Kava

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Kava is a drink that comes from a root and is commonly enjoyed in the South Pacific islands. As kava has a paralytic effect, you will often see people staggering home or collapsed in the street after a kava party. It's also known to cause vivid dreams! I was able to rustle up some kava in Tonga and bring it home. While completely legal, it unfortunately came as a powder packaged in suspicious little baggies. As I was being searching by New Zealand customs officers, they pulled out the baggies, looked at me like I was a hideous criminal, and demanded to know, "What is this?" When I told them it was kava, they nodded and smiled and moved on. The Canadian border officials didn't know what the heck it was, but they were happy with the description of, "A ground-up root."

This kava was not very strong--probably brewed for unexperienced visitors--but it numbed the lips and tongue and gave a feeling of slight light-headedness. It also tasted like the most disgusting dirty dishwater!! Chalk it up to an interesting cultural experience.

Comments

Flying Squirrel said…
Gotta love Canadian security! This is very interesting. Is Kava the same thing as Kava Kava? A silly sounding question, I know, Kava Kava kava kava....
December 25, 2015 at 6:44 PM
Lizzie said…
Lol, I'm not sure! What is Kava kava? All I know is that its a naturally occurring paralytic drug.
December 26, 2015 at 2:03 AM
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