getting back to town

Ahoy,

At the entrance to the Botanic Garden where we were basking in the unrewarding glory of an 11 mile hike, we saw another couple waiting.

Guy: I have no phone reception so we can't contact [other party they are apparently waiting for].
Girl: Should we just start walking then?
Guy: (angrily) No, No, we are not walking anywhere.

We scoff as we begin our 2 mile trek into town after already walking for 11 miles. Luckily for us, the rest of the way is a slow downhill. We don't see many other folks walking, we see a lot of tubby people in golf carts and this reminds us of Wall-E. Granted, it is pretty much vacation on this island, but we still find it funny as we count the tubby people driving by. We witness another young couple struggle up the hill on bikes. They ask us how much farther to the garden and if it's worth it. I don't know what to say because to me, I don't think my 11 mile hike was worth it, but cheers to them for trying anyway. I see them going back downhill 5 minutes later. They did not make it. We stop for a giant cup of horchata, and to gawk at a deer startlingly close to some golfers. Does he not know it is hunting season?

Finally back to civilization, we sit down at a restaurant that practically hangs over the water. We order too much pizza, but the view is marvelous and the water looks so magically crisp, clear, and cool I could jump right in from our table. Our next order of business is to get in the water. I had thought all along we were coming for the water activities. Little did I know we would be embarking on a serious hike of a greater magnitude. Here I thought we were trying to get away from the heat back on the mainland, just to be entrenched in it at the top of a mountain. But alas, I would finally get in the water. My time had come!

We rented a double kayak for I think 2 hours? It was terribly sunny on the water as the sun was settling just over the mountainline. The water was so refreshing, crisp and absolutely perfect. I kept insisting we stop just so I could dip my toes. We docked our kayak on a beach and lounged around for a bit before awkwardly trying to get back out on the water past the waves crashing on the shore. Grace is a quality that is totally out the porthole when you are dealing with the ocean.

Back on land, we did not make it very far before setting up shop on the lawn to dry off and doze. We had done a lot and decided to get some ice cream before heading back home. Catalina is such a strange place. The island/tropical life is so close to the city, and yet so far removed from daily comings and goings of a city.

dreamily islandic.
jt