Adventure!!!

Okay. So I know some of you are going to worry and others are going to think, "yeah... i'm not surprised he's doing something like that." So since I have an extended weekend for the 4th of July, I'm gonna be backpacking a bit along the North and East coast of the island. It's gonna be a 3 day 80 mile walk and I'm gonna be camping out on the beaches. It seems like a great way to see the shores. I still haven't seen a good sunset or sunrise either because I'm on the South side. It's always covered by the mountains.

For those of you who are worrying. First off, at any moments notice I can call a cab or take a bus back. The coast is covered with places to eat and stay.... a lot of coastal residential areas... touristy places... so it's not like I'm away from civilization. I'm just choosing to sleep on the beach and walk. I know... why? It's a different way to experience the island. Third, if I don't make my daily quota of miles, well I don't make it. I end the trip whereever I end on sunset on Sunday. Also my phone will work the entire time and I'll probably be charging it in certain places where I can find a coffee shop. I have my home made first aid kit already (thanks mom for taking care of all my scrapes and bruises as I kid... now I know what I need).

So I figure Friday will be light.. and I'd like to settle in Sunset Beach or little more northeast for the sunset. I'd really like to face East when I sleep so I can catch the sunrise. That might be a bit tough but I'll figure something out. Then Saturday will be a long day... hopefully I can make it to Kailua since I'm a little more familiar with it but I think I need to go past it so I can finish the trip on Sunday. I think Sunday is gonna be a straight walk for as long as I can. It'll be a bit tough... but once again... no pressure if I don't make it all the way around.

Below is a link for Google maps of the route I plan on taking.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Farrington+Hwy%2FHI-930&daddr=Waialua+Beach+Rd+to:Pikai+St+to:Haleiwa,+Hawaii+to:21.607562,-158.09618+to:waimea+bay+to:59-136+Kam,+Haleiwa,+HI+96712+(Sunset+Beach+808)+to:Kawela+Bay+to:52-222+Kamehameha+Hwy,+Hauula,+HI+96717-9716+(Kahana+Valley+State+Park)+to:Nahiku+St+to:Lilipuna+Rd+to:Wailele+Rd+to:Kaneohe,+HI+to:Kaneohe+Bay+Dr+to:Kaneohe+Bay+MCas+to:450+Kawailoa+Road,+Kailua,+HI+96734+(Kailua+Beach+Park)+to:Laumilo+St+to:waimanalo+beach+to:Makapuu+beach+park+to:Makapuu+Lighthouse+Rd+to:Sandy+Beach+Park+to:Sandy+Beach+Park+to:Hanauma+bay&geocode=FWBMSQEdLkOS9g%3BFahOSQEdBPqS9g%3BFTZrSQEdoFiT9g%3BFRh7SQEdYIiT9g%3B%3B%3BFT-zSgEdYn2U9iH6yu9UHeZr7g%3B%3BFQHnSAEdjhGX9iHcWwyBhZRm5A%3BFXDyRgEdxBuY9g%3BFa7zRgEdq0iY9g%3BFU7JRgEdJEiY9g%3B%3BFczmRgEdxriY9g%3BFZJTRwEdIKGY9iGBfLRHofkLDA%3BFQ57RgEdYlCZ9iG2L_P2fsywpA%3BFZWXRQEdoraZ9g%3B%3BFcE0RQEdNFaa9iG6HSKgdWjR9g%3BFfAjRQEdCHGa9g%3BFRrZRAEdjC6a9iH0DvAcOWpB0g%3BFabNRAEdqiSa9g%3B&hl=en&mra=dme&mrcr=1&mrsp=4&sz=14&via=1,2,4,9,10,11,13,16,19,21&dirflg=w&sll=21.620649,-158.102961&sspn=0.071254,0.132093&ie=UTF8&ll=21.677449,-158.047428&spn=0.071226,0.132093&z=14

insomnia

So Friday night... saw Transformers and also a documentary called Fuel. Transformers in Imax... disappointing... Fuel was actually interesting. A documentary on biodiesel fuel, alternatives to fossil fuel, and generally conserving the environment. Opened my eyes momentarily. It's hard to be conscious of it during day to day activities. Plus I don't consume fuel directly. I digress...
After that... got back to my place and couldn't sleep.... slept for an hour and woke for no good reason... tossed and turned for another 2 hours before deciding to get up and go out... where to? what's open? well the beach... maybe i need some fresh air, the sound of the ocean would probably help me sleep, but i need a sleeping bag or something... off to walmart... left without a sleeping bag... it would be too warm... bought a straw mat instead... like the one I had at home but significantly less durable and smaller (well maybe it's cause I only used it as a kid)... off to waikiki... went to Duke's statue where i waived hi to a friend via the live webcam they have over there... then chilled on the beach til about 6 am. That's where the picture is from. Interesting night... peaceful beginning to another day....

