11.11.10 - North Shore O'ahu

My week on the Big Island passed by uneventfully. I spent a lovely two nights sleeping in my rental car, which due to my age I was charged a rediculous amount to drive, during which time I hiked the volcanos at Volcanos National Park. There was this one moment where I felt certain that this beautiful complete rainbow that came out as the sun shone for a breif moment as I walked across the cloud-immersed crater floor was there just for my viewing pleasure...it was spectacular, and more so because I looked back up a few seconds later and it was gone. A number of the park's trail's were closed due to the toxic fumes that were spewing out of the volcano, so I wasn't able to do all the hiking that I wanted to, but I did manange to get in 4 miles my first afternoon and 12 miles my second day, so it was quite productive, despite the constant misty rain. After a few days of cold and rain, I headed back to the dry side of the island to spend my time on the beach. I've made a kind of tradition out of sitting on the beach all day, waiting for the sunset. The good beaches are always on the western side of the islands, so every sunset is just gorgeous, melting into the ocean in front of your eyes. While staying on the western coast at a lovely little hostel, I met a fellow New Englander, also from Connecticut, which was so nice because I was able to be my neurotic New England self around him and he didn't take offense. Coming to Hawaii has made me realize that I'm a little more Type A than I thought I was. I thought I was pretty chill until I came here, now I think I'm probably wound more tightly than anyone on these islands. I arrived back in O'ahu on Monday and made my way up to the North Shore. It is renouned for its surfing, and the winter months are when the waves start to get really big. I have always had a healthy respect for the ocean, but I have learned to respect it even more. These waves are huge!! Also, I'm going to blatantly name drop right now, but the boys in my cabin saw Jack Johnson surfing today! One of the guys who comes here every year says he sees him every time he comes, but that he doesn't go to the local grocery store anymore because people notice him. Anyways, that being said, I probably wouldn't recognize Jack Johnson if he crashed into me on a wave, but still it's cool that I'm in the same town, swimming on the same beaches as a famous person that I like! The beaches on this side of the island are beautiful, and not at all crowded compared to Waikiki, but the only down side is that after the sun goes down there is absolutely NOTHING to do here. Unless of course you would classify drinking your weight in shitty beer, getting blazed out of your mind and talking about surfing and farts as "something to do", which I don't. The first couple of days I was here there was a group of really cool girls who were traveling, so in the evenings we would chill together which was really fun, but they have moved on to a new island and I'm still here. I finished the books I was reading, and there is no book store in a bike-ridable distance from here so I'm reading "Tyrannosaur Canyon" right now. It is as bad as its title sounds. As my German friend Silke would say though, this is complaining on a high level. I have met some very nice people, the guys in my cabin are cool, and I love to listen to the constant flow of reggae music that comes in my windows at night. The beaches are gorgeous and there is a bike path that is great for going for runs or bike rides along the coast. The sunset yesterday brought tears to my eyes, and today it was just as amazing, although totally different. All in all, this is still a little slice of paradise, complete with Wifi :) Saturday I'm treking back to Waikiki on the public bus system...wish me luck!