Update from the islands.

It's been quite awhile since I've been to my Hawaiian paradise. I miss it terribly. Luckily, Auntie has been providing me with updates. Apparently, Daylight (her cat) misses me, and sleeps in the hat that I left there at night. Also, She has given me updates on the happenings around town, including Christmas traditions, such as the Honolulu parade.

Shaka Santa. That's how Hawaii rolls.

The End of the Road....

...Literally. The other day, Auntie and I drove to the "end" of the main country road on Oahu and ended up on the other side of the island, near a remote area I had never seen before. We parked in the grass (something you had to do since the road was so narrow) and enjoyed the simplest--and the best--thing about life on the islands: It's pure beauty. The scenery. The mountains. The sunset. It was a pleasure that I knew I wouldn't have at the tip of my fingertips much longer, so I knew not to take the moment for granted.

I wish I could say these photos were mine, but it would be a sin to to call them my own. These photos are Auntie's, who wanted to share them with you all. She really didn't even want the credit for them. "You could say they're yours if you want", she told me. I didn't dare.

It pains me to write this, and I can't quite believe it, but today is my last day in Hawaii. It's currently 3am, and I have yet to shut my eyes, because I don't want to waste any of that precious time sleeping. (although I suppose I should at some point) My flight leaves the islands at 10:50pm Hawaii time, 3:50am Wednesday East Coast time. My bags are (mostly) packed, my boarding passes are printed, my dresser drawers are cleared out and my laundry is done. I have said goodbye to most of my new Hawaii friends, like Cassidy. I will say "See you later" to my best Hawaii friend, Pai, this morning before she heads off to class. I have said goodbye to all of the wonderful employees at the Oahu SPCA, and of course, the animals, like Blue the cat, and Teddy Bear the dog.

I have waved so long to my favorite bus driver, who has taken me across every inch of the island that he can. I have bid adieu to the schoolkids who ride that same bus, greet me every morning and refer to me as "Auntie" when they tell me all about their adventures in learning. I wish for them to continue to grow and to always be open to new experiences, as I have discovered in the past three months.

Today, my itinerary is cleared. I am doing nothing but finishing my packing, going to the beach, and spending my last day with family and friends. Thank you to everyone who has made my experience possible, especially to you Auntie. Without your guidance, gentle encouragement and support, I don't believe I would have made it as far as I have out here. You have helped find the Katie that I thought was lost, and I don't know how I can repay you for that. The world is at my fingertips once more. I can achieve what I want to achieve, big or small. Thank you also for taking me out to dinner, my trip to Maui and giving up your space to accommodate me. It's not easy to do so, and I want you to know that I appreciate it very much. You will always have a place to stay in my new home, should you ever need to, and you will always have a place in my heart.

I hope that all of you blog friends will stick around here, even though my Hawaii chapter has come to a close. I look forward, with nervousness but excitement, at what awaits for me back home. It's onto the next adventure. Where ever I end up, I'll be sure to write it down. 

I confessed to Pai that I didn't want to say goodbye to her, other friends, or the island. "It's not goodbye," Pai said. "Just say 'See you later.'" I have decided to take her advice. And so, I will close here.

See you later Hawaii. It has been an experience I will always treasure.

It's time to go home now.

Almost over....

I can't believe I'm typing this but: I head back to New Jersey on Tuesday night.

There are many mixed emotions that I'm coming to grips with on this fact. One is that I'm looking foreword to reuniting with family and friends that I haven't seen in almost 4 months. Especially Brother. I'm thrilled to see old decor as well. I miss NYC. I miss street fairs. I miss diners and great bakeries. I miss good pizza. I miss my bed. I'm a bit nervous on returning though, because I don't want to fall back into the old habit of feeling stuck. Since I've left, a lot has changed. For example, the family house was sold and my parents and stepsister have moved into new places. They have been situated for quite some time now, but I do not have that settled in feeling. The rental house that I'm moving into with friends is not ready yet. Because of this, I'll be under my parents roof again for a little while, which makes me hesitate. This time I don't have my own room and my things are still in storage. I've loved this adventure and I'm so grateful for every one's hospitality, but at this point, I'm becoming a bit worn out with sleeping on different beds and futons. I miss having my own space, a place that feels like home. I know I'll eventually have that, so I'm telling myself to stick it out a little longer. I'm also terrified that I don't have a job. A 28 year old should probably have one of those....

