Warning: Picture Heavy Post

Last week a PT (physical therapist) that I work with invited Nate and I to hike with her and some of her friends near her home. She lives in this place called Waiahole Valley, which we discovered is basically paradise. She has a huge property right on the edge of civilization with a giant Koi pond and mini golf course. Insane! About a dozen of us went for a hike that started off walking through lush forest with running springs and waterfalls. Then we got to this pitch black tunnel that cuts through the mountain and is basically a drainage system for rain water. We walked about 1/2 mile deep into the tunnel, then floated back out on inflatable tubes. It was seriously unreal! Afterwards we hiked back to her house, and went our separate ways. The whole thing took about 3.5 hours, and it was honestly one of the most beautiful and amazing experiences ever! The hike itself wasn't very strenuous, but it was really slippery (I fell at one point and hurt my elbow pretty bad. Thank goodness for left over pain meds from a tooth problem back in January!), and there were more mosquitoes than I hope to encounter ever for the rest of my life. This is something I would love to do again, and if you ever visit me we can definitely go!

Nate feeding the Koi fish.

Me hiking.

Nate crossing the first part of the stream.

It is hard to tell by the picture, but there is a fallen tree running horizontally with a tree growing out of the middle of it.

Me and the stream.

So amazing!

Inside the tunnel with Nate's tube.

Someone's headlamp down the tunnel a bit.

Floating back down. Flash is a wonderful thing!

Nate floating down.

Beautiful lookout about 30 minutes past the tunnel. Yes, that is the ocean out there!