The JOURNEY begins in Hawaii

Sunday 2nd December 2007 – 8:38am

Well, the journey began with a sad good bye to my family and friends. I did a runner down the escalator to customs cause I couldn’t bear the sight of my parents with tears welling up in their faces.

I arrived in Hawaii no problems. But just my luck as I stepped off the transport bus at the hostel it f*cking pissed down with rain. I was drenched, my luggage cloths etc couldn’t get any wetter.

Had a pretty good roomy this time round. She certainly wasn’t up for a party but we had a beer and some dinner down in the lounge our first night in and she seemed kinda cool! Apparently she was on a surf trip. Unka her name was. I wish I had more time in Hawaii to see the beaches etc, but cause I figured we get good beaches at home, I should probably see the sites more than anything. Waikiki was a nice little touristy spot. Costs you two bucks to go anywhere basically on these dodgy buses all around the island. But it takes you forever to get anyway during the day, which I found out quickly.

Caught a bus the first day round the island. Had intended on going to the Polynesian Cultural Centre but after 2-3 hours on a bus to get there, it was already nearly 2pm and figured I’d enjoy the bus ride around the island and it would probably take me another 2-3 hours to get back to Waikiki which I did in peek hour traffic. Probably not the best way to spend my first day in Hawaii but I got to see heaps of the island and the gorgeous scenery, catch up on some Zzzzz’s and it only cost me two bucks. Woo hoo.

I spend my second day at Pearl Harbor. I had a late start cause I was so freaking jet lagged and didn’t get to the Arizona Memorial until about 1pm. I spent about 2-3 hours checking it out and then waited for a bus for another hour. Yep, seems these Hawaii’s are def on Island time. Although it had a lot to do with the fact that Hawaii were playing Washington State in the Football and there were massive massive traffic delays. So along with 30 other people we waited for these bus. It’s amazing when you hear other Australian accents you can strike up a long conversation for hours on end.

I can’t believe these freaking American’s and their football. WTF….?!?! They have these big massive pick up trucks and all sit in the back on their utes on the side of the highway (parked mind you) and sit their and drink beer??? Apparently they call it tailgating here. Even if you’re not going to the game you head to somewhere in and around the stadium and sit in your ute, drink beer and light up a portable BBQ! Soooo cool. Man, if we did that back home we’d all be in jail. Amazing!

Anyway, so I’m hanging our here in the airport waiting for my flight to Vancouver, Canada. 6 hour flight ahead but hopefully it’s not as smaller plane as the flight over. It’s really muggy here in Hawaii, I’m kinda looking forward to the change in weather! More so the snow. Can’t wait to hit the slopes and see some familiar contiki oh and Beenleigh faces. Hahaha… Beck’s in Banff which is where I’m headed for xmas. Apparently she’s rounded up a big crew of aussies and we’re having an all Australian BBQ and back yard snow cricket. Should be fun!