The LambCutlet Disorganisation

The short 5 days in Hawai‘i during the middle of July 2005 were memorable for a whole multitude of reasons. Having been accustomed to chilly Europe, the 30°C to 37°C day time temperatures coupled with humidity of 80% to 90% gave rise to heat indexes (how hot it feels) of a high 37°C to an utterly insane 75°C. The only respite was that like Ísland, there were frequent downpours of rain which cooled everything down!

Whilst I was in Vancouver and planning where I should stay in Hawai‘i, my plan to be “off the beaten track” could not have been better realised. I managed to find Hedonisia Hawaii whom offered budget lodgings in the middle of jungle, where the nearest town Pāhoa is some 8 kilometers away. As I don’t drive, the only way I could get around was by bicycle, which at that point was something I had not done for the best part of 6 years.

So it goes without saying I am still pretty impressed with myself in having covered over 200 kilometers as I cycled about to Pāhoa, Hilo, Kapoha and Kaimū! The most heroic effort would have been the 37 kilometer slog up to Hilo on a 36+kg excuse of a “bicycle” probably purchased from Walkmart. I figured there would be a shop where I could hire a decent steed and found just the thing by the way of Da Kine Bikes located on Furneaux Lane.

Now that I had two bikes, the plan was to catch the evening bus back to Pāhoa and cycle the remaining few kilometers. Sod’s Law would dictate I managed to miss the last bus despite arriving at the bus stop 5 minutes before its timetabled departure time! Curse you Walmart for taking far longer than you should have when I was trying to purchase some proper bicycle lights!

Repeated attempts to get a lift back in the direction of Pāhoa proved fruitless… so what I finally did (now that it was close to midnight) was to cycle the lighter hired steed using just the one hand whilst towing the 36+kg piece of shit with my other one. All 37 kilometers back to Hedonisia Hawaii! I arrived utterly shagged out sometime around 3 in the morning… Looking back, it’s a miracle I’m here to tell the tale! :D

Oh and here are the photos I vaguely remembered to take whilst I wasn’t dying from heat exhaustion! ;)

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I sneaked in the journey from Hawai‘i to Brisbane, Australia too as it marked the point I had travelled further than half way round the world plus it was the day where the 18th of July lasted just a few ten minutes by virtue of having passed the International Date Line heading westwards! :D

Three flights in 30-ish hours took their toll on me though, but at least I managed to arrive in time for Nykky’s birthday on the 22nd of July after flight cancellation shenanigans… All albums once again:

1. Vancouver BC, Canada to Hilo, Hawai‘i, USA - The journey from Vancouver, BC to Hilo, Hawai‘i… the only state of America aside from Alaska I’d willingly go to of my own free will! :P
2. Hawai‘i, USA - A rather barmy 5 days at Hedonisia in Hawai‘i mostly bicycling around Pāhoa, Hilo, Kapoha and Kaimū
3. Hawai‘i, USA to Brisbane, Queensland, Australia - The joys of crossing the International Date Line and hopping from the 17th of July to 19th of July as I travel from Hawai‘i, USA to Brisbane, Australia via Nadi, Fiji and Auckland, New Zealand!

Look out for further Photogasms™ of my antics down under in Australia! ;)