Royal Kunia Country Club

I am very close to sending in an official request to the judiciary to keep my furlough days.  I don't know what I was thinking when I first got here when I wished we did not have them.  Sure, the extra couple thousand bucks per year might be nice, but you can't put a price on freedom.  Two Fridays a month I don't have to work.  It's also not like BigLaw where the work is never ending.  When you work for the State Government, work stays at work.  No cloud hanging over your head all weekend.

Anyway, this past furlough week I played golf with my dad and co-worker.  In one sense it was an unfortunate afternoon.  We originally had plans to play Ko'olau Golf Course, which was rated by Golf Digest a couple years ago as the hardest course in the country.  It was also rated as one of the prettiest in the country.  So we had a tee time all set up, but when we pulled up to the club house, the skies opened up and dropped a monsoon on our heads.  There was just a giant black cloud hanging over the course and it was clear that the rain was not stopping anytime soon.  It was pouring!  The sad thing is that when we left my apartment, it was a bright sunny day.  Unfortunately, Ko'olau is up in the mountains and rain clouds usually get caught up in them.  This means it can be gorgeous in downtown Honolulu and pouring up in the mountains.

Hole 18 - Royal Kunia

So my co-worker suggested the Royal Kunia Country Club.  It's out in Ewa in West Oahu and he thought it would be a little dryer since it was on the other side of the mountains.  Not so much.  We got there and it had stopped raining until right when we were in the middle of the first fairway.  It was pretty much the most unlucky situation ever.  So we played the first 4-5 holes in pouring rain.  By the 5th hole it eased up and by 6 it was all clear.  Fortunately I had one of those "DryJoy" jackets that kept me completely dry.  My bottom half did not fare so well.

Anyway, the Royal Kunia course itself is gorgeous (and as a side note, the drainage on the course was the best I have ever seen...by the time we got to the 8th or 9th hole, the course was basically dry).  Royal Kunia Country Club has been described as the best and most scenic course on Oahu. Located only 30 minutes from Waikiki or the North Shore, this course offers the ultimate Hawaii golfing experience for the beginner to low handicapper. The golf course is a Robin Nelson designed golf course, situated high above the Ewa plains. The course offers an uncompromised panoramic view of the entire south shore of Oahu. Spectacular views of Pearl Harbor, the Ko’olau and Waianae mountain ranges, the city of Honolulu and Diamond Head can be seen from every hole. The scenic, rolling fairways are also lined with palm trees and other tropical native flora, along with six water features and 101 bunkers which adds to the aesthetic appeal of this picturesque golf course.  You can check out the hole descriptions to get a sense of the challenges and beauty of the course.

The only downside to this course is the restaurant/pro shop.  There isn't really a clubhouse and what they do have is mediocre at best.  I mean, you can get a sandwich and everything, but the clubhouse and restaurant don't do the course justice at all. This course was my dad's favorite for the week.  I still like Luana Hills the best despite its difficulty.  The nice thing about Royal Kunia is that it is an enjoyable course to play.  It's a challenge, but you're not going to be upset at losing 10 balls.

Luana Hills Golf Course

I had another "Hawai'i Moment" (times when I look around and realize that I live in a pretty awesome place) during my most recent Furlough Friday when I spent the morning playing golf at Luana Hills near Kailua.  Ever since I brought my golf clubs back with me after Christmas, a co-worker and I have been playing golf every weekend.  Normally we just play for $10 at the Pali Golf Course.  However, last Friday we decided to try Luana Hills.  Nestled between Mount Olomana and the towering Ko'olau Mountains, Luana Hills is one of the most unique and breathtaking golf courses I've ever seen. Carved from tropical rainforest in the heart of lush Maunawili Valley, the course is not only gorgeous, but strikingly difficult.  It might be the hardest course I've ever played, which doesn't say a whole lot, but still.

Signature Hole (#11)

The course itself was designed by golf architect Pete Dye and is a high risk/high rewards course.  Stretching across 6,595 yards from the back tees (5522 from the White), golfers have to consider a lot before they tee up in front of an array of forced carries, bunkers bordered by railroad ties, par-3s over streams and ravines, undulating bent grass, and fairways that slope off into bunkers and ravines. The course's signature hole is set deep in the rainforest along Maunawili Stream where you have to shoot over two fountains and a pond to get to the green.

Set in historic Maunawili Valley, this area was once the meeting place of great Hawaiian warriors and the island's queen.  Now it is home to a variety of wildlife. Native Hawaiian birds like the rare Aku`u nest in the palms and koa trees, and wild boar visit the streams. The hidden valley course is a site for feature films and a frequent stop of celebrities visiting Hawai'i, including both Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. Luana Hills is the perfect place for those looking for a quiet escape (but be prepared to lose your golf balls - I literally lost 10...it was a long day).

