I'm writing this from an airport in Maui, Hawaii, but it doesn't seem real.
None of this seemed real.
The airport I'm in seems so familiar, as if I've been here before. The inside is nearly completely wooden and there's a lone food stand selling pretzels that they take out of a fridge, spray with water, than put in the microwave for a minute. It reminds me of all the time I've spent on the road as both a kid on a bunch of Greyhound buses and my trips as a young adult up and down the east coast. The furthest west I had ever been before this trip was Harrisburg, PA, so 5100 miles away from home is something else.
Almost unreal.
Me and my friends Claire had plans yesterday to rent a car for $40 and head to the North Shore. Well, turns out that, after paying the insurance, it would be just under $80 and, insult to injury, we needed to pay in cash due to a small problem, and would need $100 on top of that just to cover the deposit. We wound up taking a bus to a small beach I can't even remember the name of on the Eastern Coast. The North Short of Oahu, Hawaii would simply have to remain an unexplored mystery.
We caught another bus to Downtown Honolulu and went to a small art/framing store called "Island Art and Gallery". In it was a small collection of pieces by someone who did impressionistic paintings of Volcano's that were simply incredible! They were done by the person who drove the 5 Bus to a small rain-forest on the island that she met. It was simply stunning and beautiful. We walked around Chinatown to the part where I was lost on Sunday (no pun intended) and pointed to the arcade I spent some time at.
Getting back to the room, she went to the pool while I decided to simply take the time and relax one last time in a chair instead. Oh, and I went on a quick trip to Ala Monda Park right outside Waikiki on the longboard!
That night, we went to a small place where we got a Lobster Tail and Steak, fries, and a soda for about $16 each. Ah, island life! Toss in drinking as much Vodka as we could before bed, and a trip to ANOTHER arcade for me, and I was out like a light by... oh, 1:30am! HA!
So, the last day in Hawaii... what to do with about 6 hours?
I decided to creep out the room without waking the roommate and head back to Ala Monda Park. Smart move on my part! I had to walk a bit, but whenever I could (and the Hawaii Five-O wasn't around) I got on the deck and tried to surf the sidewalk. It wasn't much, but the park was simply incredible! Skateboarding was not only legal, but almost encouraged! The rule was simple; respect everyone.
After about an hour, I headed back to the hotel. There, we went to Denny's for breakfast once more (we went the day before, and decided that for $4, an order of pancakes, bacon, and eggs was worth it!), and made sure we were all set for the long, long trip back.
The first flight was great; I got a window seat, free passion fruit juice, and a ride that only took 30 minutes. Hawaiian Airlines had a cheaper checked-bag fee than American Airlines; only $10 per bag instead of $25. We saved $30.
And now I'm sitting in an airport I know I've been in before.
Hiking a massive crater, surfing a wave, walking nearly 200 yards into the Ocean without fear of drowning, skateboarding without getting into trouble... it seemed like a dream, entirely unreal. All the adventures, travels, and people... the lush tropical paradise, the fresh air, the water so clear, the tastes, the smells, the fun, the joy, the pleasures...
I was a man who dreamed only in black and white, a man who simply wished to get away from it all... this trip, in many ways did save me from myself, from all the pain and anger and hatred that was consuming me. I came out of this more relaxed, more understanding, more inspired, and wanting to be a better person for the sake of just that.
The dream is true.
To Hawaii, and everyone out there, I simply say this:
MAHALO, HONOLULU! HOPE TO SEE YOU AGAIN SOON!!!!!
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