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Memoir as travelogue 7/29/2013 4:06:47 AM
No memoirist wanst their book shelved with travel guides, but still... No author of memoir wants their book shelved with travelogues, or AAA guides, but with my book, The Sky Behind Me, a Memoir of Flying and Life that could happen. The book covers a lot of territory, from growing up in Ohio, to Vietnam, Alaska, Panama, Iowa, Indiana and even more exotic places like Guiana and Michigan! My career took me places I never imagined seeing, exposed me to all manner of whimsical, frightening, eerie and engaging experiences that might not occur on the most expensive high-impact tour.
So I suppose the book could be seen and read as travelogue, though it was never intended as such. To expand on that theme a bit, here are a few of the must-see, must do items intrepid reader-travelers might consider based on reading The Sky Behind Me. These are bucket list items if you will, places to visit that will satisfy anyone’s urge to see what’s ’round the bend.
First on anyone’s list is Kauai. If there’s only one trip to Hawaii per lifetime, this is the island to visit. Oahu is beautiful, busy, loud, well-peopled, heavily trafficked and filled with historic sites, not just of Hawaiian antiquity but American history as well. Pearl Harbor, Barber’s Point, Waikiki, Diamond Head, all are Oahu sites that should be seen. Maui is beautiful, rugged, sophisticated and serene. Sunrise at Haleakala is a once in a lifetime experience. There’s a reason native Hawaiians named it ‘Hale’ ‘Akala’, The House of the Sun. Molokai is rural and rustic, with one traffic light and little else. the Big Island of Hawaii is lava central, shaky with earthquakes, smoldering with new real estate being created all the time and almost devoid of beaches.
But Kauai is simply a small chunk of paradise in the middle of the Pacific. Beautiful beaches, perfect temperature, a gentle tradewind, daily rains off and on for five minutes at a time, rainbows around every bend and so many outdoor activities it’s hard to decide which to do. Waimea Canyon Hike? Snorkel at Tunnel’s Beach? Golf in Poipu? Eat Saimin at Hamura in Lihue? Surf, paddleboard, outrigger canoe? One item that goes without saying: take a helicopter tour of this island. More than 75% of Kauai can’t be seen by road travel, and there are places a helicopter will take you that will take your breath away. Maunawaipuna falls was featured in Jurassic Park. It’s 250 feet high, draped like a bridal veil and can’t be seen except by air or a (very long) hike on private property. The deepest, lushest folds of Waimea Canyon will leave you with goosebumps. The NaPali Coast may well be the most beautiful place on earth, with sheer cliffs coated with rich foliage and flowers of every description, jagged rock like a fortress towering 1,000 feet above the roaring Pacific surf. On the north shore of Kauai, Hanalei town is a storybook place where time seems to stands still, and anyone can discover their inner artist. No one hurries in Hanalei.
So if you’re planning a trip to Kauai, get in touch and I’ll be happy to advise you further. In the meantime, a good place to start is to read The Sky Behind Me. You might find it under travelogues.
