Adventures in Paradise

Meeting new people, hiking up mountains and old volcano calderas, swimming on waikiki beach, drinking with Norwegians that look like Vikings, smoking with German martial artists – my first week in Hawaii has seen me through a few adventures already. It’s also seen my bank account emptying at worrying rates.

People at the hostel absorbed my time for most of my first few days. Freddie the German guy smoked up with me a few times, sometimes at night, others during the day. We went out, saw fireworks by the beach, went swimming, and enjoyed the awesome weather. I also met an Austrian guy named Martin who I hiked up Diamond Head crater with. We had a good time, ascending the slops and taking photos of Honolulu down below. The whole thing felt a bit Japanese, too, with the lines of people going up the mountain. I’ve missed mountains ever since I left Japan and it feels good to be near them again.

As the days progressed, people left the hostel. I wasn’t particularly sad to see Caleb go. That guy is a handful, jittery and intense when he totally doesn’t have to be. Freddie, though, I would miss hanging out with. His friend Roy the big black guy was a bit intense himself, but he seemed to really like me. He kept saying we should go out drinking together, but after we got really drunk one night, I think he wore himself out and changed his mind.

A week in, I was tired of the whole tourist thing. Being here for school gives you a whole different perspective on Waikiki and Honolulu. Even though you’re new to everything, you feel less like a tourist and more like a resident settling in. Going out drinking and partying just feels less important, that way. By day seven or eight, I was going out on my own, hiking up Waikiki Falls to feel like I was doing something. I didn’t know exactly which bus to take, so I took the #4 up close to school then walked the rest of the way on foot. It was a long treck, but beautiful. Seeing those massive trees looming overhead and the mist pouring over the mountains, I could understand why they filmed parts of Jurassic park there.

I’ve also been spending time just chilling on my computer, chatting with people, playing, Minecraft, and reading reddit. It helps me unwind, while also helping me not waste money. Those are both good things, I guess.

On day 11, I check out of the hostel and head to my apartment. I got a room at this place called “Kalo Plaza,” which is basically a dorm. I’ll have to share a room with a guy, which is really lame, but the rent is only $600 a month and includes utilities and internet. That’s hard to beat, really, at least until I meet enough people to find someone to room with. Next year, I’ll definitely have to find a better place, but in the mean time it will have to do.