To Oz

At the Honolulu airport but this won't be posted until after I've arrived in Sydney, Australia due to not-free internets. These last few days on Oahu have been amazing, but before I delve into my usual summary there are quite a few people who deserve some attention...
First and foremost, Alex, thanks for being the best tour guide/bed & breakfast/chauffeur/concierge/foodie/mom/cousin, and for being so willing and happy to make my visit so wonderful. So many great jokes and food and conversation that I'll always cherish.

Parents-- for financial assistance. And good genes.

Kara-- best wishes for tomorrow! If you're not Kara and not sure what I'm referring to, please don't be a nosy asshole :) Nose + ass = STANK.


Fun fact: I'm flying out at around 12:30 pm on Tuesday in Honolulu. Arriving at around 7:30 pm on Wednesday evening in Sydney. There is a 20-hour time difference. That means a 17-hour time difference from LA, and a 14-hour difference from ATL.

Logistical note: Please don't call or text before July 19, when I'm back in the states. I will invoice you for my international roaming overages if you do.


Now for the re-cap.
Sunday. Aiea Loop Trail mid-morning. Beautiful, 5 mile hike through a more forestey forest than Manoa Falls which was more of a rainforestey forest. Superthanks to my new friend who went with me, after I was no longer willing to shop and Alex was no longer willing to hike.

View of the H-3, built on stilts through the valley
to preserve the mountains in the middle of the island.

Hiking buddy, much taller and more athletic than me,
surrounded by forest vegetation.

Sushi break. No pics, but it was conveyer belt sushi. Constant salivation as food temptations continiously ride by.

In a moment of possibly stupid spontaneity, I decided to go hike Koko head that afternoon. It's known as Oahu's "Stairmaster on Steroids," and it consists of I think 1048 steps that go straight up the side of Koko crater. The steps are the remains of an military old railroad track so the rail ties are uneven, far apart, and slightly rotting. And at one point the ground drops out from under it, leaving an inclined bridge over a ravine.

View looking down, 3/4 of the way through.
Stolen from
http://www.aroundhawaii.com/lifestyle/
around_town/2009-11-koko-head-crater-
trail-hike-natures-stairmaster.html.

View looking up, 3/4 of the way through.
Stolen from the same site.

View from the street. Fairly mild incline until the
death bridge, then death (steeper) stairs the rest of the way.

 No pictures of the progress to the top. I felt like such a little girl, needing to catch my breath more than I care to admit.

View from the top. You can basically see everything on the eastern end of the island.

Other hiking buddy, Sean, who beasted and then hiked it again.

View of Hanauma Bay from the top of Koko crater.

The way down made me appreciate gravity and my meniscal cartilage. I basically hovered one foot over where I wanted to land, then just let myself fall from stair to stair.

And of course, after a decently intense workout day, what better than a seafood buffet? No pictures since I was preoccupied, but I think I had 5 plates of food including a ton of sushi, crab legs, clams, tempura, prime rib, artichoke hearts. Moment of glory was arriving back at the table with my last plate, whining about how full I already was, and proceeding to finish that plate, plus a plate of around 4 dessert selections. Plus watermelon. And green tea. Pretty sure I consumed the amount that a family of 4 would require for basic sustenance :/ Oops.


Monday started with being at the beach at 6 am. Missed sunrise, but the ascent of our favorite star on the quiet beach was beautiful.

Wave-particle duality of light.

This beach is hidden behind a residential area,
with only a small hidden pedestrian path to the water.

 Went back to Pearl Harbor to go to the USS Arizona Memorial, and to play around on some of the displays. Memorial Day win!

On a missile of some sort. It was baking hot. My burning pain is
apparently expressed as carefree bliss... Stupid face.

I like big guns. Holding my hair, it was windy.

On a propeller, in front of a plumeria tree.

On a tree, in front of the USS Bowfin. It's an exhibit, I think.

On a Harpoon Missile.

USS Arizona Memorial. I don't quite understand the architecture.
As Sean says, it looks like a toddler made it and squished it together.
Really serene place though, sitting over the remains of the ship.

Then went to the Lantern Festival, combining Hawaiian, Japanese, and probably other sorts of memorial ceremonies in honor of Memorial Day. They released thousands of glowing lanterns, labeled with names of passed loved ones, into the ocean and they floated like fireflies.

Sunset. Those people are not me.

Ala Moana skyline at dusk.

Lanterns in the water. My camera sucks at night pictures.

I can't believe this was only the first section of my summer adventure. Already so many new experiences, people and perspectives, and constant questioning of everything I've taken to be a truth. Excited for more.
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No time to organize pics or plan captions for my first morning in Sydney, but here's the short version:
Woke up before 6, emailed, showered, ate, and was out by 6:45. Walked through the Royal Botanical Gardens which had amazing birds and bird songs, the plants were less interesting but that's ok. Made it to Mrs Macquarie's Point providing one of two famous views of the Opera House, this one featuring the Harbor Bridge directly behind. Then, cruised around the city (on foot), hitting all of the expected touristey spots in Central Sydney: Parliament House, State Library, Sydney Hospital, Hyde Park, Hyde Park Barracks, St. Mary's Cathedral, NSW Art Gallery. Stopped for lunch at a famous little meat pie stand on Cowper Wharf.
Now I'm off to Sydney Tower, Town Hall, St. Andrew's Cathedral, a free 3-hour walking tour of the city, and the Edinburgh Castle Hotel, featuring $3.7 Carlsberg Schooners (425 mL of beer!) on Thursdays! Yeah I packed my days and yeah I planned them out. Not much of an option when there is so much to do and such limited time! Passed the most amazing grocery store, upset I can't buy all of it. Also, the food here is all SO EXPENSIVE WTF. Thriftiness + walking = I will not get fat.

Best part-- All but one of my morning activities was free! Tourism/culture/government/social consciousness superwin! The one I paid for was the worst :( The Barracks. Meh. So don't pay to go there. At least I had a coupon.