The Hawaiian approach to time has been called “Polynesian paralysis”, a term meaning people will get to where they need to go and do what needs to be done in good time. Gone are the haste, anxiety and impatience that make the rest of the world sick and frantic. In Hawaii, life is still a little slower than in most mainland states and cities and locals love the islands for this more natural state of play.
“It is the ability to simply be still and listen to your heartbeat, to stop and observe a beautiful rainbow or to watch the dolphins dance with the ocean. I would make this a priority over getting to a destination on time — the ability of observation, appreciation and relaxation.”
When we lived here most of 2013, we got a different view. When it comes to the athletes on the island, they are tough. Hurricane/Tropical Storm blowing in? No problem! We're still riding. Pouring rain and the wind blowing? No worries! The Honolulu Marathon will still go on.
Yesterday was one of those types of days. We were feeling the affects of Tropical Storm Niala. Les got up, put on his oldest cycling kit, added a fender to his bike, and away he went. "The storm was so thick, I had no GPS for the day. 80 miles of downpour and 25-35 gusty winds. It was crazy out there, but there were still a thousand or so hardy riders hammering through it."
My run on Tantalus on Saturday also included lots of rain. The first few times I ran up there I kind of dreaded the rain. Now it's just part of the adventure. Besides, No Rain, No Rainbow!
I wish I had taken a picture of Les when he got home! He was covered in road grime. I washed his clothes in the sink, let them soak for several hours, washed them again, and they're still pretty dirty looking! But does this look like the faces of people who had a miserable time?
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