Bubble Wrap

First and foremost, a HUGE thank you to Charlie who basically saved my ass when I retardedly left my laptop charger in LA, and he so kindly mailed it to me in Hawaii.

Excessive bubble wrap = surprise entertainment!

Self-explanatory. Alex thinks he looks particularly welcoming.

I ran up the biggest staircase in the hike.
Yeah, it was paved. Boo. Tourism.

View from the top-- this is why Diamond Head used to be a
military observation station. Panorama win.

Tourism, Hawaii's primary moneymaking industry.
Inside scoop says they're building a Disney on the West side of Oahu.

Azuki shaved ice from Waiola!
I will walk my ass here for more.
...It's less than a mile from Alex's.

Side note-- I am dismayingly disastrous at remembering Hawaiian names/locations. They all sound the same to me so the only way I ever know how to caption my photos is because Alex is an avid Yelper via iPhone, so I check Facebook to know where I was that day. Technology can be so great sometimes.

Also, we are great company, mainly because we are both incapable at resisting tasty food even if we just finished eating. Good thing there are countless hikes around but just in case it isn't enough, I apologize in advance if I return to America as an obese child. If that's the case, I fully expect everyone who actually cares about me to force me to stop being fat by whatever means necessary. And since we're on the topic of my personal wishes, please never let me exist in a vegetative state. It's not living. Pull the plug, or I will haunt you :)

On a brighter note, today's adventures:

At Pearl Harbor/USS Arizona Memorial.
Alex had a job interview which is why he looks so formal.

At Dole Plantation! They are known for growing
and canning pineapples in case you weren't aware.

Pineapple! Spiky! Cute!

Lots of pineapples!

Adorable little surfer kid at Waimea Bay. I bodyboarded a bit.
No cool pictures to show for it.

Adieu.

Chicken Katsu

Day 2: Farmer's Market at Kapi'olani Community College-- tons of fresh, local fruits and flowers. I had a Hawaiian ginger/lemon/basil bubbly drink. Then, beach-hopping with Alex! The timing worked out just right so that he has a ton of time to spend doing tourist-ey, sightseeing-ey things with me.

Random thing that blows my mind every time I see it-- the birds here WALK. Yeah, it's Hawaii, everyone knows it's chill and laid back and no one really seems in a rush... including birds on the freeway who saunter away from cars threatening to squish them. They run fast, but it's still weird to me that they don't just fly.

Myspace pic on my walk back from the
farmer's market. Note pretty flower.

Pink plumeria-- maybe my new favorite flower?
Desert trip and Hawaii have given me a new appreciation
for flora of all sorts. Pretty and unique, even if inedible.

Look at the COLORS!

Wind inflates me. Yes, I live in jerseys.

A rocky but beautiful death awaits.

Waimanalo Beach. Waves are fun!

I have legs.

And feet!

Weiners on Kalama Beach. So adorable!

Weiner family. Note the naked little girl. Oh, hipsters.

Likely going out tonight with some of Alex's friends. Hooray weekend! Then perhaps an outdoorsy adventure day tomorrow-- hiking, surfing, snorkeling, etc. Pearl Harbor/USS Arizona Memorial to come in the next few days too.

Oh, and regarding the name of this post, I felt extremely liberated yet local, eating chicken katsu from L&L in my swimsuit, in a civilized area. Hawaii relaxation win.

For those without facebook:

Chicken Katsu + Coconut Creme Frapp
+ swimsuit = Hawaiian fat kid heaven.

We're like sisters!

In Honolulu with my cousin Alex. He is turning me into a girl. Manicure. Shopping. Enlisting the entire staff at Kate Spade to get me to try on the most colorful sundresses in the store... with matching shoes.

Me with cousin, Alex, who brought me a beautiful,
fragrant tuber rose/carnation lei.

Wai'alae Beach Park, in Kahala area of Oahu.

It is mine.

I don't know why we're squatting.

Dinner! Imported from Gma in Oakland!
Except for the cute baby bok choys.
I contributed by doing dishes.

