Quote: @Vanguard83 said:
We vacationed in Hawaii two / three times every year - for 20 years - each trip a different island. Never in those 20 years / or in the four years living here, have we had an issue / trouble with the Hawaiian, Tongan, Samoan, filipino, Marshallese here.
The problem isnt the locals, its the “Orange County CA” sense of entitlement and privilege.
This is NOT DISNEYLAND. There are no seatbelts, or safety restraints. when you hike the muddy slopes of NaPali - and trip and fall, NEWSFLASH - its your own damn fault, not the hotel. When you get slammed by a wave at Makena, or cant swim out of the rip, because you have no real concept of the power of the ocean, dont blame the lifeguard who saved your ass. When you disturb a monk seal cub, or HAVE to get that picture with a sleeping turtle, or decide to take lava rock or coral home, maybe you can start to understand some of the resentment SOME locals have - this is peoples home, not an amusement park. Be kind and respectful of the culture, and thats what youll get back.
Leave only footprints, take only memories.
It takes you six hours to get here - then you Hurry to baggage, hurry to car rental, hurry to Costco, Hurry to the hotel, hurry to unpack...hurry to find a chaise at the pool.....hurry to relax...hurry to dinner.....
Pump the brakes folks. yes, getting a rental car takes time, CHILL the F out.
Youre here now, leave that hurried pace back on the mainland. Here at sunset everything stops - and for 20 to 30 minutes, just take it in. F your facebook posts, and breathe a while.
Here, you are expected to share, Aloha, your home, your food, your company. Its not about the car you drive, An M3 here is useless, youll get stuck and a local with a Toyota Taco will invariably help you out. Possessions are irrelevant - “time with your ohana” is more important than money or possessions. TIME gang. When you take your last breathe, do you want another Porsche, or more time with those you love? different set of priorities here.
Respect the Aina when you are here, and do whats right “Pono” - understand that the land WAS stolen, (albeit generations ago) beautiful Waikiki, now looks like Las Vegas, and Honolulu like Los Angeles, once pristine areas now serve military purposes - Pearl Harbor, Kaneohe Bay etc. Kids run around Punch bowl cemetery of the Pacific and the Arizona playing “slap and tickle”, lean over the edge and spit into the water. People dont remove their hats any more. Its a memorial people - keep your eye on the ball here.
We want you to visit, unwind, breathe and enjoy - take your foot off the gas pedal, and relax.
but approach the islands almost like a foreign country - show some respect. youll get it back
Well said. But it will never happen. There's a mentality with many when vacationing or renting a home for vacation: treat everything like shit. Leave everything like shit. There's very little basic respect or common courtesy anymore....mostly because its being taught by parents less and less. Your well thought out post comes from perspective and maturity, something many lack. It also takes empathy, a precious commodity today.
Quote: @StickyBun said:
@ Vanguard83 said:
We vacationed in Hawaii two / three times every year - for 20 years - each trip a different island. Never in those 20 years / or in the four years living here, have we had an issue / trouble with the Hawaiian, Tongan, Samoan, filipino, Marshallese here.
The problem isnt the locals, its the “Orange County CA” sense of entitlement and privilege.
This is NOT DISNEYLAND. There are no seatbelts, or safety restraints. when you hike the muddy slopes of NaPali - and trip and fall, NEWSFLASH - its your own damn fault, not the hotel. When you get slammed by a wave at Makena, or cant swim out of the rip, because you have no real concept of the power of the ocean, dont blame the lifeguard who saved your ass. When you disturb a monk seal cub, or HAVE to get that picture with a sleeping turtle, or decide to take lava rock or coral home, maybe you can start to understand some of the resentment SOME locals have - this is peoples home, not an amusement park. Be kind and respectful of the culture, and thats what youll get back.
Leave only footprints, take only memories.
It takes you six hours to get here - then you Hurry to baggage, hurry to car rental, hurry to Costco, Hurry to the hotel, hurry to unpack...hurry to find a chaise at the pool.....hurry to relax...hurry to dinner.....
Pump the brakes folks. yes, getting a rental car takes time, CHILL the F out.
Youre here now, leave that hurried pace back on the mainland. Here at sunset everything stops - and for 20 to 30 minutes, just take it in. F your facebook posts, and breathe a while.
Here, you are expected to share, Aloha, your home, your food, your company. Its not about the car you drive, An M3 here is useless, youll get stuck and a local with a Toyota Taco will invariably help you out. Possessions are irrelevant - “time with your ohana” is more important than money or possessions. TIME gang. When you take your last breathe, do you want another Porsche, or more time with those you love? different set of priorities here.
