depends on where you go... if you stay in waikiki be prepared for hell. when we first arrived on the islands my purse was stolen in honolulu and we were stuck there (cos i didn't have id to board a plane to get the hell out!) for a couple weeks. tourist nightmare.
but if you go to the big island you can really stay away from the touristy areas. it's beautiful here. really amazing. if you hang around puna it's all locals but there aren't really beaches. beautiful water falls, the volcano, lush green everywhere, and a cute little town. but you have to go to the other side for beaches...
right now i'm on that side but i'm up the mountain from the tourist hot spot. so i avoid it all pretty well while managing to go to quiet beaches at least 2 or 3 times a week.
i mean, as long as you don't book yourself at the ritz or the marriot and you stick to hostels and camping, hawaii is a real treat. i would imagine that same is the rest for all of the islands.
i mean, i've been living here for about 6 months and i'm about to move back to the mainland mostly because of lack of a youth community. while it's beautiful, it's a little lonely. i'm here with my partner and we still crave shows and parties which don't really exist unless your in the tourist mecca.
in anycase, to make a long post short: you'll only be flogged by tourists if you travel like one.
eNtRopY
I'm lost
OLD SKOOL
JUN 15, 2002 03:29 PM