Surfin' to Starbucks

Hawaii is pretty. The air is soft, the pace is slower. Actually, it isn't any slower than here in Pacific Grove, but since it's not blustery and cold, it feels slower. Here, you peer hopefully out of your window, considering your possibilities. You see sun, bobbing flowers on vines, and all seems quiet and calm. Then, you step out onto your front porch. You notice kids playing on playgrounds are shrieking with cold, not happiness. Birds overhead are flying sideways or backwards, not floating lightly on a freshening breeze. Whitecaps stack up like folding chairs, smashing to bits on the shore. The average ocean temperature is about 52 degrees or so. A romantic stroll on the beach becomes a Frankenstein-like staggering lurch on frozen bowling ball feet. For me, as a resident of The Groove, the most shocking thing, the most stunning, is that when I venture into the ocean in Hawaii, I come out alive. Better than that, I'm smiling and I don't want to ever leave.

You don't have to wear a wetsuit in Hawaii. Locals do everything in the water there. Eat, play, sleep, swim, surf, watch TV, you name it. Sick of traffic? Jump in the ocean! Tired of work? Go swim! Just waking up? Go surf! We stayed at the Beachcomber Hotel on Waikiki at the end of the week, which sounds romantic and was to a certain extent. I'll leave out the part about roaring rooftop air conditioning units, traffic noise, police sirens, loud music from a karoake bar. Our view from the 18th floor looking at Diamondhead was spectacular and the room was fresh, comfortable and new, but what really struck me was seeing surfers paddling out at 6 AM. (I was still on California time I think). It's the best Waikiki Starbucks location. Paddle out, catch a dozen waves, paddle in and go off to work.

It's tempting to think I can adopt a Hawaiian lifestyle here in the Groove, but I just step out on the front porch and reality slaps that happy little dream right down. Conditions here make the heart grow fonder for conditions there in the islands - water conditions anyway.