It seems that the people of Hawaii are not aligned with what it means to be 'in a rush'. I quite tangibly experienced this concept today. Normally I would not really have an issue with Hawaiian time (something I actually hope to aspire towards) if it weren't for the fact that I needed to meet the prior owner of this Jeep at 11 in Hilo (a city 100 miles away). What I didn't notice when I left the house at 8:40 was that the gas tank of my rental was only a 1/4 full. As luck would have it I realized this when I was already too far to turn back from the nearest town. To add to my frustration, I was way below E and unable to find the sole station in Waikoloa for a good ten minutes as the needle and the warning sound the car was emitting were reminding me of my imminent danger.
Once I found the hidden gas station (nowhere near what my crackberry GPS google maps doohickey was insisting) I rolled in with almost an empty tank. Once there, I encountered the slowest pump on the face of the planet - also running on Hawaiian time. Its almost as slow as my friend's elevator. You feel you've grown old while the seconds of you life tick by. So much for enjoying the present moment!
To further exacerbate my frustrations and the ticking clock to make my appointment as the guy had to go to work by 1, I got stuck in the back line of two of extra-wide oversized vehicle processions slowly plugging their way forward at the brisk pace of 25 mph. When I thought salvation was nigh and I could take the more rough, but probably more direct Saddle road between the mountains to reach Hilo, one of the two languid road mountains turned down Saddle road, while the other remained on its grudging crawl towards Waimea.
Both roads were now closed to a quick route to Hilo. Darkness and despair were finding a home in my heart. I decided on the Waimea road and once clearing the lumbering tortoise en route to Waimea I was confronted with an uncountable amount of laissez-fair locals driving meandering at 40 mph. After all, where do they have to go? On an island you just go round and round in circles. No point in going faster as you won't get anywhere anyway! My my what a rude shock for one so aligned to getting to places quickly. Yes, yes, I could have simply woken up earlier to compensate for the strolls of the local drivers, but I did not. I'm glad that running all these errands will end shortly. The only other place I have to be at a certain time is the library in Waimea (35 miles away) to take my Biology final on Thursday at 10.
I was glad that the Jeep's owner was running late himself as he had to clear his lien with the credit union that morning before picking me up at the Hilo airport. I must say, I lucked out. - The lady at the Budget counter could not figure out why her computer was going to charge me over $1000 for my rental, given that I had extended it for two more days, and was dropping it off at a different location than where I rented it, so she decided to redo my whole contract to just over $248 ($150 below what I would have paid as quoted by the guy with whom I had extended my rental).
The poor owner had circled the airport the second time while waiting for me to be finished at the counter and after hovering in the red zone for 30 seconds while I was walking briskly to join him, 4 cops descended on his vehicle and proceeded to lecture him on state law and airport rules after which they issued him a ticket for $35 for a parking violation. I was exposed to a very colorful conversation between him and the traffic cop in pigdin - a native reformation of the English language which swaps words with Asian and Hawaiian languages coupled with a rather difficult to understand accent for a mainlander. Such phrases as "can't you?" are replaced with "no can?" etc.
The guy then drove us to his father's place where he gave me the title and the key, and that was that. The DMV adventure will soon follow. I went to the police station to begin my drivers license process, but since the line was long, I just picked up the paperwork and will take my place in line with the rest of the cattle for my branding on a later date.
The Horses of Saddle Road...
I just realized that the name of the road is quite appropriate. I have driven Saddle road twice now.
Every time I drive here, I slow down to view the most beautiful horse I have ever seen. This beautiful black and white beauty with blue eyes really put on a show and pranced around when I came out to spend time with him. The pictures do not do him justice. He and I have built up a rapport. I will need to visit him again. If this farm offers horse riding, I would love to spend time with this gorgeous steed :)
To Own a Jeep is to Own an Experience...
I am now an owner of a Lego construction set of military parts commonly referred to as a Jeep. What better vehicle can possibly exist in the world which includes Velcro as a major construction component! I have yet to take the soft top and doors off as I've no place to store them. But when I do, I will be fearing for my life as the road passes by me at 50+ mph on either side of the doors-that-once-were with nothing by the flimsy seatbelt as my guardian angle. Oh what joy! :-D
Here the stickers on your car indicate you as a local. This gives you a pass from your vehicle being vandalized as down-on-their luck individuals scour it for valuables. Its a true joy to not have to lock one's car, after all, if someone steals it, where are they gonna go? Its a strange change of habit to have to take all of my belongings out, and leave the windows open and the car unlocked.
The guy really looked after the vehicle well. Its over 10 years old, but the inside is very clean and not worn down. Tomorrow I'll be replacing the seat covers, rain-xing my windows, and giving the inside of the car a good polish.
I've named him Jake for now. His name may change but for now Jake's his name :)
The Hotel...
They haven't cleaned the room since I got here. I wonder if they even know I'm here. The credit card bill will no doubt reveal the truth.
The following was taking along the road from Waimea to Kona...
1 comment:
Sounds completely typical, I commute the same road every day, one day at 60mph and the next at 40mph. It just depends on what is on the road.
I also drive Saddle regularly, have for over a year. Oddly enough I enjoy driving the road, it is always beautiful. Even what the fog limits visibility and you are enclosed in a grey pocket of detached reality. The clouds and weather are vastly different every time
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