Day 14: D-Day

Tuesday was the dreaded D-Day (Derrick Deploys Day) at the Ransom household. Derrick was to leave at 1:30pm for a six month deployment overseas, one of the main reasons that I came to stay with Janine in the first place. I was concerned for Janine and trying to predict what she might need from a friend on the day that her husband leaves for half of a calendar year. We ate a send-off breakfast - which of course included bacon - then Janine drove Derrick to Hickham at Pearl Harbor to say goodbye. Derrick seemed sad to go but resolute. It is strange to think that he won't be around for the next month that I am here. Janine came back relatively dry-eyed, strong, and in need of some distraction.

While Janine dropped Derrick off I'd run into town to pick up a few things for a Ladies Day at home (another excuse to visit Whole Foods!). I picked up all the essentials - delicate cheeses, strawberries, chocolate covered coconut bites, veggies, hummus, and peppermint iced tea - along with a few tools for pampering. We sat on her front porch, soaking our feet and listening to DMB for about an hour, talking about the months to come and working through ways to handle Derrick's absence. This naturally progressed into pedicures and manicures, which we supplemented with delicious snacks and three or four episodes of Downton Abbey, which Janine had never seen. Our relaxing day was only interrupted around dinner time, when we headed over to base for a quick workout and massages (badly needed).

Spa day setup

Endorphins pumping, we returned home for the night for some zzzs. The house was quieter than usual and Tristan seemed confused about why Derrick wasn't home yet, which was sad, but Janine seemed content (as measured by the amount of singing I have observed in the past few days). I am so proud of my brave friend and her new journey as a married woman living in a new place on her own! Looking forward to some quality girl time with her over the next few weeks!

Day 13: Memorial Day & Lantern Floating Ceremony

Memorial Day was quiet as Janine had to work and Derrick was preparing to deploy the following day. I caught up on some reading, went for a run, then jumped in the car and headed into Honolulu for the Lantern Floating Festival. This ceremony is held annually on Memorial Day and honors loved ones who have passed away. The ceremony is meant to transform the beach into a sacred place where participants can reach out and offer remembrances to family members, friends, and loved ones who have already passed on by writing messages on lanterns and floating them out to sea.

The crowds thickened as we walked closer to Ala Moana Beach, reports later estimated that over 40,000 people were in attendance down the entire length of the beach. The ceremony officially began as the sun set, with Her Holiness Shinso Ito leading the elements below as described on the Lantern Floating Hawaii website:

Pū - The sounding of the pū, or Hawaiian conch shell, sanctifies the area and marks the commencement of the ceremony.

Shinnyo Taiko – The sound of the taiko calls people together. It is offered as a prayer for peace, with hope that people reach out in the spirit of creating harmony to support one another.

Oli - This Hawaiian chant calls the attention of all who are present to prepare their hearts to receive the importance of what will follow.

Entrance of Lanterns – Six large Parent Lanterns carry prayers for all spirits on behalf of all people. Prayers are offered for victims of war, water-related accidents, natural and manmade disasters, famine and disease. Gratitude is offered for all - even endemic, endangered and extinct plant and animal life. These lanterns are floated with the hope of encouraging harmony and peace.

Light of Harmony – Community leaders from various sectors symbolically demonstrate their unified commitment to creating harmony amid diversity.

Purification – Her Holiness Shinso Ito offers a blessing of the ceremonial area, the lanterns, all who are being remembered, and all in attendance prior to the floating of lanterns.

Onjiki – Literally meaning “food and drink,” this ritual offers spiritual nourishment to the souls of those being remembered.

Sange – Since ancient times, flowers have adorned the path of honored ones. The scattering of flowers on the path symbolizes the love and respect that we offer to our loved ones.

Shomyo – A fusion of traditional Buddhist chant and Western choral harmony.

Ringing of the Bell - The crystal clear sound of Her Holiness Shinso Ito's bell focuses everyone's thoughts and prayers and signifies that it is time to float the lanterns.

Floating of Lanterns - Lanterns are placed onto the water with wishes for the peace and happiness of loved ones past and present.

(The above series of photographs and descriptions are from the Lantern Floating Hawaii website. The slideshow below are my own pictures.)

Although we did not arrive in time to assemble personal lanterns, I picked my way through the crowds to the shoreline in time to watch others lovingly release their lanterns into the water. Those who could not make their way to the front of the crowd passed their lanterns forward crowd-surfing style. As I fought my way to waist-level, which is where the very front of the crowd was located in the water, a little boy struggled to float his lantern past the adults standing in front of him. I leaned in and gave his lantern, which had a message written to his grandfather in childish handwriting, a little extra push to the front and asked the couple in front of me to do the same, to shich the little boy smiled happily and hid behind his mother.

