I’ve got a tough life, my friends. Really, really tough. I mean, for starters I had to wake up at 8:00 this morning to get breakfast. Breakfast ends at 8:30! That is way too damn early. And then I had to work out to maintain my rock hard bod. Can you believe that? After a shower, I had freeing the human voice, where we did some relaxing breathing exercises and concluded with a cool partner activity which corrects posture and loosens up the back. The class is excruciatingly hard. Like I said, tough life. Then I had lunch, and they pork chops but no fish option! This place is a prison.
After lunch, I went back to my room to work on my summer research application. I have to write two papers for the application, and I got a pretty solid first draft on the tougher one. I’m going to knock out the first draft of the second one after I update all of you, dear readers, on my life.
Then I had painting, where we learned how to use single point perspective as a tool to show depth. I accidentally chose a very difficult view, though I surprised myself with the final product. Hooray me! On the topic of art, I am still absolutely in love with drawing. It is so therapeutic. I’d recommend to anyone drawing while listening to music. Seriously, mis amigos, if you take anything away from this blog, let it be that.
When I got back to my room, I learned that were going to have dance as a spiritual practice! So I grabbed an early dinner with Emma, and skedaddled on over for dance. Now I don’t think I mentioned this in a previous blog, but we had a dance as a spiritual practice session the night we sailed from Hilo to Honolulu. We danced out on the deck, which felt great, but the energy level was lower. Anyhow, at the end I asked if it was cool to take off our shirts, because I really get into the dancing and, as a result, get pretty toasty. I was ecstatic to learn that it is indeed cool to take off our shirts, so I took full advantage tonight. Steve, my new friend who rode with us to Volcano National Park, and I collectively made the night of each and every girl out there when we removed our shirts during the middle of the session. I cannot tell you how incredibly freeing it is to dance with as little clothing as possible.
After we danced, everyone got together for a massage circle, which was the perfect end to the dance session. Before we leave, everyone uses one word to describe how they are feeling. I used “regal.”
OK my friends, that’s all I’ve got. More tomorrow.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Friday, January 29, 2010
Day 12 – Oahu
Hello again, dear readers. I’m back at sea, showered, shaven, and sunburn free (nothing makes my mother happier). Aiight amigos, let me tell you about my last two days.
Yesterday Nick and I woke up for an 8:00 am breakfast with my aforementioned friend Greg, as well as my buddies Nate and Jake, whom you have yet to meet. The goal was to get some mopeds and cruise the beautiful island of Oahu, hopefully making it up to the North Shore. When we got off the boat, a woman who ran a Waikiki shuttle was trying to sell us on a moped place that charged only $15 per day. However, her shuttle was taking forever, so we decided to grab a cab into Waikiki. While getting a cab we saw Dan, a dude Jake knew who wanted to ride mopeds. So Dan decided to join us for the day.
The driver sold us on this place that rented Hawaiian Cruisers, these moped/go kart hybrids. A Cruiser has two seats, three wheels (two in the front and one in the back), a small windshield in the front (about chest high), and handlebars for steering with brakes and a throttle. Because the roads in Oahu are not that well maintained, he strongly recommended using these three wheelers. He had been involved in a brutal moped accident less than a year ago, and as a result he will never surf again (only in Hawaii is that a measuring stick). At the time we thought he was an awesome dude for the great recommendation.
We rented the mopeds from this goofy stoner sales manager. I’m convinced we could have done a better job haggling, but the majority of the group just seemed rearing to rent the things and hit the road. I was telling everyone we should shop around (threatening to leave is the strongest move you can make), but the group wanted on be out on the open road. We got him to knock a bit off the price, but I wasn’t satisfied. It came out to $70 per person for the entire day, which was more than I wanted to spend.
The price was high because we got the cruisers with the nicest engines; they can hit 50 mph. The fact that SAS allows us to rent these things yet prohibits skydiving as a “high risk activity” is simply astounding. But not that I’m complaining.
Dan and I decided to ride together, and the $70 investment paid off the second we hit the road. The cruisers are one of the funnest toys I’ve played with in a while. The sun was shining, my shirt was off (revealing my pale and hairy, yet rock-hard body) and we were cruising along the majestic coastline. Life couldn’t be much better. And then it started to rain. It wasn’t raining hard, but the lack of roof and windshield made it hard to see. And then Jake and Nate’s cruiser broke down. Dan and I didn’t actually see it happen, so we just continued along to the lunch spot we planned to meet. Once we got to Teddy’s Bigger Burgers, a spectacular burger joint, I got a hold of Nick and learned that Jake and Nate were stuck on the side of the road. Nick and Greg were waiting with them. Since we had already gotten to the restaurant, Dan and I decided to eat before meeting up with the group. The burger was one of the highlights of the day (not that the day was bad, it was just a damn good burger). Apparently Teddy’s Bigger Burgers is a chain that started in Seattle. If you ever see one, do yourself a favor and eat there.
After our epic lunch, Dan and I caught up with the group back on the road. They had waited over an hour in the rain for help to show up, and when the owner arrived he did not even offer an apology. In fact, he accused Jake and Nate of being negligent, and threatened to charge $100 for making him come out there. But his douchebaggery aside, Jake and Nate had a new Cruiser and we were back on the road.
Since it was raining, we abandoned our plans of hitting up the North Shore. Instead, after the rest of the group got lunch, we decided to hike in Mana Wili Falls. Apparently there is an epic cliff jump at the end of the hike, but we unfortunately did not have the four hours to dedicate to getting there and back. What we did hike, though, was incredibly scenic, and I enjoyed every second of it. It was filled with small rivers and lush vegetation; I wish we could have gone to the end. Also, the trail was really muddy and slippery (dirtying up my sweet white shoes!), which, sadly, made it tough to take pictures.
After hiking, we decided to drive around the local area, as the roads seemed to literally be carved through breathtaking rainforest. I snapped some sweet pics, though I really wish I had thought to take video. Not only is taking stills tough when you’re moving quickly, but also a video would have given a sweet sense of riding experience. Oh well, c'est la vie.
Then we made our way back to the boat, stopping at a scenic turnout to watch the sunset. This might have been the best part of the day, especially as someone who enjoys photography. The lighting was simply amazing. Looking over the photos as I write this blog post, I really wish I could post them to the internet now. But I guess you’ll just have to wait, now won’t you. Patience is a virtue, you impatient bastards.
After the sunset, Dan and I made our way back to the ship. After a quick shower, we hit up The Shack, a sports bar. They had $2 fish tacos and $2 Coronas, which is a recipe for a great evening. The bar was really fun until the live music started playing, which was way, way, waaaaay too loud. I could barely hear the person next to me, so I decided to grab Kayla, a cute SAS girl whom I had met at dinner, for a dance. Kayla had seemed somewhat interested in me, making a sincere effort over the last hour to talk with me despite the fact that we were sitting across the table from one another. So I figured I’d wow her with my awesome dance moves. She was clearly digging it, probably because my dance moves are so awesome. Of course, I later learned she has a boyfriend. They always do.
Anyhow, two girls from dinner decided to join in on the dancing, and soon after a local Hawaiian dude started creeping on them. Since I was already dancing with Kayla, there really wasn’t much I could do to protect the other girls. Unable to help them, I figured I might as well laugh at their discomfort. Which I did. Heartily.
Then some friends and I went to have a few brews on the lovely Waikiki beach. I bought a New Zealand beer from the liquor store, entirely due to the fact that I figured the Flight of the Conchords may drink that very same beer. Beach drinking was good fun, especially because the cops could not have cared less. Dan stayed sober and drove me back on the cruiser, which was a blast to ride in, especially since I had consumed four beers over the course of the evening. And no joke, we saw over 50 prostitutes on the ride back. Didn’t know it was such a thriving industry in Oahu. Back on the ship, I stealthily returned and got ready for bed without waking up Nick. I’m pretty much Batman.
Now I had known Nick was not going out, so I hadn’t really heard from him since the sunset. The next morning, I learned that he and Greg broke down in a shady part of town. And surprise surprise, the owner was yet again a huge jackass. NEVER EVER EVER RENT FROM MINI COUPE HAWAII (that’s the name of the place we rented from). I’ve heard the owner rapes and eats puppies for fun. Seriously. But basically the dude came out, accused Nick and Greg of breaking the cruiser, and refused to offer any sort of apology or compensation. To top things off, the sales manager, who came with the owner and ended up driving Nick and Greg back to the ship, told them that he was high while driving.
