Swimmin' with the Fish, Capisce?

                                                                                                                            July 26, 2015

Dear Errand,

       I'm glad to hear you're continuing to do things outside of your full-time job as well as schooling. That alone can easily get you into a routine way of life where the years wither away and the regrets start to grow, not to mention keeping a serious and healthy relationship. I'm not sure I could manage, especially considering I'm a part-time everything and sometimes I struggle to stay relevant.

      Sorry I haven't been on top of my game as far as writing posts. As I put a close on this trip, time seems to have flown by more so now then ever before. Between spending time hiking with my adopted Hawaiian family, rugby with the Missionaries or beach time, I've lost track of the days.

      I could go on for hours about all the wonderful people I've met on the island but quite frankly I don't think anyone cares- I wouldn't anyway, but to say the least they've made the experience so much more memorable and I can't thank them enough for showing me all of the island hot spots, taking me to the best shrimp trucks and even giving me a little Christmas with a few simple gifts on what I thought was going to be another ordinary day this past December. 

    Dawn patrol, waking up at the crack of dawn to find inter peace, a way of life for many, a special occasion for me. Consistently staying away from bad sleeping habits seems damn near impossible when given the choice but every so often I'll comply, especially for places and views like this. Hanauma Bay Park, with an entry fee and a mandatory 15 minute video, I would normally veto the idea of coming here. Luckily I met a lovely elderly couple who let me use their snorkeling gear as well as letting me in on a secret, wake up early and they'll let you in for free, music to my ears. It's well worth it too because what's normally crowded with tourists is seemingly abandoned and hauntingly peaceful. With an array of fish to be seen, and the actual snorkeling experience, this is easily one of my favorite past times and in my opinion, underrated. My last day in Hawai'i, swimming with the fish along with one last charge on the North Shore and I don't believe I could've had a more humbling good-bye.

   (This motor scooter was stolen from this support beam 7 hours after this picture was taken, lol)

The Surfboard Soap

July 21, 2015

Dear Ichor,

First of all, let me just say how incredibly proud I am of you for embarking on your journey solo. I think that speaks volumes about your character and independence and determination. Personally, I don't know if it's something I could do. You packed a carry on, grabbed your one-way ticket and adapted into your new home so graciously and it sounds like you had an amazing time so kudos to you kid. 

I've gone on a number of escapades myself this year and even now, as I sit and write this, my suitcase has just been packed for my latest one. But I'll tell you more about that later! I've got to catch you up on my former ones first. 

This January, my boyfriend and I made our way back to Dana Point, California. We had gone during the September before but you know how much I love Dana Point and its close proximity to the ocean. Only a mere three months had gone by but I just couldn't stay away. We stopped in Las Vegas for one night to cut our road trip in half and there we ate crepes, purchased some of the greatest soap I've ever smelt at The Venetian (it even had little surfboards in it) and made customized chocolates at the M&M Factory. Basically the only things not-yet-twenty-one year olds can do in Sin City.

Then we were on our way to California. To be honest, I've been traveling to and from Dana Point so much lately that every time I go back, it feels a lot like coming home. I try to make every visit count because with work and new projects and other responsibilities and obligations, our trips can never seem to last longer than a week. So this time around, the bf and I roamed all over SoCal. We strolled through San Diego Zoo, went horseback riding in the Malibu mountains and became little kids again at Universal Studios. It was a wonderful week and I'm grateful for the sunshine and smiles I encountered while we were in California.

Hearing of your trips and going on my own, I realize that anywhere you end up, there always seems to be one thing in common; people are kind. There will always be someone who is willing to give you their most prized surfboard or help you find the nearest beach or simply ask you how you ended up where you did just so they can learn a bit about you. 

And how wonderful is that? 

Can't wait to be reunited again. Talk soon.

Bikini Tops, Black Scotts and Board Shorts?

July 11, 2015

Dear Errand,

I've been living in Oahu, Hawai'i for a little more than 6 months now. With the curtains on this trip quickly coming to a close, I wanted to share a little bit about my journey so far and how I will choose to spend my last days on the island. 

I've only been here for a minuscule amount of time, but I feel like my previous life on the mainland was completely non-existent. At first it was a bit strange but I quickly adjusted and recognized the feeling to be liberating. I had the opportunity to do whatever I wanted and that's exactly what I did. 

Shortly after landing in Honolulu with nothing but a carry-on packed with a few essentials, I jumped on a bus and went to the only beach I had any recollection of from my past trip years before. White Plains in Kapolei; a beach the locals criticized for its sub-par waves and sea floors layered with sharp reef as far as the eye can see. Even so, warm sun and wind in my hair, I was like a fat kid in a candy store.

       I was only there for a couple of days before I met a man who taught me the meaning of the 'Spirit of Aloha' and I assure you, it is a real thing. I was basically a stranger to this man who had no home and had very little to his name yet he decided out of the blue to give me his only surf board that he was keeping as a memento from his glory days as one of the local surfer boys. People here are kind, in a way where I couldn't do them justice by trying to explain what the atmosphere is like. 

I spent the next several weeks commuting between several beaches and a couple different mountains but it wasn't long before I ran out of dough. I ended up working a full-time job in a warehouse for about a month until I woke up for a shift at six in the A.M. and took a "wrong turn" at Freddy's. I ended up surfing until the sun went down. 

I decided to put a close on the trip a little earlier than expected for several reasons but I also decided I was going to take the money I had just re-earned and ride it out as long as I possibly could. 

      That was about two months ago and since then I've met up with Bear and we've traversed the island a few times, spent a couple hundred dollars at different food trucks and adopted the lazy slang Hawai'i is infamous for. 

I have a little less than a week left before I go home so I plan to document some of my favorite places and share a little bit about the different locations and my experiences at them. Hopefully I can go out with a bang because I know I'll leave a little piece of me here on this lush island when it's time for me to fly home.