Big Crush Harvest Festival 2012

So, it was pretty last minute, but I got talked into the going to the Big Crush, a harvest festival for the wineries in Amador County. I have been to this event before, and I had a blast. A lot of food, music, and wine, at far more wineries than you could possibly even try to tackle in one weekend. Although it was a Saturday/Sunday event, I only attended on Saturday, which was plenty.



Q's all buckled in.  When should we let
 the others know there is a stow-away?

My friend, Q was in attendance. I introduced her to the group once we were already on the road. Again, with the captive audience,...that's just how I roll.

 

Q can't wait for her next adventures. Stay tuned!

 

 

Heading Home - Hawaii

I've had my emotional ups and downs on this trip. There's a generally scuzzy atmosphere just beneath the tourist feel. Customer service is either really great or your waiter is begging to get slapped.  
    
You've probably noticed travelers that do this...not engaged in conversation with others, bury their heads in their laptops and iPhones. However, when Internet reception is spotty, it can sometimes be torture, for all of us. Reception here is spotty on a good day...even in Starbucks.

View from Diamond Head

Met some good peeps here and had some funny adventures. One of the realities of solo travel is, even in this age of social media that keeps us connected, once you leave a place and the trip is over, your paths will most likely not cross again...even with a little Facebook stalking.  Good byes are bittersweet-but not so much though that you aren't already planning adventures at the next destination.  Don't put your travel bag away so quickly, Q! We'll be heading out again in a couple weeks:)

Miscellaneous Exploits - Hawaii

Kualoa Ranch

I was looking forward to horseback riding while in Hawaii.  Ranch staff seemed to be particular about which horse they selected for each rider.  People seemed to be paired with horses that looked like them.  I was relieved when my horse was not short and fat, but he did look a lil' crazy and frazzled.  I asked about that.  Once I got to know him, I realized he was my horse twin.

Went on a catamaran Circle Island Tour.  I leaned my head against the rail and napped.  It wasn't boring or anything, just very relaxing and quiet.  The tour even came with a lil' furry pet which milked all the tourists for attention.  I don't mean Q, I mean the dog.

So that night on my evening walk, I heard piano playing.  It was coming from the Beachouse at the Moana Hotel.  This establishment also included a bar and restaurant.  Q and I were suddenly overtaken by thirst, so we went inside.

Q flirted with the piano player, Scott, who played Rat Pack type songs, but was taking requests. 

Warren, the bartender was cool, but my server sucked.  I guess you can't wear your Kermit the Frog t-shirt to a place like this and excpect to be taken seriously:/ 

Polynesian Hostel - Hawaii

Cool murals in the stairwells. 

Polynesian Hostel

I was shocked by how dirty this place was when I arrived, but I gradually got used to it.

Okay.  Total lie.

Everytime someone checked out of my room, I deloused their space, as I was fortunate to discover a container of Clorox wipes in the closet. I scrubbed like a madman. My space was gradually becoming inhabitable.  No more cockroach encounters

Panoramic of common area
 

I don't know anyone who cleans feverishly while on vacation as I do. Some call it a curse. I call it a gift.

I'm gonna go see if there are dirty dishes in the sink yet.

This place does have it's charm.  It is a hostel, so you have to take everything with a grain of salt.



 

Field Trip to North Shore - Hawaii

Cutest lil' backseat driver

This was the last day Douglas was to have the rental car, so to make the most of the final day; we all piled in his car and drove to North Shore.  I have to say, I behaved quite well on the drive, as it was very long, (rush hour traffic), and I never even said, “Are we there yet?”

Don’t you just love a captive audience? 

It was at this point I introduced Q to the group.  Not everyone was welcoming to her, but some fell in love instantly.  Q quickly became comfortable with group and her role as backseat driver.



Douglas made a sunglass canopy for Q




 

There were lots of tiny shells on EhukaiBeach Park (Banzai Pipeline), where we hung out, but none Q could listen to the ocean from.  Not the right kind of shells, I guess.  I suppose if she couldn’t hear the ocean from where we were on the beach, we had bigger problems.

It was a much shorter drive on the way back, as it was dark and rush hour was over.  This area was far more remote, catering more to the locals.  We stopped at Ted’sBakery for dinner.  I had a sandwich and a slice of pineapple macadamia upside down cake.  Life is rough.

I wonder if the lifeguard will help us find lost sunglasses?

How am I the shortest?

 

 



         

 

 

Under a Full Moon - Hawaii

We decided to start off the day in style. Hotdogs for breakfast!

Wandered around down at the beach, as well as in the shopping district.

The DFS, (duty free store), really caught our eye with a display, just inside the front entrance, of mannequin runway model walking several small, (taxidermied), dogs down the cat walk.  This was wild even by Margaret standards.  The dogs were quite flambuoyant, posing in a variety of provocative ways.  Q was thrilled!

Speed eating and Yoga sound like an unfavorable combo

Q trying to weigh herself

Q put on her Bandit Mask at some point in the early evening, as she wanted to properly acknowledge the Full Moon.  I was concerned about the level of debauchery that always seems to follow the donning of said Bandit Mask, but luckily, Q forgot about the whole thing after she helped eat a giant plate of fries ordered off the Happy Hour menu.

Bandit Mask!

We left Happy Hour as the sun was going down, and if I haven't said it a million times already, sunset is the awesome-est time for a walk.  The air smell great!  The temperature is perfect.

Q helps pick out tunes

Later that night, I joined the group for drinks at a Arnold's Beach Bar, and was almost attacked by a transvestite. 

