Resonant Constellation

This winter break, I continue my tradition of being much further west and south than I usually am. This time, my family is taking a vacation to Hawaii. This is a rather remarkable occurrence, since my mother dislikes long airplane flights. We all, therefore, owe this to Uncle Michael and Aunt Shelly, who were able to convince her with stories of their own trip to Hawaii. In any case, it promises to be a most entertaining time…

Day 0: Travel 12/24/2009
10:44 AM (AZ), 9:44 AM (CA), 7:44 AM (HI)

As I sit here in the spectacular and dazzling Tucson International Airport, slowly forcing some so-called “Mango Chunks,” (these taste…green. Even though they’re yellow…) into my reluctant stomach, I find I actually have some time to collect myself from this morning’s hectic activities. You might say that I woke up at around 9:00 AM to take a shower, and you’d technically be right. However, in reality, I also woke up at 3 AM, 5 AM, and 6 AM during a long and restless night. It seems my upstairs neighbor decided to stomp around his apartment at all hours of the night, then take a shower at 6 AM for no apparent reason. Wonderful.

This horribleness was compounded by a seemingly perpetually sour stomach which started several days ago and simply refuses to abate. The “mangoes” this morning were a bid to settle it, since I seemed to be craving some fruit. Even though these “mangoes” were horrible, I take solace in the fact that soon I will be in a place with some truly excellent fruit. Maybe I’ll get some real mangoes when I get there. The real kicker is that I usually don’t even like mangoes.

While reading through my old Australia Travelogue (written nearly a year ago, which in itself is mind-boggling), I noticed that we flew over Hawaii on our way out, and I mentioned that it was a place which I badly wanted to visit. I would never have guessed that I’d be going there only a year later. I think that I should continue this tradition of flying far to the south-west of where I live next year and visit New Zealand. I can dream, can’t I?

In any case, my friend Doug picked me up around 10 this morning and dropped me off at the airport. After a relatively quick check-in and security process (made only slightly longer by one or two inexperienced travelers and one extremely pushy woman), I came to my usual ‘flying out of Tucson’ gate, A6. For some reason, I always get this one, no matter where I’m going. Being an experienced flyer (I’ve averaged about 7 flights a year for the last four years), I’m always amazed when I hear that grown people are flying for only their first or second time ever (example: my friend Doug has been on an airplane once that he remembers). I don’t think of it as a novel experience anymore-an incredible one, to be sure, but not anything special. I suppose my several trans-oceanic flights make me rather more unique as well. I know very few people (outside the ones who have taken these trips with me) who have flown across both the Pacific and the Atlantic.

So, dear constant reader, that’s where I’ll leave you for now. I’ve got about half an hour before boarding my first plane of the day-a minor flight to LAX before setting off on the real adventure. I’ll next update when something interesting happens.
LJS-11:10 AM (Tucson)

Day 1: Kona-Gravmas
12:30 AM (HI)

Let me just say this in my defense: I would have updated sooner, but my computer was practically dead. In other news, Happy Apple Day, everybody! First, though, I should catch you up.

I last left you in the Tucson International Airport, headed for LAX. The flight was uneventful, if slightly filled with a strange fishy smell. When I arrived at LAX, the usual smog haze on the skyline was surprisingly low, which bade well for our several hour layover. I quickly located my family (whose plane had just docked one gate down from mine), and noted that-poetically-my plane would next be flying to Albuquerque.

Luckily, we happened to be near a relatively good mexican eatery, so we settled down there for lunch. This initiated a period of time which was amazingly uneventful, though my stomach did settle down quite a bit with food. Following this, we located our terminal, and I set about trying to find somewhere to plug in my ailing computer (my dad had checked one of his bags, and as luck would have it, the new, fully charged battery he had brought for me was in that bag). Unfortunately, the only open plug was so over-used that my power cable kept falling out and refused to stay in. Of course, five minutes before boarding the plane, we discovered another power socket.

So we boarded the plane and took off, again without incident. I noted, however, that the 767-300 we were flying in was nowhere near as nice as the 747 we flew to Australia. This fact soon proved itself, as the climate control in the passenger cabin was discovered to be entirely ineffectual. We were in for a hot, sweaty, and stuffy 5.5 hour flight, which made it impossible to sleep. Certain members of the family who were not so used to long flights needed to be fanned periodically to counteract the temperature. My dad and I both agreed-this flight felt longer and was far more taxing than the flight to Australia, even though it was only a third as long!

