True Hawaii

When Andrew answers the call to Hawaii—the most remote populated island chain on Earth—he expects a summer of beaches and adventure. What he finds instead is the beginning of a journey that will change his life forever. From “extreme picnicking” on the fiery rim of an active lava lake to chance encounters with UFOs and mystics, his days unfold like a dream. Drawn into the wild community of Puna, he discovers black sand beaches, ecovillages, and unforgettable characters who open his heart in unexpected ways.

A routine hitchhiking trip into town brings a new person into Andrew’s life that just might have the perfect opportunity for him. His new friend is a volunteer at a Vipassana meditation center. She invites him to join her on a 10-day silent meditation course and then live near the meditation center afterward, doing a very different kind of work-trade than he’s ever done.

The peace Andrew found in the silence of the meditation hall is about to be tested by fire. In the remote district of Puna, a river of molten lava creeps toward the main road, threatening to sever the only lifeline to the outside world. As the fire advances, Hurricane Iselle—the first recorded hurricane to make landfall on the Big Island—screams toward the coast, turning a tropical dream into a raw battle for survival. But the most intense storm is the one happening within.