I arrived in Kona just after noon on a Boeing 777, direct from SFO. You'd think I would be used to disembarking from large planes directly onto asphalt by now, but it still makes me chuckle when I turn around and see a huge airplane with people streaming off of it. I picked up my rental car and drove south to the banana farm I'm staying on. I sort of expected something... well, completely closed off from the outside, but it turns out that there's a 3' x 6" strip of open air, and two of the four walls are mostly screen. I'm also sharing the room with flying bugs, tiny ants, and a cute little gecko I saw scurry off a little while ago. However, it has lots of ammenities for $50/night; I have a TV, refrigerator, microwave, and a full-size water bed, which I might have to share with Kenny when he gets here (in a week), because hanging over it is the only mosquito net in the room.

Most of the day was spent at Border's, where I read for a few hours while snacking on a turkey sandwich and a raspberry italian soda. I also stopped by WalMart and purchased water, juice, canned tuna, canned corn, wheat thins, granola bars, bread, two $3.97 beach towels, and a can opener.

The only picture I snapped today was of a huge spider on its web (with a grasshopper it had snared) next to the entryway to my room. Tomorrow I'm meeting Jim at his place at 8am to go shoot turtles at a beach somewhere. Snorkeling only -- no diving! :( He said the waters were pretty rough today. It's ok. At this point, I'm just craving human interaction. I went through most of the day without saying a word.

I ended the evening by watching trying to swat mosquitos out of the air -- in the dark -- while watching "Meet Joe Black," which I had rented on NetFlix (and brought with me to Kona). Sleep came to me after I got used to the musty smell that comes with sheets permanently residing in open-air sleeping accomodations.

[next - march 26]