Da-da da-da daaaa-da, da-da da-da daaaa
Hawaii five-o? - no?
I never originally thought I'd reach here on this trip, i wasn't even sure I'd make it here after catching my flight from New Zealand to Sydney (bizarrely it was cheaper to go this route). I'd previously been told (even in writing) that my visa for Australia had expired, but it wouldn't be a problem as i would be in transit. Of course upon check-in they decide i can't go in transit...
Somehow I'm here, it's been on my list a while and i just happen to have a friend who's living in Honolulu.
Darren has a 10th floor apartment near Waikiki beach. He's made it abundantly clear that i should make myself at home and have; the use of his car, his computer, his apartment and his buildings gym. Not to mention he also cooks meals for me - i feel completely spoilt and as unlike a backpacker as can be. This is strange, but great!
So home is a built up area, within easy access to great beaches, a thousand shops and a million tourists. So what's the first thing i do upon arriving in America for the first time? I have a Subway sandwich and a Starbucks of course. I've turned into my worst nightmare. I'll be going to MacDonald's soon, with the excuse of "well I'm in America".
A week has already gone, but i don't know where it went. I've seen many a great beach, I've been in awe at the dramatic landscapes - remember these islands are volcanic, I've watched the feats of the big wave surfers (some of the waves can reach 30 feet), I've counted 15 Starbucks so far (and visited a fair few), I've lost every game of ping-pong I've played against Darren, I've got back into a sort of fitness mode, I've seen Pearl Harbour and climbed inside a submarine, I've sat on Waikiki beach and felt fat and ugly as many a body beautiful passes me by and I've felt slim and healthy in the supermarket as i marvel at how many a packets of potato chips can fit inside a trolley. This place really is a land of extremes, a cultural and geographical mix. I've discovered where all the bus loads of Japanese tourists go (there's also an interesting history with the Japanese due to World War II). I've also found out that Hawaii used to have a royal family and that Hawaiians favourite holiday destination is Las Vegas! Viva Las Hula? I'm also not surprised that there has been filming here for Jurassic Park, 50 First Dates, Magnum PI, Lost, Gilligan's Island... There is such a mixture of landscapes: cities, plantations, beaches, volcanoes and fields of rocks, 'historical' buildings, bays, little islands, snow capped peaks etc, etc.
I've still got a lot to see and do, but i like my first week here. I like the lush land, the diversity, the mixture of influences, the climate (even though it has rained every day so far), my base that i can call home and the company I have. Not a bad start to what I'm calling my Americas leg of the journey.
