The Nā Pali Coast towers before me, painted in peachy hues of the evening light as sky and sea melt seamlessly into one. How on earth did I get here, to the vibrant, ethereal slopes of Kauai?
Two years ago, as a broke gal in her 20s, I yearned to experience Kauai’s coconut palms, sparkling ocean swells and lush flora but simply didn’t have the funds. Then I discovered work trade. Platforms like Workaway, Worldpackers and WWOOF center around work in exchange for accommodation, offering members the ultimate opportunity to immerse in local culture, explore on a budget and connect with other travelers.
Volunteers can harvest vineyard grapes in Italy, learn permaculture in Puerto Rico or work at a surf camp in Portugal. With thousands of opportunities around the globe, there’s truly something for everyone.
I signed up for Workaway and wound up staying a few weeks with a woman in Kapa’a — a town on Kauai’s east side. I tended to flowers and mowed the lawn in the garden and assisted with household chores, scrubbing dishes and cleaning bathrooms. Barefoot and giddy, I planted purple hearts, picked lilikoi fruit and fed Homer the turtle from the comfort of my bikini top and straw hat.
This was beyond any high-end hotel– this was living locally, giving back and grounding. I couldn’t have been happier.
Following my few hours of chores, I spent every day on island time frolicking around the place of my dreams. From swimming in Hanakāpīʻai Falls and snorkeling at Hanalei Bay to devouring Holey Grail’s taro donuts and sucking nectar from honeysuckle flowers.
My host’s 12-year-old daughter, Alana, often joined me on hikes. She’d pluck flowers from trailside bushes throughout our treks, teaching me what to eat and not to eat. The girl always knew what she was talking about– I followed right along.
Alana led me to secret waterfalls, taught me about invasive species and warned me to never stop the car for a wild chicken.
On Kauai, I rarely ate in restaurants, where a burger and fries will set you back upwards of $20. Even groceries are expensive – a simple loaf of bread costs nearly five times as much as it would at a mainland grocery store. Luckily, my workaway host Sarah provided me with shelf space to store food and a kitchen to prepare meals.
Thanks to Rent-a-Wreck Kauai, I rented a 2001 Toyota Echo void of AC and radio but brimming with character. Complete with Hawaiian floral seat covers, the trusty coach got me from point A to point B with no issues and far more money in my pocket.
By heading off the beaten path and traveling in a more immersive way, I discovered places, foods and friends I surely wouldn’t have otherwise.
Back on the jagged Nā Pali coastline, the sea crashes and foams beneath me. A new (and now lifelong) friend and I dared to investigate the hidden Kalepa Ridge Trail. The bushwhacking and fence hopping proved entirely worth it the second Kai and I emerged from the brush.
I swelled with gratitude. My lifelong dream of this sacred place had come to fruition through the sustainable travel option of work trade. This month I embark on my next Workaway adventure in Mallorca, Spain, where I will volunteer with a local ceramic artist.
Work trade is open to travelers of all ages, interests and backgrounds. I encourage anyone even slightly interested to venture onto any work trade site and peruse its vast array of opportunities.
Because I did so, I can still feel the fresh honeysuckle on my tongue and sea salt on my skin. I often reflect on the lovely lessons that my Workaway with Sarah taught me, and long to feed Homer once more.