Day Two and Three - Hawaii



I heart lighthouses



Q and I set out first thing this morning to go hiking at Diamond Head. The hostel organizes a hike going there Sunday morning, but when I realized how close it was to the hostel, I decided to just go now.
Pretty tame as hiking goes, but I would definitely go it again later in the week. Hopefully, I can get a closer look at the lighthouse at that time. I just love lighthouses. They're so mysterious, so mysterious in fact that I couldn't get in to see it. 

Scary sighting - we needed counseling

Are we invisible, or WHAT? While Q and I were chillin on the beach at D-Head, a seemingly normal looking 60 year old dude starts changing his pants a mere 20 yards away. He used absolutely no discretion, and Q and I got a violent flash of dimpley white a$$ cheek!

Q finds the perfect lil pond for herself

Later, we took the bus to Chinatown. Not a tourist destination, but a good place to pick up some produce and some inexpensive Asian food. The fish market was trippy. 


Q was a lil freaked about by the fishmarket

I was a bit overwhelmed by the degree of homelessness, mentally I'll, and generally angry people here. While on my walks, I noticed feet sticking out of every alcove, dark corner and random cubby hole. I have mentioned this to a few people stating I didn't remember Hawaii like this. I always get the same response. "it has gotten really bad over the last couple years".

The art district flanks Chinatown. I saw an odd exhibit here, even by Margaret standards. The Arts at Marks Garage

Creepy even by "Margaret Standards". An exhibit of fingers





During the day, the streets swell with tourists. After dark, a different element emerges, including dealers, transvestites, and prostitutes, of some amalgamate. Maybe it's just Kuhio avenue. I should try a different route back from my evening activities to test this theory.   

First time ever
in a hammock.  I probably
 looked quite awkward.
 

I've been sleeping 3 hours each night, with a 3 hour afternoon nap. Thus far, this has been working our very well for me. I wake from nap to enjoy the beautiful, breezy sunsets and have really awesome long walks each night. My feet are accessorized with many band aids, at this point.


**************************************************

We're Here - Hawaii

The City bus 19 took me from the airport to approximately 200 yards from the front gate of the hostel...for 2.50 USD. You just can't beat that!

Checked in at Polynesian Hostel. Was mortified by this place as it was so dirty. I don't think this was the precise location depicted in the original advertising. Maybe it changed ownership since I booked a couple months prior.

I traveled all day to get here.  I was hot and miserable and had not been drinking enough water during the day. I was hoping my feelings of disappointment and heavy heart were the result of lack of nap/water/food. I have these feelings often in the initial phase of my solo trips. It always passes. I was hoping this would also be one of the those instances.

This is a great backpack!
I didn't check any bags, so all of my
 stuff is in here...even the laptop.

I told the front desk staff there was a cockroach in my locker. They said not to worry. I would not be charged extra for the privilege. I was hoping to fashion an army of sticky traps, as a moat around my backpack, but they didn't have anything like that.

As soon as I was able to obtain clean sheets from the front desk, I passed out in my bunk...with ear plugs in, (as absolute must when staying in hostels, or in the presence of loud talkers). 

I woke a few hours later feeling a lot better and began meeting other guests. Some great networking in these environments. One of the guests told me about state run programs that, for a minimal registration fee, offer classes and workshops in television and various media productions. I thought, "This is great!". I'm not necessarily interested in television per se, but at some point, would like to create some instructional videos, (maybe just for youtube), but nevertheless, this would be a great skill-builder. www.accesssacramento.org

Once the sun went down, the weather was perfect, (by Margaret standards). I walked to the Safeway a mile away to buy my groceries for the week. Food is so much more expensive here; perhaps 30% more. 

Right now, I am in the dark typing this in my bunk. I think all of my roommates were asleep in bed by 10:00. This room smells so foul! Q whispers to me, "Someone has been eating beans", and proceeds to smother her tiny cherubic face with a pillow. She's so cute, and she's right. Beans definitely; laced with cabbage.

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Hawaii - The Departure

We left for the airport a little after 6:00 am. I left my furry friends with Mom, and attached to each cage, a name plate listing each one's modus operandi. I have learned from previous incidents my creatures will dupe a care-giver whom has not been forewarned.

 

Bruce, (on left), whispers to Q, "Take me with you!".

 

Q said her goodbyes to each one of them individually. It was touching.

Mom made a Hawaii themed card for Q and I. Q loves the sparkles.

We got to the airport without incident. I urged Q to put on clothes before we got to the terminal. She wore her new handbag. Baby steps.

Q was playing in the decorative plants and believed we were already in Hawaii.
She was thrilled to start the day with a macadamia nut cookie and a Bloody Mary.

I guess I haven't been to Terminal B since the renovations, (where Hawaiian Airlines is).  I looks like a winter wonderland.

 

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Learning to Get Along With Each Other

I wanted to ensure QP and I had good chemistry to travel together, and there is pending trip, and I don't want anything to go wrong; anything within my control, that is. 

I took QP on errands with me over the last couple days to see how she responds to the world. 

Documentation of these events are not in any particular order, and all events involving tears, tantrums and law enforcement intervention have been removed.

Q helped make muffins. I'm so proud of her!

Big nachos for me, tiny nachos for Q. Although she was cut off almost immediately, the bartender seemed sweet on her and invited her out to the patio for a smoke. Blue Cue

Q goes to the movies, and becomes wildly distracted



 

Surprisingly, we did not get pulled over for this.

Q feels it is not fair my bev is larger than hers.

We both wondered why the bathroom key was attached to a DVD jacket for National Treasure, (Starring Nicholas Cage). Is this some indication of the quality of this production?  Beers Books
 

 

I tried to tell Q, in this town, it is not wise to use public transit as a networking opportunity.

 

I've got Q convinced this is her new apartment.

 

Q wants to get a jump on Halloween shopping. She's thinking Darth Vader.

Evangelines

 

Q was helping Athena pour drinks at Fanny Anne's Saloon.