some of the amazing places in the neighborhood. For thousands of years the Hawaiian people lived and recorded their lives by carving pictures in the rock in the area called Puako.  Ancient Hawaiians called their stone art k’i’i pohaku, or images in stone or as we call them petroglyphs. “The field of petrogylphs can be accessed from the Holoholokai beach park in Mauna Lani Resort to the south of Puako. “The 233-acre Puako Petroglyph Archaeological District. is the largest concentration of petroglyphs in the Pacific .   These Malama Petroglyhs were made thousands of years ago. The field has over 3000 carvings including paddlers, sails, marchers, dancers, and family groups, as well as dogs, chickens, turtles, and deity symbols.” The park can be accessed either by going through the Mauna Lani resort, or via the Puako beachfront southwards from Paniau (utility pole 143) at the south end of Puako road. There are restrooms and shower facilities here. Petroglyphs are very culturally significant to Hawaiian culture. Please visit these with respect.

Located 23 miles north of the Kona International Airport the Mauna Lani Resort  sits oceanfront on the finest stretch of shoreline on the sunny Kohala Coast and is one of the most amazing resorts in Hawaii. The Mauna Lani features 30 oceanfront acres and three miles of secluded shoreline. The resort has two 18-hole courses, the championship Francis H. I’i Brown North and South. Carved from ancient lava fields, the oceanside golf courses are rated among the most beautiful resort courses in the world. The Mauna Lani also features an amazing spa with nine indoor treatment rooms, a steam bath and whirlpool, manicure and pedicure facilities, facial rooms, a full-service hair and beauty salon and spa boutique. The land where Mauna Lani Spa sits is known as Kalahuipua’a, a place of spiritual power and energy (mana) where Hawaiian royalty used to escape to rejuvenate their health and spirit. Built among ancient lava, Mauna Lani Spa resembles a peaceful Hawaiian village with outdoor thatched hale (huts) for treatments. A Hawaiian medicinal garden with lemongrass, tea leaves and Kukui nut bring soothing and healing elements to the environment. The elements of Earth, Air, Fire and Water influence the treatments and experiences, such as mud wraps using volcanic ash, hot stone therapies and seaweed wraps and baths. Mauna Lani Spa’s unique open-air Lava Sauna Experience is the perfect way to experience the spiritual powers of the surroundings.” Every month when the full moon rises, Mauna Lani gets ready for an enchanted evening of storytelling and entertainment on the lawn at the oceanfront Eva Parker Woods Cottage. Hotel guests,Hawaii residents, and resort employees and their families are all welcome to join Danny Akaka for “Twilight at Kalahuipua‘a,” a night of storytelling, music and perhaps a little hula.

“Chef Clayton Arakawa’s passion for showcasing local ingredients in bold and innovative ways is evident in each dish he prepares. Born and raised in Hawaii, his personal take on contemporary Hawaii cuisine draws from the Islands’ diverse multicultural population, while emphasizing the distinct flavors that are truly unique to Hawaii. He has held the position of Executive Chef at Mauna Lani since early 2012. He acknowledges great traditions such as roasting Kalua Pig and that being in the center of the Pacific Ocean, you get the freshest fish. Working closely with the farmers and ranchers of Hawaii Island is at the forefront of his culinary creations. Chef Arakawa’s cooking style is simple and unique, creating a harmonious balance of textures and flavors on the plate. In addition to overseeing the entire culinary operations at Mauna Lani Bay, including the famous CanoeHouse restaurant and the popular Bay Terrace restaurant, Chef Arakawa leads signature culinary events for the resort, including the annual Celebrity Chef Tour weekend benefiting the James Beard Foundation each January.” As one of the premier resorts in Hawaii, the Mauna Lani  features 341 guest rooms and suites each with a tropical ambiance and private lanais. The ocean Bungalows are secluded yet conveniently located within a minute’s walk of the hotel lobby. Each bungalow features 4,000 square feet of living space, including two master bedrooms, three baths, a private swimming pool, whirlpool spa, a spacious lanai and a full kitchen.

