open mind, empty stomach

This blog was started as a way to share my life with friends and family. When you repeat a story too many times, it gets shorter and less descriptive with each iteration and I figured this was a more effective and convenient way to share.

My passions are food, travel, the environment, agriculture, and helping people. I put a fair bit of research into my travel and hope this blog can be useful as a resource to those with similar interests. For me, it’s not about going places, it’s about experiencing them. The tourist trail is not for me. Lonely Planet is not my bible. I’m looking for a glimpse of what real life is like in a place and do my best to meet locals who can show me a little of their world.

I don’t have the luxury of a big budget and prefer to travel for months rather than weeks, so have to be rather frugal. Couchsurfing, WWOOFing, and Help Exchange have enabled me to get the more authentic experience I’m looking for and do it for a lot less money. Even if I had a bigger budget, I would still utilize these resources for the connectivity they enable. It is THE WAY to travel.

I’ve lived in Hawai’i since 2006 and have made it my home. When I’m at home I cook as much as I can, eat out more than I should, and help out in a few kitchens when they are desperate enough to let a hack like me lend a hand. I also help out with a few community based agriculture and environmental organizations, golf, hike with my dog, and simply enjoy life.

Thanks for reading my little blurb and I hope you can get something out of the blog. Feel free to let me know if you’re currently in the same place as me or will be visiting Hawai’i. I’m always down to grab a drink or a meal and love to meet new people.