Island fever is a very real concept. Limey might understand it to a certain extent, but since he can easily make it across the channel to mainland Europe, it isn’t the same type of island fever you get when you live in Hawaii.
Hawaii is separated by 2200 miles of open ocean from the U.S. mainland, and even greater distances from its Pacific Rim neighbors. It is among the most geographically remote areas on the planet and unlike many other places, you can’t just pop over to the next state to pick up weapons, drugs, or prostitutes.
Because travel to any destination from Hawaii requires either a month at sea or hours in the air, frequent trips off the island are cost prohibitive. If you’re on the mainland, you can always find cheap fares to and from various destinations, or drive to another state or country if you’re really antsy. This isn’t possible in Hawaii and a long drive usually ends with a quick drop from a high cliff if you’re intent on leaving the state.
Before I moved here I gave the idea of island fever serious consideration. I wondered, given my wanderlust, if I would fall victim to island fever. I haven’t yet, but there are times when I wish I could get off the island for a bit… during the past winter, when all my friends were snowboarding up in Tahoe enjoying among the most plentiful snowfalls in recent history, I was stuck on an island with the average ambient temperature is around 80 degrees. Aside from that, living here is great and I’m not too bothered by the remote geography.
Are you implying there is a shortage of weapons, drugs, and prostitutes on Maui?
Weapons are in short supply as are prostitutes… drugs are not exactly plentiful, but enough of a problem that I can usually get two or three kilos of prime Maui Crippler when I need it.
…and I have no idea what that is.
hahaha, I should hope not! It’s the finest grade cannabis grown in the United States…
What about between the islands? Is there enough of a difference culturally, geographically, whateverlly between the islands so that you can say ” Gosh and Golly, Im bored of Maui i think I will pop over to….for the day.” ?
Well, they aren’t different culturally or geologically. The grade of tourist is higher on maui than it is on Oahu (the wallmart of tropical isles). Molokai is interesting for about 15 minutes or until you see the towering “cliffs of insantity.” Lanai? The phrase one horse town was invented for places like lanai… The big island is probably the only island worth visiting and that’s just because the volcano is erupting.
I was getting island fever just hearing you describe it!
And um . . how can I get some of that maui crippler over here?
Also, Limey – I can’t seem to read your comment/question without laughing. are you drunk?
Dawn, I cannot picture you toking while the kids are at school!
I would get tired of it I bet…
Dawn; the fact that you laugh uncontrollably when reading my comment would suggest that it is you who is drunk/stoned, rather than me. Im the poster boy for sobriety.
Pea – yes admittedly it has been quite a long time! My kids are getting older now though – we might all benefit from a stoned mamma every once in a while. (truthfully though I am a very responsible mother 🙂
Seriously Dawn, you do not seem like the type to do that at all! I guess I’ll need to delve deeper into your archives 😉
I picture Limey as one who is constantly ripped, pea as one who has the dark underbelly of an ecstasy toting raver like katie holmes in GO, and dawn as a paint-huffing malcontent reformed into mommy of the year… am I even close?
I think you are quite correct about Limey. 😉
wow this is kind of weird. I’ve never huffed paint. I’ve smoked mj a zillion times. .did one other illegal drug once and I drink as often as possible and did to extreme excess while in college. You won’t find most of that in my archives because my mom reads my blog.
I get that a lot actually – people thinking I am much more innocent that I really am.
And I don’t think I’d win mommy of the year but I do my best.
Damn. I thought for sure dawn had a dark past… darker than just the chronic. Me? I’ve snorted, smoked, huffed, drank, swallowed, inhaled, dermed, and main-lined just about every known substance in an effort to know positively that there is nothing special about drugs… and may I say that aside from heroin, drugs are rather lame.
Well, I outed myself in one comments section; I don’t feel the need to do it twice! Let’s just say I’m running a close second to you e!, and I’ve done both the goth and rave thing, and we all know about N2O profits thing, and I’m sure I mentioned that whole sheets of acid/cops thing.
okay well on second thought next to you two I am rather innocent.
“Ripped” = drunk? My addictions are quite different…:) I shall be Mommy of the Year though!
Ripped means stoned… I think I read somewhere that you can’t handle your liquor so I know better…
handling it is fine, its the drinking it that causes me to fall over repeatedly :p