See for Yourself - Life Lesson #9

We are curious creatures, but lazy ones.

My hand is raised. Guilty here.

We tend to believe general consensus and persuasive sales people without much thought—this is life. Stereotypes are abundant and we judge books by their covers.

What I love about taking pictures is that taking the leap of faith is required before any pictures can be captured.

Despite what is being said or written about any particular location: You never know until you go.

There is inherent risk for all photo trips—but even though there may be no beautiful pictures to show for a photo trip, the experience is more than enough. It seems to always be a no-lose situation. I do lose sight of this from time to time.

While in Hawaii, a must-see spot was Kalalau Lookout. It is perched on the top peaks of Kauai which offers a spectacular view of the ocean as far as the eye can see. If you are lucky, you can clearly see the intricately defined cut-outs of the rugged landscape below you that took millions of years of artistry. When you are on top of this lookout, it’s quite a view—only if the clouds cooperate.

I read over and over (thanks internet) that the best hope for getting a clear view of this place was first thing in the early morning. This is because the clouds tend to billow and build over the island as the day moves on.

Meaghan insisted on going despite it being late in the afternoon. It was toward the end of our trip, and I knew it was now or never. I told her about the research I had done and said with discouragement that there’s a good chance that all we will see is the clouds when we get to the top which was not exactly a quick drive.

This is what the internet says might be a likely scenario if making the trek in the late afternoon. The clouds tease your senses.

Normally, I’m a bit more adventurous, but my “research" had me weighed down to be too excited. Meaghan's naivety (the good kind) kept her impulses fresh and clear to see it for herself, unlike mine, and her insistence was enough to pull me along with her. It was also obvious that this time, my mistake was placing more emphasis on the picture-taking part than on the experience part. The adventure would have been fun no matter what.

The die-hard photographer in me certainly gets in my way sometimes.

We made our way through Kokee State Park which hosts Kalalau Lookout, situated on the top of Kauai, and we soon found our heads were literally in the clouds. Often times, more likely in the afternoon, this means the view looking down at the ocean (the literal lookout) can be obstructed. Clouds can build throughout the day, and all hope can be lost.