Preface: In the 1860s, a leper colony was set up on a spit of land on the north side of the Hawaiian island of Molokai. Though the settlement has officially closed, about a dozen former patients still live there.

I wake up an hour before sunrise. This is quite an unusual wake-up time for someone on vacation. But I booked a mule ride down to the Molokai leper colony. And the mules leave early.

I grab a double espresso in Kaunakakai, the largest town on this island of 7,400 residents. I head out to the stables; and it’s still dark outside. Of course, the paniolo (Hawaiian cowboy) behind the counter tells me he does not see my name on the reservation roster. All the mules have been spoken for. I’m SOL. Continue reading →