Lazy and busy

I haven't posted in like eleven days now.

I'd like to say I've been busy the whole time, but honestly, I've been more lazy that busy, and I've been a little sick too with something sinusy.

I left Kauai at like six-thirty am on the twentieth. I was bummed to go, as I hadn't really spent a whole lot of time in Lihue, but that was ok, as it meant I got to go to another island. This was turning into a multi-island tour my first trip!

Before I departed, my flight nurse was awesome enough to take me on a little tour around Lihue before I left. First stop was Lyndgate Beach to try and catch the sunrise, but it was overcast so that wasn't gonna happen.

As good as the sunrise got.

Next stop after that was a couple of waterfalls.

First to Opekaa Falls...

...Then to the Wailua Falls.

Then it was onto a Hawaiian 717 with an excellent view of the nacelle. At least on the connecting flight in HNL I got an exit row.

It's like right there.

I arrived in Hilo and was picked up by another one of our pilots, his wife, and their dog.

Lilly, the gremlin dog.

I then got the ten-cent tour of Hilo. The farmers market there is awesome. It was here I found that I love green papaya salads, sweet strawberry papayas and pumpkin curry. It is also where I found out I do not like soursops. Here I happened upon what I think is the best coconut shrimp with mango-pineapple dipping sauce I have ever had.

What sixteen dollars gets you at the Hilo Farmers market (clockwise from upper left): Green papaya salad, sweet strawberry papayas, pineapple, apple bananas, a soursop, and pumpkin curry.

Seriously, I could eat there everyday (note the huge ass avocados in the background).

Another thing about Hilo not really widely advertised I guess is the massive hippie population. Seriously, they're everywhere. Also, it rains in Hilo. A lot. Apparently Hilo is the wettest city in the US. Go figure. I think between the hippies, rain, and lack of beaches (mostly rocky coastline), I would not want to live in Hilo, though it is a fun place to visit, especially if one doesn't get drug tested.

It's a religion here. No, seriously.

I spent a total of about eight days in Hilo. I got to try laulau (kalua pork wrapped in ti leaves - it's f'ing delicious), a multitude of poke (of the twenty or so varieties at the store, I think I liked sesame-kukui-marlin the best), and apple-cinnamon-macadamia nut bread.

Sesame-Kukui-Marlin poke.

I also found an awesome place to get pho, and I tried loco moco for the first time at K-hop (I had the sumo moco with mahimahi and eggs over easy, it was fantastic). It was outside I saw a highway sign that is distinctly Hawaiian.

How you know you're in Hawaii (in case the six hour flight didn't tip you off)

I didn't really do a whole lot of flying while in Hilo, I actaully sat around doing a bunch of nothing for five of the eight days I was there. I totally could have posted then, but it's Hawaii, and I just couldn't get motivated enough to do it.

I did have a couple of flights while I was in Hilo, the last two starting with a phone call to head down to the airport to airline over to HNL. I don't mind, as the Hilo passenger waiting area is pretty damn awesome.

I love this lounge, just add me and a muay thai.

I was able to get a decent couple of pics over those two days.

Departing Honolulu (airport far left, Pearl Harbor almost middle-upper left, downtown on right).

Hilo bay (dead center).

Mauna Loa (left) and Mauna Kea (right) on departure.

Yesterday morning I drove to Kailua-Kona on the saddle road. It was interesting: Mauna Kea to the right and Mauna Loa to the left, I saw Hawaiian turkeys, and I saw some Hawaiian geese (nene) wich I guess are a bit rare.

Mauna Kea...

...and Mauna Loa.

Hawaiian turkey hens.

Kona has been nice so far. It was busy yesterday, but so far today, not a whole lot has happened, save for the announcement that we purchased/merged with our rival out here, Air Med (we only have their Hawaii operation).

The view from the Kona crew house deck is nice as well.

You can see all the way to the beach...

...and the airport.

Tonight I think I will maybe head out to the store to get groceries and maybe dinner as well. Other than that I'll probably just be biding my time in Kona till I head to Kauai and my days off , looking forward to when Stacey will be able to join me in Lihue.