Hawaii one-o

I'm sitting on a stoop in Waikiki after just having an incredible night making new friends.  No, they weren't from one of the many resorts that surround me, they were locals.  

Well, one was a local, and the other two decided to move to Oahu to get away from it all.

I had gone down to the beach after my 24 hours of travel to get here and I'm so grateful I did.  I packed a sixer of aloha beer and shared with the drifters I made friends with tonight.

One left Oregon after the recession and said he'd never looked back.  He realized he didn't need possessions to make him feel worthy.  The other left a business and a gated community for the same reasons.  And the third member of the troupe was a real local, someone who'd never left the island but who hopes to after he gets his degree in mechanics.

I had taken a seat under what I would later find out is called "the magic tree," a warpy branch tree growing sideways out of the sand on this usually crowded touristy beach.  I kept a leaf for future reference but I did feel its positive vibes, as the waves crashed closer to its roots as the night wore on.

What became clear to me was my own need to escape my city to find peace.  I came to the right place it turns out.  Oahu is known as the gathering place, and these almost ephemeral characters painted a clear picture of how that has worked out in their lives.

Leaving everything behind... Starting brand new in a beautiful environment.. One of my first thoughts as I drove through Honololu was why don't more people live here?!  Why doesn't EVERYVODY live here?

It's truly picturesque, and I know this blog isn't going deep into the insights I had as I spoke to these hippie ghosts, maybe that's how it should remain.  They opened my eyes a little wider and allowed me a glimpse into what a truly remarkable place this is, and have ushered me through the gates of my own Oahu loving soul.

I love Hawaii,

Katie