Day two: Alex's quest to turn me into a girl.
Also, I keep being mistaken for a local. Three separate occasions today. It's pretty great. As in... I'm Asian and tan.
And I got hit on in a Sports Authority, and the guy didn't quite know what to do with himself when I said I was from LA but was interested in hiking/beaches/snorkeling/etc. during my visit. Then offers to do all of those fun, outdoorsy things with me ensued. Fun stuff. Might not be a terrible idea if I can get a free surfing lesson out of it :)

A colorful Kate Spade purse!
Also, a great view of my monster tan line.

Lunch: Gomaichi Ramen! Spicy soy paste-based soup,
tonkatsu, and tatsua age chicken!

His hands are better kept than mine. And the Viet
women kept laughing at my nasty feet and insisting that
I get a pedicure too, which I did NOT.
If anything, they should be grateful that I don't
let them touch my nasty, calloused feet.

 Don't worry, this gender transformation effort won't last long. There are a few cultural/historic events on the list, but the rest is all hiking/outdoorsy stuff. Superfun!

Austin, we have a Felicia.

An extended weekend in Austin, TX after the international trip is confirmed. I'll be there to visit Alex, my ATL-BFF since middle school. Yes, my summer will be surreal. No real person gets to just do/go whatever/wherver the hell they want. I'm fortunate to say the least. And appreciative.

In other Texas-related news, the Mavs continued to dominate in the NBA Playoffs last night. I'd be really happy if they won the championship this year especially considering the impressive manner in which they shredded the Lakers. But really, I'd be satisfied as long as the Heat lose.

Dirk Nowitzki, with 48 points, 12-15 FGs,
and a perfect 24-24 FTs last night.
Oh, and he's 7 feet tall and can shoot 3's. What.

And in other sports news, who the hell scheduled the USC @ Cal Weekender game on a Thursday? And the USC @ CU Boulder game on a Friday? Looks like I'll be back in Tempe, AZ again :)

Oh, and Robert Woods was next to me and Charlie at Armando's today. I always really want to talk to athletes when I see them around, happy that I recognize their faces, but I have nothing to say. Hm. "Oh! You're Robert Woods! You're a great wide receiver who won basically every freshman athletic award as a true freshman starter!" "Uh... Yeah." Yeah, I'll pass on that awkward interaction, and instead just smile knowingly. (Side note: Armando's new beef taquito plate is delicious. 3 crisp beef/potato taquitos with guac, rice, pinto beans, little mound of lettuce and tomatoes. I recommend the salsa verde to accompany. $5. Clutch.)

Leaving for Hawaii tomorrow morning, seeing my cousin Alex there.

Eeek it's actually happening!

Trees with Arms

So, the Salton Sea sucked. Imagine: hot, muggy, still water, hovering stench, dead fish. We did not stay very long, and instead drove back to Joshua Tree through a gorgeous mountain pass for another night. Now we're in Mesa, in metro Phoenix, and went for a 7 mile hike around Usery Mountain and then saw the Saguaro Lake. Pictures ensue.

Salton Sea. Interesting...from a distance.

Amazing mountain pass, back to Joshua Tree.

Moon over rock.

DESERT BUNNY!

Hike at Joshua Tree, Cottonwood Springs, to Mastadon Peak.

View from the top.

Mastadon Peak, from the next peak over.

Desert vegatation. Tall. Red flowers.

Onto Mesa, AZ, part of metropolitan Phoenix.

So many Saguaros!! AZ state tree. Obviously.

We are being Saguaros to avoid blood pooling in our hands.

Lake in the desert.

Saguaro Lake. So pretty and peaceful.

Kara and me. Mountain in the background.

Kara.

Me.

I am a Saguaro. Kara is a rock.

Back to LA tomorrow to rest and prep for the international portion of my summer travels!

Joshua Tree

Camping in Joshua Tree. Captions to come later. Onto Salton Sea!

Me and Kara in the car.

Rocks. Excitement.

Campsite 1

Nightfall. Horizon.

 Climbing on rocks. It was hot out.

The View

Campsite 2

Moon

New friends. Rock climbing.