For a first time visitor like me here in the island of Oahu, Hawaii is truly a paradise, where all you have to think of is having a good time. But be warned, as we’ve always been told, and which I will repeat, Hawaii is very expensive. Not that I’m saying that only those who can afford can come here, as I urge everyone to visit these magnificent islands, the advice is you have to be creative, and at the same time accept your fate sometimes because you will have no other choice but shell out the dough when you are here. (Warning: Don’t let your kids rule your entire vacation, they want to savor all what Hawaii could offer. Don’t let them read too many brochures.)
It’s Wednesday when I was writing this, or a week since our first arrival. We hit the beach the first day we came, and the next, and then went to the International Market, where we bought stuff you could afford and be entertained too by what they sell and by the dancers and the trio of musicians. Here at the market, I bought myself a ukulele. I wanted to buy the one made of koa – a precious type of wood which is highly rated for acoustic guitars, but I had to settle for rosewood, which is mellower than mahogany in terms of sound, and since the finish on the rosewood is better if you also have learning kids.
For provisions, ABC Stores are all around you. There are 7-11s, but ABC is at every corner, every street here in Waikiki. It also here where I met several Filipinos manning the registers, just like in the hotels where they are employed. There are about 170,000 of our kababayans here, according to local newspapers here in the Aloha State, which was once governed by Ben Cayetano, a Filipino.
For those who have yet to visit Oahu, Waikiki could be compared to Roxas Blvd., sans the bikinis, surf boards, the foul smell of the polluted Manila Bay (that is what I used to remember and hoping it has changed) and the homeless. The sidewalks of Waikiki along Kalakaua and adjacent streets are littered with people the whole day and until late night, with street entertainers and the tourists, who may only be wearing bathing suits by day and or shorts and t-shirts by night.
Both Costcos east and west of Waikiki are the usual, except for inflated prices, which is normal in the islands, where produce and other goods need to be shipped, and because the lifestyle calls for it. While the housing market in the mainland may be headed for a not so soft crash landing, a 15% spike in housing prices was reported here in Hawaii just a couple of days ago. Such is life in Hawaii, where mainlanders would rather go to have a taste of tropical paradise, while still enjoying top level of safety and security since you are still in the United States.
Investing in Hawaii thus makes sense if you’d like to buy properties here, just like what my brother did, where the soil is red (described by Dole as decomposed volcanic soil), which is very fertile, with constant weather and with minimal or sometimes nonexistent hurricanes. It has a history of tsunamis, of course, but it is very well prepared for it, just in case.
The freeway (H1) going to Hanauma Bay, east of Waikiki, is spectacular, more so past the national preserve, which I will present in my photos later. The waters are crystal clear, the surroundings pristine and very clean, unlike when I used to sail our fishing boat off the coast of Manila, where our FUSO 4DR5 diesel engine (used by minibuses) could only muster a few prawns and squids as there were more plastic bags floating (that reportedly suffocate dolphins) and other debris from Pasig River and other tributaries that feed the bay with human and industrial wastes.
I really envy places such as this where even millions of people who swim in its oceans, eat by the shore, lay barely clothed by the beach couldn’t spoil its beauty and even preserve them for the generations to enjoy. I just wish that the next generation would be able to see a cleaner Manila Bay, where the suns sets in a much more spectacular setting than here in Waikiki.
What makes you feel good though is the thought that we also have world class beaches in Boracay, Cebu, Palawan and Mindoro. I guess you just have to make travel plans away from Manila if you’re looking for some tan and naked torsos too. (As I’ve mentioned in my last week’s column, security at the Ontario International Airport was tight, but not stressful as I guess it would’ve been if we flew via LAX. Please take out all your belongings if you have carry-on bags for a quicker way of going through X-ray screening. We did not experience any delays, nor hassles. My suggestion, follow the advise and use regional or alternative airports other than LAX. Mahalo.(RFL)
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