After this adventurous start to the week, we were already excited to see how the rest of the week would unfold on Tuesday. But after another relaxing morning on the lanai and a leisurely breakfast, it was clear that we wanted to resume our trip to the North Coast.
The Kamehameha Highway runs mile after mile along the coast through small towns. From Kane’ohe, we first drove Highway 830 through He’eia and Kahalu’u, then onto the Kamehameha Highway through Waikane, Waiāhole (where my dear friend Mary lives), past the Kualoa Ranch, through Ka’a’awa (where we stayed when we first visited the island in 2019), Punalu’u, and Hau’ula (where the Reimanns live—who doesn’t know them?). In Lāʻie we made a short stop at the Lāʻie Point State Wayside before continuing through Kahuku, Kawela Bay, Pūpūkea to Hale’iwa.
Food trucks have become part of everyday life at home, but in Hawai'i, the whole thing takes on a completely different dimension. You see them occasionally, either individually or in large numbers at popular spots like Hale'iwa. Where several trucks gather, there's usually a parking lot with an attendant. Parking is limited, and sometimes the parking lot is blocked off because all the spaces are occupied at that moment. Then you just drive to the nearest food truck spot, of which there are several in Hale'iwa. We ended up at a food truck serving Thai food and had a delicious lunch that was truly impressive and we both enjoyed it immensely. 😋
Then we headed back to Kane'ohe via the Kamehameha Highway, past Waialua and the Dole Plantation, before heading to Wahiawā and onto Highway 2 toward Pearl City. In short, we drove H2, H1 and H3 and were soon back in Kane’ohe.
We truly had a completely relaxing day, which we thoroughly enjoyed. Every now and then, I kept thinking how different this time is compared to last year. You may remember that we caught a really bad flu on the way there last year and were sick for almost two weeks. After that, it felt like everything had to go at a breakneck pace because we were running out of time. How different it feels this time! ❤
Wednesday = Happy Hump Day! That's what they call Wednesday in America, which we call the halfway point (Bergfest). I received a video of it from my friend Mary and since she had time, we arranged to meet up and set off for Waiāhole in the late morning. The welcome was so warm as we hugged each other that I almost had tears in my eyes. I don't want to dwell on it, as I've talked about it often enough, but she and I, that's always been and will be something special. No question about it! We chatted for a while, talked about what had happened in the past year, and simply enjoyed our time together. We'll definitely be seeing each other several more times in the coming weeks! 😍
Summing up the first few days, I can say that we go to bed really early and are simply exhausted. Still. It takes a while to adjust to this climate. At night, it's 24°C (75°F), and during the day, 28°C to 32°C (82°F to 91°F). The humidity is always high, as there are daily rain showers (even at night). Otherwise, the island wouldn't be as incredibly green as it is. We currently shower twice a day, but that's not unusual either. While there's air conditioning in the apartment, we prefer ceiling fans and open windows, as there's a constant breeze. We feel very comfortable here and enjoy doing nothing. It's a wonderful place with great people and a culture I wish I had at home. 🙏🏼
When we returned from shopping on Wednesday evening, we met Thom, who was busy in his workshop. We chatted for a while, and I told him about my girlfriend and showed him some photos. He made a comment that got me thinking. He asked me if I realized that my friendship with Mary was special by local standards and emphasized that the locals are far from opening up to everyone — especially not to a malihini (foreigner) — and accepting them into their O'hana (family). He said that hadn't happened to him yet, even in 40 years. For me, this friendship has been special from the very beginning, but Thom's remark reminded me once again how special our connection is. Well, that's the way it is with Heike and Hawai'i — it's definitely not a run-of-the-mill story. 💗
Aloha! 🤙🏼
No comments:
Post a Comment