Sameer For Congress: 07.2005

in a land called Honoli'i...

Howdy from Hilo, Hawaii--home of the wonderful Honoli'i surf shop. I just got here from Waikiki on Thursday night--and I must say, it's a very different Hawaii. Whereas Honolulu/Waikiki Beach were uber-commercialized and PACKED with people, Hilo is not. In fact, it's the complete antithesis of that. Small town USA. Not particularly wealthy; not particularly poor (except for the fact that the average Kamakawiwo'ole must have a $400,000 mortgage!). The only towns I can compare it to are Nome, AK and Hempstead, TX.

The hostel I'm staying at--Hilo Bay Hostel--is really nice. And quiet. Too quiet. I liked the masses of twentysomethings in Honolulu...so the fiftysomethings here and the twentysomethings that keep to themselves are a new adjustment. There is, however, a dollar movie theater right down the street (saw Hitchhiker's guide on Thursday, and Mad Hot Ballroom at another theater yesterday). Also, one of the guys I met at the hostel in Honolulu is staying here, as well.

I'm told renting a car is key here. So I will, in the next coupla days--go to Kona, check out Volcanoes Nat'l Park--and try to use this incredibly relaxing place to relax, some of the time. If I get really bored, however--probably head to Maui and see what's up there.

Things I've (re)learned about myself so far:

- I am completely unable to relax for an extended period of time (without sleeping 20 hours a day).

- I need people around--but not just one person...lots of them.

And on the original theme of this political blog, I'll leave y'all with a scenario, and a question. So let's say you've got a place (Hilo) that is beautiful and peaceful--and where you could imagine plenty of people would want to live (Hilo). How do you introduce commerce (other than tourism) without destroying what makes the city (Hilo) great? Can you legislate the city's magic? Or would you just have to surrender to the inevitability of over-commercialization (or embrace it, like Waikiki)? Ideas?

This is Hilo

Shaka-laka

Aloha from wonderful Waikiki! Oh man, this place is just as beautiful as everyone's described it. At Charles' recommendation, I watched a sunset on the beach last night--it was crazy beautiful. Not crazy/beautiful (the movie I'm almost ashamed to have watched) but CRAZY beautiful.

This whole island rocks--but as the Kaua'i resident I met last night mentioned--not every island here is so incredibly commercialized. I can't wait to see what Big Island is like.

Been looking for a cheap used surfboard to test my surfing prowess on--and I found one. Gonna go test it out tomorrow. Hang ten, buddy...oh, and that hand sign, Matt--you know, the one with the pinky and the thumb out and the others curved in--that's called the "shaka." Hawaiians totally use that to say "see you later" and it totally rocks.

Adios! In the meantime, I leave you with this picture: