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Posted 05-03-2009 at 09:57 AM by TexasCasey
April 30, 2009:
Wow! I have been back home for a couple of weeks now & have been trying to think of how to describe my 2 weeks on the big island. I guess I will start with just describing the time I spent there, rather than how I felt about everything.
First of all, my itinerary was: Dallas to Phoenix; Phoenix to Maui; Maui to Hilo. Made it to PHX just fine, transferred planes, then sat there on the plane for about an hour, waiting on a couple of connections from other areas that had been delayed. These flights arrived & we were on our way. I knew that I would miss my connection to Hilo, but in my head I really didn’t think twice about it… I would just get a later connection.
Upon landing in Hilo, the flight attendants called 5 names, including me, to say that they have arrangements to try to get us to Hilo… but that we would have to run to gate #??. This is kinda when I figured out that the little planes don’t just zip all over the place between all of the islands, which I had imagined.
Anyhow, they got us on a flight to HNL & the last connection from there, over to Hilo. Made it several hours late; but, my bags arrived just fine, got to the rental cars 30 minutes before they closed & to my hotel 30 minutes before I was told was final check-in. [Living in Dallas & spending lots of time in Vegas, the concept of final check-in was a little foreign to me]. However, it all worked out; it was a little scramble, but by midnight I was checked in & looking out at Hilo bay, from the balcony of descent little room, wondering why I am wide awake!
I spent the next day driving around Hilo a little bit; found my “Blue Book for the BigIsland”; napped on & off, kind of wasted my first day in Hawaii; but had the rest of trip semi-planned out. The next morning I drove out to Oceanview. I stayed there 5 nights, looking at properties and just trying to figure out my feelings for the Kau District in general. While there I spent one day traveling all over the area between HOVE, Southpoint, Naalehu, etc. Another day I explored all over the “western” half of Kau. Acouple of days I made the drive back & forth to Kona; one of the trips I went all the way up to Hawi, exploring just a bit of the Kohala area & saw my first nice sunset at Kapaa Park. Each day I also spent time driving all over HOVE & HOVR. During this time in Kau, there was never any hard rain; but it was light rainy & overcast most of the time. I never really saw the sunny side, which I believe would be more normal.
Well, I can’t go any further without getting into my “feelings”, so here I go… At this point, I had to make a decision between spending the rest of my time in the Hilo (Puna District) area, Kailua (Kona District) area & Kohala, or fly over to Kauai to spend a few days there. For what ever reasons, I had made the decision that for me, I would prefer to the “dry-side” of the islands, where ever I end up. So I narrow it down to the south & west side of BI, or the south side of Kauai. At this point, I headed towards Kona, expecting to find the first flight to Kauai; however, I was already very, very, happy with the Kona/Kohala area & wanted to spend some time there, without having to drive in each day, so I just checked into a hotel, instead. I spent the next 4 days in a mixture of living & vacationing mind-sets. I explored a lot more of the N & S Kona Districts and the N & S Kohala Districts. I find myself enjoying every single experience of every day. I realize that I have had zero experiences in this 4 days that I had any bad feelings about or issues with. I could live here and my only issue with life would be the distance from my family.
It is time to drive back to Hilo & head home. Time to do some thinking & soul searching, for me. Although I never said it to anyone, this trip was more than a “where to go” trip, but also a “should I go” trip… more precisely a “could I really move this far from everything & everyone I know” type of trip. [Man, I hope that makes since]. During my flight home, I pondered all these thoughts in depth. I am not necessarily a “religious” person; but I do have an internal spirituality that gives me internal peace with life and a set of beliefs that allow me peace with life after death. I say this just to say that whatever decisions I make within my lifetime, I believe that it will really work out in the end. I just want to find a way to be at peace and be happy; hopefully enrich other peoples lives, when I have the chance; maybe even give something back to this wonderful planet without comprising my beliefs, if the opportunity arises.
May 2, 2009: I am going to pack my bags, even lighter than I previously thought, and move to Kailua-Kona on the BI. When I arrive, I am going to find a hotel for a few days. Then I am going look around at some ohana rentals & hopefully find a family that will accept me into their home for a few months. The idea of renting a place to stay & at the same time hopefully finding a family that might become friends, sounds really great to me. As soon as I get settled, my first plan is to fly over to Kauai for a week or two. Then I am going to just see what happens next. This might sound strange, but everything in my gut is just screaming… “Quit worrying about, just do it”. No matter what happens, I now that I still have a solid ‘Plan B’ in place.
Now, I have to get back to life… In two weeks, estate sale (still lots to do to get ready)… In three weeks, big blow-out farewell party for little ole me (nothing for me to do, but show up; he-he)… In four weeks, Hawaii! Wow, four weeks from today!!!!