The in-flight movie was Up!, and though we didn’t buy headphones, I still enjoyed it. I may have enjoyed it more than some people with headphones, actually, because I got to fill in my own dialogue and storyline. I must remember to watch more movies without the sound on-it is a fascinating exercise.

We did eventually arrive in Honolulu, a bit worse for the wear, and we took a shuttle bus across the airport to the inter-island terminal. I immediately noticed that the air was denser than I’m used to. It is sodden and heavy, which sounds much worse than it actually is. The humidity isn’t that intrusive-it’s just another causal reminder that you’re right next to the ocean. We took another plane on a very quick hop across the islands to Hawai’i itself-the big island, and landed in a tiny terminal which really reminds me of a weird cross between Burbank Airport in Los Angeles, and the Alice Springs Airport in Northern Territories, Australia. It is a bit different that both though-as far as I could tell, it was entirely open air. We walked directly outside, picked up our bags, then headed straight for the rental car place. A few minutes later, we drove away in a typical midsized rental car.

By the time we had landed in Honolulu, it was entirely dark, and in Kona it was no different. I had fun reading off the streetsigns and mangling the pronunciation of the local names-things like Wa’aki’kilualu’alopoko and Hiluikapo’oapoae or some such suitably ridiculous spellings.To the right of the car, the few lights I could see would suddenly end, demarcating the coast. We turned slightly, and I caught a sight I think I will never forget. The yellow half moon was at about 40 degrees in the sky, and cast a shimmering sheen across the ocean, leading directly to the horizon. I wish I could have gotten a picture of it, but I think the mental image will probably stay with me for quite a while.

When we arrived at our rented condo, things seemed to keep improving. Not only is the place amazing inside, we have a deck which must be no more than 100 meters from the bay. Sitting outside, stargazing, and watching (and especially listening to) the breakers roll in in the dim light of torches across the bay is simply stunning. I have no words for it now, so I think I’ll stop and say just this:

Merry Christmas.

LJS-1:00 AM (HI)

8:30 PM (HI)
Today has been a relatively quiet day, though we did get our first look at the island in sunlight. It is truly amazing-every picture you see of Hawaii is entirely correct-these are not staged nor rare-it seems that the entire island looks like this. I probably spent an hour just watching the waves crash into the rocky beach in the small bay next from our deck. There is something about the ocean that is entirely hypnotizing.

We went for dinner at a wonderful restaurant just up the coast, and had seats right at the water’s edge. Periodically through the meal (which was excellent), large waves would crash into the rocks below us and shower us with sea mist. We watched an incredible sunset over the western pacific. The golden-red sunlight reflecting off of the water, the light blue of the foam, and the sea-green of the ocean contrasted perfectly. I’m still kicking myself for leaving my camera in the condo.

Eventually, the sun went down and we finished dinner. I had a coffee with desert, and it turned out to be one of the best cups of coffee I have ever had (french press 100% Kona coffee, which I’m sure was completely fresh). I’m going to have to bring some back.

And now we’re watching Mythbusters on TV before bed. Tomorrow we’re taking a submarine ride and going to a Luau. I, personally, can’t wait.
LJS-8:40 PM (HI)

Day 2: Kona-Submarine & Luau
11:30 PM (HI)
Today was a big day. Perhaps the best way to put it would be to say this: I took more pictures today on my digital camera than I ever have before in a single day (~530 total). I’d say that 60% of these photos are not really all that great for one reason or another. Perhaps 35% are okay pictures, though, and 5% are very good. One or two are actually great pictures, which is always encouraging-getting even a few right is always good.

We started the day by heading to the large harbor to the north for our submarine ride. We were very early, and consequently had quite some time to wait around. This we spent watching the ocean and surmising on the possible presence of sharks (which my dad hates). When the guides arrived, they told us that they only saw a shark maybe once every month which set my dad at ease, but slightly disappointed me. We were soon on the short ferry ride over to our little submarine, and after a five minute ride, boarded the undersea craft.

Immediately when we got underwater, everything turned blue. As we dove deeper, this simply intensified, and at about 60 feet under we basically lost the color red. Throughout the entire trip, we were followed by many Sergeant Majors (a small black and white striped fish which apparently like submarines), and while down on the sea floor, we saw approximately seven species of fish by my count including surgeonfish, yellow tang, pufferfish, and at least one eel. These were all most common among the several shipwrecks we passed.