 The sun set as the lanterns progressed over the waves and past the shoreline. The sight of thousands of twinkling lanterns drifting solemnly out to sea was ... More moving was the extent of human emotion expressed by those in attendance as they mourned, celebrated, and remembered those that they were honoring. I watched a young father with his two little boys release a lantern addressed to their mother (picture below), a family with a lantern dedicated to an infant, and groups of friends paying homage to lost comrades. This ceremony was one of the most moving that I have ever attended. Among a sea of thousands of people I felt a collective sense of grief and understanding - that we were all mourning in our own way and that in our very human conditions we shared the experience of having loved and lost. In the end, I stayed as long as I could, watching the light from the lanterns grow smaller and smaller as they slipped away from us on the shore and the sun set. I felt moved and overwhelmed by being a part of a collective experience that I had previously kept private.

Day 12: Aulani Feast

Derrick, Janine, and I at Makahiki Restaurant (Aulani Resort)

I had delicious moments of perspective Saturday night as I drifted to sleep to the sound of rain with a gentle breeze lifting the heat of the night and bringing with it the pleasant scent of plumeria and hibiscus trees. I am very lucky to be here. What's more, I am so incredibly fortunate to have wonderful friends who not only house me, but ensure that my time here in Hawai'i is enjoyable and will be memorable after I leave. As things slow down and I begin to settle into my new schedule, I can feel myself unwinding and am beginning to see just how necessary this trip is to my well-being.

As Derrick deploys on Tuesday, we went out to an extra special dinner Sunday night to one of his favorite places on O'ahu, Aulani Resort & Spa. Aulani is a Disney Resort in Ko Olina. Compared to Disneyworld in Florida, this resort was quietly-Disney. When we pulled up I'd been expecting giant cartoon characters and Mickey-themed roads, but instead was greeted by towering delicate architecture and art that celebrated Hawaiian culture. Derrick's restaurant of choice within the resort was Makahiki Restaurant, which featured an extensive dinner buffet that included, among the items listed below, unlimited amounts of crab legs, oysters, sashimi, lomilomi salmon, and, yes, more poke.

The chef came out to walk me through the buffet and tell me which items had gluten in them and which did not, then offered to prepare me a special gluten free portion of those items that I wanted to eat on the buffet, which was amazing. I don't think I've eaten at a place that caters to food allergies like this before. While I waited for my gluten free portion of poke I went straight for the sushi, crab legs, shrimp, and oysters and got busy making a spectacle of myself in a nice restaurant by cracking legs and pulling apart tendons to get at the sweet crab meat inside. Our concerned waitress came over, smile on her face, to offer me an entire bowl of wet towels because it "looked like I'd be needing them". I was not fazed and the crab was delicious so I went back for seconds.

Janine tried her first oyster and just about all of the desserts on the buffet while Derrick started out fast and strong with a full plate then took a mid-dinner walk to prepare for seconds. Perhaps because of the amount of time and effort it takes to consume even the smallest morsel of crab meat, I took the slow-and-steady buffet approach, keeping my plates small and my portions smaller. In the end, strategies aside, we were all stuffed. We delicately sipped coffee and tea then dragged Derrick on a digestive walk around the resort and down to the beach. The skies were clear and the stars were visible, as was Saturn, which we looked at through a high powered telescope that we came across on our walk down to the beach. Derrick hopes to spend some time relaxing at the resort after his six month deployment. I think that Disney-themed places will always have a special place for him and for Janine as they got engaged at Disney World in Florida (I was there for that, too!) three years ago.

Days 10 & 11: The North Shore

Samantha's pineapple plant

On Friday I borrowed Janine's car and drove up to the North Shore to hang out with Samantha. For those of you who don't know, Janine and Derrick both own manual cars, a fact which challenged to my ability to get around the island sans public transportation. Knowing this, I had a friend give me a few lessons on driving stick back in Rochester before journeying to the island. Driving on O'ahu, however, is much different than driving in Rochester, which is perhaps, by comparison, the flattest place on earth. Before Friday I had practiced driving a few times in Janine's car, my heart about to explode from sheer anxiety whenever I was forced to come to a complete stop and get into first gear while stopped on an incline. When I missed TheBus to Hale'iwa Friday afternoon, Janine tossed me her keys and booted me out the door to a 60 minute drive (in good traffic) up the island and a trial by fire driving experience. Shaky and sweating, I was reminded of the first few times I was allowed to take my parents' cars to friend's houses and out for errands when I was 17 and learning to drive. The major difference between the automatic driving experience and the manual driving experience, as a beginner, is that when learning to drive an automatic car I was afraid to accelerate, when learning to drive a manual car I am afraid to stop. In fact, my anxiety over Hawaii'i's stop-and-go traffic patterns sent massive jolts of adrenaline to all parts of my body such that, when I finally arrived at Samantha's house (after stalling out a grand total of 11 times) I was shaking.

Highway driving? No problem. Crazy people merging? Got it covered. Stopping at a red light and starting again without holding up massive amounts of traffic behind me for 5 minutes? Sent me into a sweaty panicked state.