But since Nick’s cruiser was taken care of, he and I drove to Waikiki this morning to return my cruiser. When I brought it back, I voiced my displeasure over the rude treatment we received and the poor performance of the vehicles. When the shop refused to offer a refund, I angrily said I wanted to create a website called MiniCoupeHawaiiRuinedMyVacation.com and stormed out. I figured that was the end of it.
That frustration over, Nick and I grabbed breakfast. We each got a waffle topped with cooked apples and macadamia nuts, which was unbelievably tastylicious. Coconut syrup, for the record, might be the most delectable thing on the face of the earth.
Next we decided to relax on Waikiki beach for a few hours. The beach might just be the most picturesque beach I’ve ever seen. Unfortunately, it is not conducive to many pictures because I feared getting sand in the lens. I did grab a few cool shots, though.
At the beach, we met up with a few fellow SASers and went for a swim. The water temperature was absolutely perfect: cold enough to be very refreshing (like a junior mint) but warm enough to dive into without discomfort. The lone problem with the beach is the massive amount of coral mixed in with the sand on the ocean floor. Walking on it hurts your feet.
After a few hours on the beach, Nick and I left to run a few remaining errands. We went to Battery Bill’s, where Nick and I each got an extra battery for our cameras. The store has Battery Bill’s commercial constantly running on a television screen, which I assume slowly drives Battery Bill insane. It’s a hysterically goofy commercial and jingle, though, and I sincerely hope it’s on YouTube. Look for it.
Afterward, Nick and I went to Costco and our cab driver let us use his Costco card. We bought a massive amount of chocolate covered Macadamia nuts, a Hawaiian specialty. I also bought a new water bottle, because I left mine on the beach in Hilo.
Back at the ship, we were all set to shower and unwind. And then Mini Coupe Hawaii called. They claimed we had caused massive amounts of damage to our cruisers and we had to come to the shop immediately. We told them that we could not get there because we were obligated to be on the ship. So they threatened to send police officers to prevent us from boarding the ship. Knowing it was an empty threat, Nick and I boarded the MV Explorer and then tried to settle things over the phone. It is still unclear as to whether or not we will be charged for these supposed damages, though I think we have sufficient ammunition to fight any charges (namely the fact that we returned our car without damages, gave ample warning as to when we had to be back on the ship and when we would be leaving cell service, and we never received a call citing damages to be charged). Needless to say, MiniCoupeHawaiiRuinedMyVacation.com, it appears you are soon to become a reality.
Okey dokey, I’m off to bed. Talk to you tomorrow, my friends.
Yesterday Nick and I woke up for an 8:00 am breakfast with my aforementioned friend Greg, as well as my buddies Nate and Jake, whom you have yet to meet. The goal was to get some mopeds and cruise the beautiful island of Oahu, hopefully making it up to the North Shore. When we got off the boat, a woman who ran a Waikiki shuttle was trying to sell us on a moped place that charged only $15 per day. However, her shuttle was taking forever, so we decided to grab a cab into Waikiki. While getting a cab we saw Dan, a dude Jake knew who wanted to ride mopeds. So Dan decided to join us for the day.
The driver sold us on this place that rented Hawaiian Cruisers, these moped/go kart hybrids. A Cruiser has two seats, three wheels (two in the front and one in the back), a small windshield in the front (about chest high), and handlebars for steering with brakes and a throttle. Because the roads in Oahu are not that well maintained, he strongly recommended using these three wheelers. He had been involved in a brutal moped accident less than a year ago, and as a result he will never surf again (only in Hawaii is that a measuring stick). At the time we thought he was an awesome dude for the great recommendation.
We rented the mopeds from this goofy stoner sales manager. I’m convinced we could have done a better job haggling, but the majority of the group just seemed rearing to rent the things and hit the road. I was telling everyone we should shop around (threatening to leave is the strongest move you can make), but the group wanted on be out on the open road. We got him to knock a bit off the price, but I wasn’t satisfied. It came out to $70 per person for the entire day, which was more than I wanted to spend.
The price was high because we got the cruisers with the nicest engines; they can hit 50 mph. The fact that SAS allows us to rent these things yet prohibits skydiving as a “high risk activity” is simply astounding. But not that I’m complaining.
Dan and I decided to ride together, and the $70 investment paid off the second we hit the road. The cruisers are one of the funnest toys I’ve played with in a while. The sun was shining, my shirt was off (revealing my pale and hairy, yet rock-hard body) and we were cruising along the majestic coastline. Life couldn’t be much better. And then it started to rain. It wasn’t raining hard, but the lack of roof and windshield made it hard to see. And then Jake and Nate’s cruiser broke down. Dan and I didn’t actually see it happen, so we just continued along to the lunch spot we planned to meet. Once we got to Teddy’s Bigger Burgers, a spectacular burger joint, I got a hold of Nick and learned that Jake and Nate were stuck on the side of the road. Nick and Greg were waiting with them. Since we had already gotten to the restaurant, Dan and I decided to eat before meeting up with the group. The burger was one of the highlights of the day (not that the day was bad, it was just a damn good burger). Apparently Teddy’s Bigger Burgers is a chain that started in Seattle. If you ever see one, do yourself a favor and eat there.
After our epic lunch, Dan and I caught up with the group back on the road. They had waited over an hour in the rain for help to show up, and when the owner arrived he did not even offer an apology. In fact, he accused Jake and Nate of being negligent, and threatened to charge $100 for making him come out there. But his douchebaggery aside, Jake and Nate had a new Cruiser and we were back on the road.
Since it was raining, we abandoned our plans of hitting up the North Shore. Instead, after the rest of the group got lunch, we decided to hike in Mana Wili Falls. Apparently there is an epic cliff jump at the end of the hike, but we unfortunately did not have the four hours to dedicate to getting there and back. What we did hike, though, was incredibly scenic, and I enjoyed every second of it. It was filled with small rivers and lush vegetation; I wish we could have gone to the end. Also, the trail was really muddy and slippery (dirtying up my sweet white shoes!), which, sadly, made it tough to take pictures.
After hiking, we decided to drive around the local area, as the roads seemed to literally be carved through breathtaking rainforest. I snapped some sweet pics, though I really wish I had thought to take video. Not only is taking stills tough when you’re moving quickly, but also a video would have given a sweet sense of riding experience. Oh well, c'est la vie.
Then we made our way back to the boat, stopping at a scenic turnout to watch the sunset. This might have been the best part of the day, especially as someone who enjoys photography. The lighting was simply amazing. Looking over the photos as I write this blog post, I really wish I could post them to the internet now. But I guess you’ll just have to wait, now won’t you. Patience is a virtue, you impatient bastards.
After the sunset, Dan and I made our way back to the ship. After a quick shower, we hit up The Shack, a sports bar. They had $2 fish tacos and $2 Coronas, which is a recipe for a great evening. The bar was really fun until the live music started playing, which was way, way, waaaaay too loud. I could barely hear the person next to me, so I decided to grab Kayla, a cute SAS girl whom I had met at dinner, for a dance. Kayla had seemed somewhat interested in me, making a sincere effort over the last hour to talk with me despite the fact that we were sitting across the table from one another. So I figured I’d wow her with my awesome dance moves. She was clearly digging it, probably because my dance moves are so awesome. Of course, I later learned she has a boyfriend. They always do.
Anyhow, two girls from dinner decided to join in on the dancing, and soon after a local Hawaiian dude started creeping on them. Since I was already dancing with Kayla, there really wasn’t much I could do to protect the other girls. Unable to help them, I figured I might as well laugh at their discomfort. Which I did. Heartily.
Then some friends and I went to have a few brews on the lovely Waikiki beach. I bought a New Zealand beer from the liquor store, entirely due to the fact that I figured the Flight of the Conchords may drink that very same beer. Beach drinking was good fun, especially because the cops could not have cared less. Dan stayed sober and drove me back on the cruiser, which was a blast to ride in, especially since I had consumed four beers over the course of the evening. And no joke, we saw over 50 prostitutes on the ride back. Didn’t know it was such a thriving industry in Oahu. Back on the ship, I stealthily returned and got ready for bed without waking up Nick. I’m pretty much Batman.