...And yet: I love the adventure of not knowing what's going to happen next and trying new things. I love it here. I love coming and going whenever I want. I love the fact that I'm not worried about anything or anyone while I'm out in Hawaii. The people here have been amazing to me and I have enjoyed the slow pace. I've made new friends and have been to so many new places. I've rediscovered a lot about myself that I thought was lost forever, like the fact that writing is probably what I enjoy the most and that being independent is the goal I've always dreamed of. I don't want to stop learning, or discovering new adventures. My next goal is to (eventually) travel to a new city. I'd like to stay in a hostel for my next trip. My long term goal is to move to the West Coast or the south, but I have to see what this country has to offer first, before I commit to one destination. All I know right now is that it's been amazing to not feel pain in my legs from the harsh, cold elements and I'd like to keep it that way. I'd love to have two places that I call home (a feeling that I have gotten since I've been here in Hawaii) Two sets of friends, two places I feel comfortable. I already have the two sets of friends part, and for that I am very lucky.

We'll see.

The best part about life is that you never know where it will take you. I've learned that too. In due time I will have what I want. In the meantime, I'll have to figure out what that is.

Maui

Well everyone, tomorrow morning (or I guess today) I'm off to Maui! (I think my writing spirit will return after this weekend. New things to see and do.) There isn't much wi-fi where we're going though, so I can't promise I'll be able to update y'all while I'm there. We've decided to stay at a beach side motel/non resort type place. (My first idea was staying at a cabin. My second idea was camping outside. Auntie vetoed both. I can't believe it. I mean, who WOULDN'T want to sleep outside among wild pigs and cook spam? Don't lie and say you've never had that dream. You totally have.

Anyway, fear not readers, I will return. (Oh who am I kidding? The only people who really read this blog is Hayley and  maybe immediate family. Ah well. Writing for me is fun.)

See ya later dudes.

Picnic

Recently, Auntie and I went on a picnic along a tiny, out of the way beach.

I loved it. It was quiet and peaceful, and you could be alone with your thoughts.

Auntie has been bogged down with finals and work recently. I asked her if I was taking away from her study time (not that we see each other much anyway) She replied: "I'm afraid if I sink my nose into the books all the time I'll never get to spend time with you. And we may never have this time again." I thought that was sweet of Auntie to say.

We had dinner, then stayed on the beach until it got dark. I've been so intent on seeing landmarks that I've forgotten about things as simple as a sunset. Sometimes, it's the little things that are the most magical. I have a feeling that time Auntie and I spent together will be what I remember most about Hawaii.

Update

Hey everyone! I know there has been major gaps in my entries lately and that I haven't been writing as often as I used to. Truthfully, that's because there isn't much to write about. I'll be hitting the pavement and visiting more landmarks soon. I'm also going to Maui with Auntie on June 13th, so I'll be writing all about that as well.

Just wanted to give you all a heads up. :) Haven't forgotten y'all. Aloha!

Hiking Manoa Falls

As much as I love (and when I say love, I mean LOVE) Hawaii, lately I've been craving to get out of Honolulu and nearby areas. They're great, don't get me wrong. But Honolulu has certainly become very city like. It's not Manhattan city like, but it's a different experience here now then when I last came here 10 years ago. (although granted, that was only for a week and I was 17) There's TONS of traffic, a lot more traffic then my last visit. There's throngs of people, and lots of car horns. It's still beautiful and the pace continues to be much slower then at home, but my heart's been sinking at every new shopping mall I come across. I wanted to get away from the attractions and touristy traps, and see Hawaii as it was meant to be seen: for it's true beauty.