Once I lost my confidence to get into first gear from a stop, I was doomed to dread each and every crossing pedestrian and stop sign between me and Samantha. On my arrival to the North Shore I threw the car keys in my purse and tried to brainstorm ways to get the car back to Kaneohe the following day without personally having to drive it.

View of the North Shore from Samantha's deck

After a warm greeting and a few glasses of water, Samantha took me to Aloha Hour (Happy Hour) at a Mexican restaurant with two of her friends. I unwound slightly over a Mangorita and pupus (appetizers) while listening to Kimmy and Kelsey's lively stories about work, fiances, traveling, and teaching. Life on the North Shore seems to differ drastically from life in Kaneohe. Hale'iwa is a historic town with an extensive surfing community. The local shops, immediate and plentiful access to the beach, and layout of the town contributed to a community-based feel that was very laissez-faire. The community seemed to be young and connected in a small-city sort of way.  I would have stopped to take pictures of the North Shore as I traveled up it, but was too afraid that once I stopped the car I wouldn't be able to get it started again. Following Aloha Hour, Samantha, her friends, and me went back to Kimmy's beachside apartment to prepare a dish for the Raw/Vegan Party that we were to attend later that night. Samantha made "Save the Dates" - raw balls of dates, chopped walnuts, and cocoa powder that resembled truffles and tasted like heaven. They resembled the date balls in this recipe. With  Samantha's "save the dates" and Kimmy's Strawberry-Kiwi Sorbet in tow, we trekked 40 minutes out to a house party in the middle of nowhere.

Front lounging porch at Raw/Vegan Party

The middle of nowhere turned out to be a beautiful property nestled (again) on a steep hill. It was a one story house with multiple outdoor areas sporting Eastern-style decorations, Koi pond, hammock, plumeria and hibiscus trees, and a fire pit. I met many 20-, 30-, and 40-somethings from all walks of life, including one man from Binghamton, NY who couldn't remember my name and kept calling me "Rochester" while recounting tales of trying to surf in Irondequoit Bay. After a plate of delicious raw/vegan food and few glasses of a watermelon-basil concoction I found myself lounging on a one-armed couch outside, staring up at the full moon and inhaling the scent of tropical flowers. An older local man who had set up shop on the front lounging porch with a personal cooler offered me a drink and we talked about life in O'ahu, including his family, the teaching system, living communities, roads, and the job market. Most notably, this gentleman regaled me with stories of his construction crew and his attempts to strike fear and respect into the hearts of his crew members by doing insane things like eating bugs.

When I say bugs, I specifically mean Hawai'i's giant centipedes (Scolopendra subspinipes), which can grow past 6 inches in length, are as thick as a thumb, and are highly poisonous. I have only seen one so far and, let me tell you, I quickly turned and ran in the opposite direction out of sheer terror. If you are brave and would like to actually see a picture of one of these monsters, try this link, although I disagree with the author's account of the size of the creatures, as the one I saw (which turned out to be already dead) was at least 9 inches long. The thought of this man tearing the heads off of one of these centipedes and chowing down as it continued to multiply and wriggle in his mouth was enough to make my jaw drop. The rest of my time at the party was spent exploring the owners' giant collection of travel books, watching surfing movies, chasing cats, exchanging stories with guests from all over the United States, and trying to learn surfing terms (i.e. a break called the "gas chamber"). When there were lulls in conversation, the topic would inevitably turn to surfing - who had surfed when and where, how great it was, and tips to surf better.

Midnight found us headed back to Hale'iwa under a full moon that lit up the entire night. We gathered a trove of sleeping bags, blankets, and long-sleeved clothing (first time I have worn pants since my arrival to HI) and walked over to a beach next to Kimmy's house to lay out on the beach and wind down with the intention of spending the night there. 

Full Moon

As I helped Kimmy lay down a blanket next to some very large rocks, one of them moved. She laughed at my startled expression and pointed out that what I had thought to be rocks were actually sea turtles who had beached themselves for the night to sleep. For the remainder of my waking hours on the beach I stared at those sleeping beached turtles in wonder. The night was bright and eerie thanks to the full moon and the waves crashing against the shore were soothing and put me quickly to sleep. I had anticipated that sleeping on a beach would be an uncomfortable experience but after digging a hole for my head to rest in underneath the blanket I was actually quite comfortable. I awoke in the wee hours of the morning to a brightening day feeling tired but amazed and extremely grateful for the experience. The sea turtles had quietly slipped back into the water while we slept.

Sunset Farmer's Market

A few cups of coffee preceeded a morning trip to the Sunset Farmer's Market, a small tented affair held in the parking lot of a nearby elementary school. Here I tried homemade coconut mochi for $1 and met a woman affectionately introduced to me as "the pearl lady" by Samantha, who had gifted me a beautiful pearl ring purchased from the pearl lady for my birthday the week before. Ann has a knack for picking and creating beautiful jewelery pieces for her customers by learning about their personalities. She identifies styles and tastes through personal stories and by getting to know a person. Upon learning my name and a few of my interests, she selected a pair of earrings for me that I had (unbeknownst to her) already been eying, and allowed me to take them with me without full payment upfront, as I had not brought enough cash with me. If you are interested in her work, check out her website. All of her pearls are sustainably harvested and examined by her prior to purchase. She has a great energy and a creative mind!

