Day 1: Hello Kailua-Kona

7:45 am. Apparently, that’s when I wake up while on vacation. Whatever gene people have that lets them sleep in late, I obviously lack. Thought process while waking up: half a second of ‘God no I don’t want to go to work. Ahh this hurts’ followed by ten seconds of revelry because I realized I’m in Hawaii and I DON’T HAVE TO. Muhaha.

The day was spent exploring Kailua-Kona (Read: Walking around on the main drag shopping for the perfect pair of Hawaiian board shorts. Incidentally, it is now Day 3, and I still haven’t found these mythical perfect shorts. Something is so wrong with me). Kailua-Kona is for the lack of a better word, touristy. It’s pretty of course, bathed in sunshine, nuzzled by ocean views and serviced by breeze that clearly knows what it’s doing. But it’s primarily a tourist drag with shops, restaurants, and old couples driving Mustang convertibles. Plus, the Kailua-Kona side doesn’t get as much rain as the rest of the island, so it isn’t as green as one might hope.


Come lunchtime, I was dismayed to find that a great local food joint recommended by my revered guide book had shut down, citing ‘recent economic conditions’ as the cause of their demise. But where one door closes, another opens. Hungry, I turned to Bubba Gump at the recommendation of the Gish family. And I loved it. Yeah I know it’s a chain. But superbly grilled rilled Cajun Mahi Mahi (fresh caught) and shrimp in a spicy, creamy bourbon sauce accompanied by a badass Mai Tai cannot be argued with. All you mightily prejudiced people who write off chain restaurants (where’s that Ajay fellow?), may want to give them a chance once in a while. Who knows, it could be a meal that you’d remember fondly like I did.

Come evening time we headed to Costco for groceries. Yes, Costco. On the island. And I daresay it was the biggest Costco I have ever seen. A Costco to end all Costcos. Groceries aren’t exactly cheap on the island, so tourists and local families alike flock to this warehouse store mecca to do their grocery shopping. Incidentally, the Costco petrol pump (cheapest gas on the island) looked like the entry gates to the New Jersey turnpike. I guess everything’s just bigger on Le Big Island :)