Respect the Aina when you are here, and do whats right “Pono” - understand that the land WAS stolen, (albeit generations ago) beautiful Waikiki, now looks like Las Vegas, and Honolulu like Los Angeles, once pristine areas now serve military purposes - Pearl Harbor, Kaneohe Bay etc. Kids run around Punch bowl cemetery of the Pacific and the Arizona playing “slap and tickle”, lean over the edge and spit into the water. People dont remove their hats any more. Its a memorial people - keep your eye on the ball here.
We want you to visit, unwind, breathe and enjoy - take your foot off the gas pedal, and relax.
but approach the islands almost like a foreign country - show some respect. youll get it back
Well said. But it will never happen. There's a mentality with many when vacationing or renting a home for vacation: treat everything like shit. Leave everything like shit. There's very little basic respect or common courtesy anymore....mostly because its being taught by parents less and less. Your well thought out post comes from perspective and maturity, something many lack. It also takes empathy, a precious commodity today.
It does take reflection for sure.
our FIRST vacation here, at the start we were that “c.mon, hurry up, cant they open another window, dont these people already have a car rental assignment....blah, blah, blah” we brought our toxic attitude with us - (Orange County attitude) slowly, the pace and people here began to take over, our kids were invited to play a touch football game with the local kids, got to “talk story” (They knew we were from CA-which now makes me cringe) good, hard-working folks just enjoying the time with their family and spreading aloha....
my son was wearing Batman swim trunks, all the locals chanting “Go Batman, Go”. Good folks, who cared about people - even tourists.
by the end of our vacation, we figured “Wow, is THIS how it could be?” We came to that conclusion on our second or third vacation here. rental car line was slow, lady at the desk, apologizing that folks car wasnt ready, and she fielded a barrage of insults and hostility. I could see “ourselves” in these inconsiderate people....and pointed it out to my wife. When WE got to the counter, and the lady said, Im sorry, youll have to wait while they wash & clean the car, instead of being a “typical mainlander” I said, “Yeah, no problem, we’re here, and thats all that matters” nice wide grin from the lady, and handed us our number.
when our number was called, a nice “full size” pulled up, I went in and told them, “sorry, but we had a compact reserved”,
“No mistake uncle, I upgraded you for free”
I thanked her, and every vacation to here we reflected how “F-ked up” our minds were. We had the big house, making big money, with the bitchin cars, never saw each other, always working, were impatient and unkind, and wouldnt piss on you if you were on fire. Theres a better way folks, This place literally changed our outlook, and relationships.
six years or so, flying home to So. CA, my wife was in tears.....”I dont want to go home, I want to live here”. without missing a beat, I said, “OK - lets do it, lets change the dynamics.” Instantly the tears dried up, and some “hope” restored for an improved atmosphere / life for us and the kids. took a few years, but we are here now, and I have no intention of going anywhere else.
find your bliss folks, and if your dymanics arent making you / loved ones happy - flip it.
BTW - There are more deceased than being reported. Doutful there will EVER be full disclosure.
with over 800 still unaccounted for, many fled to the ocean - the smoke was being swept out to toward the water - boats caught on fire / gas, oil, petrol on top of the water caught on fire. Firefighters are sending dive team, but this isnt your backyard pool - its the pacific ocean
Quote: @Vanguard83 said:
BTW - There are more deceased than being reported. Doutful there will EVER be full disclosure.
with over 800 still unaccounted for, many fled to the ocean - the smoke was being swept out to toward the water - boats caught on fire / gas, oil, petrol on top of the water caught on fire. Firefighters are sending dive team, but this isnt your backyard pool - its the pacific ocean
How horrific. I can't even imagine.
Quote: @Vanguard83 said:
BTW - There are more deceased than being reported. Doutful there will EVER be full disclosure.
with over 800 still unaccounted for, many fled to the ocean - the smoke was being swept out to toward the water - boats caught on fire / gas, oil, petrol on top of the water caught on fire. Firefighters are sending dive team, but this isnt your backyard pool - its the pacific ocean
Yes, horrible. And I heard while this was going on, dive boats were letting tourists in the water snorkeling while the fires raged and natives floating in the water terrified.
Quote: @StickyBun said:
@ Vanguard83 said:
BTW - There are more deceased than being reported. Doutful there will EVER be full disclosure.
with over 800 still unaccounted for, many fled to the ocean - the smoke was being swept out to toward the water - boats caught on fire / gas, oil, petrol on top of the water caught on fire. Firefighters are sending dive team, but this isnt your backyard pool - its the pacific ocean
Yes, horrible. And I heard while this was going on, dive boats were letting tourists in the water snorkeling while the fires raged and natives floating in the water terrified.
Lahaina isnt really a snorkeling spot - Honestly the press making more clickbait. only snorkeling is pretty much North of Lahaina (Kaanapali - where most of the hotels are) and South (Olawalu - beautiful stretch of reef along the highway).
Not sure everyone understood the severity of the fire right away. That Wednesday morning is when reports first started coming in, even our side of the island was like...huh? what?
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