9 months on

My default world clock

I cannot believe that I have been travelling for 9 months. It has been a blessing to be travelling, and especially more so in the most recent 3 months, when I went to far flung corners of the world. I learnt a lot of new things but also discovered a lot of similarities between countries - like how, outside Asia, there are Africans and South Americans who have rice as their staple, that it is impolite to refuse a mate (a tea, pronounced as "mah-teh") if someone in Chile offers to share a cup and a straw with you.

During my travel, time and days lost their relevance unless I had to be somewhere. Time was a measurement relative to when the sun rose/set or when I was hungry. Otherwise, time came to a standstill while waiting (for someone to contact me, for a transport, for the food to arrive) or sped by when I was having fun. I checked the world clock only when I needed to find someone in another part of the world. I lost track of the days since every day felt like a Saturday. The days of the week only mattered if, for example, a supermarket did not open on Sundays or a museum closed on Tuesdays.

After spending long periods in the jungle, hills and Antarctica in the last 3 months, I found myself trying to catch up with my blog entries. At the same time, I wondered who had been reading my blog as promised and who were the readers from Barbados/ Columbia/Costa Rica/ Cyprus/ Estonia/ Finland/ Guadeloupe/ Latvia/ Moldova/ Mongolia/ Philippines/ Romania/ South Africa/ Ukraine/ Zimbabwe... My top 5 readers were from Singapore, US, Spain, Russia and UK. I knew who could possibly be from Singapore, US, Spain and UK but who were from Russia? Were they faithful readers or people who were randomly googling and researching on something?

Sometimes I thought of people whom I have met along the way and wondered what they were doing and if we would become friends in real life under other circumstances. I was discussing with someone, what the definition of "friend" is. We concluded a friend is "someone you would genuinely cross the road for" - if you see someone from across the road and cross the road just to say 'Hi", the person is your friend. For the longest time, I   was lazy and had not been crossing the road for anyone. Gone also, were the days when I was the organiser for gatherings and parties. I had not reached out simply because I did not need rejections, excuses and what-nots. I did, however, make some effort during this rtw trip and kept in touch with 3 people during the whole 9 months. I very much wanted to hear from more people but seldom initiated contact from my end. Everyone had gone back to their real lives and moved on while mine remained stagnant. I have always thought that since they had my contact details, those who really wanted to, would keep in contact. I really should try harder but last thing I want is to appear needy.

Speaking of "in need", there was 1 thing that never changed over the 9 months - every time I arrived at a new place, I wished that there was a familiar face waiting for me, to give me a big hug and assure me that I had made it safe and sound. Not another worry if I had everything under control. Not navigating through the public transport system and wondering if I had missed the stop. Not negotiating with the taxi driver or fending off the 15 men who were asking me to board their cab with "no, gracias, no" or "muy pesado" if they tried to carry my bag. Not fretting if the driver would truly bring me to my destination.

Despite the many horror stories I heard before and during my trip, I had never came close to any real danger. The closest "danger" I had been was accidentally staying in the hostel where someone I knew just got burgled. Lela, who was on my Galapagos boat, told us how she stayed in Hostel M in Quito, Ecuador, went out for dinner and came back to find her snorkeling gear, clothes, camera, passport and money stolen. When I reached my hostel in Quito, it was 6pm and getting dark. The receptionist told me that a guest has fallen sick, extended her stay, the hostel was consequently fully occupied and if I could be so kind as to stay in another hostel run by the family "next door". "Next door" turned out to be in another block, 1 street away and to my horror, Hostel M. As I had nowhere to go, I agreed to stay for the night only, thinking I could use the internet, find a hotel and move out immediately. I was down on my luck and could not find anything available online, not even a room in a 5-star hotel (what were the odds?!?)! I went to ask for a map so that I could go out for dinner and the receptionist told me the area was not safe and to leave my passport and valuables in her safe. That really freaked me out and I decided to barricade myself in my room to defend myself and my properties and had potato chips for dinner instead. That night, my sister happened to post on Facebook that mum had warmed up her dinner when she returned late. It was the only time I missed home. 

Over time, I did, however, found a strategy to overcome an obstacle I initially had. I have always been a crybaby. Read a book - tears flow. Listen to a song - tears flow. Watch a movie - tears flow. Take a roller coaster ride - cry. Sad - cry. Angry - cry. Happy - cry. One can only imagine how I could easily cry my eyes out when bidding farewell. The trick to not embarrassing myself in front of my friends, I discovered, is to do something stupid. Lost something important before departure and wasted my energy looking for it. Went for last minute shopping and returned late so I had no time to say thank yous and goodbyes. By the time I got to my transport, I would be so tensed and exhausted that I would fall asleep before my transport take off and would have no time to look out of the window and shed a tear. I just had to make sure I woke up just before the champers, umeshu or ice cream were served on board.

