You'll make good shark bait, Haole!

I likes to jump.


Mikey likes to weed-whack.

After being sick for four days with what I think was either food poisoning, the flu, a stomach virus or bug spray poisoning, I'm finally feeling like myself again. So nothing eventful happened this weekend unless you count me watching Revenge of the Nerds and puking my guts out.

Last weekend however was a blast. Michael and I finally rented a car, which is imperative if you want to get around this big crazy island. We drove up to some beaches in Kohala. Supposedly some of the most classically beautiful Hawaiian beaches on this island. We first went to Hapuna Beach, where I have never seen such clear water. Would be perfect for snorkeling except there weren't any fish to look at. The sand was amazing, too, it was so fine it just melts right under your feet. Afterwards we went to the Mauna Kea Beach, which was similarly gorgeous, and I did a lot of cartwheels in front of the sunset. At night, we went back to the Kona Brewery; I think we are becoming regulars.



I'm so glad we rented a car because we had no idea how strange the landscape is here. It's rocky and grassy and beach-y and mountain-y all at the same time. Kind of looks like we're in the desert and on the moon and in paradise at the same time. No light pollution, so it's nearly pitch black at night driving down the highway and sorta creepy.



Our crazy host lady is leaving on a trip in a few days and thank God!!! So I think we and the other two "wwoofers" are getting fireworks for 4th of July and having a good old-fashioned Edward 40-hands party.

- Jillerakukinawa

P.S. Apparently white is the minority here, and I am a called a "haole." When I looked up the definition, it means "one without any sensitivity or feelings whatsoever." Ouch. Harsh.

Trip to Kona

We finally figured out the bus routes and spent our days off in Kailua-Kona this weekend. Found a restaurant called Bubba Gump Shrimp or something-or-other. Apparently it's a restaurant based on the movie. Pretty decent pina coladas. Pretty cheesy idea for an eatery.



We went to the beach, which was made mostly of lava rock, and watched a crazy lady drinking coffee and talking to the ocean. Wondered how a crazy lady goes about ordering a coffee at Starbucks.




We got lots of tasty beers at Kona Brewing Co. They have a Hefeweizen that has a banana flavor ... Shizam!

Our last night we found the divey-est karaoke bar, where old people who were drunk by 8:00 PM sang traditional Hawaiian songs. And one out-of-towner butchered Bon Jovi songs (if that's even possible). There we met an old toothless man named Terry who kept writing us notes and predicting our futures, which was really creepy and very uncanny. We think he may be a ghost and our guardian angel. He wrote us out directions to this one beach that's supposed to be completely secluded and beautiful. "Whatever you do, make sure you take a camera," he insisted. He kept insisting this.

Back to farm work and watching fuzzy television and drinking beers and walking one mile to the Mexican restaurant and being in bed by 11:00 PM ...

Rainbow Plantation

It's our fourth day here on the farm! Our hosts, a very nice older German couple, put us in one of the guest cabins (pictured above) instead of the usual workers' quarters, which was a pleasant surprise. We have our own little outdoor kitchen and are living in the middle of all this lush, jungle-like vegetation, surrounded by peacocks and crazy-looking chickens. It's beautiful and peaceful. And there is a beached boat that has been turned into a guest room, I posted a pic above.

We start work at 7:15 in the mornings and get off after noon. Michael's mostly been weed-whacking. I've been cleaning the kitchens, sweeping, mopping, vacuuming, raking, painting, etc. And sneaking off to chug beers when I get bored.

We are pretty much in the middle of nowhere. We walked into "town" the other day. I think there is maybe one bar and we are determined to find it.

Yesterday we hitchhiked down to the Kealakekua Bay and went snorkeling. It's supposed to be the best snorkeling spot on the island. The water was so clear, and I think I got over my phobia of fish. I was afraid we were going to have to hike the 4-miles uphill on the way back but a lady and her car finally saved us.



We explored around the farm taking photos today, which I am posting here. The place is pretty much what I had expected and maybe a bit more. One surprising thing, however, that I was informed of when Marianna (our host) picked us up from the airport, is that she and her husband are going through a divorce. Apparently, she recently found out that her husband's frequent trips to Thailand aren't so innocent ... he's got a Thai girlfriend and she love him long time ...

I found out "mahalo" means "thank you,"
Jill

Last Night in Tourist Trap

We went to the Honolulu Zoo, which wasn't very big or impressive but still nice. Lots and lots of exotic birds.

Then we ate a healthy, Hawaiian buffet which was so awesome I'm still having dreams about it.

We decided to do a touristy sunset sail because there was an open bar on the boat. We thought the drinks would be weak but actually got pretty shit-faced off the POG (pineapple, orange, guava) cocktail and jumped into a pool with our clothes on inside a really ritzy hotel on the walk back. We actually got to swim for quite a while before someone noticed I was wearing a dress and that we weren't guests.



Now we've arrived at the Rainbow Plantation on the Big Island. Details to come ...

On the Beach

First day on the beach:
I got sunburned.
I tried my first Mai Tai.
I caught an unsuspecting man getting attacked by the tide on video below.

Waikiki

So after a long plane ride (Chocolat was the in-flight movie), and only one person asking us, "You guys are on your honeymoon, aren't you?," we arrived in Honolulu, very jet-lagged and hungry. We checked into our hostel, which is actually a pretty neat place and in a perfect location right near the beach. We ran out into the city to grab some of the shittiest lasagna I've ever tasted and watch the prostitutes walk up and down the sidewalks. I must say, I have never seen prostitutes quite as beautiful as they are here. Only 10 PM and they, alongside their pimps, were not at all trying to be subtle. I hadn't heard anything about hookers in Honolulu, I'll have to look into this matter further.

We are heading to Waikiki beach in an hour, to chill on the sand and go in search of a fruity, alcoholic drink with some sort of paper umbrella or plastic monkey hanging on the rim.

Mahalo,
Jill

P.S. I don't even know what "mahalo" means yet.