Some Details:
Course Type: 18 holes, par 72
Yardage: 6595/6164/5522/4654
Slope: 136/131/126/139/117/129
Rating: 70.9/68.8/66.2/70.9/61.7/67.4

Price: Kama'aina - $39 weekday/$49 weekend

          Guest/Non-resident - $125 + tax
Golf Carts: yes
Pull Carts: no
Walking Allowed: no
Greens: Bent
Fairways: Bent
Dress Code: proper golf attire
GPS Tracking: no
Lessons: yes
Club House: yes
Pro Shop: yes
Restaurant: yes
Bar: yes
Showers: no
Lockers: yes
Rider Fee: $20
Practice Green: yes
Driving Range: yes
Club Rental: Callaway $50

Heavy Rain

Thursday night through Friday afternoon saw a major thunderstorm for the first time since I've been in Hawaii.  It made for a very wet furlough Friday.  Thunderstorms are pretty typical in the midwest so I wasn't all that surprised when I saw lightning and heard thunder.  However, in Hawaii those things are apparently rare.  The winter is Hawaii's rainy season, and it has rained a few times in the last month or two, but nothing unusual in my opinion.  The last two days, though, have been pretty crazy.  There has been a constant, heavy rain.  So much so, in fact, that the Department of Heath actually issued an advisory to Kaua'i, O'ahu, Maui and Moloka'i to stay out of any water that is brown.

The Department warning says, "The public is advised to stay out of flood waters and storm water runoff due to possible overflowing cesspools, pesticides, animal fecal matter, dead animals, chemicals, and associated flood debris. The health department warning says boaters, swimmers and surfers should stay out of coastal waters if they are turbid and brown."

I previously wrote about Leptosperosis and its prevalence in Hawaii.  I was fortunate that I did not contract it when I went cliff jumping at Maunawili Falls, but I think this advisory is enough to convince me that I won't be going back in the near future.

Kaua'i

This weekend I went to Kaua'i (it's easy to go for a weekend when you have Furlough Fridays off).  Kauai is Hawaii’s fourth largest island and is sometimes called the “Garden Isle,” which is an entirely accurate description. It is the oldest and northernmost island in the Hawaiian chain and is littered with valleys, sharp mountain spires and jagged cliffs that are pretty draw dropping. Centuries of growth have also formed tropical rainforests, forking rivers and cascading waterfalls.

If you've never been to Kaua'i, you may nevertheless be familiar with its scenery.  The mountains and coast were backdrops for movies such as Jurassic Park, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Six Days Seven Nights, and South Pacific. It was also the setting for the TV show Gilligan's Island.  Kaua'i is nothing like O'ahu.  It is as secluded and untouched by development as you can get and has none of O'ahu's city-like feel.  There is only one major road that follows the coast and only a few minor roads that go to the center of the island.  In fact, vast parts of the island can only be seen or accessed by boat or helicopter.

Kaua'i is circular in shape with lush, mountainous regions in its center and beaches covering almost half its shoreline. Kauai's age makes it one of the most scenic islands in Hawaii from the 3,000-foot elevations of Waimea Canyon to the waterfalls and deep gorges of 5,148-foot Mount Waialeale in the uninhabited center of Kauai, which you can only view by air.  We didn't have much of a plan when we arrived, but had a pretty packed weekend of activities.  Someone recommended we hike the Na Pali coast, so we did that when we got off the plane.  We also went to Waimea Canyon, the Waimea Brewing company (more beer reviews to come!), the Kauai coffee company, and a beach.

Friday Funday

Although my first paycheck was a stark reminder of why the furlough system is the worst idea ever, it is hard to complain when you're sitting in the ocean on a surf board at 9am on a Friday morning rather than behind a depressing cubicle wall.  After surfing for a few hours, it was time to watch the Phillies dominate the Reds.  My co-worker (for the sake of privacy, let's call him Joe) has an absolutely phenomenal apartment building right near Chinatown where we decided to watch the playoff game.  His apartment lets residents and their guests reserve cabanas by the pool.  The cabanas come complete with a grill, cooler with ice, table, and TV hookup.  So we called a bunch of people and set it up.  We had the typical party essentials - chips, salsa, fruit, and beer - and even grilled a few hot links, all while sitting out by the pool and watching the game.  The apartment complex brought Joe's 50'' plasma TV down for us and set it up for the perfect Phillies'-winning playoff party (forgive the alliteration).

Following the game, it was only about 4:00 in the afternoon so the night was young.  A group of people decided to go out, which usually means Waikiki or Chinatown.  This particular evening we decided to head over to Nashville's.  For anyone unfamiliar with this magnificent gem in the heart of Waikiki, I wholeheartedly recommend it for a fun night out.  The alcohol prices are nothing special, but the atmosphere is a lot of fun.  It is a country/classic rock music bar that is open until 4am. It is the only country music/classic rock bar on Oahu, which means that the crowd is everything you would expect it to be.  Everyone sings incredibly loudly and dances because everyone knows all the words to all the songs.  It's that kind of place.

