Aloha, Hawai'i

I arrived safe and sound in Hilo yesterday. I shared my seat row across the pacific with a guy, maybe late 20's or early 30's, who was flying for the first time. He said he wasn't scared about flying, but he was rather chatty in that nervous-seeming way. I normally appreciate a chatty row-mate, but I had only gotten a few hours of sleep the night before. I was a bit antisocial but did try to be a good flying mentor. On the inter-island flight, I shared a row with a couple of retired Portland school teachers who were visiting the island for the first time. I think I have an innate concierge sensibility, because I immediately and happily entered into that role. They were lovely and adorable.

Getting into Hilo was bittersweet. I love the indoor/outdoor way the buildings are designed here, and since even the airports are open-air I was able to get a taste of that right away. But I was sooo tired that I wasn't able to emotionally cope with the humidity, my least favorite weather element, or the fact that I was enjoying lots of wonderful company in Portland, and now I'm on the world's most remote island with not many people I know around. I had dinner at a fantastically delicious, though expensive, restaurant and went to be early.

I am feeling much more rested and happy today. I had a nice long sleep and gained two hours from the time change (Michiganders, please remember I'm 5 hours behind before calling). I have already done some gecko observation, kookie frog listening and English muffin eating. Even the humidity has it's benefits – my throat is feeling much less scratchy than it has been since I was in Minnesota. I plan to get some work done, eat tropical fruits and perhaps reassemble my bike today. However, I bought Dune at the airport, and I'm not sure I'll be able to do anything apart from reading that, now that I've started. I also have a completely impractical desire to drive across the island just to go to a particularly great smoothie stand I remember along the road outside of Kona. Last year I got a dragonfruit smoothie there. The novelty!

Hmm... Maybe I am more out of it than I realize. I almost couldn't find this file. I name my blog files with the date and, if traveling, the location. I saved this under February 4, 2007.