USA – Honolulu HI, 30 Mar – 03 Apr 2011

I went to Honolulu for a conference. Well, the conference is an excuse. I just wanted to go somewhere warm and beachy, and since I presented a paper, some kind souls covered the cost of the air ticket. Well, since I was in Honolulu the whole time, there is no real need for me to write up an itinerary page. I didn’t do much, except go to Waikiki, sit in the sun, and do my readings.

There were certainly some highlights on the trip.

• Meeting up: I met up with several people, like C and the two Ms. C is now studying in UH, and so he knows the area. He kindly came down to Waikiki to meet me, and he brought me to Zippy’s, the local version of Denny, and I tried a local specialty, loco moco at his suggestion. According to C, it was a dish invented for the US army. It is a very simple and hearty dish, and given my predisposition for hearty dishes, obviously, this got two thumbs up. It is basically a large hamburger patty on two scoops of rice, topped with a sunny side up, and drowned in gravy. I loved it!

• I also bumped into J and G at the conference, and they told me about a college baseball game at UH. Well, since the sun has to set at some point, and the baseball game is in the evening, I decided to head towards UH for the baseball game. I didn’t stay till the end of the game, but it was pretty fun! And it sure as hell was packed! Go, school spirit! 🙂 (UH won, btw)

• I went surfing as well. As usual, couldn’t get on the surfboard. Maybe I’ll have better luck in Peru or Bali. Waikiki beach is definitely super good for beginners’ surfing. There are lots of long waves (ok, I don’t know the exact term) that’d give beginners a chance to catch the wave and do the ‘pop’, but well, waayyyy too many beginners! I almost got killed when someone came straight for me. I only saved myself from serious damage by jumping off the board and hiding under the board!