A Day as a Tourist

On Tuesday Doug had the day off for Veteran's Day. Instead of doing nothing with the day, we decided that it was time for a trip to the Honolulu Zoo. To make our trip even more fun (at least for us) we decided to act as tourists. Here's what we saw:

First up: Elephants!

Doug wants to go play

So he can read...

I think he is beginning to get agitated over not seeing the lions yet

Look what I can do

Look at all the children - I didn't know there was a display for them!

Just like a good tourist, I stood on the railing to get this shot. Good thing Doug held my belt or I might have fallen in.

I'm supposed to be making an, "Aww, how cute face." He made me do it.

"I don't wanna grow up, I'm a Toys "R" Us kid...."

This is Doug's joke: What is black and white all over?

ZEBRAS!!

Maybe I was wrong about Doug being able to read...

Where do the animals go when they aren't home in the zoo?

A little teeny tiny antelope. They only weigh about 20 pounds.

I wonder what all the animals make of the humans looking in on them?

This child was beating down the plants with his stick - an example of poor parenting or a child that got loose from his cage?

Oh Rhino

I was able to make getting up on this statue much harder than it needed to be.

Next: We shall conquer the city!

I made him crawl in there with a bunch of little kids...

Hanging out with the fish

It was payback for the face I had to make

And the end of the day souvenir: A squished penny

I'm the Creepy Lady

Well maybe not really. But I did succeed in creeping out an ABC Store (the largest chain of convenience stores on the island) cashier. It was super easy, and I did it all without even trying. Really.

On Sunday Doug and I went to a craft market in Honolulu too look around. Anticipating a lack of parking, we took the bike but also a change of clothes. Upon arriving at the park where the craft market was taking place, I changed into shorts and slippahs. After a couple of hours in the sun, we decided to change locations, and this is where the fun begins.

Instead of going through the trouble of wrapping a towel around myself and changing out of shorts back into jeans in the parking lot, I just pulled my jeans over my shorts. This was to save time, as I thought I would be removing my jeans at the next location to enjoy the comfort of shorts again. In thinking that I would be removing the jeans, I left my wallet and cash in the pockets of my shorts instead of transferring them to the pockets of the jeans. En route to the next location, it was decided that we should visit a local mall instead of the streets of Waikiki, where we would have the added comfort of air conditioning, since it was a rather warm day, even for November.

Once parking at the mall, Doug and I decided that it would be better to just leave our jeans on. After all, while air conditioning is a nice touch to indoor venues, they often have it turned a bit too high, and then I freeze. Of course, at this point I had forgotten that my wallet and cash were still in my shorts. And after being in the sun for a couple of hours, my body was in need of some liquid refreshment. Good thing there was an ABC Store nearby. I walked in to find myself a tasty beverage, and then proceeded to the counter. The nice lady told me how much I owed, I reached into my pockets only to remember that my cash was in the pockets inside my jeans. No worries, I'll just undo my belt and out of the cashier I hear: *gasp* "What are you doing?!"

Duh!! Normal people don't just start undoing their pants to find money, do they?? Haha. I quickly explain that it was okay. I was wearing shorts. I was with my boyfriend on his motorcycle. I put my jeans on over my shorts. It wasn't til I walked out of the store with the drink and receipt in hand that I realized what I had really just done. Lucky for me the friends I was with that day found just as much humor in it as I did.

Two Weeks in Pictures

Finally! I remembered to take along my camera and snap some pics while out over the last couple of weeks. Here are some shots of what I've been up to:

First, a visit out to Laie Point, on a motorcycle.

Even on an overcast day you can still get in a good ride.

Me Standing next to Doug's bike.

Doug and I, out at the point.

A whole in a rock just off the point.

A full view of the rock with a whole in it.

Doug trying to look serious, but Kyla goofing around just to prove its all about a good time.

Next is Halloween. This was a fun night that took some time in the making.

