I was sure I would get to Hawaii and just wilt like a lettuce in the humidity, so it was a surprise to find Hawaii not very humid at all. In fact, being quite a sun-worshipper, it was bliss!
It was absolutely fantastic to see my friend Jen again. I met Jennifer at High School in Augusta, Kansas, when I was an exchange student, so we tend to only see each other every six yearson average, but time and distance has very little effect on our friendship. I know this is a very rare thing, so her friendship is very treasured by me.
Jen moved to Hawaii a few years back to do a short stint as a guide at the Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbour, where she met her husband Billy, so she's still there four years later. Billy is in the US Navy and is away on deployment for 7 months, so unfortunately I didn't get to meet him. Next time Billy! But I got Jen all to myself, and she always is the best host. Jen now teaches History at several of the Universities on Hawaii, and as a fellow history buff, she knew the sorts of things I'd be interested in seeing.
Because I got to see Oahu with a local - and one with access to the Military bases, I got to see the REAL Hawaii, the one that doesn't make it on the glossy tourist brochures. We drove almost every inch of the island, which was way bigger than I thought. The scenery is breathtaking and dramatic and the beaches are stunning. But there are also places that look like shantytowns in Africa and tons of homeless people that live in tents on the beach. I think it's hard to find jobs that pay ok and Hawaii is an expensive place to live. I am in awe of Jen's driving. Now I hate to stereotype, but as a witness to near-accidents almost every day on my way to school in Korea I feel qualified to make sweeping generalisations about asian drivers. There is a huge asian population in Hawaii and driving there would leave me both enraged and terrified if I had to do it endure it on a daily basis as rules and road markings are largely ignored.
On my first day we went out quickly to the Arizona memorial so that I could meet Everett, a friend of Jen's who is a Pearl Harbour survivor. That was a real honour, and it's nice that some of these (now very elderly) men give their time to meet with the tourists that visit the Arizona every day.
We also went for a bit of a drive - Waikiki, the beach where From Here to Eternity was filmed, and went out for dinner to La Bamba, a great Mexican restaurant. I can also heartily endorse a restaurant called Pyramids where we had the best Eygptian meal of my life.
I first saw the Arizona Memorial as a 7 year old, and was surprised at how well I remembered it, although it obviously has more meaning for me now. You view a film about the attack before you board a boat that takes you to the memorial over the wreck of the Arizona. Even now, you can still see patches of oil on the surface of the water around the wreck.
I went to the USS Missouri, the battleshipship where the Japanese officially surrender to the United States and ended WWII. It's massive and very impressive considering what an old vessel she is. I also went to the newly built Pacfic Aviation museum where you can view the planes that were involved in WWII and to the USS Bowfin, a submarine. I've always wanted to go on a sub. It was so cool! We went to Bellows Beach which Jen rates as the best beach on Oahu. It was stunning - soft golden sand, and hardly anyone in sight. the water was lovely and warm. Seems almost wrong doesn't it kiwis? We went to most of the bases on Oahu like Hickham, Fort Shafter and Ford Island, so I got to see things that tourists can't get to, like the wreck of the Utah, plus I had Jen's vast knowledge of where things were, such as Japanese bulletholes still visible in the concrete, and we even found the mast of the Arizona which has just been removed from the water.
The wreck of the Utah
It was absolutely fantastic to see my friend Jen again. I met Jennifer at High School in Augusta, Kansas, when I was an exchange student, so we tend to only see each other every six yearson average, but time and distance has very little effect on our friendship. I know this is a very rare thing, so her friendship is very treasured by me.
Jen moved to Hawaii a few years back to do a short stint as a guide at the Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbour, where she met her husband Billy, so she's still there four years later. Billy is in the US Navy and is away on deployment for 7 months, so unfortunately I didn't get to meet him. Next time Billy! But I got Jen all to myself, and she always is the best host. Jen now teaches History at several of the Universities on Hawaii, and as a fellow history buff, she knew the sorts of things I'd be interested in seeing.
