Backyard Adventure!

 This past Wednesday, my boyfriend and I hiked to Maunawili Falls after school around 4:30. I haven't been to the falls since my senior year in high school, so it was sort of perfect that I return my senior year of college.  I had taken my senior portraits alongside the stream on my way up to the falls, which was  extremely cold  but really fun. I must have spent two hours in there with over 200 photos taken. It was definitely a time to remember especially because my friends and I took them together. I wish I had a picture to share with you guys, but the only one that remains, hangs on my tutus wall in Manoa, which she won't let me remove.  :)  So, for now this will have to suffice.   

There are several different ways to get to the falls, but the only way I have ever gone was through Maunawili, off of Ke'ewina St., right behind the houses. It 's a much shorter hike when doing it this way, about 1.5 mile in to the actual falls. I enjoy Maunawili because it takes me back to my childhood years with my family.  I was born and raised in Kailua, O'ahu, for twenty-two y ears, so the falls was almost like a backyard for me, being that it takes a few minutes to get to if driving. When my brother would play pop-warner football for the Windward Tigers, he would practice at Maunawili park and my sisters and I, would hike the falls instead.  I have only jumped off of the first waterfall and that was the first time I hiked to the falls at age 12.  

 It was really nice to get back in touch with nature, especially with finals approaching for the both of us.  This was both my boyfriend and I, first time together hiking Maunawili which made it even more special. For Christmas last year, his mom bought us a tripod gadget that can hang from a tree in case there wasn't anyone around, so we were able to capture it in this picture, which by the way took forever to get right!! Unfortunately, my camera battery died soon after but everything looked the same, still beautiful and lush. The sun was pretty warm, but the Ko'olau breeze was a bit chilly.  We had to rush it a little because it was my dad's birthday, so we basically ran through the hike and by the time we reached the waterfall it was freezing cold, I could only dip my toes in. It was definitely another backyard adventure I won't forget.

Below is a picture of my boyfriend on another hike we did this past summer, I had to show you the kind of stuff he likes to do while we hike. He has a tendency to run into the bushes and pop out like this in attempt to scare me. I made him do it again so I could show him what he looks like. Haha!