Now I had known Nick was not going out, so I hadn’t really heard from him since the sunset. The next morning, I learned that he and Greg broke down in a shady part of town. And surprise surprise, the owner was yet again a huge jackass. NEVER EVER EVER RENT FROM MINI COUPE HAWAII (that’s the name of the place we rented from). I’ve heard the owner rapes and eats puppies for fun. Seriously. But basically the dude came out, accused Nick and Greg of breaking the cruiser, and refused to offer any sort of apology or compensation. To top things off, the sales manager, who came with the owner and ended up driving Nick and Greg back to the ship, told them that he was high while driving.
But since Nick’s cruiser was taken care of, he and I drove to Waikiki this morning to return my cruiser. When I brought it back, I voiced my displeasure over the rude treatment we received and the poor performance of the vehicles. When the shop refused to offer a refund, I angrily said I wanted to create a website called MiniCoupeHawaiiRuinedMyVacation.com and stormed out. I figured that was the end of it.
That frustration over, Nick and I grabbed breakfast. We each got a waffle topped with cooked apples and macadamia nuts, which was unbelievably tastylicious. Coconut syrup, for the record, might be the most delectable thing on the face of the earth.
Next we decided to relax on Waikiki beach for a few hours. The beach might just be the most picturesque beach I’ve ever seen. Unfortunately, it is not conducive to many pictures because I feared getting sand in the lens. I did grab a few cool shots, though.
At the beach, we met up with a few fellow SASers and went for a swim. The water temperature was absolutely perfect: cold enough to be very refreshing (like a junior mint) but warm enough to dive into without discomfort. The lone problem with the beach is the massive amount of coral mixed in with the sand on the ocean floor. Walking on it hurts your feet.
After a few hours on the beach, Nick and I left to run a few remaining errands. We went to Battery Bill’s, where Nick and I each got an extra battery for our cameras. The store has Battery Bill’s commercial constantly running on a television screen, which I assume slowly drives Battery Bill insane. It’s a hysterically goofy commercial and jingle, though, and I sincerely hope it’s on YouTube. Look for it.
Afterward, Nick and I went to Costco and our cab driver let us use his Costco card. We bought a massive amount of chocolate covered Macadamia nuts, a Hawaiian specialty. I also bought a new water bottle, because I left mine on the beach in Hilo.
Back at the ship, we were all set to shower and unwind. And then Mini Coupe Hawaii called. They claimed we had caused massive amounts of damage to our cruisers and we had to come to the shop immediately. We told them that we could not get there because we were obligated to be on the ship. So they threatened to send police officers to prevent us from boarding the ship. Knowing it was an empty threat, Nick and I boarded the MV Explorer and then tried to settle things over the phone. It is still unclear as to whether or not we will be charged for these supposed damages, though I think we have sufficient ammunition to fight any charges (namely the fact that we returned our car without damages, gave ample warning as to when we had to be back on the ship and when we would be leaving cell service, and we never received a call citing damages to be charged). Needless to say, MiniCoupeHawaiiRuinedMyVacation.com, it appears you are soon to become a reality.
Okey dokey, I’m off to bed. Talk to you tomorrow, my friends.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Day 10 – Hilo, Hawaii
Oh hi friends. It’s been two days since my last post. How I’ve missed your beautiful eyes, lovely face, and supple breasts (Editor’s note: sorry about that joke, I’m pretty tired). Anyway, let me tell all-a-yous about my last two days on the Big Island.
Yesterday (Monday the 25th) we arrived in Hilo with a 5:30 wakeup call. My friends Nick, Greg and I rented a car to go the Volcano National Park, and on the way we saw two fellow SASers, Steve and Pam (both of whom I had yet to meet), hitchhiking with a sign saying “Volcano Park.” We stopped and picked them up, and ended up spending the day with them. They are both cool people, Steve especially. I could definitely see myself become good friends with Steve.
Once we arrived to the park, we paid a small entrance fee ($10 total), and headed in. We started with the volcano tubes, which are basically caves created by molten lava carving its path into the lush, tropic earth. The first tube was pretty cool, but the best part of the experience was the second cave we explored. See this cave was unlit, and among the five of us we only had a small flashlight and a single headlamp. Though the cave was not particularly difficult to navigate, the lack of the light made it more of an adventure. Similarly, the darkness made the sights seemed like more of a novel discovery. As I’m writing this I know it sounds stupid, so I suppose you had to be there.
It took about a half of an hour to reach the end of the cave, and once we got there we decided to sit for a while in absolute darkness and complete silence. It was a trippy experience; my eyes are so used to seeing when I look somewhere that I was convinced I could see a faint outline of the cave wherever I was looking. However, if closed my eyes, the visual image did not change. The total darkness was playing tricks on my brain. The coolest part, though, was my improved hearing in the conditions. Without any visual stimulation, the sounds of water slowly dripping into the cave were so vivid. The group enjoyed the experience for fifteen minutes or so, and then we made our way out the cave.
After a quick lunch outside of the park, we came back to hike in the enormous volcanic crater, the highlight of the park. The hike was absolutely magnificent. It began with an incredible overhead view of the crater, and then we made our way down to the crater through lush rainforest, where we got to see beautiful vegetation. The crater, which a friendly local described as one and a half miles wide, was almost entirely volcanic rock with only small patches of greenery poking through. In addition, there were multiple vents emitting clouds of a mixture of steam and sulfur dioxide, due to the underground lava. It was cool to stick my hand in the clouds; I could really feel the heat. We hiked through the crater, and climbed to the top of the largest steam/sulfur vent in the immediate area (Editor’s note: the climb and subsequent view of the volcanic vent were my favorite parts of the trip. I have some great video but, unfortunately, this won’t make it to the internet until I return. Same deal with photos). Initially, we had thought one simply hikes to the middle of the crater and then hikes out the way one came. However, after talking to fellow hikers, we learned the trail is a complete circle. So we were able to take a different route out of the crater, which took us through more scenic rainforest and, more importunately, gave us an overhead view of the largest volcanic vent in the park. The plume of smoke was coming from a crater nearly two miles wide, and we guesstimated that the plume itself was over a mile wide. The view was simply stunning.
One final noteworthy moment from the hike: at one point I was able to clear a four foot patch of land with my urine stream, and as a result the pee sailed over the edge of the cliff and down into the crater. Yay men!
After driving back to the ship, I recuperated with a bit of rest and a shower. Though we lost Greg (he had an early dive the next day) Steve and Pam joined us for dinner, as did Emma. We went a sushi place which was pretty decent, though the highlight of the evening was going to a Kava bar. Kava is apparently a root extract which has mild sedative effects, and it can be consumed in liquid form and in food. I enjoyed a cup of kava creation and a kava brownie, which left my body feeling a bit heavy and my temperament relaxed and content. The best part of the bar, though, was its owner Dave. When you think of the typical Hawaiian, think of Dave. He’s supremely kind and easy-going – the man clearly enjoys life. He suggested a bunch of fun things to do in the city, and offered his cell phone number in case we needed any help during our stay. Dave is, undoubtedly, the man.
At the kava bar we met up with a few friends, and a mix of us ended up leaving to check out some beaches. It was around 11 pm at this point, so it was dark out. The beaches were really serene at night. At the first beach, I climbed a cool tree that I figured I would not be able to get up, and at the second I talked with a couple locals out fishing. We turned in to the ship a bit past midnight, hoping to get a good sleep to recharge for our next day.
The recharge didn’t go as well as planned. I slept fine, just wish I had gotten to do it longer. But we had things to do and people to see. Well, more accurately, we had to the return the rental car by 9 am. Otherwise, we decided to do a low-key day to get more in touch with the relaxed lifestyle that is the Hawaiian Islands. After breakfast, Nick and I returned the car. Now we had heard from numerous friends that it was fun and safe to hitchhike, so we decided to try to hitch a ride back from the airport. Apparently it’s easier if you have boobs. After many failures, we ended up getting ride from a cool dude named Roofus. Roofus had been driving toward the airport earlier, and went to make a left turn into a small shopping center. Nick and I were crossing the street at the same time, so we jogged to avoid holding him up. Roofus gave us the “hang loose” hand sign as a token of his appreciation, and Nick and I continued on our way. After Roofus finished his errands, he began to return home when he saw that Nick and I were still looking for a ride. So he picked us up. What goes around comes around, I suppose.