Cheers!

Honolulu II

Most people would associate Hawai'i with surf, sun, sand and the sea. Hawai'i is also home to the world's most active volcanoes and Maunakea, the world's tallest sea mountain (it is 13,796 ft above sea level or 33,500 ft measured from its oceanic base). O'ahu, where state capital Honululu is lcoated, was created 2.5 - 4 million years ago with volcanic eruptions from 2 shield volcanoes.  (Sources: www.gohawaii.com and brochure and signboards from Department of Land & Natural Resources) Beside the 4Ss, the hiking trails are definitely worth the visit.

Leahi

Waikiki and Diamond Head

More commonly known as Diamond Head, Leahi (which means "brow of tuna" in Hawaiian) is perhaps the most accessible trek in Honolulu. Leahi is a 760 feet tuff crater formed more than 300,000 years ago. In the early 1900s, Diamond Head was chosen as a fort because the crater walls were natural defence and from the lookout, ships from Koko Head to Pearl Harbour could be seen. Over the period 1908 to 1911, the US Army Corps of Engineers created a trail up the crater and built a 4-level observation post and military lookout, the Fire Control Station Diamond Head. (Source: www.hawaiistateparks.org)

99 steps

This easy trail includes two sets of stairs, totaling 175 steps, as well as dark, 225 feet long underground tunnels and old military bunkers.

Observation post for Fort Ruger

Diamond Head crater

Too many people

I enjoyed the walk to Diamond Head and the view from the top but not the walk up Diamond Head. It was very hot and too crowded for my liking.

Really too many people

From L: Waikiki Beach, Fire Control Station Diamond Head, Diamond Head crater

To get to Diamond Head, you can take bus 22 from Waikiki and stop at the University of Hawai'i, cross the road and walk up to the entrance to pay a $1 entrance fee. Otherwise, you can do what I did and walk forever from Waikiki beach, turn off at Monsarrat Avenue and then continue on Diamond Head Road to the entrance. It was really hot in January but I did see some timid Java sparrows, a really old Ford and some nice sceneries along the way.

Makiki Valley

I had wanted to go to the Honolulu Watershed Forest Reserve. Instead, my hotel concierge directed the taxi driver to Hawai'i Nature Centre in Makiki Valley. A part of the Hawai'i Trail and Access System or Nā Ala Hele (which means "trails to go on"), there are 18 linked trails in the area alone alone. The Makiki Valley watershed is bounded by Tantalus Drive ridge on the north and Round Top Drive ridge on the south (about 800-2,000 feet above sea level) and catches and collects rainwater. The rainwater replenishes the ground water supply and is used by Board of Water Supply to provide water to Honolulu's residents. (Sources: www.hawaiitrails.org and Hawaii Nature Centre signboards)

Since I was sent to Makiki, I thought I might as well take a walk in the area. I chose the Maunalaha Trail to connect to Ualaka'a Trail 'A' and then to a viewing point. The trails were very easy and gentle sloping but were either muddy and slippery or full of roots. 

Japanese white eye

Awww...

View of Waikiki from Makiki

Waikiki

Honolulu Watershed Forest Reserve

From Makiki, I rang for a cab to bring me to Honolulu Watershed Forest Reserve but none came. While waiting, I spied some parakeets:

A taxi driver who was walking a dog offered to send me there instead.

Taxi driver with dog

I stopped at the gate to Royal Hawaiian Golf Club and checked in with the very friendly and helpful guard (he could provide information about the history, geography and different treks in the area if you care to listen). From the entrance, I walked along the road until I reached a sign post on the left:

Walking on the really muddy trail and I soon passed by an eerie-looking house. 

The trees were more sparse and the well trodden path was drier and hotter as I ascended. The view got better too.

Very soon I reached some sections with ropes. I did not use the ropes because I trust myself to scramble up and slide down on the rocks more than the tree branches/ trunks that were going to hold my weight.

First peak

The roped sections led to narrow, rocky ridges and the peaks. There are 3 peaks on the Olomana Trail. The boulders on the first peak was slightly too big for me and I had to figure a way up with a bit of rock climbing. 
 

I did not proceed to the second and third peaks due to time constraint and also because some army dude on the trek told me it would be unwise for me to venture further on my own.

Of the 3 treks, I like the this one the most - it has a good mix of easy and challenging parts, a slight hint of danger at the top and the view is simply amazing.

2nd and 3rd peaks

360 degree view from 1st peak

I ran out of water while I descended. If the guard at the gate were to sell me a can of Pepsi (which I do not like) for US$10, I would readily buy it from him. This is a real business opportunity, Hawai'ians!

To get back to Waikiki, you could call a cab and hope that it comes or walk away from the golf course, cross the highway and take bus 56 or 57 (it costs only US$2.50!) to Ala Moana and from there, take a bus or taxi back to Waikiki.

