The whole purpose of my website is to help you save a
couple of bucks when you come to Hawaii, but I also want
you to have a good time. I want you to fall in love with
Hawaii like I did. I want you to get the most out of your
trip, and to see that Hawaii really is an affordable
destination.
At the risk of sounding like a general planing the Normandy
Invasion, I suggest a little preparation prior to departing
can make your vacation more fun AND save you a lot of
money.
STUDY UP
No, there's no test you have to take before you're allowed
to deplane (deplane Boss, deplane!!) or unplane, if you
prefer, but learning a little about Hawaii prior to coming
can add a lot to your enjoyment after you arrive. Imagine
going to Paris and never having heard of the Eiffel Tower. You might stumble on it, and be amazed or awe-struck, but
wouldn't it be better to know it was there BEFORE you
arrived?
Most people don't know that Hawaii (the state) has more
than one island. Or if they do, they don't know the names
of more than a few of the islands. (By the way
Komon-Iwanna-layya is not the name of a Hawaiian Island).
Before I came over for my first visit I had read so much
about Hawaii that I may have known some things even the
locals didn't. I certainly knew enough that I was able to
enjoy my vacation much more than if I hadn't taken the time
to learn a little bit about Hawaii.
So what do you do to learn something about Hawaii? I would
recommend you
read the James Michener book, "Hawaii."
Yes, I know it's a thick book, and yes, thick books aren't
as easy to read as "The Cat In The Hat", BUT you will learn
A LOT about Hawaii. At least read up to the missionary
period. You will learn about the ancient Hawaiian culture.
You will learn about how it is believed that the islands
were settled. You will learn about what life was like for
the early inhabitants. You will learn about the Kapu
system. You will learn about the Ali'i. You will learn
about what makes Hawaii Hawaii. "Hawaii" is a fictional
work, but is it a well researched novel. It is not a text
book but, like most Michener sagas, it is based in fact.
I also discovered a couple of magazines at the corner
newstand in Colorado. I have also seen them in many other
newstands. Look for
Hawaii Magazine
and
Aloha Magazine
.
Both are excellent and have lots of interesting articles
about Hawaii. I ended up subscribing to both.
Another thing you can do is
watch some videos about Hawaii.
It's exciting to see places that you will be visiting
soon. It also gives you an idea of what you might want to
check out when you visit. Take notes. Write down the
names of places that you want to see. Most video stores
have a travel section and since the videos are not first
run movies, most can be rented for 99 cents. Look for the
National Geographic video section if your local store
doesn't have a travel section. Libraries also often have a
good video selection. In my hometown I was able to find 5
or 6 different videos about Hawaii.
Buy a guidebook.
I bought every one I could find. I devoured them. The
best I found was
Frommer's
- it's the one I brought with me
when I first visited. I found cheap places to stay,
inexpensive grinds, and also some kewl things to see.
If possible,
plan on visiting a couple of islands
.
Each
island has it's own distinctive flavor. The hustle and
bustle of Waikiki may not be everyone's cup of tea. The
laid back atmosphere of the outer islands may make you
wonder where the action is. I have purposefully strived to
narrow my page to Waikiki, but I vacation on the outer
islands. I encourage you to come to Waikiki, but hope you
also visit a couple of our neighbors. During my first
visit here I went to three islands, and enjoyed each one.
To sum it all up, a little preparation can add a lot to
your enjoyment of your vacation. While you're freezing at
home, dreaming of that Hawaiian vacation, take the time to
read
up a little on the culture and history of Hawaii.
Watch
a few videos.
Get
a guidebook.
Plan
on visiting a
couple of islands, if possible. Remember, there's only so
much information your brain can store. The more you fill
it up with Hawaii, the less room you'll have to think about
home when you get here.
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