Things I don’t like about Hawaii:

The mosquitos. Any exposed flesh becomes a meal for these vile creatures, and every day I get a few new bites. I’m extremely sensitive to them, so each bite swells and bruises and looks hideous. By the end of my stay here, I’m expecting my body to be so red and swollen from all the bites that I will end up looking like I have the mumps and they won’t let me on the plane back to the mainland. That’s the plan anyway.

The constipation. Although that may be more from the communal living of the hostel rather than the Hawaii diet. My bowels are shy and need to be sweet talked and coaxed into performing their duty. Bathroom time is a hot commodity here, and knowing there’s a line of desperate bladders waiting for me outside the door gives me stage fright.

Lack of a vehicle. Again, not Hawaii’s fault, it’s my choice not to spend money on a rental, but it makes getting around a bit difficult. Hitchhiking is legal here, so I’ve been told, but I’ve heard way too many horror stories in my lifetime of the terror that can befall a wayward traveler who decides to hitchhike, so I haven’t tried it. The bus systems are good, and the hostel provides transportation to a few places each day, so I’ve been getting around pretty well, but I don’t like the feeling of being potentially stuck or dependent on someone else for transportation.

Things I love about Hawaii:

The sun. The sun, the sun, the sun. My shoulders are red and crispy; it’s possible my body gives off a slight fried-meat smell, but that only adds to the delicious wonder of the hot oven days here. I am soaking it up, drinking it, breathing it. I finally truly understand what it means to bask. The heat and humidity make the daytime hours feel so lovely and drunken, the only thing you can do is find a soft spot of sand to lay down on and bask.

Snorkeling. I ventured out in my oh-so-sexy mask and flippers and splashed around off a great reef teeming with tropical fish and bright plant life. I even saw two giant sea turtles, who swam nonchalantly through the dozens of flailing arms and legs of excited tourists like it was nothing at all. I named one of them Crush and called him “dude.” If you have seen Finding Nemo, you laughed just then. If you haven’t, believe me, it was an amusing reference.

The people. Good god, the people here are incredible. I love the environment in the hostel, people coming from all over the globe to experience their own island adventure. Everyone is so damn happy to be here, and the conversations I’ve had with all these random travelers have made my experience here so beautiful. I was worried that I would be lonely, traveling alone, but you have to work hard to be lonely here. There is always someone to talk to, someone to hang out with, someone to join you on a little Hawaiian excursion. It’s perfect. My heart is so full from the intense beauty of Maui and all the interesting and incredible new friends who make each day exciting. I don’t know if I’ve ever felt this happy.