After Roofus dropped us off, Nick and I decided to mosey toward the downtown area. For part of the journey, we walked along the ocean with our feet in the water. We then cut across the road to a park Dave recommended the previous night, which has a cool golden statue of King Kamehameha the Great. While the statue is cool, the best part of the park is its natural beauty. It had numerous colorful trees, plenty of open grassy areas, and a small, crystal blue lake with a pretty little bridge going across it. We stopped to do a sketch for art class, then continued downtown. Just as we reached downtown, we decided to stop at another park (there are a bunch in Hilo) to check out a few cool-looking trees. There we met these three local women, with whom we relaxed and chatted for a good hour or so.
Then began the food extravaganza. We started at the farmers market, where we got strawberry guavas, some of the world’s finest pineapple, a loaf of unbelievable banana bread, and tamales filled with rice and sweet coconut. The produce was so incredibly cheap and delicious, it’s hard for me to imagine why many Hawaiians are overweight. If produce near me was this good and this cheap, I’d eat little else.While eating our fruit and other goodies in the park, the park began to get invaded by local kids out from school. I began talking to the first ones who arrived, and asked what grade they were in. The said they were in seventh and eighth grade. When I asked what they did after school, they looked at me like I was stupid. “We play,” one simply replied. And play they did. Games of football and kickball broke out, and Nick and I watched in surprise as these kids enjoyed the simple pleasures most kids on the mainland give up after elementary school. In my case, I stopped communal playing with fellow students by the time I hit sixth grade, instead sticking to my group of friends. Life really is different on the Islands.
After gorging ourselves on fruit and banana bread, we grabbed lunch at this small hole-in-the-wall place the park locals had recommended. We each got an island specialty, called loco something-or-other, which consists of a fried egg, meat, and sauce over rice (hence the overweight Hawaiians, I guess). I went with a teriyaki burger patty for my meat selection, Nick got ahi tuna. We also both added grilled onions. It was incredible, though by the end I’d felt like I’d eaten an entire cow. After the feast, Nick and I laid in yet another park to digest.
With satiated stomachs, we made our way to the downtown shops. Nick had seen some he wanted to check out the night before, though reevaluating in daylight we were underwhelmed with the Hilo shopping scene. Nick bought a cool spoon kit hand carved from wood, though I opted to wait because I figure these same things with will be cheaper in many future ports.We capped off the day with ice cream; the home-made treat is a Hilo staple. I got a cone with a scoop of mango ice cream and a scoop of strawberry. The ice cream was so creamy and delicious, and entertained me as we shared a cab with fellow SASers back to the ship.
And that was my Hilo adventure. Here’s to looking at you, Honolulu.
Yesterday (Monday the 25th) we arrived in Hilo with a 5:30 wakeup call. My friends Nick, Greg and I rented a car to go the Volcano National Park, and on the way we saw two fellow SASers, Steve and Pam (both of whom I had yet to meet), hitchhiking with a sign saying “Volcano Park.” We stopped and picked them up, and ended up spending the day with them. They are both cool people, Steve especially. I could definitely see myself become good friends with Steve.
Once we arrived to the park, we paid a small entrance fee ($10 total), and headed in. We started with the volcano tubes, which are basically caves created by molten lava carving its path into the lush, tropic earth. The first tube was pretty cool, but the best part of the experience was the second cave we explored. See this cave was unlit, and among the five of us we only had a small flashlight and a single headlamp. Though the cave was not particularly difficult to navigate, the lack of the light made it more of an adventure. Similarly, the darkness made the sights seemed like more of a novel discovery. As I’m writing this I know it sounds stupid, so I suppose you had to be there.
It took about a half of an hour to reach the end of the cave, and once we got there we decided to sit for a while in absolute darkness and complete silence. It was a trippy experience; my eyes are so used to seeing when I look somewhere that I was convinced I could see a faint outline of the cave wherever I was looking. However, if closed my eyes, the visual image did not change. The total darkness was playing tricks on my brain. The coolest part, though, was my improved hearing in the conditions. Without any visual stimulation, the sounds of water slowly dripping into the cave were so vivid. The group enjoyed the experience for fifteen minutes or so, and then we made our way out the cave.
After a quick lunch outside of the park, we came back to hike in the enormous volcanic crater, the highlight of the park. The hike was absolutely magnificent. It began with an incredible overhead view of the crater, and then we made our way down to the crater through lush rainforest, where we got to see beautiful vegetation. The crater, which a friendly local described as one and a half miles wide, was almost entirely volcanic rock with only small patches of greenery poking through. In addition, there were multiple vents emitting clouds of a mixture of steam and sulfur dioxide, due to the underground lava. It was cool to stick my hand in the clouds; I could really feel the heat. We hiked through the crater, and climbed to the top of the largest steam/sulfur vent in the immediate area (Editor’s note: the climb and subsequent view of the volcanic vent were my favorite parts of the trip. I have some great video but, unfortunately, this won’t make it to the internet until I return. Same deal with photos). Initially, we had thought one simply hikes to the middle of the crater and then hikes out the way one came. However, after talking to fellow hikers, we learned the trail is a complete circle. So we were able to take a different route out of the crater, which took us through more scenic rainforest and, more importunately, gave us an overhead view of the largest volcanic vent in the park. The plume of smoke was coming from a crater nearly two miles wide, and we guesstimated that the plume itself was over a mile wide. The view was simply stunning.
One final noteworthy moment from the hike: at one point I was able to clear a four foot patch of land with my urine stream, and as a result the pee sailed over the edge of the cliff and down into the crater. Yay men!
After driving back to the ship, I recuperated with a bit of rest and a shower. Though we lost Greg (he had an early dive the next day) Steve and Pam joined us for dinner, as did Emma. We went a sushi place which was pretty decent, though the highlight of the evening was going to a Kava bar. Kava is apparently a root extract which has mild sedative effects, and it can be consumed in liquid form and in food. I enjoyed a cup of kava creation and a kava brownie, which left my body feeling a bit heavy and my temperament relaxed and content. The best part of the bar, though, was its owner Dave. When you think of the typical Hawaiian, think of Dave. He’s supremely kind and easy-going – the man clearly enjoys life. He suggested a bunch of fun things to do in the city, and offered his cell phone number in case we needed any help during our stay. Dave is, undoubtedly, the man.
At the kava bar we met up with a few friends, and a mix of us ended up leaving to check out some beaches. It was around 11 pm at this point, so it was dark out. The beaches were really serene at night. At the first beach, I climbed a cool tree that I figured I would not be able to get up, and at the second I talked with a couple locals out fishing. We turned in to the ship a bit past midnight, hoping to get a good sleep to recharge for our next day.
The recharge didn’t go as well as planned. I slept fine, just wish I had gotten to do it longer. But we had things to do and people to see. Well, more accurately, we had to the return the rental car by 9 am. Otherwise, we decided to do a low-key day to get more in touch with the relaxed lifestyle that is the Hawaiian Islands. After breakfast, Nick and I returned the car. Now we had heard from numerous friends that it was fun and safe to hitchhike, so we decided to try to hitch a ride back from the airport. Apparently it’s easier if you have boobs. After many failures, we ended up getting ride from a cool dude named Roofus. Roofus had been driving toward the airport earlier, and went to make a left turn into a small shopping center. Nick and I were crossing the street at the same time, so we jogged to avoid holding him up. Roofus gave us the “hang loose” hand sign as a token of his appreciation, and Nick and I continued on our way. After Roofus finished his errands, he began to return home when he saw that Nick and I were still looking for a ride. So he picked us up. What goes around comes around, I suppose.
After Roofus dropped us off, Nick and I decided to mosey toward the downtown area. For part of the journey, we walked along the ocean with our feet in the water. We then cut across the road to a park Dave recommended the previous night, which has a cool golden statue of King Kamehameha the Great. While the statue is cool, the best part of the park is its natural beauty. It had numerous colorful trees, plenty of open grassy areas, and a small, crystal blue lake with a pretty little bridge going across it. We stopped to do a sketch for art class, then continued downtown. Just as we reached downtown, we decided to stop at another park (there are a bunch in Hilo) to check out a few cool-looking trees. There we met these three local women, with whom we relaxed and chatted for a good hour or so.
Then began the food extravaganza. We started at the farmers market, where we got strawberry guavas, some of the world’s finest pineapple, a loaf of unbelievable banana bread, and tamales filled with rice and sweet coconut. The produce was so incredibly cheap and delicious, it’s hard for me to imagine why many Hawaiians are overweight. If produce near me was this good and this cheap, I’d eat little else.While eating our fruit and other goodies in the park, the park began to get invaded by local kids out from school. I began talking to the first ones who arrived, and asked what grade they were in. The said they were in seventh and eighth grade. When I asked what they did after school, they looked at me like I was stupid. “We play,” one simply replied. And play they did. Games of football and kickball broke out, and Nick and I watched in surprise as these kids enjoyed the simple pleasures most kids on the mainland give up after elementary school. In my case, I stopped communal playing with fellow students by the time I hit sixth grade, instead sticking to my group of friends. Life really is different on the Islands.
