EscapeArtist

just a reminder, i switched my travel journal to: http://web.mac.com/ollieox see you there!... read more

Since this travelblog's server crashed just before my trip I'm a little reluctant to keep a record of my trip on this site. Sorry to give everybody the runaround but i will be switching websites.... my new permanent web address for my trip will be: http://web.mac.com/ollieox thanks everyone bye for now Jack... read more

Flew into Schiphol International Airport our luggage didnt make it - so we arranged to have it mailed to our hostel we then took a 20min train ride into Amsterdam's central station. As soon as we stepped outside of the central train station i was immediately satisfied by the sights. My first impressions were very positive (besides the bitter cold and drizzle) people everywhere bells in the distance - totally foreign and beautiful - very old and majestic looking architecture let us know we were very far from home. Pat, Zach and I were going through a serious bout of culture shock in the best way possible. The entire layout of the city is something nobody can really prepare for - a crecent moon shape intersected by numerous canals and thousands of narrow streets and ... read more

The first day we went up to Haleakala crater to catch the sunset and learn about the massive volcano that flanks the south eastern side of the island. Travelling up the side of this massive volcano we passed through 5 diferent bio zones from temperate rainforest to desert 10,000ft up. The next day we hiked across the crater - the hike took 11 long hours. At that elevation with no cloud cover every part of your body has to be protected from the sun, the tops of my hands were very sunburned by days end. The endemic silversword (pictured) is an awesome sight to see...it only grows in the crater... a bright silver phallic looking plant that can reach up to 5 feet or so, it lives up to 50 years, blooms once then dies. The ... read more

more to come... read more