Treat yourself to a beautiful experience at the Mauna Lani and satisfy your every whim from the world class golf course, the amazing, relaxing spa and some of the finest cuisine in all the resorts in Hawaii. Get in touch with ancient Hawaii and marvel at the Puako petroglyphs and theTwilight at Kalahuipua‘a, full moon ceremony. Travel in comfort, relax and enjoy life at the Mauna Lani.

Treat yourself to a beautiful experience at the Mauna Lani and satisfy your every whim from the world class golf course, the amazing, relaxing spa and some of the finest cuisine in all the resorts in Hawaii. Get in touch with ancient Hawaii and marvel at the Puako petroglyphs and theTwilight at Kalahuipua‘a, full moon ceremony. Travel in comfort, relax and enjoy life at the Mauna Lani.

Brought to you by Kaz Headrest. Travel in comfort with a Kaz Headrest. Available on

[sohannabarberaesque]

One night in an old school Hawai'ian hula hut

[Wherein we find The Banana Splits spending the night after quite the luau and hula session with some rather wonderful native girls who somehow could not resist the romantic desires of Bingo, Drooper, Fleegle and Snorky--or is it the other way around? For the sake of this vignette, reader, we will deal with Bingo, the rather fun-addicted sort, who just had quite the lovemaking with his native hula partner ...]

A NATIVE HULA GIRL, rather fascinated: Ohhhh, Bingo ... is that really your name?

BINGO: Who said it wasn't, to begin with?

NATIVE HULA GIRL, who still can't get over what just ensueth: How exactly do you do it? I couldn't help but feel so--ʻoliʻoli!

BINGO: Now what exactly does that mean?

NATIVE HULA GIRL: That's Hawai'ian for "delighted," you might like to know ... I just couldn't help but sense such a feeling like you offered just now, how magical that was!

BINGO: You know how love can get in paradise ...

NATIVE HULA GIRL: At any rate, you might want to join us at sunrise over by the lagoon....

BINGO, just curious: So what's going to happen at the lagoon at sunrise?

NATIVE HULA GIRL: Just you wait and see....

[Wherein we find the pair chuckling over just such a wonderful sensation as ensued in a traditional Hawai'ian sort of manner, the sort you could say prevailed before Civilisation decimated native habit and custom.]

[sohannabarberaesque]

Hawai’i calls The Banana Splits back, if but out of sentiment (part III)

(With apologies to Webley “Webb” Edwards [1902-1977] and his legendary radio programme Hawai’i Calls [1935-1975], long the gold standard for Hawai’ian music, as much as Hanna-Barbera)

In a modest cafe at Kahalu’u the morning after such a hula hut experience, you can just imagine Bingo, Drooper, Fleegle and Snorky (as well as their host this go-round, Peter Potamus) having such an appetite for the breakfast offered: Egg, bacon, sausage, SPAM, hashbrowns, toast and Kona-blend coffee. And considering that sunrise swim with the gals of the hula hut releasing so much pent-up energies, they certainly could have used such a hearty breakfast (especially the SPAM, considering where Hawai’i consumes more thereof than anywhere in the United States--as well as being creative about SPAM).

“So, boys,” Peter Potamus asked as the morning’s sun became all the more blatant over the waters of Kane’ohe Bay, “how did that hula hut experience go?”

The reaction of sheer speechlessness spoke volumes as their facial expressions of sheer ecstasy over the experience probably made up for it. You could just tell how the four enjoyed the evening with native Polynesian stock keeping alive (even if in camera for the most part) an “old school” sort of Polynesian hospitality excusing the sensualised (and yet Bingo could still swear he was still smelling the pikake perfume of his companion the night previous as they made the segue from State Hwy, 72 to the H1 freeway towards the Shops at Aloha Tower, in the old port area ... and after a few courtesies to Peter and Mildew, the four could be seen walking around, and even taking in the view from the Aloha Tower proper towards Diamond Head and Waikiki--not to mention the inevitable selfie requests from as much locals as tourists--when, virtually out of the blue surf, you might say--

“Hello, boys ...!”