After gorging ourselves on fruit and banana bread, we grabbed lunch at this small hole-in-the-wall place the park locals had recommended. We each got an island specialty, called loco something-or-other, which consists of a fried egg, meat, and sauce over rice (hence the overweight Hawaiians, I guess). I went with a teriyaki burger patty for my meat selection, Nick got ahi tuna. We also both added grilled onions. It was incredible, though by the end I’d felt like I’d eaten an entire cow. After the feast, Nick and I laid in yet another park to digest.
With satiated stomachs, we made our way to the downtown shops. Nick had seen some he wanted to check out the night before, though reevaluating in daylight we were underwhelmed with the Hilo shopping scene. Nick bought a cool spoon kit hand carved from wood, though I opted to wait because I figure these same things with will be cheaper in many future ports.We capped off the day with ice cream; the home-made treat is a Hilo staple. I got a cone with a scoop of mango ice cream and a scoop of strawberry. The ice cream was so creamy and delicious, and entertained me as we shared a cab with fellow SASers back to the ship.
And that was my Hilo adventure. Here’s to looking at you, Honolulu.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Day 8 – Still at Sea
Not a very eventful day since we last spoke, dear internet, though I promised a second post today. So here it is.
My first class was Digital Storytelling. We got our production teams today, I can’t wait to start shooting. My team has a bunch of funny people, including Emma. She’s a very cool girl, I’ve been hanging out a bunch with her over the last few days. We’ll see if it goes anywhere, I’ll keep you posted.
Then I had drawing, which we did out on the deck in the beautiful sunshine. We drew a chair with charcoal, which is an incredibly messy way of making art. But it was surreal to think that I was in class while I was sitting outside, surrounded by gorgeous blue ocean and soaking up incredible sunshine (with no shirt on – for the ladies), just making art and listening to music. This is the life.
And then I just came from Gamelan, which is a fun, low-key class. I’m quickly making a bunch of friends there. Eddy and Josh are both cool dudes, and I met Tolan through Gamelan as well. Today Tolan and I were talking about how well our act was received, and we vowed to write some of our own stuff. Tolan is an experienced songwriter, so if we could get down some solid lyrics he can do the rest.
Anyway, I’ve got to run. I’m grabbing dinner, then I have to go to a mandatory meeting about Hilo logistics, and I’ve still got to plan what exactly we are going to do in Hilo.
Be forewarned, loyal readers, that I may not have a chance to make daily blog posts while in port, which is the next four days (two days in Hilo and two days in Honolulu). But fear not, I will most certainly recap all of my wonderful adventures when I get the chance (and I will do my best to keep the updates daily). Ok friends, I’ll speak to you soon. Wish me fun times in Hawaii.
My first class was Digital Storytelling. We got our production teams today, I can’t wait to start shooting. My team has a bunch of funny people, including Emma. She’s a very cool girl, I’ve been hanging out a bunch with her over the last few days. We’ll see if it goes anywhere, I’ll keep you posted.
Then I had drawing, which we did out on the deck in the beautiful sunshine. We drew a chair with charcoal, which is an incredibly messy way of making art. But it was surreal to think that I was in class while I was sitting outside, surrounded by gorgeous blue ocean and soaking up incredible sunshine (with no shirt on – for the ladies), just making art and listening to music. This is the life.
And then I just came from Gamelan, which is a fun, low-key class. I’m quickly making a bunch of friends there. Eddy and Josh are both cool dudes, and I met Tolan through Gamelan as well. Today Tolan and I were talking about how well our act was received, and we vowed to write some of our own stuff. Tolan is an experienced songwriter, so if we could get down some solid lyrics he can do the rest.
Anyway, I’ve got to run. I’m grabbing dinner, then I have to go to a mandatory meeting about Hilo logistics, and I’ve still got to plan what exactly we are going to do in Hilo.
Be forewarned, loyal readers, that I may not have a chance to make daily blog posts while in port, which is the next four days (two days in Hilo and two days in Honolulu). But fear not, I will most certainly recap all of my wonderful adventures when I get the chance (and I will do my best to keep the updates daily). Ok friends, I’ll speak to you soon. Wish me fun times in Hawaii.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Day 8 – At Sea
This is going to be the first of two entries for today, though this one will be short. I just must tell you all, dear readers, what a wonderful evening I had last night.
After a quick dinner, I went to the dance as a spiritual practice club. It was absolutely incredible. There were a bunch of people who showed up, many of whom seemed quite apprehensive at first. I love to dance, so all I felt was excitement. That said, of the 50 people or so who showed up, I imagine the only other person who felt the same way was Toby, who is the most uninhibited and carefree person I have ever met. Anyhow, we began by listening to a pretty simple beat, and were told to dance with just our feet. We then built up to using our feet and our legs, and did “foot dances” with partners, in which we were instructed not to make eye contact. As I’m sure you can guess, we began to add arms, and then proceeded to dance full body, and were encouraged to release our heads, mouths, and to make noise. It was like an all-out rave for a solid 20 minutes. I was drenched in sweat. We then unwound with slower dances, and embraced stillness for another five minutes while lying on the floor and listening to music. It was an hour of pure endorphins, and ran similarly to how I would like to run my “Dance in Your Underwear Gym” one day.
Subsequently, Toby and I performed “The Most Beautiful Girl in the Room” by Flight at open mic night. Luckily, a friend of mine, Ashley, was sitting right near the front, so I sang to her and felt no apprehension about doing a dance routine in which I shook what my mamma gave me right in her face (read: less than a foot away – good thing I didn’t fart). A few friends recorded it, so hopefully I’ll find a way to get it up on YouTube sometime in the near future.
That’s all I got for now. Today I got some class and I’m going to plan out my next two days in Hilo. You’ll hear all about that laters. Okaley dokaley, talk to ya then.
After a quick dinner, I went to the dance as a spiritual practice club. It was absolutely incredible. There were a bunch of people who showed up, many of whom seemed quite apprehensive at first. I love to dance, so all I felt was excitement. That said, of the 50 people or so who showed up, I imagine the only other person who felt the same way was Toby, who is the most uninhibited and carefree person I have ever met. Anyhow, we began by listening to a pretty simple beat, and were told to dance with just our feet. We then built up to using our feet and our legs, and did “foot dances” with partners, in which we were instructed not to make eye contact. As I’m sure you can guess, we began to add arms, and then proceeded to dance full body, and were encouraged to release our heads, mouths, and to make noise. It was like an all-out rave for a solid 20 minutes. I was drenched in sweat. We then unwound with slower dances, and embraced stillness for another five minutes while lying on the floor and listening to music. It was an hour of pure endorphins, and ran similarly to how I would like to run my “Dance in Your Underwear Gym” one day.
Subsequently, Toby and I performed “The Most Beautiful Girl in the Room” by Flight at open mic night. Luckily, a friend of mine, Ashley, was sitting right near the front, so I sang to her and felt no apprehension about doing a dance routine in which I shook what my mamma gave me right in her face (read: less than a foot away – good thing I didn’t fart). A few friends recorded it, so hopefully I’ll find a way to get it up on YouTube sometime in the near future.
That’s all I got for now. Today I got some class and I’m going to plan out my next two days in Hilo. You’ll hear all about that laters. Okaley dokaley, talk to ya then.
Day 7 – At Sea
Oh hey friends. Unfortunately, going to be a quick entry today because my day is absolutely jam-packed. I’ll start with a quick recap of last night.
I got kicked off Deck 7, the bar deck, because I brought my water bottle up there. This, of course, was only filled with water. However, apparently water bottles are not allowed because people want to sneak alcohol out of the bar area to save for later. Then, they can combine drinks to consume more alcohol in one night.
I tried, to no avail, to argue that my bottle was filled with water, and it would be absolutely disgusting to fill with beer. I also said that I did not have my drink card on me, so I could not even obtain a delicious alcoholic beverage, and that the doctor has continuously recommended we do our best to stay hydrated. However, the man in charge, an ex cop, would have none of it. My biggest complaint was how rude he was about kicking me out, it was clear he got a big hard-on from authority. The man certainly loved his old job.
