Adventures of a Haole in Hawai'i

Riding my bike to Alamoana Park to watch the Hawaiian sunset in my usual, favorite spot, I found myself in an interesting predicament.

About 30 minutes before sunset everything seemed normal enough. As always there were people wandering aimlessly around the park, a bride and groom were getting their photos taken (a common occurrence at this location) and an epic rainbow had just formed, outlining the city in red, yellow and blue.

Then in a flash, the two or so dark clouds above ripped open and dumped rain in droves onto the unsuspecting people below. After securing my bike I ran to the most logical location for shelter, a huge, twisting old tree right in the center of the park. Naturally most other people sought shelter in the same location. It was then that I began to notice the strangeness. Nearly every one of these fellow rain-survivors were a couple of some kind, both old and young. Now, normally this shouldn't come as a surprise in Alamoana, but as the sun came closer and closer to setting, the level of PDA (Public Displays of Affection) rose substantially. I mean, really bad. From whispering, to leg grabbing, to kissing, I was caught in a sea of couples going googly eyed at the sunset and rainbow display.

For the longest time I couldn't figure out why this tree was so damned affectionate today. Then, as I eyed some chocolates in a woman's purse it dawned on me. BLOODY VALENTINES DAY. NOOO.

Why didn't I just leave, you may be wondering? Because while rain may at one time in man's history been just an excuse to sing and dance, in this modern day and age I was laden with an iPad and an iPhone, and I wasn't about to leave the dry, albeit smoochy tree and risk destroying the things I love most in this world (er, next to friends and family, of course...). So there I was, trapped in a sea of lovey dovey. Naturally as soon as the breath taking sun had set (and it was a good one, actually) the couples broke apart for oxygen and the rain stopped. Needless to say, I booked it home.

Remembering I had left my laundry out to dry earlier in the day, I dreaded finding them soaked and dirty when I arrived home. With the first stroke of luck of the evening however, I returned to find that the rain cloud had completely missed my home, 10 minutes away by bike from the rainy, smoochy tree. Later had a great night drinking local Kona Beers at the Kona Brewery with Karston and Veronika.