This is me now

This is me now

Monday, November 15, 2010

Kauai

We landed in Kauai with 35 dollars left to our names. We spent the night in a beach park, and then started asking people how to get to Valley House. We didn't really know what that was or meant. We were directed to it, and we were on our way.

We arrived at Valley House. It turns out is was an abandoned millionaires estate of 80 acres, inhabited by hippies living in handmade house in the woods and trees. It was set back in a valley behind Kapaa. It was so beautiful there. No cars were allowed on the land. It was just little footpaths running through the overgrown jungle., with young naked hippies running along the footpaths. There was a creek boarding one side, with a big waterfall, and swimming hole. The rule was no one could put their house, where you could see another house, so all the houses seemed like they were alone there in this magical magnificance.

I think people had been there for about 12 years. Some were quite established with big gardens and nice houses. Everyone welcomed us, and said we could stay for free. I guess it was free for everyone. Someone showed us this little platform by the creek, and said we could stay there. We set us camp down there.

The thing that made Valley House so extraordinary was that since it had been a millionaires estate, the plant life was amazing. It was a highly landscaped affair gone wild. There was a promenade of majestic palm trees. It had all kinds of fruit trees. it had the largest Lychee Nut grove in the Untied States. And there was this place that we called the Cathedral. It was high trees, covered with ivy, and did feel like a Cathedral.

The sad news, is that everyone was leaving Valley House. everyone was basically just squatting. The land was owned by some corporation. They were trying to sell it for a million dollars. 80 acres of land. So people were starting to leave, especially the ones with kids. Thomas and I got there at the tail end, but at least we got there. One woman left and gave us her us her house. It was a hand made hippie house, set in the trees. It was an A frame. The front of the house was all windows, facing the valley, that ended at the ocean. It faced east, and every morning the sun would rise, and pink, golden light would pour in through all the windows. It was so warm, that the walls were a few feet high, and the rest was screens. We got to live there for a winter, before the cops came one day, and made everyone go. But at least I got to live there. I think I got to spend about 5 months there, maybe 7. 

Here is my house at Valley House.


And here is me there, as a young hippie.


Here is a group of us there.



I would like to make mention my family actually came and visited me there. My father seemed to really like it.

copyright 2010 © Stacey Bander. Please contact for any reuse.

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