On our way back to town Samantha insisted that we stop by her favorite place - Beet Box Cafe - which was everything she promised it would be. We chowed down on organic smoothies and breakfast dishes. The Beet Box Cafe is an organic vegetarian cafe located in back of a small locally owned food shop that resembles a Co-op. I happily munched on eggs scrambled with a crunchy, toasted sprouted corn tortilla and jalapeno jack cheese topped with homemade salsa & avocado, brown rice & Brazilian black beans topped with "Love Sauce" while sipping on a banana, strawberry, blueberry, hemp protein, bee pollen, spirulina, spinach, & almond milk smoothie, then browsed some of the nearby boutiques before preparing for the drive back to Kaneohe.

Having been unsuccessful in my ridiculous attempts to convince Janine to come and drive me home in her own car, I apprehensively began the drive back, already in a cold sweat. Thanks to a few pointers from Steve (Samantha's boyfriend) and some tough love from both Samantha and Janine, I managed to make it back safely and only stalled out once! I felt so accomplished that I immediately called a bunch of friends at home to tell them. Their responses were lack-luster and indicated that they didn't feel my accomplishment was as big a deal as I did, but I am proud of myself. Friends with manual cars, I can now DD for you!

Day 9: Iolani Palace & Waikiki Beach Walk

Thursday morning I jumped on TheBus downtown to Iolani Palace, official residence of King Kalākaua and Queen Lili'uokalani, the last monarchs of the ruling Hawaiian royalty. The palace was built in 1879 with full Masonic rites to mark Hawai'i's status as a modern nation. The palace itself is very modern and includes indoor plumbing, gas and electric chandeliers (less than seven years after Edison invented the first practical incandescent bulb), and a telephone system. Upon entering the palace, we were given shoe coverings to protect the original floors and carpets. As the majority of the visitors to the palace elected to use self-guided audio tours (myself included), it was eerily quiet inside the palace as people shuffled around the rooms staring at strategically placed pieces of furniture and artifacts. My favorite room was the crimson and gold throne room (see photos below) in which formal audiences and diplomats were received, state balls held, and the trial of  Queen Lili`uokalani occurred.

My visit to the Iolani Palace really helped me to understand some of the political and cultural tensions between Hawaiians on the island (see www.iolanipalace.org for more information on the Iolani Palace). Perhaps ignorantly, I have been conditioned to view Hawaii as a part of the United States, no more or less than any other state but for its remote location. What I had largely overlooked prior to my trip to the palace was the ugly and painful history of Hawaii's annexation into the United States. Throughout the island handmade posters and flags can be found on display reminding passers-by that the U.S. "stole" Hawaii from its rightful monarchs and usurped not only land, but the rich culture appropriated by Hawaiian natives. I began to get a clearer picture of this when I entered the sparsely furnished room of the palace where Hawaii'a last ruling monarch, Queen Lili`uokalani, was imprisoned after being overthrown in 1893. In attempting to promote a new constitution that strengthened the power of the monarchy and limited suffrage to subjects of the kingdom, Queen Lili`uokalani was opposed by a group of Hawai`i born citizens of American parents, naturalized citizens and foreign nationals which, with the support of the American Minister to Hawai`i, orchestrated the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy and the establishment of a provisional government. Queen Lili`uokalani was forced to yield her authority in 1893 and was publicly apprehended and imprisoned in 1895 when a group of Hawaiian royalists attempted to restore her to power.

Queen Lili`uokalani's quilt

The excerpt below is from the Iolani Palace Website, which explains the history of the palace, its occupants, and the state. "Convicted of having knowledge of a royalist plot, Lili`uokalani was fined $5000 and sentenced to five years in prison at hard labor. The sentence was commuted to imprisonment in an upstairs bedroom of `Iolani Palace. During her imprisonment, the queen was denied any visitors other than one lady in waiting. She began each day with her daily devotions followed by reading, quilting, crochet-work, or music composition" (Iolani Palace History, 2013)

The room where Lili`uokalani was imprisoned was available on my tour. On display in this room was a famous quilt that the queen made while imprisoned, largely crafted from swatches of her own wardrobe. It details happy moments in her life and the lives of the Hawaiian people, celebrating the history and culture of Hawaii (see picture above). During this portion of the tour I came to see how the imprisonment and humiliation of the last of Hawaii's royalty at the hands of the United States government could be a cause of the anti-American sentiment that I sometimes feel on the island, despite it being a part of the U.S. So often when I am here I feel as though I am in a foreign country and not on U.S. soil. One hundred years after the overthrow, President Clinton signed a Congressional resolution (Public Law 103-150 ) in which the United States government formally apologized to the Native Hawaiian people (www.iolanipalace.org).