You could guess where all four were utterly stunned at the presence most unlikely of--she who was previously Twinkles Sunshine, cheesy child film star who was, to use the expression, “saved by surfing.”

“The name, boys,” she explained, “is Sylvia Barbanna.”

“Wasn’t you the one as taught the Hair Bears to surf?” Fleegle asked.

“Affirmative.” As if her surfah-grrrl looks and charm, reinforced by tank tops and cutoff jean bottoms, weren’t attraction enough--

“So what are you Banana Splits doing in paradise?”

“Just relaxing and trying to be ourselves,” was how Drooper explained it. “Yourself--?”

“Perhaps spending some time on perhaps the most famous stretch of surf in the world--and it’s not Waikiki, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

“I assume you mean the legendary North Shore,” Bingo exclaimed.

“How did you guess?”

Which, at any rate, was the cue to head on out to perhaps big-wave surfing’s most storied Mecca, that stretch of O’ahu between roughly Waialua/Hale’iwa and Hau’ula, as included the likes of Kawailoa Beach, Waimea Bay (gateway to the Pipeline, dream of every big-wave rider), Sunset Beach, Kawela, Kuhuku, Makahoa Point, La’ie (home to the Polynesian Cultural Centre) and Hau’ula Point ... but what made things interesting here was that Sylvia Barbanna hired herself a Jeep to discover, perhaps, that certain “off-the-beaten-track” break on the North Shore as is accessible only in a Jeep, the kind old North Shore pros are hesitant to share unless they’re willing to keep the proverbial secret.

“I have to explain here, boys,” Sylvia was quick to explain in the traffic on Hwy. 99 dominated by the surfing confraternity, “that maybe it was time to discover something different among surf spots on the North Shore. After all, Waimea Bay and Sunset Beach seem overdone, and I learned the other day from a fellow surfer at a surfer’s bar in Kawela about a rather unlikely break near Kuhuku Point as could best be considered a ‘hidden gem’ worth surfing.”

“So what’s stopping us?” remarked Bingo as Sylvia turned the Jeep onto a rather narrow dirt track off the main highway towards Kuhuku Point ... and, after a few minutes’ bumpy ride (”such to be expected going off road,” Sylvia noted), there lay the break of Kuhuku Point, a rather basic stretch of beach seeing a modest little break in the 4-5 foot range and not much else, providing backdrop for what could turn out being an exceptionally memorable surf experience.

Which, considering the isolation and want of serious facilities, came to be enjoyed in the “old school” Polynesian style of sheer, unashamed nakedness which turned out being rather wonderful all around, particularly as Sylvia found opportunity galore to use the beach for some refresher surfing lessons as were followed by an honest-to-the-surf-gods session which began with a classic (as in naked) “duck dive” to enter the wave from beneath ... and sensing what amounted to sheerest ecstasy and delight passing through that green room which any and every surfer seeks to crave.

*************

All in all, how did things turn out?

Let’s just say that, as the Splits’ flight back from Honolulu touched down at Long Beach Airport in the early morning hours a couple days later, at least they felt satisfied with having found some quality time in the experience. And as for any highlights ... all will be quick to admit that such would be a tossup between diving with Peter Potamus and Mildew Wolf in Waimānalo Bay, folowed by a wild night at a hula hut, and their surfing with Sylvia Barbanna “naked and unafraid” at Kuhuku Point.

(And did I mention all the souvenirs they picked up, almost innumerable to mention?)

@warnerarchive @hanna-barbera-land @warnerbrosentertainment @jg376 @wherearethememesonmyplate @screamingtoosoftly @hanna-barberians @straights-world @hanna-barbera-blog @themineralyoucrave @cottoncandy-wannabe @moonrock1973