Anyhow, this morning I worked out and afterward went to my theater class about freeing the natural voice. We did breathing and stretching exercises, it was ever so relaxing.
After lunch, Nick and I chose more trips to embark on. In Shanghai we are going to do an all-day city tour, in Vietnam we are going to explore tunnels from the war and visit temples, and in India we are going to see Mallapuram, a famous architectural site (in addition to our Taj Mahal trip). But more on those later, when we actually do the traveling.
This afternoon, I went up to top the deck and did some drawing while listening to music. I love drawing, it is so meditative and relaxing; it really clears my head. I’m about to head off to my painting class, and then have a very busy night (which is why I’m posting so early in the day).
First, I need to practice with my friend Tolan for an Open Mic night tonight. As you could probably guess, we are going to do a piece from my two favorite New Zealanders: Flight of the Conchords. Then I have to grab an early dinner before my dance and spirituality club, which is basically free-form dancing to music. I don’t think I could possibly be more excited for that. After the dance class, there is a mandatory pre-port meeting about Hilo. Finally, there is the Open Mic night and hopefully some more time for friend-making. I’ll recap the show tomorrow, thanks for reading.
I got kicked off Deck 7, the bar deck, because I brought my water bottle up there. This, of course, was only filled with water. However, apparently water bottles are not allowed because people want to sneak alcohol out of the bar area to save for later. Then, they can combine drinks to consume more alcohol in one night.
I tried, to no avail, to argue that my bottle was filled with water, and it would be absolutely disgusting to fill with beer. I also said that I did not have my drink card on me, so I could not even obtain a delicious alcoholic beverage, and that the doctor has continuously recommended we do our best to stay hydrated. However, the man in charge, an ex cop, would have none of it. My biggest complaint was how rude he was about kicking me out, it was clear he got a big hard-on from authority. The man certainly loved his old job.
Anyhow, this morning I worked out and afterward went to my theater class about freeing the natural voice. We did breathing and stretching exercises, it was ever so relaxing.
After lunch, Nick and I chose more trips to embark on. In Shanghai we are going to do an all-day city tour, in Vietnam we are going to explore tunnels from the war and visit temples, and in India we are going to see Mallapuram, a famous architectural site (in addition to our Taj Mahal trip). But more on those later, when we actually do the traveling.
This afternoon, I went up to top the deck and did some drawing while listening to music. I love drawing, it is so meditative and relaxing; it really clears my head. I’m about to head off to my painting class, and then have a very busy night (which is why I’m posting so early in the day).
First, I need to practice with my friend Tolan for an Open Mic night tonight. As you could probably guess, we are going to do a piece from my two favorite New Zealanders: Flight of the Conchords. Then I have to grab an early dinner before my dance and spirituality club, which is basically free-form dancing to music. I don’t think I could possibly be more excited for that. After the dance class, there is a mandatory pre-port meeting about Hilo. Finally, there is the Open Mic night and hopefully some more time for friend-making. I’ll recap the show tomorrow, thanks for reading.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Day 6 – At Sea
Boy oh boy, are B days busy. I woke up at 7:10 this morning after getting maybe two or three hours of sleep. The ship was rocking like crazy, and Nick and I both were barely able to get any shut-eye. The last few hours or so the ship has been much more stable, though, so hopefully we are starting a new trend.
Anyhow, day started sitting in on Liberty and Law with good old Professor Robert Hoffert. We went over John Locke’s “Of Liberty and Law” and how there has been a transition in old and new political systems. Previously, the ruled fought for liberty while the rulers fought for authority. Now, in countries with self-rule, the people, at least the majority, are the rulers. And it is the minority who is fighting for rights. But, the caveat is that many leaders are elected by the plurality, not the majority. In 2000, for example, George Bush received only a little more than 23% of eligible votes (he lost the popular vote to Al Gore by a slim margin and many people did not vote). The class promises to be interesting.
Global Studies was cancelled, so I took that time to nap. Then I went to lunch with my new friend Emma, who has a bubbling personality and a contagious laugh. Lunch was highly enjoyable, highlighted by a brownie for dessert. Delicious.
Afternoon classes were pretty sweet. Started by sitting in on digital storytelling, and I cannot wait for SeaTV. Our professor informed us that we can literally air anything we want to, noting that risqué content will be prefaced with “the following content is only suitable for viewers over 18.” Fan-freaking-tastic. So my Law and Order: SUV parody should flourish. I want to do an episode where chocolate croissants are stolen from the dining area, and subsequently raped and murdered. And I’ll show a highly graphic photo of a raped chocolate crossaint. Hilarity will ensue.
Then I had drawing class during which we drew boxes. I wish we got a bit more instruction on drawing techniques such as using depth, though I suppose the practice is good.
Finally, I had Gamelan, which was good fun. Boy oh boy does the Union rock when the ship rocks, though. It makes playing stand-up instruments quite challenging.
Dinner was uneventful, and I have since done a bit of art homework, sent out a mass email for my Drum Circle club, and written this blog post. After a shower and beard sculpting, I will go socialize. Until tomorrow, internet. Still time to hit me up with SeaTV ideas.
Anyhow, day started sitting in on Liberty and Law with good old Professor Robert Hoffert. We went over John Locke’s “Of Liberty and Law” and how there has been a transition in old and new political systems. Previously, the ruled fought for liberty while the rulers fought for authority. Now, in countries with self-rule, the people, at least the majority, are the rulers. And it is the minority who is fighting for rights. But, the caveat is that many leaders are elected by the plurality, not the majority. In 2000, for example, George Bush received only a little more than 23% of eligible votes (he lost the popular vote to Al Gore by a slim margin and many people did not vote). The class promises to be interesting.
Global Studies was cancelled, so I took that time to nap. Then I went to lunch with my new friend Emma, who has a bubbling personality and a contagious laugh. Lunch was highly enjoyable, highlighted by a brownie for dessert. Delicious.
Afternoon classes were pretty sweet. Started by sitting in on digital storytelling, and I cannot wait for SeaTV. Our professor informed us that we can literally air anything we want to, noting that risqué content will be prefaced with “the following content is only suitable for viewers over 18.” Fan-freaking-tastic. So my Law and Order: SUV parody should flourish. I want to do an episode where chocolate croissants are stolen from the dining area, and subsequently raped and murdered. And I’ll show a highly graphic photo of a raped chocolate crossaint. Hilarity will ensue.
Then I had drawing class during which we drew boxes. I wish we got a bit more instruction on drawing techniques such as using depth, though I suppose the practice is good.
Finally, I had Gamelan, which was good fun. Boy oh boy does the Union rock when the ship rocks, though. It makes playing stand-up instruments quite challenging.
Dinner was uneventful, and I have since done a bit of art homework, sent out a mass email for my Drum Circle club, and written this blog post. After a shower and beard sculpting, I will go socialize. Until tomorrow, internet. Still time to hit me up with SeaTV ideas.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Day 5 – At Sea
The conditions at sea are quite odd. Few would argue that we are going through some great weather. We get a solid 5 hours of beautiful, sunny weather, and have nice long days of sunlight. However, the water is extremely rough. We go through swells as high as fifteen feet or so, which makes the ship rock like crazy. While I was drawing out on the deck today, I slid nearly five feet in folding pool chair before I could stop myself. Apparently, the swells are a result of a storm in Alaska and, according to one fellow student, the seas should calm down tomorrow. Here’s to that.
Today I worked out, which is a bit of an adventure considering how much the boat is moving. Freeweights are pretty much out of the question, and doing resistance exercises like pull-ups vary in difficulty depending on the movement of the ship. I did a shadowboxing warm-up, which drew a lot of odd looks. Oh well.
Classes today were not noteworthy, though I had an excellent time tanning on the deck and drawing a picture of my shoe (that was the homework for my drawing class). That was supremely relaxing, and the first step in eliminating/reducing my enormous farmer’s tan.
Well that’s it for me today, a bit of an early entry due to when it fit best in my schedule. I’ll certainly let you all know if anything noteworthy happens during dinner and beyond.
Also, many thanks to Adam Heeger for the excellent SeaTV suggestions. Still time to get those in, hit me up ASAP at msrattner@semesteratsea.net. Take good care friends.