I began looking up various hiking trails that were easy and were feasible to the best of my ability. The Manoa Trail was listed as easy to moderate. It's about a mile, and not TOO hilly. It's located in a rain forest and a bamboo forest. The downside is that there are a lot of rocky areas, and flat muddy hills that are very slippery when wet. Which is most of the time. I was determined to do it though, so I decided company would be best in case I fell. Auntie agreed that she would love to take me, and we waited until she had the day off on Wednesday to do so. First we did a detour and she took me out to lunch at The Wai'oli Tea Room in the Manoa Valley. I'm saddened to say that I did not take many pictures of the area because it was raining, but it was beautiful. The  Wai'oli Tea Room is surrounded by an awesome tropical setting, and most people have breakfast and lunch here. You can have afternoon tea here as well, but it's best if you make a reservation for that. I'll tell you what though: The food? WAS AWESOME. I had a roast beef sandwich (YUM) that was so good I'll probably be going again. I also had a mango mixer, and chocolate mousse cake. Thanks Auntie. :)

After that, we headed to our Manoa Falls hike.

If you ever come here, a few rules before you come out on your Manoa Falls hike: 1) Load up the bug spray. A LOT. I went on Yahoo Travel to research the trail and read the precautions on the swarms of bugs. I am quite proud to say that I only got two bug bites because of this, and Auntie didn't get any when I sprayed her down as well. I'm quite pleased with the results. Make sure to get your face as well, and wear a hat. Spritz the hat a couple of times on the top of the rim and the base. The bugs will swarm around the hat, then retreat quickly because of the spray. 2) Don't drink any of the stream water, or swim in it. Some Hikers have gotten very sick this way (or worse) due to a bacteria called Leptospirosis. It's really rare in humans, but, you really don't want that. Bring Purell. (Hearing this of course triggered my own recurring disease. It's called the Worry Wart disease and has affected my great Aunt Nancy, my Nana, my Momma, and myself. We're cool like that)  3) There are wild pigs on this trail. You'll rarely (if ever) see them, but just an FYI. I did hear one of the way back down the trail. They're usually spooked of you, and leave you alone. 4) I kept seeing hikers wearing shorts and sandals, (or "slippers" as they say out here). I guess you could, but I'd wear good sneakers at least. And I wore jeans. The idea of anything on my bare legs gives me the jeebies. 5) If you have balance issues, make sure you bring someone who's familiar with the trail. And of course, always stay on the trail. (I can't tell you how many times I heard "Lets go off the trail!" from others) Okay? Okay.

Auntie brought two walking sticks with us. I ended up using both of them for better balance. Again, thanks Auntie. With the walking sticks, I was able to begin my journey up to the falls.

The trail started off pretty flat. I was under the misconception that it would be easy the whole way up, but that thought was quickly dashed. The trail (after crossing the bridge) starts off wide, then narrows considerably. Random curves begin to appear. I managed to get around the bends with no problem, and Auntie was behind me to assist. Eventually, we came to roots and high stairs. Aunt Lynn would grab my waist, hoist me up off the ground, and I would use the walking sticks to bring myself up the rest of the way. The trail was supposed to be 45 minutes, but I think that's the timing accessed for an experienced hiker. Every once in awhile, I became tired, so I would step off to the side and take a break. In the meantime, I captured some pictures.

This is where branches became more apparent in the trail, and roots just grew bigger and bigger.

Auntie offered to get some shots of the stream for me with my digital. She's a good photographer. I'll have to add her shots in another entry, since I have no clue how to upload her pics from her camera.

After clearing another bridge, Aunt Lynn wanted to take a hiking picture of me for proof of our adventure and to let the dad know I was still alive. What a good auntie.

Eventually, we came to the Bamboo Forest. I loved the scene. I'd never witnessed anything quite like it before. My aunt said it used to be thicker, but sadly, some Bamboo has been cut down.Why on

Earth such a thing would be done I have no idea. There are pictures of the Bamboo Forest on her camera, since I put mine away when it began to rain. (her camera is waterproof. Alas, mine is not) As the trail went on, Aunt Lynn pointed out areas where scenes from the show Lost were shot. There are quite a bit.

Suddenly, we came to a dead stop in the trail.

I hate to admit that I uttered these words:

"I don't know if I can do that," I told Auntie. "I think I'm nearing my end of the trail."

Ahead of us, were a lot of rocks, some boulders, and a tree trunk. With my aunt's assistance, she was able to point out where dirt was that I could safely step on. I used the big boulder to hold onto as I walked around and over the rocks. I thought the tough part was over, only to find steeper stairs and more rock piles.

