hawaii august 07

[thaya]

I'm planning a trip backpacking round the hawaiian islands for 4/5weeks in august 07. I haven't been abroad in ages, and as I didn't get any sort of summer hol last year, I'm making sure I have the trip of a lifetime.

Doing it on a seriously LOW budget but still intend on having fun. I know it's not exactly gonna be great surf, but i'm wanting to do alot of sightseeing too, not just surfing.

Want to book plane tickets by xmas, and looking at places to stay already. Actually going to be organised for once. If anyone fancies joining me, let me know.
xxx

[Dec]

Well, low budget and Hawaii don't really mix. Sorry to kill you already but it's going to cost a lot just to eat, let alone accomodation, plane flights, and any sort of surf.

[thaya]

1) i'm not planning on eating much (it'll be too hot to eat anyway!)
2) i've seen some affordable hostel type places (although i don't know how dodgy they are)
3) i've already got enough for a flight, kept safely away, cuz i didn't go on holiday last year, or the year before, or the year before that... (you get the picture!) it's been my 'ticket to hawaii' fund for a while. Yes, I've been dreaming about it for a while
4) My favourite little phrase: where there's a will there's a way

I know it's gonna cost a bit, but i'm going whatever and i'll just make do with what i've got!

[austin325]

i think hawaii only breaks during winter.

[hawaiiSUCKSexceptsurf]

i think hawaii only breaks during winter.

aaahahaha.


what island are you going to?

[hawaiiSUCKSexceptsurf]

food isnt that expensive. you can get plate unches for 5 or 6 bucks. 5 for a meal at junk fast food places. I usually get musubis at 7-11. its like spam sushi, sometimes with a hot dog. its good, but not that healthy. but with that and a green tea, it fills me up for $2.20

i think poeple not from hawaii usually think musubis are a strange exotic food. its more like a cheap hamburger.

we also have subways. we even have safeway. its cheaper than england i think.

if you come to oahu ill join you...?

[hawaiiSUCKSexceptsurf]

thaya i think you can even camp if you get a tent. just not by yourself.

we actually have a big problem with drugs and related property and violence crimes, atleast on oahu.

are you going to more than one island? inter-island flights are pretty cheap.

[thaya]

camp... in those temperatures? wouldn't people die of heat stroke? Just out of interest, why can't you camp alone? Is it a safety thing?

I've emailed a few hostels and backpackers places. they seem really nice but all of them only let you book one week. i suppose that's good in a way cuz then i will get to move around, see more and meet loads of people.

i'm gonna start reading a few books on hawaii and decide what i wanna see. will probably do some island hopping. gonna have to scrimp and save all year though... i'm just starting to add it all up

[hawaiiSUCKSexceptsurf]

no one here has air conditioning anyway. i wouldnt be supised if the hostels dont. its hotter inside than out. just dont sleep in your sleeping bag.
thats why i hate it so much. sweating myself to sleep. changing clothes 2-3 times a day.no hot showers, no hot food. when i drink and blush, i swat so much i would need a towel for my forehead.

and dont camp alone because homeless crack heads here like camping on beaches as well. plus youre white. a lot of hawaiians are still bitter about the U.S. overthrow, even though they wernt alive at the time. a lot of them did lose their homes to developments though and a lot of them live on the streets or in nasty areas where the only whites you see are just driving through.

[SDCali]

Maybe we should schedule a meet, as that's usually the time of year that I head over there, don't know which island or for how long I will be there next year, of course there is also talk in my family of going to Ireland next summer (visiting the ancestral homeland-grandma was born there).

[thaya]

i'm booking my tickets in the next few weeks. have found a cheap (ish) air fare and a great hostel (very cheap) with free breakfasts, internet access and board hire (and loads more). can't wait. it's one block from waikiki beach. it'll be so good to have something to look forward to (but so difficult to save for it.....)

[thaya]

WAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY

I've got my plane tickets and booked my accomodation. I'm going to Hawaii I'm actually doing it. If anyone's around Oahu in july&august then we HAVE to meet up (i doubt I'll be in Hawaii again for a LONG time!) I've got some serious scrimping to do this year. In fact, I don't think I can have any sort of life. It's gonna take me so long to save up for it. I'm so EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YAY!

[libby]

*seething with jealousy*

[pat42]

SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET!!!!!!!!



Have a brilliant time!!!!!

[Wisemans]

SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET!!!!!!!!



Have a brilliant time!!!!!

[thaya]

that reminds me... not long to go... only about 18wks... (and counting!)

[hawaiiSUCKSexceptsurf]

mind if i ask how much your room and airfare cost? i cant seem to avoid paying more than $700 for a round trip ticket off the island. but i usually go to the midwest or northeast.

[thaya]

I'll PM you!

[Brisbanebound]

My girlfriend and I have travelled in Hawaii twice and it can be done cheap'ish. We did it once on the cheap when we were students and once on the not so cheap!
If you are gonna stay on Oahu the whole time you can definitely do it cheap as there's a good bus service which covers the island.
Personally I wasn't too fussed with Waikiki and we spent most of our time on Oahu on the north shore.
The surf may not be epic in August but it still works on the South and the weather is perfect.
Hawaii really is the most beautiful place. You will be amazed.
If you can afford to I'd say you should go to either Kauai or the Big Island too. Problem is you have to hire a car as there's no real public transport.
If not then I'd defo hire a car for at least a day on Oahu just so as to see some of the Island.
As someone else said, camping on Oahu isn't a great idea but on the other islands its the best. On north shore Kauai you can camp right on some beautiful beaches and there's no drunks at all. The north shore of Kauai is where Lost is filmed.
If you make it up to the north shore there are a couple of backpacker places. There is one main one but the name escapes me. I wouldn't stay there (again!). There are some other, smaller places along the road.
There's a supermarket opposite the beach where you can get cheap eats and there's always someone who'll give you a lift into Haleiwa if you want.
If you hire a bike you can ride along the main north shore beach and check out all the famous spots.
There's one place called Turtle Beach where you can watch the turtles come right up out of the water and sit on the beach! No idea why they do it but they do!!!
You'll have the best time - some of my best memories are from Hawaii and I love the place. I could go on all day about it!!! Trust me, you will overspend while you are there so I'd arrange something with the bank before going!
Whatever you spend money on now - STOP!!!! Save as much as you can so you can do lots of stuff in Hawaii!!
While its obvious I'm jealous I'm not gonna whinge as I'm moving to Brisbane on 2nd August so Yay for August!!!

[thaya]

thanks for the tips! I can't wait. I'm not managing to save anything like what I was hoping, so I am a bit worried about overspending... I guess you've given me a good reason to watch my pennies again!