Today I worked out, which is a bit of an adventure considering how much the boat is moving. Freeweights are pretty much out of the question, and doing resistance exercises like pull-ups vary in difficulty depending on the movement of the ship. I did a shadowboxing warm-up, which drew a lot of odd looks. Oh well.
Classes today were not noteworthy, though I had an excellent time tanning on the deck and drawing a picture of my shoe (that was the homework for my drawing class). That was supremely relaxing, and the first step in eliminating/reducing my enormous farmer’s tan.
Well that’s it for me today, a bit of an early entry due to when it fit best in my schedule. I’ll certainly let you all know if anything noteworthy happens during dinner and beyond.
Also, many thanks to Adam Heeger for the excellent SeaTV suggestions. Still time to get those in, hit me up ASAP at msrattner@semesteratsea.net. Take good care friends.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Day 4 – At Sea
So today was the first B day (we run on an A/B class schedule). B days are going to be busy, but should be a good time. I start at 8:00 am with Liberty and Law. The Professor, Bob Hoffer, is a very nice and exceptionally smart man. He managed to allow for a significant amount of dialogue while still covering a lot of information, all within in an hour and fifteen minutes. Immediately afterward I go to Global Studies, which is solely interesting due to Don’s zany presence.
After a short break followed by lunch, I sit in on Digital Storytelling. I’m looking forward to acting for SeaTV, which consists of closed-circuit TV segments aired on the ship (similar to Paly’s InFocus). There will be six production teams, so my production team will be responsible for producing SeaTV one time for every six days we’re at sea. I definitely want my show to be funny, thus far my idea are a telenovela, a detective show spoof (made applicable to Semester at Sea crimes, such as sneaking alcohol on the boat), a Grey’s Anatomy spoof, or a LOST spoof, entitled “LOST (at sea).” If you’ve got any idea, please email me at msrattner@semesteratsea.net. My next class is on Friday, January 22nd, so try to hit me up before then.
Immediately after Digital Storytelling, I go to Drawing. I surprised myself in class today, as the task was to recreate our hand on paper. It actually came out well. I’m hoping we continue to learn how to draw body parts. Then, with any luck, I’ll graduate past stick figures.
Finally, I have Gamelan, which is an Asian percussion-based symphony. It has gongs, xylophones, and a few other percussion instruments (unfortunately I have never seen them before and do not know the names). By the time Gamelan ends, its 4:45, hence B days being long. I shouldn’t complain, though, Gamelan is rad. We began to learn our first piece today and I’m on a xylophone. Eventually we will perform for the ship, it should be quite fun.
I seriously could not be more ecstatic for the remainder of this voyage. Now that we have gotten through the syllabi, we are going to dive head-first into classes. And all of my classes (excluding global studies) are creative. I’m also sitting in on a great class about civil liberties and the Constitution, and am bound to be a ship celebrity with my hit show on SeaTV. Also, clubs are starting! Tonight is the first meeting for the Bluegrass jams group. Tomorrow night I have a meeting about starting my Drum Circle club. Three nights from now is the first meeting for Dance and Movement, and anyone who knows me well (this includes you, dear readers), is well aware that there are few things I love more than dancing. Well I gots to run to my Bluegrass Jam, I’ll ttyl, internet.
After a short break followed by lunch, I sit in on Digital Storytelling. I’m looking forward to acting for SeaTV, which consists of closed-circuit TV segments aired on the ship (similar to Paly’s InFocus). There will be six production teams, so my production team will be responsible for producing SeaTV one time for every six days we’re at sea. I definitely want my show to be funny, thus far my idea are a telenovela, a detective show spoof (made applicable to Semester at Sea crimes, such as sneaking alcohol on the boat), a Grey’s Anatomy spoof, or a LOST spoof, entitled “LOST (at sea).” If you’ve got any idea, please email me at msrattner@semesteratsea.net. My next class is on Friday, January 22nd, so try to hit me up before then.
Immediately after Digital Storytelling, I go to Drawing. I surprised myself in class today, as the task was to recreate our hand on paper. It actually came out well. I’m hoping we continue to learn how to draw body parts. Then, with any luck, I’ll graduate past stick figures.
Finally, I have Gamelan, which is an Asian percussion-based symphony. It has gongs, xylophones, and a few other percussion instruments (unfortunately I have never seen them before and do not know the names). By the time Gamelan ends, its 4:45, hence B days being long. I shouldn’t complain, though, Gamelan is rad. We began to learn our first piece today and I’m on a xylophone. Eventually we will perform for the ship, it should be quite fun.
I seriously could not be more ecstatic for the remainder of this voyage. Now that we have gotten through the syllabi, we are going to dive head-first into classes. And all of my classes (excluding global studies) are creative. I’m also sitting in on a great class about civil liberties and the Constitution, and am bound to be a ship celebrity with my hit show on SeaTV. Also, clubs are starting! Tonight is the first meeting for the Bluegrass jams group. Tomorrow night I have a meeting about starting my Drum Circle club. Three nights from now is the first meeting for Dance and Movement, and anyone who knows me well (this includes you, dear readers), is well aware that there are few things I love more than dancing. Well I gots to run to my Bluegrass Jam, I’ll ttyl, internet.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Day 3 -- At Sea
So classes started today. That was exciting. First, I sat in on a class called freeing the human voice. It’s a Theater class about, you guessed it, freeing the human voice. Diane, the professor, is a wonderfully nice lady who is one of a hundred or so instructors who are officially certified to teach this specific technique. The example she gave as to why our voices are not free is that babies and toddlers can cry and scream for hours without getting a horse voice. We adults, on the other hand, would ruin our vocal chords. It sounds quite interesting and, more importantly, really easy to pass, so I think I’ll actually enroll in the course. This will allow me to drop my course on civil liberties and Constitution (I’ll still sit in on it, provided the professor is interesting) and give me even more free time. Yay!
Next was Global Studies, which has a whopping 300 students. This really made me appreciate Occidental. I had a lot of trouble focusing in a class this big; I cannot imagine learning off of a TV lecture. I sincerely hope this class picks up, because thus far it has been nothing but definitions to memorize.
My last class was painting. I got off on the wrong foot with this professor at the meet and greet last night when I showed her a doodle I made and jokingly told her that said doodle represented my skill level (and it included stick figures). Unfortunately, she figured I wouldn’t take the class seriously and advised me to drop the course. Now I have already purchased $200 worth of art supplies, so that was not an option. Plus, I want to learn how to paint! I suppose I’ll just put in effort and try to win her over.
Anyhow, today we were given 30 minutes to draw a self-portrait of ourselves. Just as I had hoped, I found the experience to be very meditative. I just popped in my iPod and went to town. I did not budget my time well, though, I had only done my shoulders, neck, and jawline 20 minutes in. So the rest of my face did not look great, the nose especially (how the hell do you draw it in three dimensions??). But I actually surprised myself with where I was at, and I really look forward to honing the skill.
That’s it for now, tonight is the first night we can drink and they are about to open the bar!
“Stay thirsty, my friends” – The Most Interesting Man in the World
Next was Global Studies, which has a whopping 300 students. This really made me appreciate Occidental. I had a lot of trouble focusing in a class this big; I cannot imagine learning off of a TV lecture. I sincerely hope this class picks up, because thus far it has been nothing but definitions to memorize.
My last class was painting. I got off on the wrong foot with this professor at the meet and greet last night when I showed her a doodle I made and jokingly told her that said doodle represented my skill level (and it included stick figures). Unfortunately, she figured I wouldn’t take the class seriously and advised me to drop the course. Now I have already purchased $200 worth of art supplies, so that was not an option. Plus, I want to learn how to paint! I suppose I’ll just put in effort and try to win her over.
Anyhow, today we were given 30 minutes to draw a self-portrait of ourselves. Just as I had hoped, I found the experience to be very meditative. I just popped in my iPod and went to town. I did not budget my time well, though, I had only done my shoulders, neck, and jawline 20 minutes in. So the rest of my face did not look great, the nose especially (how the hell do you draw it in three dimensions??). But I actually surprised myself with where I was at, and I really look forward to honing the skill.
That’s it for now, tonight is the first night we can drink and they are about to open the bar!
“Stay thirsty, my friends” – The Most Interesting Man in the World
Monday, January 18, 2010
Day 2 – At Sea
Not a very interesting day today, the majority of it was spent at orientation. The only interesting speaker was Don, our Global Studies professor. Don is a zany, energetic old man with an enormous passion for teaching. I’m extremely eager to have class with him.