We eventually got down to 108 feet below the surface, which is apparently a depth which only 0.5% of humans ever experience. It is indeed rather odd-everything turns blue. I was, in fact, rather surprised that we could see much at all down there. There was considerable particulate matter in the water which created a haze and made it impossible to see much further out than 10 or 15 feet. When we surfaced, I found myself wishing that we could have stayed below for hours–this ride felt like only a small taste of the ocean, one I enjoyed quite a lot.

Back on shore, we made our way back to the submarine headquarters, where I found and purchased a small plush submarine called “subbie.” I was particularly drawn to subbie for two reasons: first, he has an entirely dopey expression and weird googly eyes, which, though subbie is an inanimate object, I find strangely endearing. Secondly, “subbie,” or more accurate, “subby,” is a term used in the forums of my favorite online news aggregator, Fark to refer to the submitters of articles. Subby can be either a term of endearment or a pejorative depending on the context, and in Fark, it is typically used to berate the submitter for a mistake in the headline, a weak joke, or simply an inane article. Couple this with the aforementioned dopey expression, and you begin to see how I was drawn to subbie.

We then drove up the coast to see if a seahorse farm we had heard of was open. Unfortunately it wasn’t, so we drove back to a picturesque lava beach where we had seen large waves breaking earlier. In exploring this beach, I found several fascinating little black crabs, which scurried across the rocks and seemed to battle each other before getting swamped by the incoming surf.

I also found a tiny little crab in a tiny shell, scuttling along a small crack in the lava which was half filled with water. He was a dark red with bright white bands across the legs, and each time we reached down to get a better look at him, he withdrew into the shell and wedged himself into a crack. Eventually, the tiny little crab disappeared deeper into the water, and we moved on to watching the waves crash in over the rocks. A small tide pool housed several small brown fishes of indeterminate type. After an hour or two of exploring this incredible beach, we left to look for our Luau.

We eventually found it, and went in to wait to be seated. Like nearly everything in Hawaii, the Luau was held outside. We watched a slightly kitschy Hawaiian/Jazzy band, then followed our hostess towards the cooking pits to watch the meat being extracted and prepared for our consumption. We soon got into line with large plates and were set loose on a buffet-style selection of Hawaiian fare. I can hardly describe the food except to say that it was delicious, though all agreed that the beef was exquisite.

The best and most interesting part of the night finally began when dinner was cleared away, and the dancers came out. The dancing seemed to alternate between very old traditional dances and the typical touristy style dances you might expect. Whereas the older dances seemed to have a very primal power and intensity, the more modern pieces appeared to be simply put on for the benefit of the tourists-the dancers didn’t seem to be as focused on those. It strikes me that this could describe the entirety of Hawaiian culture. There is a fundamental conflict between the traditional island culture and the culture that has been encroaching because of the rest of the world. I also note that this parallels the Island’s biological development. All I can really say is that I preferred the older dances, the traditional ones. They were eminently fascinating, and genuinely made me want to learn about the history of this culture.

The show ended on a spectacular, if anticipated, note. For their finale, they brought out a firedancer-a guy who lights sharp knives on fire and spins them around at blinding speed. If you haven’t seen a performance like this, it’s really hopeless to try to describe it, so I’ll let a picture do the talking:

And that, essentially, ended our day. Back at the condo, I had a beer on the patio and reviewed the day’s events. Today was busy-full of fascinating events, sights, and new thoughts. Tomorrow promises to be a bit slower, thankfully. Maybe I’ll be able to catch up.
LJS-12:30 AM

Day 4: Mauna Kea, Hilo, and Waterfalls
10:00 PM (HI)
Yesterday was a slow, lazy day, so there’s really no entry, but today was rather busy, so there’s likely to be a lot. Starting out at about 9 AM, our drive to Mauna Kea began easily enough, but we soon encountered a poorly maintained stretch of windy, hilly road that led up to a state park visitor’s center. Soon enough, though, Hawaii’s typical excellent road quality was restored, and our ride became much smoother.

As we progressed into the saddle between the two large volcanoes, Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, we observed intense vog (volcano fog) on the slopes of Mauna Loa. While Mauna Kea is more compact and has more varied terrain, Manua Loa appears to be a perfect shield volcano-straight slopes all the way down to the sea. The sight is rather impressive, and though it doesn’t appear so tall (even though it is at about 500 feet short of being a 14,000 foot peak), the most impressive facet is the sheer extent of the volcano-truly massive.

