How to spot a Tourist

Well I am getting ready to head home for Christmas and I thought it would be funny to point out how locals can always spot a tourist. If you want to blend in better...don't make these mistakes :D

...the GIANT tip off...it's the crew socks under strappy sandals, please don't do this EVER...

...taking pictures of insignificant things...such as a Portuguese-man-of-war laying on the beach, I will close this blog with a lovely picture of someone doing this...

...speedos, nobody wears them in Hawaii, you get too much sand in your junk...

...extremely colorful, sometimes 70s style aloha shirts...

...the "chicken fried haole"...My Dad is white and no matter what he ends up like this. What I am talking about is the extreme sunburn. A lot of tourists don't flip in time or spend too much time enjoying the view to think about moving out of the sun. Therefore you end up with a couple of pink people! :D

...Ford V6 Mustang and Chrysler Sebring Convertibles. There is always parents in the front and bored looking children in the back. No Hawaii locals own these vehicles, its only the rental cars. I agree though, you want to enjoy the fresh air so keep on renting these vehicles but just know, we are on to you! ;) Also, keep in mind, we live on an island, there is not a lot of room so our speed limits are very very low. So please don't speed!! Tourists are always speeding!



So there's that! Hope it made you giggle!

Thanksgiving Differences

Well last week was Thanksgiving and it really got me thinking. I haven't been with my family for Thanksgiving in 4 years now! I also don't really like mashed potatoes and gravy SO I have a little bit of a harder time during the Thanksgiving festivities. There are some pretty significant differences in the way people celebrate Thanksgiving in Hawaii and the way they celebrate on the Mainland. Here is my little list of differences.

1) Family doesn't have to fly in they all live around the Island. This means no cousins staying in your living room. Everyone goes to their own home at night!! :D

2) Chow Fun, Sushi, Rice=YUM. Mom does still make the Turkey and the potatoes for Dad but Uncle brings the Chinese food.

3) No Football game. I honestly had no idea that there were Football games on Thanksgiving, this totally blew my mind. I am sure that it has to do with my Dad refusing to watch Football because it makes him miss it too much but still. Hawaii doesn't have a big team so a lot of the friends I have from Hawaii don't keep up with National Football teams. Pretty sad really, I don't really mind the change here.

4) Dessert: There is the Pumpkin Pie but there is also other stuff. This year my Mom called me because my Aunt had made a Key Lime pie that I really like. A bakery makes this pumpkin pie with custard in the middle, YUM!

After 4 years of Thanksgiving in Colorado, I have adjusted to the mashed potatoes. I still don't like gravy though :D On the upside of all this, I don't usually end up stuffing myself which is good! It's a pretty big culture shock moving out of the islands.

Things I learned about Booking Plane Tickets to Hawaii...

Well I am trying to figure out when I am going to go home for Christmas Vacation this year. Of course I procrastinated and now I may be stuck paying over $750 for my tickets from Denver to Honolulu. Anyway here is what I learned so that maybe you can have an easier time booking your vacation during the Holidays...

1) October...yup thats right! October is usually when I find the best deals, before then expect to pay upwards of $800 but much into November and you can expect the same. In October (usually from around the 15th-30th) you can get some deals, I'm talking around $550 r/t from Colorado.

2) Farecast.com, it searches numerous traveling websites (kayak.com, hotwire.com, cheaptickets.com, travelocity, orbitz, etc.) This website can help you figure out where to start looking. From there you can find out what days are better to fly and also what airlines have the deals.

3) Fly Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. You will always pay significantely less. Most airlines have a calender that shows what days have cheaper fairs, check those out!

4) When you find out on any traveling webpage that a airline has a cheap price, check with the airlines actual webpage, sometimes you can luck out and get it even cheaper!

5) Alaska Airlines gives free Mai Tais an hour before landing...they may be cheap but there is no movies or anything unless you rent a digi player. Its definitely worth it if you plan on sleeping or bringing your own DVD player.

6) Pack light, if you can bring only a carry on. I haven't had to bring anything bigger than that in the last 3 years I have flown home. Remember, you are in the tropics, its muggy and HOT. You only need shorts, tank tops and your swim suit. Maybe a nice shirt or light dress for a Luau but thats IT. Don't worry about bringing other things! Its a waste of energy and space.

7) If you can, travel on Christmas. Last year I booked really late and I got tickets for around $645.

That's about it, now I have to go and find some tickets for myself.

MMMM Local Food

So I am planning on heading home to Hawaii for Christmas Vacation. I am so excited to eat the food when I get there! Usually when I get back I meet up with my friend Billy from High School and we go to Zippy's. I don't know if you have ever heard of a Zippy's but they make this phenomenal Chili. So anyway we are going to go get some of that, they are open all night so it really doesn't matter what time our flights come in.
ANYWAY this Chili is like the most delicious chili I have ever had...It is probably the number one thing I wish we had in Colorado because it is sooo satisfying when you are cold but also good when its warm outside. I know that doesn't make sense but it really is the ultimate comfort food. The best way to eat it would be over rice with cheddar cheese on it and if you have it macaroni salad. I can't wait to get home and get some of this chili.