One with Oahu

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Aloha Friends and Fam,



Sorry for not updating yesterday... It was a very long day!

Heres the mischief I got up too.

After brekkie watching while I watched uganda and England and ate more peanut butter and toast, I walked to the community center on Paoakalani St. I bought a Papaya and some dried Ahi aka Tuna. I checked out the thrift shop but wasnt really in the mood for going through all the stuff. They had organic bakery food items, hot food, and local produce. Alot smaller than I expected but oh well.

I walked back to my hostel which is a 5 min walk and packed my bag (goodies, sandles, camera, money, scarf) for going to the North Shore. It was around 1030am I left and caught a bus (buses) just around the corner from my hostel on Kuhio and Paoakalani St. The ladies at the front desk of my hostel printed out bus directions to Hale'iwa (pronouced Hale'iva) in the North Shore. What I didnt realize until talking to the front desk was that it was going to take 3 hours on public transit to get there and 3 hours back. Oy vey. I contemplated going but the weather was rainy and cloudy with breaks of sun and blue sky so i thought maybe it was a good idea to go see the the island on a bus.

Follow my trip

http://mappery.com/map-of/Oahu-Hawaii-Tourist-Map



I got the #13 to King and Alakai ? St and then waited for the #55. The weather was getting colder and the mountains were looking ugly. The bus finally arrived and I hopped on. The bus cost $2.50 and I got a transfer for the #55. We drove North East through the Ko'olau mountains. The mountains are beautiful even on the ugliest day. They point up so straight up to the sky and they are so tall with lush green amazon like vegetation. The bus arrived to Kane'oha and then we drove North up highway 83 through small towns along the coast. We passed Chinamans Hat which is a small Island of the shore. The beach was never ending with white sandy beaches and swells that carried on for miles (us lingo lol). To the left there were beach homes overlooking the national parks and beaches and behind them were the tall mountains just like out of Jurrassic Park. The clouds were low covering the tops of the mountains and the beach was sunny. It began to rain as we approached Croaching Lion? and headed towards the Polynesian Center. The one thing being on a bus, as it is a cheap way of travelling and seeing the island, you cant get off and on and I couldnt take pictures as the windows were filthy. Oh well. I listened to oh fortune by dan mangan and two of daniel wesleys albums, my local favs from back home. Once we passed Turtle Bay, I was done. It had been like 2 and a half hours and I wanted to get off the bus... The sun was starting to make its way out again between the clouds. I passed Sunset Beach Park and kept heading to the Hale'iwa.

Finally after another 20mins or so the bus drove through Hale'iwa and I got off almost at the end at the Marketplace. Hale'iwa is a small town with little surf and gift shops. I looked in the general store and a gift shop and ended up at Cholos, a mexican restaurant that had a margarita bar. Only in Hawaii. lol. I ordered a local longboat lager and a chicken toca salad with papaya dressing. Let me say is that they had the best salsa I have ever tasted!!! Who would have thought right? Anyways once I had some food and a drink, I was feeling better. I walked the strip of shops and took photos of landmarks and scenery. I wanted to go swimming but the weather was not convincing me. Thankfully it wasnt raining tho. Once on the other side of the town, I did see a sea turtle on the beach which totally made my day as I love sea turtles! I was getting tired again, so i made my way back through the town and made my way up to the grocery store. The sun was finally coming out for one last hour or so. I bought an energy drink and water and went to wait for the bus as I thought it was going to be there soon... I guess I missed it by a few minutes so i went a looked through a few more surf shops and had to wait an hour for the next bus. Oh well... the bus finally came and I took a different way home on Highway 99 to Wahiawa where transferred buses to #62. The bus took the H2 back to Waikiki through Honolulu and chinatown arriving at the Ala Moana shopping center. This route wasnt as scenic as the way there but thats ok because it was getting dark outside. Once arriving at Ala Moana, I got on the #8 bus and that went back into Waikiki.

After arriving at my hostel, I unpacked, talked to my roomies and the guy at the front desk about what I should do today, Wednesday. I then went to the outside lounge and had a few brewskys with the fellow hostelers. We are only allowed there until 10pm, so some of us continued our drinks and talks outside the front of the hostel. Let me say, you definately meet some interesting ppl outside of a hostel.. I have many stories.. but one I will share is that I got to hold a little orphaned 3 week kitten named Gizmo who nesteled up inbetween my dress and sweater and fell asleep. I didnt want to give it back to the owner who I unfortunately though that he wasnt taking proper care of her...

Anyways, we got a noise complaint for hanging out infront of the hostel. So a few of us made our way to the beach. I had a very intense conversation with a guy from Missisippii (how may ss's and p's?)about everything to science, religion, recylcing, what is right and wrong to government until my brain hurt. However, it was a good talk because it makes you think and question your own thoughts and beliefs. Once back at the hostel, I went to sleep only for a few hours.

I have been averaging about 5 hours sleep a night and I am exhausted. One hint of advice is that thats the hostel life if you are sharing a room with others. I am looking forward to my bed and quietness when i get home.

Right now i have been up since 730am eating my papaya in bed udating my blog while one of my roomies has already left back to tokoyo and the other is going to i think the big island. just me and the aussie left.. and Im sure Ill have new roomies later today. I can smell the toast below and I am going to make my way down there once I finish my update to yous. Today, i think i might hit up Hanauma Bay with the Germans and go snorkeling and yes of course taking more pics. I have yet to figure out how to upload my pics as this travel blog doesnt reconize my albums. Sorry. 😞

Oh Ps Happy International Surf Day Dudes. Hopefully I get in the water today (finally!!!)..

Hang Loose,

Jackie

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