Flight SFO - Hilo
There was an exhibit of sewing stuff at SFO, right in the United terminal. That’s awesome, and reminds me to go to the lace museum on the peninsula one of these days.
The flight was pretty much on time. That’s amazing, given that it was SFO in the rain. It was a pretty full flight, but not obnoxiously so. There was a ton of turbulence until the very end of the flight. But it is hard to complain about turbulence when flying to paradise.
I got my luggage with no difficulties, and then discovered that I hadn’t printed out the info about my rental car. Whoops. At least knowing which agency you’ve rented with is a good idea, I discovered. Problem solved by pulling up the email.
Then it was off to find a grocery store in Hilo before heading to my accommodations. I got misdirected by google maps, but finally discovered the Target. I was also able to get a rain jacket that fits and another warm workout layer on sale.
Along the way, however, I discovered that the blinkers on the car did not work on the inside. There was no click-click, no little green arrow, etc. to tell you that your blinker is on. Since I didn’t want to be that driver who leaves the blinker on for miles and miles, I decided to return the car for a new one. Since I was being so nice about it, I thought they’d be nicer, at least more solicitous, but alas. I guess “not cranky” is the best one can hope for when dealing with rental car agencies.
Then I was off to South Kona. I soon realized I was in for a long drive when mile marker #4 appeared, and my destination was between mile marker 93 and 94. I drove past the volcano, past South Point, and then up into South Kona. I knew the Big Island is big, but theoretical knowledge is different than driving across the lower third of it. I was also surprised at how little ocean I saw on my travels. The road is much further away from the ocean than it is in other places.
The radio is also very funky. Not the car stereo, but the stations along the way. (My iPod connector, which I'm sure I packed isn't here. Argh!) Of course, given that it is such a desolate area (not a good idea to live in areas with such active lava flow), having limited stations is understandable. So for the most part I listened to the community radio station. Instead of being NPR, it is music. Random music. At one point I heard a shout-out to the redneck girls, Chubby Checker's Twist and Shout, Lady Gaga, and Areosmith in rapid succession. Then there was a Hawaiian song, just to top of the randomness.
The rental is very nice. The room itself is pretty big, with a microwave, fridge and coffee pot. There’s a captain’s chair for reading, and a comfy bed. It would be more snug with two people, but for just me it is perfect. To get to the bathroom, you have to go outside, but it is right next door. Also outside is a bbq/hot plate cooking area, with cooking utensils. I might cook for myself one night. Maybe not, though. There are also other amenities about - boogie boards, fins, coolers, beach mats, etc. that make going to the beach easier.
What is disconcerting at first is that there are no windows - only screens. That’s great for open-air circulation, but not so good for privacy. The screens are only on the sides, however, away from the view of others. There are shades to pull down to block drafts, however. By the way, this is also true of the bathroom, and there’s no curtain on the shower either.
There is one major downside to this place. It is FAR away from anything. Restaurants, grocery stores, you name it. That’s great for getting away from it all, but not so good for dinner options. I ended up at Teshima Restaurant: http://www.yelp.com/biz/teshima-restaurant-kealakekua. Just like the Yelp reviews say - good food in a restaurant that hasn’t changed since the ‘50’s.
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