Emerging from the Iolani Palace, I took a transfer bus to Waikiki, where I wandered dazedly around the commercial resort that TheBus had dropped me off at before stumbling out into the street and finding my way toward the quieter Waikiki Beach Walk area. I sought refreshment in a glass of iced lemon mint tea before parousing the local shops which, as I continued down the street, gave way to large designer stores like Coach, Louis Vittone, and Gucci (which I walked past). I purchased a really pretty hand-died skirt and scarf at a local shop, ate lunch at a mom and pop sushi shop (more poke!), then jumped back on TheBus to Kaneohe to meet Derrick and Janine for dinner.

Start of Waikiki Beach Walk

Janine and Derrick being silly at the O Club

At Derrick's suggestion we headed over to the Marine Base where he works for dinner and drinks at the "O Club", the Officer's Club on base that is only accessible to those ranked officers and above. Every time I go on base with Janine, whether it be here or in Jacksonville, I am intrigued to observe the practices of what appears, to me, to be a culture completely separate from civilian cultures. Janine is saluted when she shows her military ID card at the entrance to the base, and the base itself is a little self-sufficient community, complete with elaborate housing, playgrounds, shopping centers, and aircraft. I cannot go on base without Derrick or Janine - we go there ~ 3 times a week - and we would not have been able to eat at the O Club had Derrick not been a junior Lieutenant.That being said, I had an absolutely wonderful night with my friends. We ordered pupus (appetizers), sampled adult beverages, and talked. I met some of the Navy wives that Janine associates with, and we drove home singing old songs that I'd thought had faded from my memory long ago. It was a rare night when we were all home at the same time, available, and really sensing the short amount of time that we all have together before Derrick deploys next week.

Days 7 & 8: Beach & Reflection

Lanikai Beach

Not much to report these past two days. I've been going to the beach, relaxing, and catching up on some reading. Every trip needs some down time, I suppose, and part of the purpose of this trip is to unwind from what has been a draining and full year. I recently discovered a beautiful beach ~5 miles away from Janine & Derrick's House, Lanikai Beach, where I am finally starting to lose my deathly pallor in favor of a slightly less dramatic shade of white. I've been taking the bus or walking there, setting up a blanket and napping, snorkeling, or listening to other peoples' conversations. It's an excellent exercise in doing next to nothing, which is a skill that I have yet to fully develop. Maybe the "Island Way" will catch up with me as my stay progresses and I'll find myself, like so many people around me, working the phrase "no worries" into my vocabulary.

Today I am thinking about my mom, who had yet another surgery on her spine this morning to fix a broken vertebrata. I hope she is doing well and that she recovers quickly. She deserves a vacation like this one, where she can relax on the beach, feel comfortable, and escape from pain for a while. My wish is that some day, when this is all over, she and I can take a trip somewhere together and enjoy each others' company free from physical restrictions and doctors. Please send kind thoughts and love her way in the coming weeks.

In thinking about the important relationships in my life, I realize that I owe one particular loved friend an apology for the craziness that this past year has brought out in me. Through all of the changes, bad news, trying times, and late nights of the past year, one person has consistently been present in my life and for that I am grateful. We may not always see eye to eye, but this friend has stuck with me through one of the most challenging years of my life, quietly providing stability in a time of chaos. Sometimes it takes distance to realize what it is that is really important to you and, for me, it has helped me appreciate the loyalty and love of this friend. To you, my friend, I give my love, my thanks, and this apology. Please continue to be the wonderful person that you are, and please continue to be patient with me.

Mahalo.

Days 5 & 6: Sea Life Park & Birthday Celebrations

On Sunday Derrick and I headed over to Sea Life Park, where Janine is currently an intern working with the marine life. As a birthday present Janine and Derrick had arranged for me to participate in a Dolphin Encounter, where I got to actually get in the pool and interact with a dolphin! Our star was none other than Kawili Kai, the daughter of the only wholphin known in captivity, Kekaimalu. No, that is not a typo, I did indeed intend to type the word "wholphin", a term that was invented 19 years ago when a six foot dolphin and a 14 foot killer whale produced offspring, a match that was thought to be impossible.  Even more amazingly, Kekaimalu produced offspring of her own (cross-breeds are often sterile). Her calf, Kawili Kai, was the dolphin in our pool. As part of the program I got to give Kawali Kai a command to wave, receive a kiss from her, and ride on her belly, the latter of which I was nervous about but really enjoyed!

FYI: False killer whales are actually members of the dolphin family and unrelated to killer whales. Males can reach 22 feet in length and weigh as much as two tons, while females are smaller, reaching 16 meters in length. In the wild false killer whales often associate with other species of dolphins, particularly bottlenose dolphins. They are found most often in warm temperate and tropical waters around the world. Wholphins are heavier, darker in color, have fewer teeth, and different fin placement than dolphins.