Because I got to see Oahu with a local - and one with access to the Military bases, I got to see the REAL Hawaii, the one that doesn't make it on the glossy tourist brochures. We drove almost every inch of the island, which was way bigger than I thought. The scenery is breathtaking and dramatic and the beaches are stunning. But there are also places that look like shantytowns in Africa and tons of homeless people that live in tents on the beach. I think it's hard to find jobs that pay ok and Hawaii is an expensive place to live. I am in awe of Jen's driving. Now I hate to stereotype, but as a witness to near-accidents almost every day on my way to school in Korea I feel qualified to make sweeping generalisations about asian drivers. There is a huge asian population in Hawaii and driving there would leave me both enraged and terrified if I had to do it endure it on a daily basis as rules and road markings are largely ignored.
On my first day we went out quickly to the Arizona memorial so that I could meet Everett, a friend of Jen's who is a Pearl Harbour survivor. That was a real honour, and it's nice that some of these (now very elderly) men give their time to meet with the tourists that visit the Arizona every day.
We also went for a bit of a drive - Waikiki, the beach where From Here to Eternity was filmed, and went out for dinner to La Bamba, a great Mexican restaurant. I can also heartily endorse a restaurant called Pyramids where we had the best Eygptian meal of my life.
I first saw the Arizona Memorial as a 7 year old, and was surprised at how well I remembered it, although it obviously has more meaning for me now. You view a film about the attack before you board a boat that takes you to the memorial over the wreck of the Arizona. Even now, you can still see patches of oil on the surface of the water around the wreck.
I went to the USS Missouri, the battleshipship where the Japanese officially surrender to the United States and ended WWII. It's massive and very impressive considering what an old vessel she is. I also went to the newly built Pacfic Aviation museum where you can view the planes that were involved in WWII and to the USS Bowfin, a submarine. I've always wanted to go on a sub. It was so cool! We went to Bellows Beach which Jen rates as the best beach on Oahu. It was stunning - soft golden sand, and hardly anyone in sight. the water was lovely and warm. Seems almost wrong doesn't it kiwis? We went to most of the bases on Oahu like Hickham, Fort Shafter and Ford Island, so I got to see things that tourists can't get to, like the wreck of the Utah, plus I had Jen's vast knowledge of where things were, such as Japanese bulletholes still visible in the concrete, and we even found the mast of the Arizona which has just been removed from the water.
The wreck of the UtahOn Wednesday I hit the mall in Aiea, where Jen lives, and I was reminded why I love Americans so much. Their service is incredible, and they really are some of the friendliest people you can meet. Jen finds it frustrating that while the Japanese tourists can get every comfort of home, there are many things she can't get in Hawaii that are easy to get on the mainland. Still, I am always floored by the sheer choice offered in American stores and had great fun shopping at places like Macy's and even the local supermarket - Jen, I forgot my American Flag jello mold! (It was only 40 cents, a bargain.) My best buy is my 'Derek Zoolander Centre for Kids Who Can't Read Good' t-shirt. You have to have seen the movie Zoolander to appreciate it...
On Thursday it was time to soak up some Hawaiian history so I went to the Mission Houses museum to learn about the first Christian missionairies who went to Hawaii. The scope of their mission was awesome, and not only did they attempt to write down the Hawaiian language, but thanks to the missionary schools, within 40 years most Hawaiians could read and write in their native tongue. I strolled past the famous statue of King Kamehameha at the court house and did a tour of Iolani Palace, home of the Hawaiian Royal Family before they were overthrown. While small, it is lovely and a testament to what an educated and sophisticated man King Kalakaua must have been. Built in 1882 it contained all the modern conveniences of the time, like indoor plumbing and telephones, and it had electricity long before the White House. You can see the quilt that Queen Liliuokalani made while she was imprisoned in 1895 after an attempt to restore the monarchy was made. For the record, I did not go to a luau. They are cheesy and besides, being from New Zealand and having exposure to polynesian cultures I think we find such things less exotic than Japanese or American tourists.
The best bit was simply getting to hang out with Jen. I had a ball. Thanks for such a great time!
If you ever overnight in LA and stay near the airport, I recommend the free trolley bus that takes you to Manhattan Beach and the Manhattan Beach shopping mall (it looked huge). I had a day to kill, so I hung out at the beach. Much better than being stuck in a hotel room, or worse, at LAX.
2 comments:
So glad you enjoyed your time in Hawaii, it's a fab place isn't it!!!!!! And the weather is awesome..... what did you come back to England for???
Fiona Wong
xox
ps, where are the pics???
You left the jello mold? I never saw it here after you left. Strange...
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