world travel: $104.08

That amount I need to pay for my foot. first I can say that lucky it didn't happen worse than this ... but it's frustrated to have to rest at home for around two weeks depends on progress of cure. Ysd there was deaf heat at surf contest at Kewalo. went there for filming contest but deaf heat started early so that I missed filming heat. There met ppl and a nice hearing girl named Melinda who moved to Hawaii from Mainland and her boyfriend is deaf. Somehow she asked me if i surf ... I do but my board was at apt at this time. She got idea that she would drive me to apt for picking my board up, really nice of her and great opportunity to surf a girl at this day! She wanted to surf with a girl and she is a beginner like me. She had a rent car, a suv ... there were two boards already inside, the third board (my) came in ... lucky all three boards fit in a suv but had to hide myself in back haha. Back to Kewalo and we were so ready to surf with boys together. Kewalo has a long rock wall, it is little too awkward to get in water from rock wall. We tried to find way to go into water. I made it ... I was in water and she gave my and her boards over. Boards were then in water with me, she came in water also. we started to paddling. Somehow me looked back and saw some blood on my foot. My first thought was, just a little cut off which ain't bad cos didn't feel anything. But in fact it's fucking deep ... a hole, the first layer of skin is cut off :( had to paddle back and wasn't sure if skin was grazed or just a cut. The wound was so opened, some people saw me and helped me cleaning dirt off and binded my foot with bandage. Bad luck, didn't have my mobile phone with me ... but lucky there were Akiko and Jared who borrowed me his mobile phone. Trey was working so that his parents came immediately. We went to private ER and got anesthetic injection ... about ten times injected, direct in my wound ... ehhh. But I survived ;-) had a nice doctor who is a surfer also, where wound happened is her fav spot. Funny? But funniest is Trey got cuts in his feet last two weeks ... and I am next. Weird happen? Maybe a test for us? Got nice color bandage :D now I have to rest lots and I am already-ready to surf more! Here some pictures :)))

P.S.: I hope will have my $104.08 from my insurance back!

world travel: Random Days in Hawaii

world travel: First Stop

Aloha friends, family and people! Since two weeks and one day I am in Oahu "the gathering place" ... one of eight islands of Hawai'i! Almost in middle of beautiful pacific ocean. Right now I am in famous american chain cafe starbucks and using the famous free wifi 'attwifi'. Before I write more, wanna put some facts about island Oahu:

- third largest of the Hawaiian islands
- capital: Honolulu
- population: almost one million
- almost big same as twice Berlin
- has Royal Place, the only Royal Palace in the United States (!)
- second most expensive city of United States (first one is Anchorage, Alaska)

... will try to put more facts cos its so fun to know abt Oahu more. The first three things of Hawaii in my mind are palms, surf and summer. It sounds like paradise? I won't call Hawaii is a paradise but it has some paradise spirit. I am enjoying my time here but on another side I need time to be used to live in American ways. Climate, spirit, people, food, sport, weather, flowers ... are paradise! But other ways like structure of life, transport, service ... are american, those I really need time to accept them. Sometimes I feel bad in those ways, I call it culture shock also. It makes me realizing that I live or lived in another world, grew up in different way. Even America and Europe are not developing country, it's still big different here. It makes me wondering if I gonna have more culture shocks when travelling in Asia. Well, probably not because on holiday I kinda use "pink glasses" ... like at my first and second visits in Hawaii I didn't see the real world ... my mind, eyes, emotion ... were on holiday. Right now I am settling down in here and can compare lots. I do compare probably too much but it makes me seeing myself lots where, in which way I was growing up. Definitely good challenge for me. Life isn't about finding yourself, it's about creating yourself! :))) will find more ways to where I wanna go.

Before I write the details about different (culture) ways of living in here, wanna write what I have been doing and enjoying here lots. The first thing I have to write is I have tried to surf shortboard! Big different than longboard! And I surfed during full moon at night, really awesome ... so dark outside but there are lights of city (Waikiki) and full moon ... we used plastic neon lights on our body. It was so fun! Definitely repeat it on next full moon day! Bought rack for surfboard for bike so that I can bring surfboard on bike anytime :) haven't bought surfboard yet but better buy one soon and plan to paint surfboard also! Went to North Shore with two friends last Sunday, watched polo game ... good time there and most interesting experience was riding bus home. A lot of local people inside in bus, makes me feeling we were three whites only. Watched two contests in those Trey participated. Was a vip guest at hard rock cafe, delicious food and free drinks! Mahalo to Trey for bringing me to Hard Rock Cafe :) notice, forgot most important thing to write about it here: my surprise for Trey worked! :D would love to see his face again, he was so surprised when he saw me (he thought I would arrive one day later haha). Yesterday went to watch Volleyball game (Punahou school vs Maryknoll school), Trey's dad is coach for punahou team who won that game.

Let me stop writing here as I have to leave for meeting Trey for lunch and will visit Sea Life Park! Promise, will continue writing here in next days! And put some pictures, too!

Aloha :))) and good night, my beloved Europe!