What was arguably even more special than the actual dolphin encounter was the fact that Janine was in the pool with us the entire time helping to run the program, giving commands, and doling out fish to well-behaved participants (namely Kawali Kai). It was so special for me to see Janine at work doing something she loves and is good at! She seemed really at home in the water and with the dolphins. I hope to go to Sea Life Park another day while I am here to observe her at her new internship at the Cove.

New Personal Mantra for my 25th year. Found on the bottom of dessert carton.

For my birthday on Monday, Mom and Dad surprised me with the promise of an island helicopter ride for Janine and I at some point during my stay. This was made more special for me by the fact that Mom and Dad did this same thing on their honeymoon in Kauai and enjoyed it immensely. After a morning run and a dip in the pool, Samantha came to collect me for lunch. We gathered picnic materials (and a few extras) at Whole Foods, then ventured off to Ho`omaluhia Botanical Garden to enjoy lunch and catch up in the tropical air. Samantha insisted on singing to me (twice) over our shared piece of blueberry cheesecake and gave me an extremely thoughtful present. As we, on average, see one another 2-3 times per year, seeing each other twice in one week was a treat! Later that night Janine, Derrick, and I went for sushi at Tokoname Restaurant in Kailua, and for Kona Coffee and Macadamia Nut Gelato afterward (delicious). My favorites were the Ahi Tuna and Sake (salmon), which were much fresher and less "fishy" tasting than sushi is in WNY. All-in-all, my birthday was a relatively quiet day spent with friends in a beautiful place. Looking forward to what my 25th year has in store for me!
 

Day 4: E Ho Imau Ka Holomoana

Janine and Derrick both had days off of work yesterday, so we planned a drive up the windward side of O'ahu with a few via points in mind. Our first destination was the Byodo-In Temple in Kaneohe, a scale replica of a temple at Uji Japan that was built to commemorate the first Japanese Immigrants to Hawai'i. Interestingly, Byodo-In was built entirely without the use of nails. It is home to Amida, a golden Buddha lacquered in gold as a reflection of the essence of the culture of the Fujiwara aristocracy. The temple and the grounds were serene, the silence was only broken by the tolling of the five foot high, three ton brass bell (bon-sho) that was available for visitors to toll upon their arrival to the grounds. The tone of the bell is thought to create an atmosphere of tranquility for meditation and is customarily rung before entering the temple to spread the teachings of Buddha. Upon entering the temple, we removed our shoes and lit a stick of incense to show respect. All around the temple were bamboo forests, rock gardens, and hordes of Koi. I have never seen so many Koi fish in one place before, especially when the promise of food is near. The normally majestic fish flopped and thrashed on top of one another, mouths gaping, in an effort to feed (see pictures below).

Upon leaving the temple, we continued up the coast to a Macadamia Nut Outlet, where we sampled Macadamia nuts in dozens of forms and flavors - coffee, lotion, oil, accessories, Kona-coated, onion-coated, glazed, popcorn, chocolate covered... etc. My favorite part of this experience was a spot out back where you could try your hand at cracking open a macadamia nut shell with a rock (simple pleasures).  The ground was littered with shells and roosters openly walked about searching for scraps among the crunchy carcasses. I managed to remove the husk of my macadamia nut, then squish it flat in an effort to get it out of its shell - too much power, not enough finesse, but Janine was rather successful in getting hers out in one piece, as was the little boy next to her who determinedly smashed macadamia nut after macadamia nut to get at the white nuts inside.

Continuing up the coast, our eyes peeled for pickled mango stands, we stopped off at Kualoa Regional Beach Park to see Mokolii, also known among locals as Chinaman’s Hat because of its resemblance to peasants hats worn in rural China. Apparently, at low tide, you can walk over to the island and explore. We walked up the shoreline briefly, then jumped back in our car in search of other adventures.

Derrick, Janine, and me in front of Chinaman's Hat

Pickled Mango from a local market

We spotted a local gathering of food trucks (which are very popular in Hawai'i) and tents from the road and pulled over to explore. Here we finally found some pickled mango, which we all tasted for the first time with mixed opinions. They were sweet and sour with a tangy juice and a crunch that is normally unexpected in a mango. The main ingredients are vinegar, sugar, salt, and green mangoes, although there are many variations on that recipe, some of which include red food coloring, li hing mui, five spice, and sugar and salt plum preserve.

Lunch break at Turtle Bay Resort

Around 1pm we approached Turtle Bay Resort, a resort on the north end of the North Shore where Janine had stayed with her choir in high school.We set up shop under a tree, as the mid-day sun was especially aggressive, and ate lunch, followed by pina coladas and poke at the bar. The beach was relatively empty, although it had public access, and we enjoyed the pleasures of the beach without the hassle of crowds and wailing children kicking sand about. As I was the only one with a bathing suit, I splashed about by myself in the water for a while, scaring myself by kicking up sand and thinking a small marine animal was hunting me.

