aloha

My three week vacation in Hawaii went by fast and well. There was a lot that happened on Oahu and Molokai. Ideally I would have recorded more over the trip but circumstances prevented this. It was also vacation time and I must admit I did enjoy it very much though I put off the use of computers for the most part.

By far my favorite part of my vacation was the snorkeling trip Colin, Mark and I went on. The name of the adventure was Dolphin Excursions and they didn't disappoint. We were lucky that morning with sunny clear skies even though I remember there being some wind. This was on Oahu still, but I don't remember the name of the area we were in. I was a little bit nervous, it had been a long time since I had done any snorkeling. It was also pretty early in the morning so the whole group was slightly subdued. Excited, but quiet. 

First we stopped to have everyone explore, check their equipment, and get used to snorkeling before we saw any dolphins. The first place we stopped was near this small coral reef. I did see lots of fish that I don't remember the name of, and some that I do including convict tangs, and the reef triggerfish or humuhumunukunukuapua'a (I like that word). One fish was one of the oddest fish I've seen, it was long and white and wiggled as it swam like a jiggling noodle. He seemed curious about me, he stayed floating close to me for a while. I didn't move either, I just watched him for a while. He was maybe a yard away...although after a while I did turn my head to look at something else and when I looked back he was gone. The tour guide said he was a cornet fish. I read about them later online, they are pretty interesting. Naturally, I also saw a lot of shells, though the coolest one was not at the reef area.

There is something about snorkeling though. At least to me. When I first got in the water I was fine, but my heart was racing a bit and my breath came fast, I was waiting to start sinking or inhaling air or for some other catastrophe, but everything was fine. My first thoughts were getting my breath under control. It didn't take long. Then my only other worry really was keeping track of where the boat and my family were, not going too close to the rocks like the instructors said, and not bumping into people. Kind of like driving or for me horseback riding, there are things to be aware of but it's not hard to multitask. I had all that under control soon after I was in the water and I really started enjoying myself. It was really quiet, all I could hear was myself breathing. The other snorkelers were close to me, but still distant somehow, or removed? It was like I was in my own world, just with my thoughts and the amazing sights around me. I am very, very excited to snorkel again, it is truly a remarkable feeling.

They pulled us all back in the boat to go and look for the dolphins. Now everyone on the boat was talking animatedly, to their friends and to ask questions of the tour guides with us. Many were taking photos. It only took a while that I remember to first spot the dolphins. The ones we saw were called spinner dolphins, because when they jumped above the water they would spin in the air -fast, like a top- before splashing back down. These were a smaller species that traveled in large groups. I think we stopped twice to look for them while snorkeling before we found a place they decided to stay and rest. The guides said the dolphins would be out at night looking for food and would come find a place not far from the coast to rest and regroup (and play) during the day. They traveled in large pods, from fifty to a hundred or more. I'm pretty sure the group we saw had less than a hundred, but there were a lot. One did come pretty close to me, maybe five yards away. It didn't linger like the fish did. There was also a baby, a calf, that was swimming with the group, I saw it leap once. It looked to be as long as my arm, not a big animal at all. It was near the dolphins I saw the coolest shell, a large white cone on the sea floor, all by itself. Good luck, critter.

The second most memorable thing I did on Oahu was participating in a surfing lesson. My brother and I both went. I was really scared about it but I definitely wanted the experience. They took us walking from their business shop to an area on Waikiki where we could go. They said the waves were small there. I knew they were, but to me they looked huge. The surfboards were big too. They didn't tell us much, the lesson was more about getting out there and trying it. So off we went. Colin and I both had one guy/instructor that would stay with both of us, there was someone else with a camera, and one more just in case I suppose. I couldn't look at the waves, they made me nervous. For most of the time I had a death grip on that board and the only times I stopped touching it were when I fell off. That happened a couple times. I knew it was a part of surfing, especially for beginners. That didn't make it fun, the falling part. My instructor said I did really well in that I didn't get scraped on rocks. I'll take his word for it. I could never stand up all the way, the times I went. They didn't explain to us how to stop. I guess it depends on whether you fall off or whether the wave just stops and you stop with it. I prefer horses that listen to the word.

It wasn't all bad. I think I will try again sometime. As long as I go with someone who knows what they're doing by themselves and with a beginner along. The last wave I went on I stayed on my knees and I didn't fall. The time, therefore, ended on a good note. I do like being in the ocean. I just didn't know enough to feel in control of the situation while surfing, I might someday be more comfortable with it. Colin, I saw, did very well. He stood up a lot, I'm glad we went together. It makes a good story and I look back on the experience with a smile.

After two weeks on Oahu we went to Molokai. Mark, Colin and I were booked on a plane together, mom was scheduled to follow a day later. I have not been on such a small plane before. It was a Cessna Caravan 200 something, 208 maybe. Colin and I were the smallest passengers, we sat next to each other one one seat (it had two seat belts and two head rests) right behind the pilots. I chose the window seat and had Colin sit in the middle. I was more interested in looking out the side window and the ocean and the islands, he was more interested in looking between the pilot's seats at all their controls. It worked out for both of us. The plane flew a bit rickety, enough that is normal I think for a plane like that. Nobody got sick and we all landed safely.

Once landed, Mark went to find our rental car. It was a Dodge Durango and about the size of the plane we had just exited. It worked for us, though I can't imagine why a rental place on Molokai would need a car that big. Molokai only has a population of about 7,000 see, and no hotels and not many restaurants. There weren't many city like attractions. In other words, I loved it. It was pretty much untouched country, way, way less trash and development than in Honolulu. I had the same amount of fun in both places, just in different ways. I do prefer nature to urban areas.

Molokai was a week of relaxation. We went to some beaches that were close, others we had to drive to. Our condo area had a nearby pool that had recently been fixed up. One day we took an awesome drive, the road was curvy and had only two lanes. We got to see some cliffs and cool rock formations, forests, tiny cute churches and other buildings, and it ended at a beach. The air smelled like plants. I don't know how to describe it. It was clean smelling and tropical and amazing. 

Our condo was very nice. I did most of the cooking that week, I enjoyed it. The area used to be a golf course, but that went defunct a couple years back. There was a hotel there too. The golf course area was more overgrown now with taller grasses but there were still some paths. The hotel room buildings were there, but empty. Some had ajar doors that would sway in the breeze. Fences were rusty and falling apart. It looked deserted like a good place for a scary movie. There was a restaurant building by the pool, a very nice one. But it was abandoned too, with dirt that people had written in all over the large windows (I put my initials too...the only time I have ever left a trace that way). Inside I could see tables left and one "please wait to be seated" sign. It was kind of sad. They said that used to be one of the nicest restaurants in the islands, back in the 70s. Still it wasn't a bad place to stay. 

Toads came out at night, they were fun to watch. We had one day with a large rainstorm, we stayed in and read. We met people in the condo near ours from Alaska. They had a boy about Colin's age and the two played together a lot. One of the ladies in that family was very nice. She was the owner of the condo and visited often. She had an extensive book collection and let me take some paperbacks. One is by Robert Ludlum and I am very into it.

The week passed quickly. When we arrived at the airport they said our plane had been cancelled. We could get on another one but it didn't leave for hours. The airport was very small, with not a lot to do. We managed, but were glad to get on the plane and head home. 

Now I am back at HSU starting my fifth semester here. I think it will be fun (and yes, I am already learning a lot). Most of my homework so far has involved reading. I should really get back to it now. I promise I will write more soon!

Mahalo

Juls