My dress as it was when I brought it home - yep, started with 5 men's button up shirts from Goodwill

The finished dress, plus stitches drawn on me by Doug. I was Sally from
The Nightmare Before Christmas

A close up of my stitches

Doug as Jack Skellington

The Pumpkin King

Jack Skellington and Sally

Mark dressed as an anime character - it was fun when people recognized him and stopped him on the streets of Waikiki for a picture

Doug and Mark, dressed to go out

The next activity has become a regular one: Hawaii Winter Baseball. Never went to games as a kid, but it turns out I enjoy watching - so long as it is in person. Not a big fan of baseball games on TV, and watching the game has become even more fun now that I have learned how to score it. And at $4 a game, it's not gonna break the budget.

Doug looking tough

Doug and I, getting a goofy pic

The game in action

One of the 4 creepy mascots of Hawaii Winter Baseball

And today's excitement: a hike out at Hanauma Bay. Doug and I had gone out looking for this hike before, but we had bad directions to the trail head and never found it. Today our directions were better, and we had some great views.

On our way to the start of the hike, Koko Crater in the background. I told him to look like a tourist. I've never seen this green, it usually looks like it belongs in the desert.

The start of the hike. It looks almost too easy...

Further along the hike. It got pretty steep.

The breeze was great

Hanauma Bay in the background

The end of the world

The sign says it. We didn't know this was here, so it was pretty neat to find

Looking over the ancestral grounds

A closer look at the ancestral grounds. Not sure why the white flags were there

A survey marker found along the way

Looking down into Hanauma Bay

End of the hike pic. It was a great way to spend the morning of Election Day.

No Pumpkin for You

This year I learned about the availability of pumpkins in Hawaii. It's been a few years since I bought a pumpkin to carve. Last year I was out of the country, and the year before that I ate all the pumpkins I bought without carving a single one (well, besides the normal carving and cutting up involved with pumpkin preparation). This year I saw that stores were "starting" to get their pumpkins around the beginning of the month. At least I thought they were starting to. Turns out that initial shipment I saw at each store was the ONLY shipment. Of course, I didn't realize that there would be a shortage of pumpkins until it was far too late.

Now it is Halloween, and there are no pumpkins. I've been all over town looking for them, but all I came up with were specialty varieties of squash (which I bought. Hope Doug likes squash). The squashes are too small for carving. I wonder if I can still roast the seeds though? And if any stores will get in another small shipment of pumpkins for the pie making at the end of next month?

Something to Squeal Over

Last night this was found in the bathroom:

It's the biggest cockroach I've seen yet, and it made 3 adults shriek and squeal like 12-year-old girls. Lucky for me, I'm not the one that had to go to the bathroom when it was found. What is funny though is that I was the only girl....

Heading Back

To Hawaii that is. Most of the "business" stuff I came for I accomplished: the Camry sold (finally out of my Dad and Stepmom's way), found the paperwork I needed for immunization records (I think), and I closed a bank account that has no branches in Hawaii. I also rounded up what I hope will be the most useful of my college books for my upcoming studies. Yes, I know that new classes will require new books, but I imagine that I will need to review some of the material I should have already learned. And there is the Sociology GRE I need to take if I am to apply to that department. Plus, I miss having books. My very small collection of 8 is depressing considering I had 5 full bookcases in Colorado. With the box I mailed to myself, I might have enough for a full shelf now.

Between rain-filled days and waiting around for people to come look at my car, I did get to do some fun things. Went to Defiance Point Park in Tacoma with my Dad on Sunday. We hiked around the park, all the while feeling lucky we had found a hole in the weather. The trip home included a detour through West Seattle for pub-grub followed by a walk along Alki Beach. Soon as we got home it started raining again.