Shave Ice on the North Shore

Lastly, we visited Matsumoto's in Haleiwa for Shave Ice, a treat that I had not yet tried. We stood in a 20 minute line and chose from a  menu that offered Adzuki Beans, Condensed Milk, Grean Tea Syrup, and Ice Cream as add-ons to shave ice. I was not feeling quite that adventurous, so I ordered a traditional Tropical blend - Guava, Papaya, Pineapple. It was delicious, but a little too sweet for my taste. On the way home we drove by the Dole Plantation, which I hope to visit with Alicia when she comes. Hopefully I'll make it back to the North Shore next week to visit Samantha while she's still in the state!

Day 3: Snorkeling

As today began Janine's weekend, I was extremely excited to be able to spend the entire day with her. To my delight we broke out the snorkeling gear and took a drive to Hamauna Bay Nature Preserve a breathtakingly beautiful bay that is home to large populations of endemic marine life. After a brief educational video instructing us to "look but not touch," we hiked down to the bay and got in the water. As the last time that I'd used a snorkel was 18 years ago in my grandmother's in-ground pool, Janine gave me a quick (and very valuable) lesson on how to breathe and swim while using the snorkeling equipment, then threw me to the sharks (horray for metaphors!). It took some time to get used to breathing through a snorkel for extended periods of time. Eventually I succeeded in taking long, full breaths to avoid hyperventilating. Every 15 minutes or so my face mask would fill up with a few inches of water and I would have to find a sandy clearing (you're not supposed to walk on or touch the reef) to stop and adjust.

In some parts of the bay the reef was so shallow that my body scraped the reef. In these moments I would panic and flash back to the extensive list of dangerous sea urchins that I'd scanned moments before getting in the water, expecting one to launch out of the reef and spear me as I touched its home. At one point the combination of shallow reef and a high surf advisory left me beached - like a whale - on a reef. I had to gently claw my way back into the water, cringing at the thought that my physical contact with the reef was killing it. Janine and I snorkeled hand-in-hand at times (like otters) to stay together. Most notable among the marine life we viewed was a sea turtle munching on something near a patch of reef. As I hadn't thought to purchase an underwater camera, I took pictures of the educational signs at the entrance to the bay of the species we saw in the water (below).

On our way back from Hanauma Bay, we stopped at the Halona Blowhole, a rock formation that shoots sea spray from the Pacific Ocean high into the air like a geyser. As it was a windy day and the tide was high, the Blowhole was very active, causing one little girl to screech in fear as water shot upward from the cave below to a height of at least 30 feet.

Halona Blowhole Footage

We ended our afternoon adventure with acai bowls (acai na tigela) - a local treat made from the mashed and frozen fruit of the acai palm, blended into a smoothie-like-consistency, and topped with bananas, strawberries, granola, honey, and other toppings of choice. Mine had pineapple and toasted coconut on top. I wonder if we can make a homemade version of this (Zac Bittner/Kate Cragg)?

Left: Traditional + blueberries & strawberries, Right: Colada

Day 2: Flat tires & Kailua Beach

The six hour time difference is still wreaking havoc on my sleep schedule... Woke up too late today and felt sort of sluggish, so I hit the kitchen for breakfast and ended up staying there for the first part of the morning. I managed to churn out sloppy joes (for dinner later that night), a roasted red pepper and zucchini quiche, and GFree cream puffs before noon, when I grabbed Janine's bike and began a long journey to the beach. I am determined to be a good house guest for the duration of my stay and have decided to use my culinary skills to win over my host and hostess - it seems to be working (perhaps a little too well) so far!

Roasted Red Pepper and Zucchini Quiche & GFree Cream Puff Shells

Below is the route that I ended up taking (with a pit stop at Whole Foods on the way back). Had to walk the bike for the first 1.4 miles as the tires were mostly flat. After filling up at a gas station, I rode the remaining 2.6 miles to Kailua Beach. The ride was rough, partly given that the tires didn't seem to want to hold retain any of the air I'd forced into them, and partly because the "shoulder" on the side of the road was about six inches wide, causing constant spikes in my adrenaline level as cars whizzed past. I was definitely sweaty by the time I got to the beach and was happy to submerge myself in the salty waters of the Pacific Ocean.

Bike route taken

Kailua Beach is located on Kailua Bay, South of Janine's home. The water was a teal hue that I've only seen in Capri, Italy, so far, and warm. None of that stick-one toe-in to check or walk-slowly-into-the-water-to-get-used-to-it nonsense. Nope. I spent a few minutes lounging on the soft white sand before the swell of the waves called to me and I abandoned my belongings on the beach for the warm comfort of the ocean. There were no rocks, no pests, no algae, no visible pollution (cough-ahem-Charlotte Beach). For lack of anyone to talk to or anything constructive to do in the water, I bobbed with the waves for a little over an hour, striking up conversations with fellow wave-bobbers (as I will now call them) and exchanging travel stories. When my fingers and toes started to resemble raisins, I begrudgingly floated back to shore, where a group of school-aged kids were setting up for crew practice.

