Aloha (Goodbye this time)

  Six word memoir of my trip to Hawaii:
   Paradise is found only when looking.

  Honolulu was a culture shock from Hilo.  First off I LOVED Hilo.  I expected it to look like Honolulu (filled with hotels, souvenir shops, and blond haired tan men named Rabbit trying to sell us snorkeling trips), but Hilo was a world where locals were still indigenous and the Earth still mattered.  Honolulu gave a big fat middle finger to that culture and gave Americans what they wanted-a place where they can be served U.S. style with a hint of Hawaii.

  Now don't get me wrong I still had a fantastic time.  But I needed a half an hour grace period to adjust to the fact that here I needed to be a tourist.  Waikiki Beach swallowed me whole and when I was in the middle of it I finally let myself loose and enjoyed the sunny weather.  With some friends we relaxed on the beach, took a catamaran ride and went swimming far out in the Pacific Ocean.  Also went to Margaritaville which is the cheesiest cheese fest every created no matter how much you like Jimmy Buffet. Yesterday I even headed over to Pearl Harbor just me and my friend Bailey and took a break from the groups of SAS'ers to connect a little to our past.  All of these places were a huge contrast from Akaka Falls and Volcanoes National Park on the big island but they had their place in current Hawaiian life on Oahu.  Once I appreciated the islands for the differences, the last two days were a deep breath of air before we take on the rest of the world.  Those days will probably be the last I will rest for the next three months.

  This next stretch of ocean time is 11 days. Sweet baby Jesus.