Our route took us up the slopes of Mauna Kea to the Observatory visitor’s center. Outside, they had set up a 10 inch telescope with a solar filter, and though there are only a few very small sunspots visible at the moment, it still drew quite a crowd. We were informed at the desk inside that our car was likely not up to the trip to the top of the mountain, so we decided to forego the trip and perhaps try it another day. From here, we decided to head to Hilo for lunch and then north to view some waterfalls.

Lunch in Hilo was rather amazing. We found a small family owned thai restaurant that was highly recommended by our guidebook. We ordered several dishes, including an excellent chicken satay, thai fried rice, an amazing spicy green curry, and wonderful noodles with thai basil, but the star of the show, by far, was the cashew chicken. The sauce, we figured out, was a combination of red curry paste and coconut milk, and was as unique as it was amazing. Nearly every time I have thai cuisine, I’m convinced that it’s the best thai I’ve ever had, but this time is going to be hard to equal.

We finally headed for some waterfalls on a quick hike, and discovered amazing scenery along the way along with some peculiar flowers. As usual, I’ll let the photos do most of the talking.

Though our sojourn was short, we nonetheless were rather tired, and several took naps on the way back to the condo. We finished the day with a quick dinner in town, and some laid-back time to relax. All in all, not a bad day.
LJS-10:15 PM

Day 6: Volcano & Area
8:00 PM
Today was another busy day, though we left a little later than hoped. We began our venture heading south towards the southernmost point in the United States. Though we didn’t stop there, we stopped at a restaurant claiming to be the southernmost restaurant in the U.S. The food was adequate, but not stunning.

Along the way, we also passed through Captain Cook, which is a town near the place where the real Captain Cook was killed. Apparently when Hawaii was made a part of the U.S., the Queen gifted the small plot of Captain Cook Death Scene land to the English, though you don’t need your passport to go there. This gives new life to the old saying, “The sun never sets on the British Empire.”

From south point, we headed to Kilauea crater, which has been continuously erupting for several years, though at varying intensity. At the main crater, we saw an enormous sulfurous plume rising from a mysterious hole in the ground, and many side vents periodically turning off and on throughout the whole time we were there. The smell of sulfur was not pervasive, but it certainly was present, and would have been much worse had the plume been blowing towards us (though if it had, we probably wouldn’t have been allowed out of our cars).

Our next stop was the Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Factory further north towards Hilo. This stop was greatly anticipated by all, though it didn’t quite live up to expectations as the factory itself was closed for the holidays, and the self-guided tour suffered immensely from this. We still visited the shop, which I believe is the main attraction, and had some wonderful ice cream outside. The entire day, we had been passing coffee and Mac nut plantations, so seeing one from the inside was interesting, and learning how they worked is even more fascinating.

Content with our visit, we headed back to Kilauea, and took the Chain of Craters road past all of the many lava outlets towards the point where the road becomes…inaccessible. Apparently, this road used to connect all the way through to Hilo, but recent volcanic activity wiped out large sections of it. We were actually able to see the vapor plume a few miles down the coast where the fresh lava was hitting the water, though the park guides wouldn’t let anybody very close to the lava. We stayed out where the lava crossed the road until just before sunset, then headed back to the parking lot where we walked a short ways out to a sea arch. Imagine a black volcanic version of an Arches National Park arch, and you’ve just about got it.

The lava that we walked on was itself fascinating, with strange patterns and folds all over the surface. There were also many large cracks which afforded a view down into passageways the lava could flow through. While walking on it, I was half afraid that I would step on a hollow piece and break through, though I guess there’s no real danger of that.

We started back up from sea level just after sunset, and our drive back through the jungle to the highway was shrouded in a dense fog. The combination of this poor visibility and the jungle itself encroaching upon either side of the road made for a very eerie time, though in reality we were soon out of it. When we got to the highway, I noticed that the reflectors on the roadway were extremely bright in our headlights, and when we had long straightaways or interesting intersection ahead of us, they would light up like a christmas tree or an airport runway.

Then, of course, there’s the matter of the other drivers. I’d say about half seem fine-courteous, relatively skillful, and inoffensive. The other half seem to be the worst kind of jackass driver you always encounter, with perpetual hi-beam headlights, excessive speed, and tailgating reminiscent of New Mexico freeways. They never seem to want to pass, but to force you off the road into a pullout so that they can speed past and honk in annoyance, as if ten over the speed limit is far too slow.

But now we’re almost back in Kona, and though it’s late and I’m tired and sore from being in the car all day, I have to say, it was a wonderful experience. Tomorrow should prove to be just as busy, and let’s hope it’s just as fun.
LJS-8:40 PM