Jetlag has its benefits...

... you kinda have to take things one thing at a time. So I am writing this from the garden of Gilbert and Stani's and reflecting on yesterday with my very slow brain. 
Yesterday I went to Lahaina to go whale-watching with a company called http://www.pacificwhale.org. Great non-profit organisation, will also take a snorklingtrip from Ma'alaea with them tomorrow. 

Lahaina is very very cute little village, very very touristy also, of course. Many stupid shops, but the vibe was nice anyway.

The Humpback-Whales are flourishing here, and we were in so called "whale-soup" and the males were showing off their best tricks to the females. The whole boat with about 50 people was staring at the ocean as if it was a big surround-toaster, and everyone, including myself, was going aaaaahh and ooohhhh whenever a whale did anything. 

I wonder if these beasts have a clue about how powerful they are. 

I would love to take a less commercial whale watch someday, in a smaller boat with less people and a chance to be more quiet around them. Because even on the crowded tour (that was exellent) I felt this deep joy whenever I saw one of the whales. Even when they showed up in the distance. 

Two of them came quite close to the boat. That was rather spectacular and could have also been very touching, maybe even spriritual - in a different setting. 
On our tour of course everyone wanted to get the best shot to take with them, so the atmosphere could feel like kindergarten at times. 

Nothing wrong with kindergarten, just sucks when all the other kids have the better toys:

This is the best shot from my I-phone (great toy, but alas no zoom), the little splash in the distance is a whale, promise. 

More animal sensations: 

For all of you who wonder where Bärchen is, of course he came!!!

Today I started preparing a bit for the upcoming workshop-week on the Big Island. So looking forward to that. It feels like it will be very libarating in all kinds of ways, not only vocally. Though what I am most looking forward to right now is the jamming with all the other vocalists, oh bliss! It feels like I will be diving into an ocean of sound!

Heared some traditional Hawaiian singing on the boat yesterday, an old chant. 
It sounded very shamanic and extremely rich. Googled and found this that came very close to what I heared, esp nr 2, check out the samples.

Oh, and more about my read The 4 insights:

It's based on the wisdom of the Laika. 

I started reading it from the beginning again. 

More soon, much love and

Aloha xx