Carl's Birthday Weekend- Finally...

Memorial Day was Carl's 27th birthday, so we all loaded up and headed to the other side of the island for the weekend. Alan had his 30th birthday that weekend as well, which gave us all the more reason to celebrate. Our friend Audry has a house in Puna, which was our destination. Its called "The Purple House", and its incredible! The district of Puna is primarily made up of jungle-like terrain, and all homes and such are off the grid. You use solar power, candles, and a catchment tank for water. The shower is solar heated, and there is an unlimited supply of hot water. It was the best shower I've ever been in.






When we weren't outside exploring or hanging out on the beach, we were all on the back porch. We had so much fun playing cards, listening to music, and grilling. The whole gang surprised Carl and Alan with some really nice gifts and a handmade card, which was the coolest thing we've ever seen. They put so much time and love into it, and it was really special. Carl was touched beyond words.




The first night we were there we went to the Champagne Ponds for a sunset swim. It was gorgeous of course, and quite warm. All along the floor of the pond are volcano warmed springs, which makes the water feel perfect.





When we woke up in the morning, Carl and I both jumped on a bike and went for the most amazing ride ever.




Most of the ride looked like this. Riding beneath a tree canopy is incredibly peaceful.




There were also tons of little trails along the road. We left our bikes at the road and checked out a couple.



And this is what was at the end of the tunnel. Each trail you took and every direction you looked was breathtaking.

We also came across a little fruit stand along the way. They had avocados, papayas, and mangos, and you just had to leave a donation if you took anything. We didn't have anything to donate, so we had to pass.