Honolulu, Hawaii, USA!

Before anything else, I have to make a correction to my last entry. The Islands of Hawaii are between 300,000 and 2 million years old, not 70 million. I'm not sure where I got that extravagant number from!

 

Hawaii was everything I expected and more. Hilo and the Big Island as a whole was just breathtaking. The locals are so friendly that us "SASers" didn't even know how to act at first! People gestured the shaka sign everywhere ("hang loose") even when they were walking on the street gesturing to drivers. I cannot believe that I have only spent 4 days in Hawaii because of all of the things I have managed to pack into the short time.

 

Monday was spent at the botanical garden, which housed some of the most gorgeous trees and flowers that I have ever seen. Tall thin trees lined that paths and bright pink, purple, orange, and yellow flowers sprung up beyond the bridges and waterfalls. After strolling through the peaceful and winding walkway, we spotted to ocean. Two prominent rocks stood out from the shore, and they are referred to as the Two Lovers. The story is that once there was a village near this shore, and two lovers were appointed to guard the village from outside danger. They stood guard until one morning, there were no lovers there, just two black rocks positioned as if they were about to embrace.  This was just one of many stories I learned about certain landmarks all across the island.

 

On Tuesday I went on an organized trip to Volcanoes National Park. It looked absolutely nothing like I though a volcano would! I'm not entirely sure what I expected, but maybe I've seen too many idealized textbook pictures? Regardless, the caldera of Kilauea was enormous. From the museum atop the crater I couldn't even see the caldera in its entirety, only the steaming smaller crater within the main caldera. (The only difference between a caldera and crater is size: caldera is big, crater is small, and in this case, inside a caldera.) Everything within the caldera was flat, hard, and gray, not like the bubbling close ups of live craters I've seen in geology lectures. Once I put aside my expectations, I was truly in awe. I couldn't help but stand at the railing, imagining the young history of this volcano. To think that it is at this moment sitting over a hotspot that has been fueling volcanic activity for 82 million years (this includes the entire Emperor Seamount Chain, the underwater continuation of the Hawaiian archipelago), was just incredible. There I was, standing atop geologic history in the making. It was so new to me since nothing truly exciting is happening on the east coast in terms of new earth being created. Anyway, that's me, the geology major, getting super excited about standing on a volcano!

 

From the park, some friends and I drove to Akaka Falls State Park, where a 400 ft tall waterfall drops down in the middle of the rainforest. Aside from the mosquitoes (whoops) it was one of my favorite places to be. I mean, this is REAL HAWAII. No museums or visitors centers or gift shops, just trees and waterfalls. Awesome.

 

So that's the essence of Hilo for you: super friendly people, and super cool nature! Now for Honolulu.

 

The feel in Honolulu is completely different. People are still nice, without a doubt, but its more likely to run into a tourist than a local. Luckily, no local that I've met gave off an inkling of bitterness towards tourists. I mean, that's really how the state sustains itself.

 

Yesterday morning I went to Pearl Harbor, and that was probably my best experience in Honolulu. I really thought that I would respond the same way I do to all of the war memorials on the National Mall. But this one struck me differently. I truly believe it's because I've spent the last 7+ days on a ship. I have absolutely no experience in war, but the fact that I was on a ship, am in Hawaii, and am currently embarking towards Japan, just culminated into a really interesting experience.

 

Today I spent seeing scenic views around the Island with my friend from high school who is currently enrolled in the University of Hawaii. I'm so happy we got to see each other! She drove me around to some really neat secluded beaches that I never would have seen using public transportation (i.e., NOT Waikiki Beach).

 

Tonight begins the longest stretch of ocean time I'll have, 11 days until Yokohama! And in two hours, I'm partaking in a Goodbye Hawaii/Forgetting Sarah Marshall Party in my friend's cabin. No complaints! (Class tomorrow...)