"Good Souls along the Road of Life”....

So often, we pack a much needed vacation with so many activities that
we need a vacation after a vacation ... we rarely have time to meet
the people there.  I have a story I would like to share with you ...
one of meeting the most amazing and gracious people in our recent trip
to the Big Island of Hawaii.

It had been 16 years since we were on the Kona side and 35 years (on
our way back from our Orient honeymoon) on the Hilo side.  We stayed
at the same hotel, Kona Reef, 16 years ago.  This time, husband Doug
found a beautiful privately owned 1-bedroom oceanfront unit through
the internet ($125/night - sleeps 4) with an incredible ocean view!!
Our daughter, Jodina, and her good friend, Beth, joined us (they are
2 family counseling interns who needed to distress from their jobs).

After ten days filled with fun activities of swimming, snorkeling,
surfing, scuba diving, sunning, shopping, eating, etc., we were about
to embark on the second part of our trip ... 4 days on the Hilo side.
We have always wanted to stay longer than a couple of days there in
hopes of finding a more relaxing pace ... a little of the old Hawaii.
And, we did ... in so many ways.

Doug had found a new 2-bedroom, 1 bath house in Pahoa @$125/night)
with a private swimming pool overlooking the ocean.  The owners lived
upstairs and we lived downstairs.  Owner Stan Schierman often takes
award-winning marine life photos from their lanai.  He even has photos
of a whale birthing!!

Stan's wife, Chris, is the main character in my story.  The Schiermans
moved from Oregon about 5 years ago.  He’s a young retired Air Force
veteran and worked for a large company in Oregon and Chris is a RN.
They decided they wanted to retire in Pahoa (about 15 miles south of Hilo)

and rent out their lower unit.

I think Chris has found her calling ... and that is being a traveler's
guardian angel who enjoys sharing her knowledge and love of life with
all who comes into their lives.  What a find they are!!
Their well-appointed home is lovely and extra amenities are provided
with loving care ... freshly baked banana macnut bread (wrapped
beautifully with ti leaves and topped with flowers), mango jelly, and
fresh coffee beans await you in the fridge for your first breakfast
(all from their "farm").  Oven mitts are available for sale (at cost)
if you like the ones provided.  There were beautiful tropical floral
arrangements everywhere (all from the "farm").

Chris anticipated our every need.  She provided maps and suggestions
on what to see and how to get there (different routes during high tide
when the roads are flooded or new thoroughfares to save you time).
She provided heating packs for sore necks/backs and heavy jackets for
our stargazing trip (Onizuka Center - International Astronomy Visitor
Station located at 9,300 ft. of Mauna Kea).  She eliminated our need
to pack heavy clothing, beach towels, most toiletries, etc.
Our dirty towels and compost pail disappeared on a daily basis.  She
even left us a large package of her Hawaiian dried hot peppers after
seeing our 3 bottles of Tabasco sauce (we OD at Kona's Costco) on the
counter.   She was thoughtful and attentive, not intrusive.

We stopped off at their 2 acre recreational farm while they were
working there one day.  Chris gave us the most comprehensive tour of
their botanical garden which they have turned from a jungle to an
Eden.  In the 1-1/2 hour tour, we learned so much about local plants,
flowers, soil conditions, planting, harvesting, pruning, geology,
composting, etc. etc.  Chris was a walking encyclopedia!!  While
showing us an unusual Bird Nest Fern (which grows on the bark of other
trees), she told us to be sure to look up when we're driving through a
particular rain forest that day to see the larger ones.  We remembered
during our drive and were rewarded with the incredible sights of the
huge Bird Nest Ferns.  We gave ourselves mental gold stars for
remembering to look up ... Chris would have been proud that her
knowledge was not wasted on us!!

On our last evening, we accepted Chris' offer to cook a 5-course
gourmet dinner for a $15 donation each to cover the cost of the meal.
She even made the best Mai Tais w/fresh fruits for a mere $3 each!!
Believe me, this Lady is not in it for the money!!  They used to
travel extensively while Stan was stationed around the world and they
entertained a lot.  Now with both sons away in the Air Force, Chris
misses the entertaining and meeting new people.  Lucky for us to be
the recipients of her culinary skills.

Appetizers of crisp triangular toast with two (pesto and garlic)
spreads on the side started the feast.  Next came creamed purple
potato soup with sour cream in designs on top.  Next came lemon sorbet
to clean the palate.   A beautiful salad of freshly picked greens,
avocado and other vegetables from the farm followed.  A platter of
fresh papayas, mango, and pineapple complemented the meal.  Sides of
pasta, baby carrots/snap beans and rice accompanied the main courses
of seared Ahi (fresh from local fisherman) and baked chicken breast in
cream sauce.  Dessert was a gorgeous lemon cream pie with coffee/tea.
It was one of the most delicious and well presented meals I have ever
had.  What a perfect ending to a perfect vacation.

From reading the comments in the guest book written by previous guests,
we were not alone in our high estimation of our hosts.  They truly are
wonderful ambassadors of good will and kindness.  Chris/Stan have
shown us the true spirit of old Hawaii ... a love and respect of the
land and a genuine giving spirit from the heart.  I found myself
thinking this was no mere vacation in Hawaii; it was a journey through
life where our experience with such wonderful people is a souvenir
that will stay with us forever.  It's certainly worth writing home
about!!  Aloha!!

Recommendations:

Kona Reef ($125/night, 7th night free) Kailua-Kona - Bruce & Alice
Brooks (808) 329-8486

Jack's Diving Locker (scuba lessons), Kailua-Kona  (800) 345-4807
dive@jacksdivinglocker.com

Ocean Eco Tours (surfing lessons), Kailua-Kona (808) 331-2121

Fair Wind II Catamaran Snorkel Tour to historic Kealakekua Bay  (800)
677-9461 www.fair-wind.com

Stan & Chris Schierman, Pahoa, Hawaii (808) 965-5135
schierman@hawaiiantel.net