I arrived in Waikiki on June 4th and stayed in the Waikiki Outrigger for 7 days. During this time 2 graduating classes of High School kids had pretty much occupied the 3rd and 4th floors. I was on the sixth.
I hate teenagers----one night saw a huge fight on the beach that jumped off around 1am. Police on ATV's and in riot gear had to be called in to calm things down.
People in Waikiki do whatever they can to make a buck. Street vendors everywhere---hawking artwork, delivering street-performances, and simply begging. Their was some silver dude that was out every night acrossed from the hotel.
Drinks and food is pricey. Ate at some place called "Atlantis steaks and seafood," and it was AWESOME. I got the Ono, smothered in some vegetables, cilantro, spinach, and a mild gorgonzola sauce. Everything on the menu looked awesome though.
Much of the area looked like Rodeo Drive though with high-end retail infecting the place like cancer. Coach, Prada, Cartier, Diesel, Burberry, etc. etc. I don't understand the whole thing about traveling to shop---though I met some Chicks from Japan who claim to do just that...."We came on vacation and for the shopping," they said.
They went on to tell me that they brought empty luggage just to fill up with new crap that they bought......
Food and drinks were pricey but that didn't stop me. The ocean and the beach were immaculate. Crystal blue water that you can see right through, nice sand beaches, Mai Tai's and catch of the day. The sunrise woke me up every morning. I never woke up any later than 8am. Then I spent time hiking Diamond Head, and drinking at the bar, swimming and stand-up paddling on a long board as I tried to apply my snowboarding skills to the water.
I found out that Weed is everywhere and people are selling it EVERYWHERE, and it is REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, GOOD. I was approached by someone nearly everyday, and I copped a few different strains. It was really good stuff.
I found out that the cheapest dive in Waikiki is "The Waikiki Sandbox." The bouncers there are huge, and the bar only seats 10. The first time I was there some dude got tossed out within 15 minutes of me being there---it was hilarious.
Basically, some jackass ordered himself a coke with no ice----and the bartender made him the drink. Then the guy decided he wanted to drink so he asked the bartender to put a shot of rum in his HUGE glass of coke. The next thing that happens is the guy complains that he can't taste the rum. Well, DUH------its all watered down jackass.
The bartender than went on a tirade about how he made the guy exactly what he asked for, so why the hell is teh guy complaining. Afterall---the guy did order the idiotic drink. Next thing you know the 400lb samoan bouncer is telling the guy to leave. It was hilarious b/c the bartender totally called this guy out in front of everyone.
I stuck around and drank some more. I found out that the bar didn't have its own bathroom---but if you wanlked outside and ventured down this dark alley you would find a public bathroom located adjacent to "The Alley Cat" a strip-club that promises---that "they will scratch your back if you scratch theirs." The sign was drawn in magic marker and the place looked heli-shader. When teh bouncer gave me directions to the bathroom he mentioned to make sure to turn right before walking into the Alley cat.
He said, if I did I would find myself in a whorrible place, with an emphasis on the whore.
It was such a shady spot. But completely cool too. The drinks were 3 bucks---which is cheap for Waikiki, and the bar is low-key, slightly shady, and a great freaking time.
Once I found the Sandbox I probably spent two or three nights getting wasted there. The walk home was always kinda ridiculous though because we always seemed to get approached by prostitutes. And at about eleven o'clock rolling on through 3am, they are all over the place. It gets annoying having to deal with their advances when you are stumbling home at that hour, though it was kinda funny to see the pathetic souls who would actually go for that kind of thing.
I got no problem with them doing what they do, but its pretty nasty in my eyes.
Aside from that whole situation though----the Sandbox is a must visit in Waikiki.
The weed is heavenly all through the islands, and the ocean surf is great to listen to when you are going to sleep and leave your balcony doors open.
There are a lot of homeless/crazy people that roam Waikiki too. They are equal parts entertaining/disturbing/sad and slightly helpful. You often find them digging in trashcans looking for recyclables.
But enough about the streets.....
I have family that lives on Hickam airforce base. They have a nice little house. My cousins wife is Polynesian and cooks like crazy. Everytime we spent time there, there was a crazy amount of food prepared. Lots of Huli Huli chicken, pork and cabbage, steak and crablegs---and thats just for dinner on one particular evening. They loved to cook and celebrate. We drank copious amounts of Kona Brewing Company's Fire Rock Pale Ale while we ate-----and it was delicious.
Yes, Fire Rock Pale Ale is the best beer on the island. At 10.99 a six pack it is pricey though.
We visited the USS Missouri which was interesting b/c my grandfather had served on that very ship in WWII.
We visited the USS Arizona and the Pearl Harbor memorial.
That is a tragic place.
The thing that always strikes me at those types of places is all the young men that were my age, and sometimes younger that passed away on account of a few violent moments. You think about what those guys were doing the day before, or the evening before----just going about their lives like any other day---then it all ends for them.
Its a really strange beat that death marches to; it seems like the rhythm has to be just right for everything to go wrong for a particular group of people at a particular time.
Those folks ended up losing their lives in one foul moment, and thinking about brings about anger, frustration, and sadness.
A very somber memorial.
A couple days later I left Oahu for Kauai. This island was a lot more laid back---their was still pot available everywhere. I saw a guy sitting in front of the grocery store puffing a spliff and nobody thought anything of it. Pot is so widely available, and almost completely accepted on the island. Its nothing to run across people selling it, smoking it, or in some cases, coming off a dirt trail wearing camouflage, a rasta hat,wading boots, and a huge backpack---tending to his private flower garden concealed somewhere in the great foliage of the rain forest.
I made my way acrossed some savage switchbacks and through some gnarled jungle trails to a huge waterfall on the Na Pali coast. It was a 4 mile hike into the jungle to get to the waterfall. First it started over some winding trails on teh Na Pali coast, then plunged into the jungle. We criss-crossed over several streams that were studded with huge boulders and frothing white water on our way to the falls.
Once we got there it was amazing though. A 300 ft. high waterfall and a clear lagoon of clear fresh water---a refreshing change from the past week of saltwater immersion.
It was so cold and refreshing after hiking over all those boulders and the red dirt switchbacks and the bamboo forests. We swam beneath the falls in teh cold refreshing water for a few hours before starting the 4 mile trek back.
Hiking the whole trail leads to another waterfall and a second "secret beach" but it is an 11 mile expedition and we weren't really prepared for the overnight stay in the jungle and the 22 mile trek there and back. Its usually a 3 day excursion I believe; but our 8 mile hike was enough for me.
Totally, and completely rewarding.
Something that came to my attention in Kauai, there are chickens and roosters ALL OVER THE PLACE!!!!!!! 4 am brought a resounding cockledoodledoo every morning, across the entire island.
We saw very few chickens on Oahu by comparison---we figured it was because Oahu has plenty of homeless to kill and eat the birds.
Spent some time snorkeling, kayaking on Kauai. Found some good greens on both islands. Drank a lot, hiked a lot, got buried at the Sandbox, found my way home each night, stayed out of jail, and arrive home in Cleveland at 9:30 this morning.
I am definitely going to have to go back again sometime. Until then, I am stuck stateside with football season approaching and another long year or two before I can make my next move.
Mahalo,
T. DERRDY
P.S. Poi is not bad----as a card-carrying member of "The Clean-plate Club," I finish everything that is given to me, and Poi was no different. its good with your meats. Maybe an acquired taste, but not as bad as many believe it to be.
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