Youth preparing for crew practice

View from my towel as I applied SPF 70

As I left, stopped to watch a slew of kiteboarders drifting and flipping about further out on the beach. For those of you who do not know what kiteboarding is, check out this video. Watching the tiny specs of people give themselves over to the waves and the wind both excited me and made me intensely fearful, the latter of which I am convinced to overcome. I must try it. Lessons seem to be fairly expensive, but I would rather try this than surfing, so perhaps I'll find a way to fund it and just eat coconuts and spam for a while, or something.

Image courtesy of www.kitedrive.com

Day 1: Honolulu, TheBus, and Poke

Despite not sleeping for 24 hours, I sat straight up in bed at 3:30am (9:30EST) yesterday, wide awake and ready to explore. As none of the other members of the Ransom household (including the dog) felt the same, I strapped on my running shoes and went for an ambling jog around the neighborhood. Janine and Derrick live ~5 mins from the Navy Base in Kaneohe and close to Kaneohe Bay. My jog was relatively quiet, occasionally the silence would be permeated by a car or the wind. Around 4:30am a cacophony of birds erupted in competitive song. I saw a few runners on the other side of a chain link fence running on government property. By the end, it was about 82 degrees F and I was dripping with sweat (more from the heat than from my mild workout). Upon returning home Janine and I jumped in her community pool. Samantha refers to this morning routine as the "Hawaii life", it seems to suit me well!

Morning jog looking out over the bay

 After a quick shower I attempted to board Hawaii's notoriously unreliable bus system, simply known as TheBus. Having made plans to Samantha in Honolulu at 10:45am, I marched out to the bus stop in spf 55 and waited patiently for 30 minutes. The bus did come, but, unfortunately, I was standing on the wrong side of the street and it blew past me without slowing, leaving me foolishly waving after it. An hour later I caught the bus from the correct side of the street and began the 52 minute commute through winding mountains and tunnels to Hawaii's most popular tourist location. I tried to blend in on TheBus, but this was made difficult by the fact that my jaw kept hitting the floor in awe of the gorgeous and unexpected snapshots of Hawaii's coastline at every bend in the road.

View from the bus stop outside Janine's house

After successfully navigating TheBus system, I journeyed toward Ala Moana Center and my beloved Samantha. Ala Moana is a huge open air shopping center in downtown Honolulu. I wandered about what i thought were the streets of Honolulu looking for the center for about 10 minutes before I realized that I was actually IN IT already... Eventually Samantha and I found one another in front of the 2nd floor Apple Store and greeted one another with a running hug. We walked around the center, caught up over lunch, and made plans to explore together on my birthday before she dropped me back off at my hostess' house.

Ala Moana Center (image courtesy of gohawaii.about.com)

Janine wasn't feeling very well, as she had a bad cold, but we made our way briefly over to the base when I got home to pick up dinner and try to spot Derrick flying a P3. We selected poke for dinner, a local Hawaiian dish that Janine promised I would love, and Janine made me practice driving her car (manual) back to the apartment from base. This was only a relatively painful experience thanks to Rochester friend Will Fisher, who gave me a few lessons in advance of my trip (Thanks Will! Janine said I was great and no one died when I went in reverse!). Modern poke traditionally consists of cubed 'ahi sashimi, sea salt, soy sauce, inamona, sesame oil, seaweed, and chopped chili pepper. We served it over brown rice with a siracha mayo and I loved it so much that I almost ate Derrick's portion in his absence. I was unsuccessful in convincing Janine that we should eat it every day, as of now we have settled on a once-a-week compromise.

Tuna Poke (image courtesy of skinnyfoodielife.tumblr.com)

Aloha e Komo Mai Hawai'i

Eighteen hours of travel ended with my hostess placing a lei around my neck and driving off into the steamy Hawaiian air. As promised, the breeze that hit me as I walked from baggage claim into the open air was balmy and tropical, demanding that I shed the protective layers of clothing that now hung limp on me from hours of belabored travel. In response to the sheen of sweat that instantly covered my face Janine promised that my body would eventually acclimate to the heat. I bid farewell to my new friend from the plane and sped off with my best friend into the island air.

The drive from Honolulu to Janine & Derrick's home in Kaneohe revealed a lush terrain with mountains towering in all directions, tops obscured by fog, palm trees swaying, and blinding glints of the Pacific ocean at most bends in the road. I couldn't stop asking questions and forcing Janine to pronounce signs for me (she was very good-natured about it). When we got to her house, we stowed my stuff and went for a walk with Tristan, where Janine warned me about giant poisonous centipedes (?!?!?!), giant slugs & snails, and feral cats. Later that evening, we ate a light dinner and went to Whole Foods to stock the fridge with fruits and veggies, where I witnessed the food price inflation I'd been warned of. A quick stop for a cold treat and we crashed for the night back at the house, where I saw Derrick for the first time since arriving, as he is working long days preparing for his deployment on the 28th. By 8:30pm my was body screaming at me for not being able to nap at all on the multiple plane rides to the island.

First view of the Big Island from the plane. I originally thought it was just a ring of clouds.