Hawaii Adventures pt 1: Drive, Hitch Hike, Fruiting & Surfing
Hawaii is dangerous, but really fun and cool. Sort of a cross between North America (Walmarts, McDonalds, pickup trucks) but the added danger, and relaxed nature of Guatemala and Central America (sure you cliff jump there, but the currant could take you to Antarctica).
Driving:
I started things off with a driving tour of the island. Leaving Kona behind, I drove uphill, and was immediately met with tin shacks, giant ferns and heavy rain. The area looked nice, though, and the road (Hwy 11) was twisty with a decent verge. I later realized that these verges aren’t super safe for cyclists as the locals use them as slow vehicle lanes.
The most impressive thing with the drive is how varied the vegetation and the landscape is. From desert, to
rain forest in a 20km stretch, to desolated lava fields, to arid trees, then jungle, cashew orchards, it’s truly impressive.
Hawaii also boasts more drunk drivers than anywhere else in the US (I thought Arkansas was bad), add that that S.M.P. seems to be the main focus of most people and this is probably the most dangerous thing I will do on my stay here.
I saw a Sea Turtle on Black Sand Beach. I was so excited that I told the next 4 groups of people that I saw. No one shared my excitement, and I conclude that seeing turtles is a regular occurrence here. That’s nice. You can also note that the locals are doing their utmost to overstress their hearts, and develop diabetes at a young age.
Danger of Death: 2/10
Injuries sustained: none
Hitch Hike:
To avoid one way car drop fees, I return my rental in Kona, and hitch back to Hilo (Map). I leave from Keauhau – Kona area at 3:30pm after a relaxed morning of driving around the northern part of the island, and start to hitch hike south.
Ride 1: Wait 10min. Ride: Angry Republican to pick me up tells me that he’s only going 20 minutes, but it’s 3h if I head north to Hilo, and 3h45 going the route I’ve chosen. Awesome. He then finds out I’m Canadian, and because Canada is socialist, and socialists would vote for GObama, he rants (I can see the spit gathering on the inside of the windshield) at me for 25 minutes. Yes that was 5 minutes after he stopped to drop me off.
Ride 2. Wait 0 min. Attractive massage therapist. She drives me only 5 minutes, and up into the rain. Because of this she gives me a rainsuit and umbrella with a plastic action figure (not a doll) hanging from it. I kick myself for not getting her number.
Ride 3: Wait 2min. Native Stone mason with fingers like the heads of hammers. Ride 3h10 (but we do it in 2:40). He is commuting over half way around the island to work in order to save $600 in rent. I don’t want to point out that aside from spending 7h a day in the car he would recoup his trucks gas bill in 2 weeks if he lived where he works. I pack him a few bowls, we don’t talk much.
Ride 4: wait 20 seconds. It’s raining and I’m glad for my umbrella. I had to walk 400m to my next ride start. Duration 7min and dropped off at the door.
Danger of Death: 4/10
Injuries sustained: None
Farmers Market:
Oh my. I was really excited about this. So much fresh fruit, and so many fruits that I didn’t recognize. I end up taking two trips of food back to the car.
Danger of Death: 0.5/10 (food illness)
Injuries: All the fruit had me making frequent bathroom trips for the past week.
Surfing:
I was pretty scared about this. Unlike California where you surf on sandy beaches, here there are rock peninsulas, and the water is shallow with many rocks and corals which can hurt a person. Falling off cannot be head first, and must be done ‘like a pancake’. I put booties one and ride 2 waves in to shore, and a few others for a little bit. Once I get pulled in towards the rocks, and when I kick to get back on my board jack (that’s a technical term) my toe on submerged rocks. During the trough between waves, the rocks poke their heads out of the water all around me. Great fear.
Danger of Death 2/10 (smashed against rocks, KO’d and drowning, being shark bait, coral infection, stinging sea critters)
Injuries sustained: bloodied toe from kicking a big rock, and board rash on belly.
(A huge thanks to Mary and Michelle for putting me up and pointing me in the right direction)