Wow! I have been back home for a couple of weeks now & have been trying to think of how to describe my 2 weeks on the big island. I guess I will start with just describing the time I spent there, rather than how I felt about everything.
First of all, my itinerary was: Dallas to Phoenix; Phoenix to Maui; Maui to Hilo. Made it to PHX just fine, transferred planes, then sat there on the plane for about an hour, waiting on a couple of connections from other areas that had been delayed. These flights arrived & we were on our way. I knew that I would miss my connection to Hilo, but in my head I really didn’t think twice about it… I would just get a later connection.
Upon landing in Hilo, the flight attendants called 5 names, including me, to say that they have arrangements to try to get us to Hilo… but that we would have to run to gate #??. This is kinda when I figured out that the little planes don’t just zip all over the place between all of the islands, which I had imagined. Anyhow, they got us on a flight to HNL & the last connection from there, over to Hilo. Made it several hours late; but, my bags arrived just fine, got to the rental cars 30 minutes before they closed & to my hotel 30 minutes before I was told was final check-in. [Living in Dallas & spending lots of time in Vegas, the concept of final check-in was a little foreign to me]. However, it all worked out; it was a little scramble, but by midnight I was checked in & looking out at Hilo bay, from the balcony of descent little room, wondering why I am wide awake!I spent the next day driving around Hilo a little bit; found my “Blue Book for the BigIsland”; napped on & off, kind of wasted my first day in Hawaii; but had the rest of trip semi-planned out. The next morning I drove out to Oceanview. I stayed there 5 nights, looking at properties and just trying to figure out my feelings for the Kau District in general. While there I spent one day traveling all over the area between HOVE, Southpoint, Naalehu, etc. Another day I explored all over the “western” half of Kau. Acouple of days I made the drive back & forth to Kona; one of the trips I went all the way up to Hawi, exploring just a bit of the Kohala area & saw my first nice sunset at Kapaa Park. Each day I also spent time driving all over HOVE & HOVR. During this time in Kau, there was never any hard rain; but it was light rainy & overcast most of the time. I never really saw the sunny side, which I believe would be more normal.
Well, I can’t go any further without getting into my “feelings”, so here I go… At this point, I had to make a decision between spending the rest of my time in the Hilo (Puna District) area, Kailua (Kona District) area & Kohala, or fly over to Kauai to spend a few days there. For what ever reasons, I had made the decision that for me, I would prefer to the “dry-side” of the islands, where ever I end up. So I narrow it down to the south & west side of BI, or the south side of Kauai. At this point, I headed towards Kona, expecting to find the first flight to Kauai; however, I was already very, very, happy with the Kona/Kohala area & wanted to spend some time there, without having to drive in each day, so I just checked into a hotel, instead. I spent the next 4 days in a mixture of living & vacationing mind-sets. I explored a lot more of the N & S Kona Districts and the N & S Kohala Districts. I find myself enjoying every single experience of every day. I realize that I have had zero experiences in this 4 days that I had any bad feelings about or issues with. I could live here and my only issue with life would be the distance from my family.
It is time to drive back to Hilo & head home. Time to do some thinking & soul searching, for me. Although I never said it to anyone, this trip was more than a “where to go” trip, but also a “should I go” trip… more precisely a “could I really move this far from everything & everyone I know” type of trip. [Man, I hope that makes since]. During my flight home, I pondered all these thoughts in depth. I am not necessarily a “religious” person; but I do have an internal spirituality that gives me internal peace with life and a set of beliefs that allow me peace with life after death. I say this just to say that whatever decisions I make within my lifetime, I believe that it will really work out in the end. I just want to find a way to be at peace and be happy; hopefully enrich other peoples lives, when I have the chance; maybe even give something back to this wonderful planet without comprising my beliefs, if the opportunity arises.
May 2, 2009: I am going to pack my bags, even lighter than I previously thought, and move to Kailua-Kona on the BI. When I arrive, I am going to find a hotel for a few days. Then I am going look around at some ohana rentals & hopefully find a family that will accept me into their home for a few months. The idea of renting a place to stay & at the same time hopefully finding a family that might become friends, sounds really great to me. As soon as I get settled, my first plan is to fly over to Kauai for a week or two. Then I am going to just see what happens next. This might sound strange, but everything in my gut is just screaming… “Quit worrying about, just do it”. No matter what happens, I now that I still have a solid ‘Plan B’ in place.
Now, I have to get back to life… In two weeks, estate sale (still lots to do to get ready)… In three weeks, big blow-out farewell party for little ole me (nothing for me to do, but show up; he-he)… In four weeks, Hawaii! Wow, four weeks from today!!!!
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