Don't come to Nashville's looking for good food, though.  They don't serve food, unless you're on the liquor diet.  They have happy hour everyday from 4-8pm ($3 Mai Tais and $3 Domestic Bottles), but the real appeal of this place is their daily or weekly activities (and late night music selection).  They have free blackjack every night at 10pm, free line dancing lessons every Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 7-9pm, Pool tournaments Sunday through Thursday at 10pm, and Guys and Girls Boxers Contests every Wednesday.  For people not so interested in stripping down to their boxers, though, they have darts and Wii games as well.  Also, if you visit their website (http://www.nashvillewaikiki.com/menu.html), there are a few drink coupons you can print out and bring with you.  Another advantage of this late-night spot over other places in Waikiki is their lack of a cover charge.  No bar should ever have a cover charge unless there is a live band, and even then, no bar should ever charge more than $5.  No bar is ever worth a cover charge.  I will happily go next door to inebriate myself, thank you very much.

Typical Friday in Hawaii...

The reaction I get when I tell people I have Furlough Friday is always hilarious (and getting predictable).  The reaction always starts with a smirk as if the person is saying, "wow, the Hawaii State government can't get their shit together" and then they say, "it's awesome you get the day off."  This Furlough Friday was definitely a testament to that reaction.  I started the day with some morning surfing.  I am still able to get up, but went without a rash guard this time and learned very quickly how important they are.  My nipples felt like I spent the night at an S&M Club.  Anyway, my co-worker and I spent a couple hours just hanging out and surfing and then I headed home for some rest and to do some errands.  That lasted all of about 30 minutes when my roommate came into my room and said, "we're going to Waimea."

So we drove the 30 minutes or so to the North Shore and went to Waimea Bay.  In the summer, the water is fairly calm, but in the winter, the waves are massive.  So massive, in fact, that the North Shore is famous for all the major surf competitions.  The surf break at Waimea Bay was significant in the development of Big wave surfing. Larger surf at the bay went unridden for years until November 7, 1957. When a handful of surfers finally paddled out and rode the giant waves that break off the northern point of the bay. While the surf only breaks big several times a year, Waimea was the most prestigious big wave surf break in the world for decades.  Well, the waves are just starting to get big and we showed up and the waves were easily 12 feet big...nothing compared to what they will be in the next couple months.  What you have to understand is that the breaks on these waves are really violent.  They easily knock you over and will carry you to the shore.  The under-tow is also so strong that it is nearly impossible to fight your way out of it.  The under-tow then carries you under the wave and can really do some damage.  So we started to play "chicken" with the waves to see who could go out furthest without running away.  It was pretty fun.  At one point, though, the under-tow caught me and I literally could not run or swim out of the way so I had no choice but to go under the break.

After playing in the waves for a little while, we went to jump off "Da Big Rock."  I'm not entirely sure how big the rock is, but jumping off, I remember having the distinct thought in the middle of the air that I had not hit the water yet.  So I remember thinking that it was fairly high.  However, everyone jumps off this thing and has a good time, so I figured, "when in Rome."  So we jumped and swam for a while then headed over to a Mexican restaurant, "Cholo's" also on the North Shore.  The food was pretty good.  Definitely worth going to if you're ever up there.  The one thing I have not tried yet is "Shave Ice," which I'm told, is the thing to have on the North Shore.

We got back in the late afternoon and the day still wasn't over.  It turns out Chinatown regularly has festivals or parties where they close down the streets and everyone drinks and goes bar hopping.  Well Friday they had Oktoberfest.  The shut down several streets, put up several beer and food tents, had live bands, and all the bars stayed open till 4am. We went with a bunch of people and met a lot more.  In fact, I ran into someone I went to high school with who lives here now.  We were in the same homeroom for 4 years.  So that was pretty cool.  I grew up in Delaware and the one thing Delaware and Hawaii (or, at least Oahu) have in common is that they are small.  This is a small island.  Everyone knows everyone and you will constantly run into the same people.  This has its disadvantages, of course, but for someone new to the island, it's nice.

Furlough Friday

One of the benefits of working for the Hawaii State Government is Furlough Fridays.  Now, I say this is a "pro" because two Fridays a month, I have the day off.  It's nice in the sense that I can run errands or do things that normally can't be done on weekends because places are closed (i.e. go to the bank, post office, etc.).  It's also nice because I can go to the beach or just hang out and relax.  On the negative side, of course, is the fact that I don't get paid.  The State reduces our salary by 7%/year. Essentially, the Governor imposed budgetary restrictions on all state departments on June 1, 2009 to close the state's budget deficit. 

The craziest thing is that furlough days started with the schools.  This means that Hawaii was giving kids 2 days off a month.  The department of education is facing restrictions of $127.7 million for school year 2009-10 and $142.6 million for 2010-11 for non-charter schools.  Hawaii has 170,000 public school children.  The money-saving effort gives Hawaii schools the shortest school year in the nation.

For now, though, I am happy to have the 3-day weekends, especially because I don't think the furlough days will last the entire time I'm here.