At the day’s end, however, we got to sign up for activities on the ship, which was very exciting. I’m looking to do intramural sports, help plan the Sea Olympics, play in a bluegrass jam group and I started a drum circle group. I signed up for the new family program, in which a few lifelong learners “adopt” six to eight SAS students. It basically consists of eating dinner together once a week. I also signed up to teach sports to the kids on the ship, who are children of the faculty and staff. Most excitingly, I signed up for movement and dance, which is basically free dancing to music. And the girl to guy ratio is most excellent.
The funniest moment of the day came from our friend Clara, as it has become clear to Nick and myself that she thinks we’re a gay couple. See, we are from the same area, go to college together, and planned our travels and rooming situation together. Plus, we are really close friends and are very in tune comedically. So I can see why she extrapolated what she did. Nick and I don’t care; in fact we find it hilarious. Our only concern is that we both want to get with her, and it may hurt our chances. If it becomes clear that our chances have been spoiled, we decided we will "come out" to her just for shits and giggles. Sorry for the short entry, it’s late and I gotta get to bed. Until tomorrow, friends.
At the day’s end, however, we got to sign up for activities on the ship, which was very exciting. I’m looking to do intramural sports, help plan the Sea Olympics, play in a bluegrass jam group and I started a drum circle group. I signed up for the new family program, in which a few lifelong learners “adopt” six to eight SAS students. It basically consists of eating dinner together once a week. I also signed up to teach sports to the kids on the ship, who are children of the faculty and staff. Most excitingly, I signed up for movement and dance, which is basically free dancing to music. And the girl to guy ratio is most excellent.
The funniest moment of the day came from our friend Clara, as it has become clear to Nick and myself that she thinks we’re a gay couple. See, we are from the same area, go to college together, and planned our travels and rooming situation together. Plus, we are really close friends and are very in tune comedically. So I can see why she extrapolated what she did. Nick and I don’t care; in fact we find it hilarious. Our only concern is that we both want to get with her, and it may hurt our chances. If it becomes clear that our chances have been spoiled, we decided we will "come out" to her just for shits and giggles. Sorry for the short entry, it’s late and I gotta get to bed. Until tomorrow, friends.
Day 1
I slept surprisingly well considering my excitement, but I popped out of bed at 7:30 in the morning. After a shower and packing up my things, I fueled up on a couple bowls of Honey Nut Cherrios and two glasses of OJ. My Uncle Steve, who generously housed and fed me, drove me to the San Diego Sheraton, and, because I arrived 15 minutes early, I was able to grab a seat on an early shuttle.
The ride from San Diego to Ensenada was smooth sailing. I sat on the right side of the bus, which had a gorgeous ocean view for the entirety of the ride. If I looked left, however, for the majority of the trip I would see extreme poverty. It was a stark contrast, and made me feel even luckier to be embarking on such a wonderful, lavish adventure.
I spent the majority of the ride talking to two girls named Marleen and Charlene and a guy named Jeffrey (note: all names in this blog have been changed, aside from my own and my roommate Nick's -- Nick is a close friend from Oxy). The conversation was fairly interesting, though Charlene was astoundingly dumb. She wondered why we, America, had not invaded and taken over Baja because of California's "overgrowing population problem." When I raised the fact that we could not simply take over a territory because we felt like it, she responded by saying "well we have to do something about the huge population, and that would solve it." OK then.
Once we arrived in Ensenada, it was smooth sailing. I got on the boat and checked in without incident. Our room is small, but nicely furnished and maintained. Unpacking was tough, but we got pretty much everything put away neatly. The food, I ate lunch and dinner on board, has been good so far, though as I understand it that is subject to change.
I have been most pleased with the people I have met. Leading the pack is my new buddy Greg, a gregarious and handsome dude with a sharp sense of humor. I've also met two girls, Kim and Clara who are both cute and very fun to be around. There are countless other friendly people on board whom I've met and whose company I enjoy, though those three are currently leading the pack in my book.
Before I head off to bed, there are three more funny quotes I must share with you, dear readers. The first of which occurred at dinner, when a girl wondered if the drinking water on the ship was safe because "we're in Mexico." The second happened when, after our first orientation meeting (which was boring as hell, thanks for asking), a girl asked how we could keep time while at sea. Now, this may seem like a reasonable due to time zone changes, but when Nick suggested a cell phone or a watch, she said "oh yeah! I have a watch for the trip!" It seemed as if she was confused as to whether or not the rules of timekeeping applied while at sea. And finally, I was on the top deck at the back of the ship marveling at our speed (apparently it is the fastest cruise ship in the world), and a girl inquired why it would take "so long to get to Hawaii." I responded by saying that "I'm not quite sure how fast we're moving but Hawaii is pretty far away." I thought this was common knowledge, but, in a surprised tone, the girl replied "it is?"
Until tomorrow, may the force be with you.
The ride from San Diego to Ensenada was smooth sailing. I sat on the right side of the bus, which had a gorgeous ocean view for the entirety of the ride. If I looked left, however, for the majority of the trip I would see extreme poverty. It was a stark contrast, and made me feel even luckier to be embarking on such a wonderful, lavish adventure.
I spent the majority of the ride talking to two girls named Marleen and Charlene and a guy named Jeffrey (note: all names in this blog have been changed, aside from my own and my roommate Nick's -- Nick is a close friend from Oxy). The conversation was fairly interesting, though Charlene was astoundingly dumb. She wondered why we, America, had not invaded and taken over Baja because of California's "overgrowing population problem." When I raised the fact that we could not simply take over a territory because we felt like it, she responded by saying "well we have to do something about the huge population, and that would solve it." OK then.
Once we arrived in Ensenada, it was smooth sailing. I got on the boat and checked in without incident. Our room is small, but nicely furnished and maintained. Unpacking was tough, but we got pretty much everything put away neatly. The food, I ate lunch and dinner on board, has been good so far, though as I understand it that is subject to change.
I have been most pleased with the people I have met. Leading the pack is my new buddy Greg, a gregarious and handsome dude with a sharp sense of humor. I've also met two girls, Kim and Clara who are both cute and very fun to be around. There are countless other friendly people on board whom I've met and whose company I enjoy, though those three are currently leading the pack in my book.
Before I head off to bed, there are three more funny quotes I must share with you, dear readers. The first of which occurred at dinner, when a girl wondered if the drinking water on the ship was safe because "we're in Mexico." The second happened when, after our first orientation meeting (which was boring as hell, thanks for asking), a girl asked how we could keep time while at sea. Now, this may seem like a reasonable due to time zone changes, but when Nick suggested a cell phone or a watch, she said "oh yeah! I have a watch for the trip!" It seemed as if she was confused as to whether or not the rules of timekeeping applied while at sea. And finally, I was on the top deck at the back of the ship marveling at our speed (apparently it is the fastest cruise ship in the world), and a girl inquired why it would take "so long to get to Hawaii." I responded by saying that "I'm not quite sure how fast we're moving but Hawaii is pretty far away." I thought this was common knowledge, but, in a surprised tone, the girl replied "it is?"
Until tomorrow, may the force be with you.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Ahoy
Hello people of the world (and internet pedophiles),*
Welcome to my blog! I hope you'll somehow be able to get past the pretentious title. Here, I will document my experiences on the three-and-a-half month vacation that is Semester at Sea. As of right now, the plan is for daily updates. That may fail for one of two reasons. One: laziness. That might set in after a week or so, and updates may become more sparse. Two: lack of internet while at port. In this case, assuming I've beaten the laziness factor and am still writing daily, I may not be able to post the exploits of my travels immediately. One more important thing to note, I unfortunately will probably not be able to post many pictures while I'm traveling, due to limited internet. Rest assured, they will all be posted as soon as possible. In any case, the blog promises to be entertaining, and, more importantly, provides an excellent excuse not to have to email any of you.
Tomorrow I leave to San Diego, where I will spend the night with my generous Aunt, Uncle, and cousin. Then, come Sunday, I, along with my fellow Semester at Sea travelers, will be shuttled to Ensenada, Mexico, where we board the MV Explorer. Then we sail around the world! We will be stopping in Hawaii, Japan, China, India, Vietnam, Mauritius, South Africa, Ghana, and Brazil before ending in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Check out the travel itinerary at semesteratsea.org.
Aiight, that be it for post numero uno. Talk to you all soon, dear readers.
* Intellectual property of this joke goes to Bo Burnham
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