Keep it Between the Lines

So, scratch everything I said about Honolulu and Waikiki. I don’t want to use up the meaning of the word impressive on these two places. Let’s call them…busy, but nice. I rented a convertible and drove up to the North Shore (Waimea Bay, Sunset Beach) to see if I could see some big waves and some real deal surfing. For some, the waves may have seemed tiny, but they were 8ft tall, which I think is a decent size for a wave. The drive up was amazing. I put the top down and turned the radio up. I saw so many beautiful places! I kept trying to picture Hawaii before the missionaries arrived and ruined so much of this beautiful place, before America took it over and much of the culture was lost or prohibited. I ate lemon and butter shrimp for lunch from Giovanni’s shrimp truck. If I hadn’t heard great things about the place, there is no way I ever would have stopped from the looks of it. But luckily, I had heard wonderful things and therefore had a freakin’ tasty lunch. I drove around, watched people surfing, stopped at the beach, saw a sea turtle, and sang my way around the top of Oahu.
The next day I was supposed to return my car…but something happened. I got in, wound up going the wrong way, and kept driving. I called Alamo and let them know I would be keeping the car for one more day. I just didn’t have the heart to give it up just yet. This time I did a little bit of sight seeing and then drove south. Man, was it worth the extra day! Some of the views actually made me laugh out loud, they were so phenomenal! The pictures really do not do this place justice.
Today, I am heading back to the North Shore, this time in a shuttle, to take surfing lessons at the Hans Hedemann surf school. It should be fun. I’ve never tried surfing before, so we’ll see how it goes. I am just hoping the balance and grace I learned in years of ballet lessons pay off!