Aloha and Mahalo Hawaii

Trip Start Dec 10, 2007

Trip End Nov 27, 2008

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Flag of United States Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
Monday, February 25, 2008

Last time I wrote, i was still looking for a job in Honolulu. I picked up two restaurant jobs and lived the city life for a couple months. All in all, my overall impression of Hawaii is that the land is BEAUTIFUL but the residents' attitudes range from the genuine, generous "aloha" spirit to the other extreme of racism and resentment toward newcomers. I guess some Hawaiians don`t want to share their beautiful island with new residents. This is somewhat understandable, because the population seems to be skyrocketig, and in Honolulu, the skyscrapers have sprouted up from nothing since 1950. I would be dismayed if I lived there as this happened. But this "go away" attitude demonstrated by many locals have dampened my impression of Hawaii. I look forward to going to a destination (maybe Japan or Thailand) where I am welcomed and where the vibe of the city is a bit more cheery.

I didn`t spend all my time working at restaurants and complaining about locals..

Boat Ride

. I still had lots of time for other fun Hawaii activities. The most notable were our attempts at surfing. Several days, Aaron and I woke up early and took the bus to our favorite surfboard rental shop near Waikiki (tourist mecca with easy waves for beginners). We would spend a couple hours trying to catch waves while dodging the thick swarms of surfers. Some days were more rewarding than others depending on the waves, the swarms, and our attitude of the day. We did some hiking on trails winding through bamboo forests and waterfalls. Honolulu is wonderful in that it encompasses the three elements of:
1. big city for multicultural encounters, dancing, and working
2. ocean for surfing, swimming, snorkeling, and diving
3. jungle mountains for hiking

Since I had arrived in Honolulu, I wanted to go for a boat ride with my
dad's friend's brother. It took two months of phone tag, but our last
day before leaving Honolulu for good, we finally met up with him and
his lovely family and friends for an epic sunny day on a fishing boat
on the ocean

Boulder Crew (Pic from Gretchen)

. The swell was huge and the water amazingly glassy, so it
felt like we were on a velvet-smooth roller coaster. Suddenly, we saw a
white spray of water in the distance. A wave? A boat? After another
geyser of water, we realized... humpback whales!! I was thrilled. We
even saw the smooth curve of their back as they gracefully arched out
of the water for air. My goal for the day was achieved! The captain's
friends caught a big tuna and we ate some raw as sashimi, and grilled
the rest. Delicious. We ended the day by watching the sunset at the
famous "Pipeline" wave break on the North Shore of Oahu.

After saying goodbye to my restaurant jobs, it was time to leave our temporary home in Honolulu and head to Kauai.