On January 10th, 2002, a huge landslide went over the end of the trail. Luckily, it happened when the trail was vacant, so no one was injured or killed. It shocked everyone, since this type of incident does not occur often. While no one was hurt, it did change the landscape ever since.

Auntie said there was no pressure over how far I wanted to go on the trail."I'm leaving it up to you," she said. "No pressure at all, but I think the falls are just up there." I looked at the rock piles. I thought for a moment. I decided that I came all this way, I might as well go a little further. I was determined to see what I came to see. After struggling with the walking sticks, I handed them to Auntie, rolled up my sleeves, and grabbed onto the rocks. I proceeded to climb on my hands and knees up the muddy boulders. Finally, I reached the clearing. Covered in mud from chest to toe, I reached this sight:

Many hikers had long since turned back at this point. There was a bench on the left hand side that I was grateful to sit on. Finally, the Hawaii that I came to see.

Sometimes in certain seasons, Manoa Falls is as dry as a bone. I came at the right time of year. Auntie and I sat and talked for a little while. Then that's when I recorded my video blog to all of you.

Then, we decided to turn back before it got dark. I felt so accomplished. It was easier going down the trail then going up. When the going got tough, I just sat on my butt and slid down the hills. I wouldn't recommend it, but it worked for me. Auntie and I took turns alternating between the walking sticks and holding on to each other. Before I knew it, we were at the bottom again, sweaty, muddy and tired.

But not defeated.

Dinner with a Stranger.

On Friday I was debating on where to eat in Waikiki. I'd been cooking all week and didn't feel like it that night. I was also sick of going to little cafes for meals. I wanted to go to a real local restaurant. First I debated going here:

But then I realized it'd probably be just a cheesy tourist trap where a burger cost $40. (While sometimes cheesy tourist trap areas can be fun, it was wearing on my patience and I regretted boarding the bus to Waikiki) Then, I debated going to Kelley O'Neill's, an Irish pub and novelty here in Hawaii. When I got there however, I realized they mostly sold snacks, not real food. Finally, I decided to head back to Duke's when a waitress handed me a coupon. "Want to get a free appetizer?"

Anything free is good.

"Sure!" I replied.

She lead me two feet away to a Mexican restaurant right around the corner from Duke's. I heard another woman's voice behind me. "So, I just go here to use this coupon?" The waitress said yes and told both of us to go straight ahead into the elevator and up to the 3rd floor. The woman said hello to me. She was older, with a friendly smile and silver hair. "Well, if we don't like it, we don't like it right?"

"Right. It's just one meal."

We made small talk in the elevator and when the doors opened, she turned to me. "Do you want to eat with me or would you rather be by yourself?" Truthfully? I would have rather been by myself. Eating with a stranger would have been another step out of my comfort zone, and I frankly didn't feel like leaving it that night. Why I found myself saying "Sure." I don't know. Maybe I needed the company. Before I knew it we had a table for two. At first it was awkward.  I didn't know what to say to her, and she didn't know what to say to me. "I'm here for a conference," She began breaking the ice. "It's for a week and a half. What are you here for?" Surprisingly, I often get the question "What are you here for?" As if you need a solid reason to make your way to the islands. I guess very few people just decide to go to Hawaii. "I'm here visiting my aunt." I told her. I rarely say why or how long I'm on the islands to a stranger during a small talk conversation (just in case) but she was okay.

"Really? That's nice. How long a week?"

"Three months."

"WOW! Three MONTHS?" You're really lucky!"

I knew that my opportunity was one few people could afford to do or have the time to do it. I count my blessings for it.

"Where are you from?" I asked her. I just about fell over when she replied "New Jersey." What a small world. "I am too," I told her. From there, we hit it off. She told me where she was from (Monclair about an hour from me), what her name was (Amy) and that she was a doctor. I told her about my Hawaii bucket list and that I was writing my travels down.

"That's amazing! What have you seen?"

I talked about Iolani Palace, Chinatown, and Accessurf.

"I've always just wanted to travel," she said. "I'm taking a few extra days here just to enjoy myself."

