National Geographic Kalalau Article Is Dumb: Sez Kauai's Hiking Blogger
Where: Kauai || Grouped in: Kauai Nature || Tagged:
And I totally agree with him. This article is beyond predictable, beyond trite. I have no idea why National Geo would pay megabucks to get this sort of tripe but hey, it's a plum gig. Here's what Andy has to say.
"Starting with the obvious comparison to Shangri-La and giving only brief and inaccurate explanations of geology and Hawaiian culture, the article mostly centers around the writer’s trek on the trail. And there, predictably, the difficulty is exaggerated, the valley residents are stereotyped, and the story of Koolau the leper is told once again. Then the writer goes on to say how the campground is trashed and the ambiance ruined by a boombox. Granted, the “vibe” of the place can change from year to year, and maybe the trash is far more noticeable than when I was there last, but it sounds like the author had unrealistic expectations....guess I just have to ask: if a journalist interviews a few people and then writes an article about their vacation, do they get to write the whole thing off as expenses?"
Answer to your question, Andy, is yes, they do!
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Comments
Abraham Gale said:
Reading the National Geographic Kalalau Article, being there, and being familiar with people that stay there for longer or shorter periods, I am sure that the writer has never been there.
It appears that the writer reached the 6 Miles camp (where no people stay more than 1 night) which is trashed because rangers, that seldom go up to this point, gathered leaves with papers and other trash in plastic bags, left the bags in the sun and never took them away, and the writer had the impression that the same situation exists in the valley. Then, when the writer proceeded to do the next 5 miles to Kalalau Valley, he got scared in the dangerous 7-8 miles range, turned back (as some do), and filled his article with research info and assumptions.
Everybody that does the 11 miles and reaches the valley is told that he needs to take his trash back with him and does.
I haven’t seen a shred of trash, but I have seen a lot of beautiful nature, people and social activity which you wouldn’t find in the article.
—07/15/08