I’m finding it more difficult that I thought to cut stuff out. I’m doing it, but it’s tough. I’m having thoughts of expanding the length of the final draft from my original idea of 325 pages to around, say, 400 pages. There’s still a lot of work to do in the construction of the outline, so my ideas will keep changing as I go through it. Certain ideas keep returning, each time with greater clarity. But they don’t stick around. They’re like waves coming in and then retreating. The general trend seems to be that of a rising tide.
Speaking of which…I’ve decided that in between the end of this work period (construction of the outline and the completion of the second draft) and the next work period (writing the final draft), I need to take a substantial break. A month or two. My mind is tired, and I want to come into the last draft fresh. I expect to finish the current period of work around the end of this year or the earliest part of the next. Then I’m thinking I should spend a week or so in Hawaii. Probably in February. I have enough airline miles to get a ticket. I want to relax, not have to talk with anybody, and swim. I’ve never been there, so I’ve been reading about the place. But I can’t figure out where I should go. Does anybody have any specific suggestions?
Tags: Hawaii, Mental Fatigue
July 13, 2011 at 7:15 pm |
Kauai…restful and more untrammeled than most…out of Lihue, you could go to Honalei (of puff and magic fame). It is on my list. For total beach, I think south Kauai, and don’t forget the dolphin cliffs and the pineapple groves and the waterfalls internal to the island….ziplines abound for the risk-takers….and just being in a quiet space is also available…I would look for a condo/apartment to rent…..
July 15, 2011 at 11:09 am |
Yes, Kauai. I’ve heard Poipu is/was best (south end). But who decided that, I am unsure. I’ve been to that island, but my memory is of Waimea Canyon. Not much swimming there, but breathtaking nonetheless.
Useful map of Kauai:
http://www.summitpacificinc.com/kauai_map.html
You can click the camera icons for a picture and info on the place. A little tourist oriented, I suppose, but a good start. This company doesn’t seem to have similar maps for the other islands.
July 16, 2011 at 7:54 pm |
I worked in Hawaii for a few weeks at time with my research job at UMass a few years ago. It is the most amazing place. I was surprised I even liked the Island of Oahu and Waikiki! You can get a cheap hotel in Waikiki that is still wonderful- open air front lobby, walk to the beach. Water the temperature of bath water.
The University of Hawaii is up on the hill in the Manoa section of Honolulu on the Island of Oahu…beautiful little cottages on small streets. It sprinkles once a day with a rainbow, then the sun comes back out. You can buy a bus pass for a month and just hop on any time and all the time to take you all over the island.
Any of the islands have one circular road that goes around the perimeter of the island. Each island has a dry side and a wet side. The east is wet/rainier- very lush with waterfalls. The west side can vary from grasslands with cattle to deserts with cacti.
The Big Island (Hawaii) is incredible because it is so “new”…you can drive through areas that are all black lava as far as you can see, the occasional fern sprouting up through the black. You can go stand at the most southern tip of the island, which is also the southern most point in the U.S….it is windblown, there is a little dirt road through a beautiful grassy pasture with wind turbines in it and cows standing under those, then the sand dunes beyond that.
Kona, on the western side of the Big Island, Hawaii, is almost desert-like, but also palm trees and wonderful. Constant sun. It feels small enough, like a small town, but also good coffee shops, etc. and some of the fun parts of civilization.
We stayed at a very small coffee farm/plantation bed and breakfast up on a hillside with a view of the ocean below. Wonderful breakfasts with papaya and baked goods- The Cedar House. You can have breakfast with the manager and then have privacy as well.
Kauai is a smaller, more exotic feeling island. Very dramatic landscapes.
I realize I probably haven’t given you any real advice here on specific places to stay, but maybe a few impressions.
August 15, 2011 at 7:49 am |
Hi Mark,
I’ve become a big fan of the Big Island after spending time there twice over the past 2 years. I love it for many reasons. It’s NOT touristy—and the tourism there is the National Park which is incredible in that it puts you right there into an active volcano. This volcano, over the past 200 years, has put out 400,000 cubic meters per day of lava on average. When its erupting, its putting out a million cubic meters an hour. Unfortunately, there is no red-hot lava to see at the moment, which is actually rare but that can change at any moment. In July, I did a 4-day backpack to the top of Mauna Loa–the worlds most active volcano and the highest point in the Pacific. At 13,650 ft it was incredible!! If you’re interested in that, Google ‘Mauna Loa Trail’. The rest of the island is great too–just lots to discover. My all-time favorite beach is at the Mauna Kea Resort. You park at the resort but then walk to the beach–since all beaches are public. I think there are direct flights from the Bay Area to the Big Island. Otherwise, you fly to Honolulu and take Mokulele or Go Airlines to the big island–about a 30 min flight. Rent a car there. Don’t spend too much time on Oahu. There’s nothing much there that you don’t have in N Calif. The one beach there that I recommend is Lanikai beach. Thats where the Obamas spend every Christmas–which is understandable. My brother Ron wrote me a 10-page single-spaced “guide” to the Big Island that I’d be happy to pass along to you–its invaluable! My email is: tom.gocubs@gmail.com. If you fly into Hilo, make sure that you stay at Dolphin Bay Hotel!! Say hi to John for me!! Take care and a big, big thanks for Wild Parrots. Mahalo, Tom Miller