New blog

Okay so i'm starting a new blog about restaurant reviews in Hawaii... www.feasthawaii.blogspot.com Just about the smaller places. Hoping that it will be a guide to any mainlanders with a similar taste.

catching up

Haven't posted in awhile... sorry for anyone who is looking for updates on my blog. So Hawaii's still absolutely amazing. My friend took me up to Waimaea Bay and we went snorkeling. I followed this turtle around for a bit. It was about 2 feet long... just interesting to watch. My friend was more interesting to watch... she's like a mermaid... really entrancing to watch. I tried to follow her periodic dives to explore the sea floor about 8 -12 ft down. Didn't realize how much of a challenge it was.

What else since? Hurt my back about a month ago jumping into a waterfall at about 30 ft. Much better now... though still some lingering back pain. Time to go to the docotr. Miss my coworker/friend who left for Massachusetts at the beginning of June. He was like a big brother in some respects... showing me around the island.

Got a moped from my friend who left for the mainland... so much fun... it's so convenient and just fun to zip around... need a motorcycle.. unfortunately today... i must of dropped my keys around my moped at work. I came back 2 hours later... trying to retrace my steps to find my keys.. and yes my moped is gone... as well as my office keys., apartment keys, and of course the moped keys.... filed a report... hoping for the best... but no worries.... i can get around still... probably better for my health cause I got really lazy with the moped.... i'm 2 blocks away from my job and i take a moped.... so much fun though.... a bit darty right now... had a few drinks... had some good conversation with people at the bar... this girl from Michigan who was a competitive skier... just talking about where we've been... the best the worst.. miss the snow....

i'll post some pics soon.... the shore, the mountains, some more trails.... think i need an SLR camera though... the point and shoot can't really capture hawaii... but then again no picture can... take care everyone... gnite.. if you're reading... mom, dad, Al love you all....

On facebook now....

North Shore

Went to Northshore yesterday... spent the afternoon in Kailua with some buddies... where the pic was taken... and then ate... then to another beach, Lanikai. Real peaceful out there during the night.... sky is sooo clear... usually i can only spot the big dipper and orion's belt but it was covered in stars and I couldn't even find Orion. Anyway... lot of fun... got buried in the sand for a bit... water was still warm even at night... probably in the high 60s. Definitely gonna go back....

nothing much new here... just working... dog/house sat for a friend a couple weeks back... i just bummed it out the whole weekend... played Metal Gear Solid on their PS3... played with their dogs... considering getting a dog... but have the same concerns as always. Don't want to leave the dog home while I am at work, want a bigger dog so it's tough in a small apartment, money... anyway...
yesterday i did these scavenger hunt with some friends... http://www.ravenchase.com/.... mad fun... running around downtown and trying to figure out clues... and racing with other teams... included some food afterwards and a round of drinks... anyway... try it out if you're ever bored... might do it again this saturday... i'm determined to win...
got a PS3... might return it... think i'm gonna spend way too much time playing it... and then later i'll get bored and it's just gonna sit there... but now have a blue ray player... the ultimate excuse for justifying the purchase for a lot of people... anyway.. we'll see
been a bit homesick at times... still wish i could bring some friends and family here... used to it but still... kinda a reoccuring feeling at times...
don't know what i'm gonna do about my car yet... might ship it over... don't know how long i'm gonna be here... probably gonna stay another 6 months - 1 year... depending on rental agreements....
just wanted to do a brief update on various things... take care everyone...

Penn

So I got to meet BJ Penn on Friday. He was doing a promotion at this lounge called Level 4 and they were showing his new DVD. He was pretty much just chilling with all his friends. Anyway, here's a pic.

So I was thinking... everyone around me is moving to a phase of their life... (initially i always thought of it as, moving on... but i think.. it's more general to say it that way)... friends and family are getting married... settling down... and i think about me coming to here.... there's a couple of perspectives though....
should i be settling down? finding someone to spend the rest of my life with? and i thought... that's always what i wanted... plus of course a girl who is really cute.... but then.. there's gotta be more to life... there's so much out there for me to see... so maybe that's one reason i came here....
then there's the other view... did i feel that everyone is moving on? that i needed to get away? cause i wasn't at that point in my life? ... and i'm standing still... and some would say standing still isn't so bad... but it's the same as moving back... you're still not getting anywhere.... so i came out here to avoid the pressure... or maybe to find a pace of life that suited me?
in the end... it doesn't seem to matter.... trying to avoid my circular thinking... i'm here... i'm living in hawaii!.... it's pretty damn good.... i always said i'm just gonna go to hawaii one day.... i guess it's nice to chase your dreams... cause sometimes it just takes a couple of hours of thinking... and a strong will... and boom... 24 hours later you're in hawaii....

Monoa Valley Falls II