“Do you dream or do you plan?”
Photos: Hawaii – Kalalau Trail, Na Pali Coast, Kauai
The sun was beating down on us and we were aching all over. Our packs were weighing us down and our blisters were on fire. I held my breath around the dodgy corners so I wouldn’t slip and tumble to my death. We completely underestimated how tough this hike would be. After two nights of camping on the remote Kalalau Beach, my boyfriend and I were heading back to civilization along the rugged 11-mile Hawaiian Na Pali coast trail.
We had a running joke, “How much money would it take for you to walk allllllll the way back to camp and then walk alllllllll the way back?!”
“There’s no way… I physically couldn’t do it. I would die,” was my response.
A young couple from Germany caught up with us for a snack break. We throw our packs down and perch ourselves on the side of the rocky cliff overlooking the vibrant blue and green tropical coastline. The view is so stunning it looks fake. Aside from the occasional tourist helicopter buzzing overhead, we are the only 4 spectators watching the waves crash violently into the rocks down below. We sit completely exhausted in our Clif bar eating trances and wait for a cool ocean breeze to come by and slap us back to life.
Breaking the silence I asked them, “What part of Germany are you from?”
“Bavaria. Where are you from?” the tall young German guy asked as the sweat dripped into his face.
“Southern California… What brings you to Hawaii?”
“We’re 6 months into our year long round-the-world trip.”
I gasped then responded, “Really?? We’re dying to plan an around-the-world trip one day.”
Without hesitation he looked me dead in the eye and in his German accent he simply responded, “Do you dream or do you plan?”
I shuddered as it sunk in instantaneously. “One day” doesn’t exist on the calendar. This guy was right. Maybe it was the sweltering heat, maybe it was because I was chewed up and spit out by this 22-mile trek, but his simple straightforward no bullshit response has resonated with me ever since.
While stretching out my sore knees, I looked at my boyfriend and asked, “So… what would it take for you to go allllllllll the way around the world and back?
Do you dream? Or do you plan? Make it happen.
August 23rd, 2010 at 1:37 pm
i try to convince my husband of this constantly. i am trying so hard to make it happen! i want to tour the US though, since i grew up in europe. so, anyway, you have GOT to be a sagittarius???? dying to know.
November 18th, 2010 at 5:38 pm
These photos are absoultely beautiful! Especially that last one!
December 1st, 2010 at 1:05 pm
Leah, this is one of the best blog entries I’ve ever read. Great photos and storytelling, all capped with a serious question we should all be asking ourselves in our pursuit of our dreams and desires…
February 4th, 2011 at 6:59 pm
So glad Liz posted this recently…I never read it and it was a fabulous read! Very convicting!
February 27th, 2011 at 3:55 am
@michelle
go alone if you have to
February 28th, 2011 at 1:57 am
(just beginning this lifestyle experimentation thing…it’s ridiculously fun)
April 13th, 2011 at 12:24 am
We never got to hike the Kalalau Trail due to trail closures, but this post and the German wisdom mentioned were both good reminders I need to stop dremaing and begin planning to return to Kauai to traverse all miles of the Na Pali Coast trail. Your last photo says it all…
April 14th, 2011 at 7:59 pm
Tu sitio web es increible ! Espero algún día conocerte por el mundo !
August 21st, 2011 at 9:33 am
I plan! My husband and I have been planning for two years. We just sold our house and signed a 10 month lease on an apartment… and then we’re traveling around the world. Dreaming is a big part of it, but at some point you have to turn your dream into reality. I hope you do it. And by the way, that hike looked incredible.
September 9th, 2011 at 4:50 am
Love it. Plan, definitely plan.
September 24th, 2011 at 8:25 am
Kickass post. Now to quit dreaming….
Thank you.
December 3rd, 2011 at 5:20 pm
This is inspirational, but at what point does one plan too much? At what point do you throw your plans out the door and just do what you dream of?