Aloha by the numbers

We're in Hawaii! Here's our trip so far by the numbers.

• 5: Number of weeks we'll be here. I know, it's completely outrageous. It feels like somehow it shouldn't be allowed. Definite perk to being a teacher. And when you can rent places to stay for weeks at a time, it makes it much more affordable. Especially if you don't mind your accommodations just a little bit gritty. Not gross or unsafe, mind you; just the sort of place normal working-class Hawaiians live.
  
• 2: Places we'll stay while we're here on the Big Island. We'll be on the less touristy east side near Hilo for four weeks, and spend the last week on the west side smack in the middle of sunny, beachy tourist land.
  
• 50: Percent chance of rain at all times around Hilo. I hope they don't pay their weather forecasters much here. It's pretty liberating to always have a 50% chance of rain; no point to either planning around the weather or letting it slow you down.
  
• 6: Hours on the plane from the mainland. The kids did fantastic. But I do want to say this. For part of the trip I sat in front of a kid who would not stop kicking the seat. He seemed to have some behavior or developmental issues and could not control his body or voice very well, and I seriously did not envy his mom. And here's a secret to parents everywhere: it was NO BIG DEAL that he kept kicking the seat. I mean, I could feel it but it was only the tiniest bit annoying. I'm not saying parents should just let their kids kick plane seats, but if your kid kicks a few times before you are able to intervene you do not need to be filled with the deep sort of angst and regret and embarrassment I am prone to. If the person gives you mean looks, you can just chill and feel sorry that their lives are so petty that they go around feeling put out by every little bump they encounter.
  
• 5: minutes walking from our condo to the Champagne Pond, a geothermally heated little protected ocean bay with crystal clear water, often completely deserted. Amazing.
  
• 100: percent of the time the Champagne Pond has had sea turtles swimming around.
  
• Roughly 250: number of stalls at the Hilo farmers market staffed by friendly cute old Asian women selling amazing, fresh, fascinating produce for super reasonable prices.
  
• 7: Dollars for a gallon of milk at the grocery store.
  
• 3.93: Dollars for a gallon of gas, which is about the same as Colorado. We were bracing for much worse.
  
• 1: Number of mornings we've woken up and hacked down some coconuts with a machete from a tree in the front yard with our friendly neighbors.
  
  
  
  
• 1: Number of times a clerk at a store has asked if we were just visiting based on my (glaringly non-local) last name. Apparently she knows some Thompsons who live in Louisiana. Which really cracked me up.
  
• 0: Number of pictures you'll get on the blog from our underwater camera until we return home, because we forgot the right cable to transfer them.
  
• At least 1: Number of geckos who share our residence.
  
• 8: Number of fresh-faced, white shirted visitors at church today who were here for the summer doing "marketing." And for all you snarky BYU alums, no, they aren't selling pest control. They are selling security systems.
  
• 2: Number of talks at church that actually started with the person saying "aloha" and the congregation all answering back "aloha". I secretly believed until today that Hawaiians on the mainland were just making up that whole exchange.
  

Which is all to say that so far it's been great. I can't believe we're really here.