I recommended a couple of places to her. As we were eating, games were played by the restaurant staff and patrons. One of them was guessing theme songs. If you won, you won shots. Most of the shows took place when I was really young and I didn't recognize them, (Like "Charles in Charge". What exactly WAS that show about anyway?) and some were just plain before my time. ("Laverne and Shirley") I did guess correctly with Fresh Prince of Bel Air though. Amy decided to take a picture of my prize:

The hat was so tall she couldn't even get all of it.

Eventually, everyone sang and danced. A guy in a wedding dress came out to sing to a newly married couple on their honeymoon and ride around in a shopping cart (yeah, I don't even know). We all applauded.

In the end, I had a great night, and it was a much better night then I would have had if I just ate alone with a book. I wouldn't always recommend it, but it sure worked out. Definitely one of the best nights I've had. The food by the way was awful. Amy agreed. None of that mattered though.

Catching up

I know my posts have been lacking a bit of substance lately. I apologize for that. I promise to visit more landmarks soon. Last Sunday (Mother's Day) was the Honolulu Pet Expo. Man do people here love their pets! I attended the Honolulu Dog and Puppy Show, met with vendors, and just had a great time playing with the dogs.

Through the vendors, I met with the Oahu SPCA, and I begin volunteering/working there on May 21st. I'm really excited about that.

I'll confess around Sunday I started not feeling too well. Just kind of woozy and tired. I wasn't sure what it was since I've been eating well, but I'm chalking it up to being exhausted. Storms have been hitting the islands as of late. (It's been raining off and on for about two weeks now) On Tuesday, as I looked out and saw the downpour around me, I decided to make a quick trip to the store, buy several days worth of food, and just cook. I relaxed. I read. I watched The Fighter on Blu-ray, and most of all, I slept.

And slept.
And slept some more.
Then I cleaned the apartment.
Then I did laundry.
Then I watched House Hunters while battling a headache.
Rinse, repeat.

Over the next few days, I ran basic errands, talked to the neighbors and hung out with new friend Pai across the street, but I didn't do much else.

I realized today that before I took a break, I had been going (and walking, walking, walking) since April 12th. I didn't even take much of a breather when I first got here. Maybe it was needed. But even as I slowed down, I still learned new things. For one thing, I discovered I like cooking. It's really weird that I enjoy cooking and taking on the challenge of making food, because I don't really like...eating. Now make no mistake, I don't have an eating disorder or anything, but besides ice cream, and popcorn, food was never exciting for me. I say "was" because now I love making things and it's more motivating for me to try new food if I make it myself. I also enjoy seeing Auntie enjoy what I make. After long hours at work, and finals in grad school, I'm glad I can help her out by making a meal. She loved my hot pepper and chicken stir fry, and I was shocked how it turned out. Over the last two days, my dinners have been simple as hell. Sausage and peppers (mine without, because I've just had enough) and spaghetti and breaded fish fillets. (The kind you find in the frozen section. No shame.)

After dinner, I usually played with Kitty.

Her name is Daylight and she's adorable. She greets me all dramatic when I walk in the door in the evenings. ("MOWWWWWW" Translation: "Why would you leave meeeee?!?') She also follows me everywhere, even in the bathroom. She currently is holding a grudge against Auntie, since Auntie  hasn't been home a lot lately. I feel bad. (but secretly, worshiped)

As for today? Surprise, surprise, I feel great again, and the sun is back out! Time to get a move on.

Thrift store finds! :)

Last week, I was searching around the island ENDLESSLY for yarn. Mother's Day was coming, and since my stepmom Lynda recently took to knitting, I wanted to buy her some fun, summer like, Hawaii colors.
It was harder then I thought.

You see, I guess a lot of locals don't really knit around here. (It makes sense. Why would you want to knit using heavy material when it's always 80 degrees?) I finally found three knitting stores advertised online.

The first one took most of the day to find. It was a little hole in the wall type of yarn store located in the business district. To my dismay I found this sign:

"Due to illness, my yarn store will be closed starting March 29th. I hope to be back open in July. I apologize for the inconvenience. Mahalo!"