Tuesday I caught the bus into downtown Seattle. I had a gift card leftover from Christmas, and it turns out September is a great time for deals on summer clothes. I then walked all over the downtown area, from Pike Place Market to the International district. Some things have changed dramatically from what I remember on previous visits, but there was still enough the same that I felt at home. By the time I'd had enough and decided to find a bus back, I had been walking around for nearly 7 hours. Just like the Euro-adventure, it is still the best to see a city by foot. Again, I managed to pick the best day to do that, as it has been raining for the last two days. Here are some pictures I caught along the way (and yes, I forgot my camera, so all pictures were taken with my cell phone).

Flower Stands

Produce. Wish I could find something like this on Oahu.

The guys that throw the fish.

"Go to Hell" brand cigarettes. Found at a small odds and ends shop in the market. Thought it was hilarious.

Looking out across the water from the park at the end of the market.

On the bus ride back home I got in contact with my sister, and instead of making the connection to get back to my Dad's house, we went out for some retail therapy.

The funny "Spotted Dick"

Some EVIL wine. Bet this would go good with the "Go to Hell" cigarettes.

Tonight my brother should be stopping by with his girlfriend. He's making some big changes in his life right now, and it is good to see him doing so well. Next time I promise to remember my camera too, so I can get better pictures.

Space-A

I have thought of using Space-A travel before, that is, flying on military flights where there is space available for passengers, but was never quite able to figure out how to go about doing so. A few weeks ago at a BBQ, a Navy retiree filled me in on some useful information, and I found that getting signed up and learning more was a simple visit to my local Air Force Base. Thinking that the passenger terminal would be closed over the weekend and holidays, I went in the day after Labor Day to get myself signed up and learn more.

It was easy. Show them my military ID card and I go on the list for 60 days. The sooner I know I want to go somewhere and can sign up, the better my chances for going. I was then given a sheet with telephone numbers for bases all over the world and told to call ahead to get on their lists. With a dark week (read: no hours) coming up at work, I signed myself up and made a mental note to stop back by a couple of days before I wanted to fly out. I was told that if I came in person, I could get flight information for the next 72 hours.

On Monday I stopped by after work. The next flights that looked to get me close were headed to California, but I was told they would be a good bet because the base there acts as a hub. I had to work Tuesday, so I wrote down the info for Wednesday and went home, thinking that would be the earliest I would have a chance to get out.

Tuesday I stopped by again, just to see if there was anything new. There was. A direct flight, and if I wanted to make it, I would need to be back ready to go in 3 hours. Good thing I travel light, I was able to finish up work stuff, get packed, and go see my boyfriend before heading back to base to see if I would make the flight. Of course, it helps that the base is only 15 minutes away. About half an hour after getting there I was told I would fill the 5th and final spot available on the plane. When I was handed my ticket, I was told not to go anywhere, we were loading shortly. The plane was meant for take-off an hour after the seats had been assigned.

Now for the other part of Space-A: it is unlikely you will be on a plane meant to carry passengers. I rode on a C17. It was full of cargo. Hence the reason for only taking 5 additional people.

(not the plane I was on, but I pic I found online)

I arrived at Ft. Lewis (near Tacoma, WA) at about 5am local time. Made it to my Dad's house a few hours later, and now I'll be here for about a week visiting family and friends. I think next time I might see about traveling out of the country. That would be fun, but I probably need to save some cash first.

I'm Going Back to School!

Today I received an acceptance letter from the University of Hawaii, granting me admission as a graduate student to start in the Spring 2009 classes. According to the information they sent, looks like classes start on January 12, 2009. I haven't looked at class schedules yet, so I don't know what is going to be available, but I do know I'll be back in the classroom. I haven't yet decided on a set program, but am looking at both Anthropology and Sociology. I'm also interested in their International Cultural Studies Certificate, which would go along with either program.

The next step will be trying to convince them that as far as their residency requirements go, I'm not a resident of any state, and therefor should be granted in-state tuition for Hawaii since I have been here the longest in the last 12 months. Then I'll have to work on the funding issue.

But I'm still excited, some of my waiting has paid off. Now if only I would hear back on one of those government jobs I applied to last week....