Honolulu

In all honesty, Hawai'i is not of the destinations that I would have listed in bucket list but I was there anyway.

Waikiki

I have always known Hawai'i to be one of the favourite destinations of the Japanese but the numbers exceeded my expectation. It is probably an understatement to say that Waikiki has been invaded by Hello Kitties and Japanese tourists and strangely, I felt very much at home. Hello Kitty sourvernirs are easily found in shops. The signages on buses, advertisements, menus, stationery in the hotels can be found in the Japanese language. I wonder what the Japanese like about Waikiki. The technicolour on the light blue sky? The splash of gold on the horizon? The fireworks that erupt in the blanket of darkness?

Sunrise at Diamond Head

Sunset view from room

Video: Fireworks courtesy of Hilton Group every Friday at 8pm

I am such a sucker for fireworks. If only... 

The paddle? The fish in the clear water?

Whatever the reasons might be, thanks to them, I fixed my cravings for Japanese food and had Japanese food almost every meal. 一番だった！！！Japanese food (or any kind of food for the matter) is best enjoyed with 3 sweet hunks who know how to use chopsticks:

Los 3 amigos
From L: Jessie, Corey, Andrew

Mayday

I was evacuated at 1 am one morning. The good news were:
- it was not snowing outside!
- I knew my evacuation route
- the fire escape was brightly lit and the fire exits were not blocked

- it was good to stay in a place where guests were mostly Japanese who evacuated the building in a calm and orderly manner

- I evaluated and realised what I should have brought along in a real emergency next time (I only took my passport, phone and key. I know technically I should not be carrying anything but next time, I would be bringing the torch and the personal alarm too.)

Video: evacuation

The bad news was:

- I had to climb 28 flights of steps back to my room (For once, I was so glad I was not staying at the penthouse on the 38th floor)

Sitting in the dark while the firemen check what happened

Many of the guests dispersed into the lobbies of hotels across the road to wait. I went to sit on the grass from across the hotel. Gradually, many guests congregated at the hotel lobby to find out if it was safe to return. We were given bottled water and were told to take the stairs to go back to our room some 45 minutes later.

The next day, a letter was left in our room to inform us that the evacuation was due to a broken water valve which resulted in hot water leaking into all lift shafts. I wonder how our hotels would have reacted under such circumstances - Do we circumvent our alarm system and check the cause before reactivating the alarm to evacuate the guests or do we let the evacuation process take place before proceeding to check the cause? Would we have bottled water on the ground floor? Do we use a loud hailer to notify guests where to gather and update them on the situation? Would a staff remain with the guests at the gathering point? On the following day, would we provide something complimentary to guests as an apology - a bottle of wine? breakfast? transfer to the airport? Something to check when I get back.

Pearl Harbour

Pearl Harbour was named after the pearl oysters that were once harvested in the area. It was the onset of World War II and  the only naval base in the United States to be designated a National Historical Landmark. The Japanese wanted to establish an empire in Asia and believed that the U.S. Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor was their only threat. They  ambushed the Americans in an aerial attack in December 1941 and took out its battleship fleet. (The Americans were not prepared for many reasons - the US War Department had advised that the Japanese were weak and unlikely to attack as they were thought not to have seaborne aircrafts and they had over-extended their military presence elsewhere; there was a breakdown in communication between Washington and Pearl Harbour resulting in an intercepted Japanese threat being delivered to the commander in Pearl Harbour only after it was attacked; the attacking planes were sighted but were thought to be returning American planes.) (Sources: www.gohawaii.com and http://www.pearlharboroahu.com)  2 months later, on February 15, 1942, Singapore fell to Japan for 3 years and 8 months. 

Remembrance Circle

U.S.S Bowfin
Source: www.gohawaii.com

Pearl Harbour historical site unfolds how the infamous World War II took place and how the battles were fought. U.S.S. Bowfin, for example, was one of the 288 U.S. submarines that carried out the war in the Pacific during World War II. It has since been decommissioned and turned into a submarine museum to give an insight of battle under the seas.

One of the most painful places to visit in Pearl Harbour was perhaps the USS Arizona Memorial, built across the wreckage of U.S.S. Arizona. In the first wave of attack, Japanese torpedo planes dropped bombs on the battleship which was sunk in 9 minutes, killing 1,177 men on board. From the memorial, one could see some of the remains of the battleship in the water, the final resting place of those killed.

A model depicting how the memorial is built across the body of the battleship

USS Arizona Memorial

Lest we forget



Dear Lord

Lest I continue

My complacent way

Help me to remember

Somehow out there

A man died for me today.

As long as there be war

I then must

Ask and answer

Am I worth dying for?

~ Poem Eleanor Roosevelt kept in her wallet during WWII