Discouraged, I got back on the bus. As I was heading to Waikiki, I noticed we were passing a giant building that read THRIFT STORE. I immediately pulled the cord to let the driver know I was getting off. My mom used to scourer thrift stores all the time in hopes of finding good deals and treasures. Garage sales and yard sales were a sport as well. There were plenty in Ohio. Not so much in New Jersey, but I realized quickly that I inherited my mother's love for crap. You always go in and hope that you find that one special treasure. I figured I might find yarn there. I didn't, but I found just about everything else. Like a kid in a candy store, I pawed through shirts, skirts, and shoes. None of the shoes were small enough, and pants, shorts and skirts were too big. But once I got to the shirts and tank tops, I was in heaven. Most of the shirts/tanks were never worn and had tags still on them. All were $3-$10 dollars each. I haggled gently, telling the seller that I knew the clothes were last season's fashions, (they really weren't) and that none of the shirts were worth ten dollars. I got all of my things for $3 each. All fit well. I knew the red shirt would look great with my leggings.

These two tanks below were from Express. I usually see them for $40.

The final top below I just guessed would fit me well. It did.

Not bad for under $20! Now THAT'S how you get clothes while traveling on a tight budget. And y'all at home wanted me to get clothes before I left. HAH.

I did eventually find a yarn store, and Lynda did get her Mother's Day gift today. Win, win for all yes?
Mom would be proud.

Honolulu Zoo

WARNING: Massive post y'all.

Today I decided to take my own field trip. I boarded the bus and went to the Honolulu Zoo. Anyone reading here who knows me personally knows that I am in love with animals. For those that don't...for the record: I am in love with animals. Even Auntie's cat is okay (although dogs trump cats in my opinion), but I needed other creatures in my life. The first ones I spotted were flamingos.

Aren't they pretty? I was amazed by how friendly they appeared toward people. I say "appeared" because I don't know for sure of course, and I wasn't about to find out.The other bird that I adored looking at was the Peacock. They didn't seem to be too invested into company though.

I'll admit that I was pretty tired of looking at birds after that. The Honolulu Zoo has a pigeon exhibit. Pigeons? Really? I've seen way too many of those in my lifetime, and let me tell ya a secret....they're rats with wings. Nothing special at home, and nothing special here. Let's head on over to the monkeys. I know certain people back at home who are not a fan of these mammals, so disclaimer: Scroll.

These are called White Handed Gibbon. They don't have tails, so they depend on excellent eyesight, and strength in their long arms to keep from falling as they swing from branch to branch.

I was glad I took my photo and walked away when I did, because after this they went a little kooky with another person. Bananas? Ape shit? Insert pun here.

I think I liked the Francois Monkey a lot more though, because they're incredibly active. Francois (pronounced Frawn-SWAH) Monkeys are leaf monkeys. They are native to monsoon forests of China, Vietnam, and Laos. They're endangered, because of lack of habitat and people hunting them. (People believe their body parts have value) Sad.

I think my nephew Dean would have enjoyed the next exhibit I visited. These are Galapagos Tortoises.

According to what I read, they're gentle giants and enjoy grazing on grass. Some weigh up to 500 pounds! They are evolving on The Galapagos Islands, where there are few predators. They can also live up to 150 years old. (Cue Nemo: "One hundred and FIFTY?!?"...Yeah, that's the first thing I thought of. And yes, I have seen that movie about a million and five times.) I'd post the rest of the pictures, but um...they evolved from G rated to....not so G rated. One began mating with another one, and if I posted those, anyone reading this with little ones would have some 'splainin to do.

Want to see a Tiger?

Yeah, I did too.

At first this guy wouldn't really come out for me.

But, once I got down to his glass pen on the other side I had better shots.

I promised my stepmom I would get pictures of some lions (her favorite) but the lions apparently had other plans.

If you look really closely, he's chillin right by that rock. See? That one right there?....No? Darn you lion for being antisocial.

My final stop, (because I couldn't resist) was seeing the Wild Dogs. Wild Dogs are only found in Africa, hunt in packs and are meat eaters. In other words, you really don't want to cross one.

I think I like these better:

Or (especially) these:

I'm pretty sure those wouldn't kill me.