Take My Word for It

There is so much to tell you about the island of Oahu and Honolulu but I don’t know where to start so you’ll just have to trust me on these random thoughts as I have no pictures to share this time!

Space is at a premium but what is the population of Honolulu? Great question with several answers. For the incorporated city of Honolulu the population is around 371,657. For the city and county you are looking at closer to 909,863. Then there’s Oahu and Waikiki. I’ll let you Google those. Let’s just leave it with this fact: Oahu is the most populous of the islands in the State of Hawaii.

Space cost money! If you want to live in the heart of everything you want to live in Waikiki, but it will cost you. Don’t expect to see green grass everywhere and don’t expect to hear lots of horns honking. Waikiki is full of high rise buildings and landlords who want to charge a premium for their unit. And people are willing to pay it! In Hawaii you don’t honk your horn. You are supposed to be relaxed and enjoying the island and go with the flow.

The streets or infrastructure had no thought put into it. I’m serious! One street can change names 4 times and there may only be two signs telling you the street name! Some street corners lack a street sign period! Put this together with tons of one way streets and the inability to make U turns and it could take you awhile getting someplace!

Can I buy a consonant? Yes, you read that right. The Hawaii alphabet is made up of 5 vowels and 7 consonants and consonants can’t touch each other! Don’t believe me? Try these common street names that I’ve come to know and love:
     Kapiolani Boulevard
     Kalakaua Avenue
     Kamehameha Highway
And they don’t all start with a K (although they are my favorite):
     Ala Wai Boulevard
     Beretania Street
     Halekauwila Street
     Ala Moana Street
     Ewa Street (the w is pronounced as a V)
Then there are the one’s that make me feel at home:
     King Street
     Paula Drive
     Fletcher Avenue
     Main Street

Some of the roads here rival I-70 through Missouri. Rough! Although it may not seem as rough since the speed limit doesn’t go above 60 mph and that stretch is only about 2 miles in length! Most of the speed limit signs on the high ways I have been on max out at 50 mph! But they are in desperate need of repair!

It rains just about every day; or it has in the past 3 weeks! Luckily if it rains in Waikiki it only lasts a few minutes and it’s a very light, light rain. It rained most of Easter but that was inland and closer to the mountains. It got heavy a few times but for the most part it’s a light mist and I haven’t heard thunder or seen lightning.

The entire island of Oahu is not a tropical paradise. It might be a paradise but not tropical. One weekend I took a drive towards the North Shore but only went about 20 miles and hit terrain that reminded me of a desert. It was very dry, mostly dirt with not much greenery. There is a rain forest on the island but it still isn’t as green or as humid as San Juan.

Sam’s is upstairs and Wal-Mart is downstairs. I’m not kidding! The two stores share one complex and Sam’s is upstairs. The parking garage is four levels and luckily there are elevators. I’d say the selection at Sam’s is about 75% of the one in West Wichita but the Wal-Mart I would guess to be about 50% of what I am use to. I definitely can’t do all my shopping in one place now. And I’m still not use to seeing wine and hard liquor sold in regular grocery stores.

The water tastes good but don’t drink the salt water! I actually don’t mind the taste of the water out of the faucet here. It tastes very fresh and clean and doesn’t taste of chlorine. I still refrigerate my water because I like it cold but I’m saving money on bottled water and water filters!

You can’t drive up to a store, park, run in, pick up a few items and leave. Shopping here involves either walking to the store or driving around looking for a parking spot. I spent way too much time trying to find a parking spot during a recent trip to the Ala Moana Shopping Center. This place is huge! 4 stories of shops and restaurants and parking to match. I only spent 3 hours there and this only involved 3 stores and lunch! I miss the shopping strips back home! What I’d give for an Eastgate Shopping Center right now!

One last thought…there is no Kohl’s, Olive Garden, Slumberland, Quik Trip, Timberline Steakhouse or Mr. Goodcents in Oahu. And I miss Cherry &-Up!

Am I a College Freshman Again?

I started my day in Kansas during a winter storm warning on the first day of spring and ended my day in the tropical paradise of Hawaii with high surf warnings.  Can one day get anymore extreme than that?

My flight from Wichita boarded on time but due to the snow and ice we sat on the tarmac for about 45 mintues while the plane was de-iced before we could take off.  Needless to say we landed in Houston about an hour late and I had 10 minutes to get to my conecting flight.  Now if anyone knows me, you know I am currently out of shape and not known for running!  But I made it to my connecting flight just in time!  As I was huffing and puffing and trying to walk as fast as I could I kept hearing my name on the speaker system: "Would passenger Fletcher please join us at gate 4 for the flight to Honolulu."  I pannicked and tried to run faster.  Luckily the agents at the gate knew my plane had just arrived and were holding the plane as long as they could.  I was the last to board but did find places for my luggage on the 100% full flight!

The 8 hour and 45 minute flight went well.  I got to watch a favorite movie, The Blindside, 3 times!  I highly recommend flying Continental airlines! They were very friendly and even fed us 2 meals and a snack without asking for more money!  I landed in Honolulu at about 2:00 pm and began the journey to my temporary home away from home away from home.  I am in a very nice building that is mostly a hotel with a few rooms that are owned by others who rent them out.  I am on the 16th floor and have a view of the mountains, the ocean and lots of tall buildings.  On the way to my temporary home I stopped at Wal-Mart to buy some basic food to get me through a few days.  I'll tell you about Wal-Mart and Sam's another time, it's very unique!

I am unpacked and trying to get organized.  I feel as if I am a freshman in college again.  I very clearly remember my first week at Emporia State University.  I went a week early so I could go through Rush to meet people and it was the worst week of my life!  I called my Mom at least once a day in tears saying I wanted to come home.  I knew no one and no one was friendly and I hated it and wanted to come home.  My Mom kept telling me it would be okay and I would make friends and everything would be good.  While she was right it was pure torture getting through those first few weeks.  I feel like I am experiencing the same thing now.  I know no one, I am in an unfamiliar place, I am alone and I want to go home and be with my family.  I know the first few weeks will be torture but I am hoping that now, as then, I will get through it and become a better person.  But I will ALWAYS miss my best friend, husband, lover and rock - Brent!

Here are a few pictures of my new location.  Are you jealous?

The small kitchen that includes an apartment size fridge, two burners and a convection oven.  But I have to wash dishes (no dishwasher)!

This is the view from the front door and kitchen.  There is a queen size bed, love seat, table and two chairs.  When you sit on the love seat you sink all the way to the floor so getting out is not very ladylike!

The 42 inch flat panel tv and stereo system.  Perfect for watching the Final Four or Football!!!

One wall is all windows!  There is a small balcony (about 3 feet deep).  Can't do much on the balcony but the views are incredible!

It's rather cloudy up in the mountains this morning but I can see the mountains from the balcony. 

A view of Waikiki beach from the balcony.  Look how clear and beautiful it is!

Just incase you couldn't tell, here is a closer picture of the beach from my room!